RA stories

Thank you for allowing me to take the stage last night along with so many amazing women.  It was an absolute honor. 

I was overwhelmed with emotions last night as Stacy Cassio announced that my story received the most votes for Pink Mentor Network's 2020 Growth Stories, which also meant that the voters really resonated with my story. 

Honestly, I was super nervous and probably rushed so I wouldn't be choked up and cry.  Many of you asked for what I shared afterwards since it was pretty difficult to take notes - if you don't know some of the Ayurvedic terms, it probably didn't help that I talked so fast - which is why I'm writing this blog for you to reference in the upcoming months.  And yes, you can absolutely share with whomever needs to hear my story.

I truly hope what I'm sharing will help you and anyone you know end 2020 with some resilience, joy, patience, and kindness to yourself.

At some point in our lives, we have all felt weighed down by our "stuff". Clutter can creep up on us without us even knowing it. Have you ever tried packing to move and wonder "Where did I get all of this stuff"? It just seems to multiply!

It's a relief to know that there is life beyond all of the "stuff". We had the opportunity to interview Lianne Hofer, founder of The Clutter Consultant, about 'owning our happiness' and 'the myths of more'. Stop letting your stuff own you and work towards being happy without the weight of all the clutter. 

2020 has been a lot of things... tough, sad, stressful, weird, and challenging are things to come to mind. Businesses have failed, and people have gotten sick, lost jobs, or lost loved ones. 

With all of the stress and uncertainty that has come with this year, many of us have packed on the Quarantine 15 (or more)! If this is you, don't fret. There are safe, healthy ways to get these extra pounds off. 

We had the opportunity to interview Rhya Pachin, one of the experts in functional nutrition here in Charlotte. You may remember her from earlier in the year when she talked with us about the gut microbiome and the importance of using food and nutrition to heal the body. 

Today, she is going to talk to us more about that pesky "Quarantine 15" and how we can make a few simple lifestyle changes to get that off, and keep it off.

Sugar is in everything. I am sure you know that things like cupcakes and candy are loaded with sugar, but you may be surprised about the sugar content hiding in some foods that may seem otherwise innocent. Would you have thought that your baked beans, spaghetti sauce, ketchup and low-fat yogurt can actually be packed with more sugar than your dessert?

Today, I am interviewing Jacqueline Bourne, who has taken the plunge into sugar free living. You may remember her from a previous interview interview where we talked about getting your best internal and external glow. Her website is full of helpful resources, so make sure to check that out.

In this interview, you'll learn more about how Jacqueline was able to transition her family away from sugars and the incredible transformation this has had on their health and lives. She even gives recommendations for sugar substitutions as well as a delicious recipe!

Ayurveda is a healthy-lifestyle system that people in India have used for more than 5,000 years. It emphasizes good health and prevention and treatment of illness through lifestyle practices. These include practices such as massage, meditation, yoga, and dietary changes.

This practice looks to not only address physical complaints, but also work on lifestyle changes to improve your overall health.

Learn about Ayurveda and what it could do for you. This could be a step that helps you to live a healthier, happier life. 

It's the middle of summer, and there's still plenty of time for self care this season.  Whether you're more or less busy this season, it's super important to take care of yourself whenever you can.  Self care doesn't have to be time-consuming, complicated, overwhelming, or expensive.

Self care is anything you do to take care of yourself so you can stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well - fueling your mind, body, and spirit.  When you are healthy and well, you are able to help take care of others, do accomplish what you need to do in a day, and perform well at your job. 

Here are some ideas on how to practice self-care, so you can find what works best for your needs and lifestyle.

We are all searching for that radiant glow, but what if we are sabotaging it by what we put into our body? Clean ingredient expert Jacqueline Bourne tells what to put in, and what to avoid, in order to be glowing outside and inside. Plus, she included a recipe for a Good-to-Glow Smoothie! Summer is finally here so get ready to be positively glowing!

Ever wonder what natural remedies you can use for sensitive skin, dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis?

With both Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism, I definitely suffer from dry skin, swelling, redness, and inflammation.  I have found many skin care products to exasperate my skin conditions.

Check the back labels of products!  Avoid certain ingredients like parabens, sulfates, dyes, and fragrances as well as alcohol-based cleansers and products - they can dry and irritate skin further.  Not all moisturizers are created equal, so choosing the wrong moisturizer can also make dry skin and certain skin conditions worse.  Hydration is key, and using sun protection is very important. 

Learn more about the list of a few natural remedies that help with certain health and skin conditions.

If you haven't heard the story of why Roses and Azalea is started, here's a really quick version.  I struggled with autoimmune disease, hypothyroidism, and other illnesses for more than a decade and was finally diagnosed after hearing Dr. Amy Myers on a podcast randomly one day.  My husband was the one to catch that episode and thought told me that many of my symptoms matched the ones discussed on the podcast.

The diagnosis took a long time.  After persistence, our own personal research, seeing doctors across three different states, and being our own advocates, we finally had the diagnosis in 2018.  Although there was some relief in knowing that "it wasn't actually all in my head" like some of the healthcare professionals had told me since my early 20's (in fact, a doctor had told me that because I'm a woman who is getting old, what else should I expect), I wondered "now what?"

Some of you reading this may be wondering exactly that.  You've already been diagnosed with autoimmune disease(s) and have had very little guidance and resources.  Some of you may not have reached diagnosis yet and want some answers.  Wherever in your health journey, I want to reassure you that you aren't alone and that there ARE some resources and support out there for you!

Today, I am interviewing Anessa Powell who is very familiar with living with an autoimmune disease, Addison's Disease.  She is an amazing wife and mother of two.  Anessa is a passionate speaker and educator as well as one of the leaders of Autoimmune Sisters, the #1 online community for those living with an autoimmune disease.  In this interview, you'll find out a little more about Anessa's own health journey, some advice she has for being a modern woman juggling life with autoimmune disease, advice for caretakers, and some of the much-needed resources for those living with autoimmune disease(s).

Recently the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic.  And with all the difference information, media, and opinions portrayed on social media by the general public, confusion and misleading information can cause mass panic.

As someone who is at high risk with asthma and autoimmune disease, I don't take things lightly.  I've heard from many different perspectives including medical professionals.  There's charts floating around comparing the flu with COVID-19.  Pictures of how there's no toilet paper (and other resources) have dominated my Facebook feed.

No matter how things turn out with a severe flu season, rise of Coronavirus cases, and other illnesses, it is important to boost your immune system and to prevent from getting sick when possible.  The best thing you can do for yourself and your family members is to remain calm and carry out your life normally, to start making healthy lifestyle changes, and to practice good hand hygiene.

Not sure where to start?  I have written about 10 ways to boost your immune system and to reduce the risk of infection!  All facts, no opinions.  Read this very important information now.

Spring starts in March, and the transition from winter to spring can be a difficult one if you aren't prepared - especially if you have autoimmune disease and other health concerns.

Going from cold and flu season to seasonal allergies, you may just not be able to avoid the congestion, runny nose, itchy and irritated eyes.  Spring is beautiful, and we all enjoy Mother Nature and the beautiful flowers and plants around us.  If we can just enjoy this beauty without having to dose up on so much medication...

Well, may we could!  There are quite a few natural remedies that you can try.  If you didn't know this but our allergy relief balm (soon to be "breathe easy balm") helps open up airways.  Today, I want to talk more about other natural remedies like elderberry syrup.  This interview of Meg Lowery is about elderberry syrup for your overall wellness.  

Meg is the founder and owner of Honest Elderberry Co., which originated after her daughter's middle name, Honesty.  Her hope and mission is to instill into her daughter that one of the most honorable things is to build a life on integrity and that begins with honesty.  Her company is no different - it is built on that foundation of integrity through ingredients and the entire process.

It's almost Valentine's Day❣  Whether you have a bae/hunny or not in your life, every single woman deserves self-love and self-care.

Love doesn't always have to come from other people.  In fact, it is so important to love yourself.  As women, we wear so many hats in this modern day, and sometimes we forget about our own needs because we are so busy taking care of other people - at work, at home, anywhere really.

This interview of Chrystal Rose is about self-love that impacts the mind, body, and spirit.  I'm going to be completely honest - this is something that I am 100% still struggling with.  I've been bullied and shamed all of my life, a lot of times by the people whom I thought loved me and was closest to me, so this topic is absolutely important to me.  Sometimes people don't realize that words really hurt, and they truly don't realize how those words can impact others' self-esteem, self-worth, and self-love.

Chrystal owns Rebellia, the Rebel Babe Cave podcast, and Mental Message.  She is also a nutritional coach and is currently working on obtaining a certification in life coaching that focuses on body image and disordered eating from a holistic approach.  Chrystal is extremely passionate at what she does and wants to make an impact on women's lives - centering around changing the mindset, achieving sustainability (instead of trying yo-yo diets), and working towards balance.