When you hear the word “yoga”, what do you think? There are a TON of misconceptions when it comes to yoga. And though I am not a certified expert (like a yoga instructor), I’m here to clear up some preconceived ideas when it comes to practicing yoga. When I started practicing 4 years ago, I … Continue reading
I slipped on my running shoes with tremendous anxiety, while wondering how badly it was going to hurt today. Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the sidewalk. The path ahead seemed grim and torturous. My body tensed as I bravely took the first steps. It only took 3 blocks for my low back to … Continue reading
This will be a continuing series throughout my blog. They are meant to be short and shareable. In the life of a chronic pain and illness patient… there are 4 different kinds of Doctor appointments. The Anxious Kind: You’ve been waiting for an answer or anticipating results from a new or increasingly painful symptom. This … Continue reading
I would like to dedicate this post to all the chronic pain warriors and “spoonies” out there. Year after year, my body seems to deteriorate. And I find myself in a continuous battle of mental strength versus physical symptoms. One of the most difficult things about having a chronic illness is learning that you are … Continue reading
Greetings all. I hope that you are healthy and doing well. Last week, WordsByMara was featured on the MyFibroTeam.com blog. This is new and original content; which has not yet been published to my site. Please click here to read and share my article – History Shows You Are Not Alone With Fibromyalgia I’ve struggled … Continue reading
Chronic illness is exactly that… chronic. Consistent. A vicious cycle. Every day. All day. Living with a chronic illness is not an excuse – it’s a reality. Many of us struggle to move beyond the every day aches, pains and flares out of fear that our body will trigger another vicious cycle of illness. A … Continue reading
Guest Post by Michelle Spadafora – I believe God has purpose in everything. Always. So it’s no coincidence that Michelle contacted me with her Christian exercise plans. After having a baby and dealing with an increase in my pain levels, I am truly thankful to connect with her. She found me on a fellow Christian’s … Continue reading
What is it like to live on a gluten-free diet? I get this question a lot. For anyone out there that might be considering a gluten-free diet, I do have a few answers to the common questions. So let’s begin… I hope you find this helpful… Q: What is gluten? A: Gluten is a protein … Continue reading
A doctor once said to me, “You just need to learn to relax”. This was shocking at the time since most of my friends referred to me as super-chill and laid back. Another doctor had told me this when it came to my chronic low back pain, “It’s not as bad as you think – … Continue reading
I have gained weight. Phew! There… I said it. I’m sharing this with you because I feel you can relate. Do you know what I mean when I say… “in my head it didn’t seem that bad until I saw myself in a full length mirror.” Yeah. I finally realized it was time to break up … Continue reading
