More Herbs, Less Salt Day

August 29th, 2014 is More Herbs, Less Salt Day. This is a day that encourages people to use more herbs, more home cooked meals, and less salt. In a world where less healthy meal options are so easy to come by, it is difficult for most to eat healthy and balanced meals. Adding more herbs is a simple solution to over salted options. Herbs will add to your dishes, and can be just as satisfying as salt.  

Living with an illness in which you are advised to eat a low-sodium diet can be difficult. One day you are able to eat what you want when you want, and the next day being put on a low-sodium diet can be hard to get used to, especially when most people use salt in many dishes. It was strange at first for me to eat low-sodium. I have always been a healthy eater, but low-sodium was an eye-opener. There were a lot of food items I had to cut out of my diet. After some time, eating low-sodium became natural. Now if I eat foods high in salt, I can taste it right away.  

I have been able to find many delicious recipes for healthy dishes on Pinterest. I simply searched "more herbs, less salt" and I was able to find so many great food recipes and options! Once I had to alter my diet to low-sodium I started to cook more for myself, and I realized I love cooking healthy food! It is nice to have control over what I am eating. I know that many people are very busy, and healthy eating can be a bit tedious, but in the end it is so beneficial. One of my favorite options to make is crockpot chicken. You can cook this so many different ways. I like to use homemade marinara sauce, spinach and chicken. I put it all in the crock pot and let it cook on low for several hours, and then I have delicious chicken that will last me a few days. 

Herbs are easy for me to come by, we always have them available in my house. You can get dried herb and spice racks almost anywhere, which are great for trying out new herbs. Another good way to get herbs is to have an herb garden. You don't need too much space; since herbs are pretty small you can grow a few in your house or backyard. I have seen retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowes selling little herbs and herb boxes. They are pretty inexpensive, and easy to grow. There are also ways of saving and freezing herbs. I have seen people freeze them in ice cube trays, this is great because they freeze in single servings. Again, you can find so many different ideas on Pinterest. You can check out my own personal more herbs, less salt Pinterest board for more ideas!

I think More Herbs, Less Salt Day is so important. I think too often we focus on faster rather than healthier. I hope that more people will start to incorporate more herbs and spices into their meals. Living with illnesses sometimes bring more awareness in all-around health, and our diets are so important. I will be honest, sometimes I wish I could eat the unhealthy fast food items, but once I do I feel bad and sick after. I feel better when I eat fresh foods, and less salt. I do like to go out for meals occasionally, but I am still cautious about what I order.

Eating healthy is extremely popular right now, which is great because there are so many resources out there for healthy eating tips and recipes. I hope you find some resources that will help you to incorporate a healthier diet.  Here are a few resources I have found helpful: 

• http://www.pinterest.com/ 

• http://skinnyms.com/category/recipes/ 

• http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/recipes/low-sodium-recipes/rcs-20077197 

• http://allrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-recipes/special-diets/low-sodium/ 

• http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/low-sodium.html 

Written by Elisa L.

Sister's Day

We recently celebrated Sister's Day on August 3, 2014. No matter how close you are with a sister, I think you will always have some special bond. I am nine years older than my sister and we have never been extremely close, but we do have a connection that I wouldn’t trade. We are so different, yet oddly the same. I have never talked to my sister about my lupus and PH, but sometimes my sister will come along to my doctor appointments. If anyone has seen me at my worst, it has definitely been my mom and sister. It is a part of my life that I let few people see.

With these illnesses, I have done my very best to maintain an extremely positive attitude. I want to be a role model to all who enter my life, but I especially want my sister to know that nothing can stop you. You can have the life that you choose, you can do anything. I asked my sister some questions about my lupus and PH, and how she feels about this whole situation. We have never had a conversation like this, so it was out of both our comfort zones.

My interview with my sister:

Do you worry about your risk for developing PH or lupus because I have them?

Having a sister with lupus and PH, I am concerned that I could potentially be at risk. From what I know both illnesses can be hereditary and I've never been checked for either one.

How has my illness impacted your life?

Your health issues do impact my life because I worry about you. I don't always know what is going on with you being sick, so it is hard when I see you some days and I can just tell from looking at you that you’re in pain. When I can hear you having a hard time breathing or coughing, it’s scary because I don't know what's causing you to have these problems. I personally don't know much about your illnesses or what you are going through, so I don't really know what I could potentially do to help when you’re having a bad day. It’s just hard when you know someone you love is sick, it’s just worse when you can see the effects the illnesses have on them.

 I can understand how any person who has a sick sibling could feel scared and at risk. Even though we have no family history of lupus or PH, it is still something that could show up. I think that family plays an important role in my health and my wellbeing, and it is good to know that I am supported, but I also want my family to know that even on a bad day I will always fully support them.

I also have a sister-in-law that I have become very close to over the past few years. She lives in North Carolina, and I try to visit her, my brother, and their three kids as much as possible. Jena, my sister-in-law, has lupus. She was diagnosed at a much younger age than I was – she was only 14, whereas I was 24 at diagnosis. In my opinion, her journey with lupus was much more difficult than mine. I can't imagine having to go through high school with the aches and pains and fatigue! I asked her a few questions about PH, too.

My interview with my sister-in-law:

5/1000 lupus patients may have PH. Had you heard of PH before you met me?

I didn't know about PH, and I also didn't know that 5 out of 1000 may have PH. Once I learned this info, I realized that I could be at risk for PH, too.

 

You have three sisters who don’t have lupus or any other chronic conditions. Does your lupus impact them?

I don’t think my lupus majorly impacts their lives. Our grandmother did die at the age of 28, and she had scleroderma, which is another disease that can be associated with PH.

 
I am so happy for Jena, she has been able to marry a great guy, my older brother. They have three incredible children, and they are such a joy to be around. She is also becoming a teacher, and has about a year left of school. It is so great to see how people in my life push through the pain, literally.

Sisters are so important to me. I learn so much from them, and I do count my friends as my sisters too. Not everyone will know the joy of fighting with their sister, and the craziness that is involved with having a sister; it’s an experience that is hard to describe. I am blessed to have a sister, a sister-in-law, and friends who are sisters. I try to celebrate these people every day in some little way.

Written by Elisa L.

Do you have a sister or other person in your life who helps support you? Be sure to share PHA's resources for caregivers with them! Learn more at www.PHAssociation.org/Caregivers.