ACDF Surgery

Dr M & I @ my post op checkup (I'm standing on a stool)

Seven months after ACDF of c5 - c7 (Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion) I am still relieved of a lot of pain!!!!!! Yes, it's true! Ever since I woke up from surgery I could tell my arms & hands were so much better! See, my spine was being squished in my neck because of 2 severely herniated discs. This surgery helped immensely.

I still have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibro, TMD, Arnold Chairi 1 & other spinal herniations, but it's so much easier to manage without that heavy armor feeling I always had. Glad to report I have full movement of the neck & I don't ever feel the titanium plate & six screws in my neck. I no longer have the heaviness and extreme pain in the shoulders! YES! And I no longer have the numbness in my arms and hands, meaning I can drive again and hold things without dropping them! I can stand more than before and I get up a little easier from sitting.

Did 1 month of neck & back therapy after surgery. Seven months later, my back, hips and ribs aren't much better, but I'm not giving up. I'm still unable to get through a full day without needing to stop & rest for hours & then try again later. But I'm definitely on the road to recovery and better health!! It'll take a long time but good health is worth it.

Wore neck brace for 3 mo's

So the next step for me is to lose some weight. Not being able to move much for years definitely adds on the pounds! Plus I know losing some extra padding would help relieve some pressure off my joints. I've been pushing the stretching and walking daily. It's extremely difficult, but I'm confident that if I stick to it and stick to eating right, it'll all come in due time.

Neck scar healed perfect

To help in my new journey, I've embarked on a weight loss / get healthy challenge with my mother-in-law & brother-in-law. Our family and friends are the best support groups. So for about a month now, I've been working on changing my old, bad diet habits. Now I try to drink more water & I'm eating so much healthier, again. I'll have to start taking pictures of my healthy foods to share with you all!

Eating easy veggie tofu stir fry

As you can see in the photo, I have a scar on my neck now. I love the scar! It's a constant reminder of what I've been through, how lucky I am, and it keeps me focused on getting even better.

Stay tuned for my next Easy RA food post! I have lots to share :)

PS - I highly recommend Dr. Edward Mkrdichian with NorthShore University HealthSystem.

eat healthy & drink more water, baby! cause you're worth it!

Anti Inflammatory Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

Healthy smoothies make healing faster! 

I'm back! I checked out of virtual land for a bit. Mainly because I wanted to, also because I haven't felt well enough. Turns out some discs in my neck were pushing on my spinal cord. So I recently got surgery to prevent paralysis and get some pain relief.

Only been about 2 weeks since surgery and I've felt better since day 2! So Im back! Recovering for awhile, but I'm feeling a little better!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANYONE DIAGNOSED WITH FIBROMIALGIA TO GET A SPINAL MRI.
Since spinal surgery, it seems some of my Fibro symptoms may have subsided greatly. I still have Rheumatoid Arthritis & other autoimmunes, so I try to keep up the easy, healthy foods! We all gotta nourish our bodies with the good, fresh, healthy foods!

This is the super easy, fast, delicious and secretly super healthy smoothie Ive been creating daily. It's so delicious and makes me feel great! Did you know our bones require protein from foods to heal and remain well? Me either, till now. I've found an easy and yummy way!

NO INFLAMMATORY CHOCOLATE CHERRY SMOOTHIE

Easier to drink meals with this brace

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup Chia seeds (awesome Omega 3)
1 cup frozen dark sweet cherries (anti  inflammatory)
1 handful (or more) fresh spinach leaves
1 heaping spoonful dark chocolate powder
1 heaping spoonful peanut butter
1/2 cup almost almond milk
(If you prefer fresh non frozen foods, just add a bunch of ice)

Blend all till smooth and enjoy your super healthy 'dessert'!

Good job!

Let me know if you tried this and if you liked it!

Bling (and healthy foods) make my long recovery much easier. 😁

Bling the thing you swing!  :)

Thanks for visiting!

Breakfast Veggie Skillet

This morning I was craving a restaurant style skillet, potatoes, egg, cheese & all. But Im trying to save money by not going out to eat. So I looked in my kitchen & ta-da, this healthy & super easy Breakfast Veggie Skillet was created.

Mmmm yummy

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
Onion
Califlower (I prefer frozen in the bag)
Spinach leaves
Butter

This is a very basic, simple recipe. Basically, cut up veggies & potato & add to buttered frying pan. I like to almost burn my potatoes & veggies. Cook to your own desire, mkay.

Healthy skillet goodness

Easy homemade strawberry cheesecake ice cream!

Remember when you were younger & could eat anything you wanted like ice cream, pizza and candy? I do & I still miss them. With Fibro & Rheumatoid Arthritis both being auto immune diseases, it's crucial I watch my sugar intake. Refined processed sugar = inflammation. Wide spread chronic inflammation are key factors of autoimmune diseases. So, I make my own healthy ice cream! Yahoo!

See my happiness

Wait till you see how easy and yummy this Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is to make.

Blend together:

Frozen strawberries 

Frozen banana

Little almond milk

1/2 graham cracker

Top with graham cracker.

Tastes just like ice cream!

I now make jewelry & sell on Etsy!

You may have been wondering where I've been, or not. I've become obsessed with creating new, fun jewelry!

Rainbow bead necklace

I've been making mostly wire wrapped beads & such. Then I take pics & list them on Etsy.

Wire wrapped jewelry set

Please take a look at my page. Maybe get something nice for yourself or someone you know!
www.etsy.com/shop/JoeyCahanDesigns (previously called Wrapped Beads1)

Happy Holidays & New Year to you!

Berrylicious Smoothie Snack

So easy...so refreshing...so nutritious. I was craving something sweet & filling, but was feeling lazy. I usually have a freezer filled with frozen fruits & veggies. I opened it & said Ah Ha! Hence this gorgeous Berrylicious Smoothie.

I used all frozen fruit, fresh will work too, but then blend in plenty of ice.

Blend all together:

Raspberries

Blueberries

StrawberriesBanana
Splash of POM juice
Some water

I added some lime to mine, as I usually do. All these simple, healthy ingredients are good for you!

Bet you didn't know that raspberries contain lots of Vitamin C, fiber & help control inflammation.

Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, which those with a lowered immune system need.

Strawberries are extremely good for you. They protect your heart, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and guard against cancer.

Bananas help your heart, eyes & bowels.

Enjoy your glass of sweet & healthy love!

Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte

It's that time again! Time to be bombarded with ads for Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

But make your own instead, its so easy, and much better for you! Most store bought drinks are laden with yucky chemicals.

So easy to make! Just blend all ingredients:

Fresh brewed coffee

2 scoops pumpkin from can

1/2 frozen banana

cinnamon

nutmeg

Dash of vanilla

Cream

Ice

Now go outside & enjoy your yummy & healthy drink in the nice summer weather before it gets cold out.

Easy Ice Cream Breakfast

Ice cream for breakfast?! Yes, please! This idea was inspired by my friend Rick, who can't have anything acidic. I can't take full credit for this recipe, I've seen it online before many times. The flavors & colors (yes I see food as colors) I chose myself. Pick any flavor you prefer, the possibilities are endless for this HEALTHY, ANTIOXIDANT Easy Ice Cream Breakfast. Of course, this can be made for any time of the day. Frozen bananas are the base of this recipe. Add any flavor you want, I chose raspberry.

You only need 2-3 ingredients for this & they're probably already in your kitchen.

For this I blended till smooth:

3 frozen bananas

4 handfuls frozen raspberries

Few splashes almond milk

It will probably be very thick, add more milk as necessary.

Add dark chocolate chips to top

Now this is something my sensitive immune system can enjoy and eat as much as I want!

It does melt kind of fast. Any left overs just add ice, blend & drink as a smoothie!

Easy breakfast mango smoothie

Being very busy today, I needed something quick, simple, healthy & yummy. Good thing I had the 4 ingredients needed for this Easy breakfast Mango smoothie.

Blend together:

Lots of mango, fresh or frozen

1/2 banana

Little water

Grate in some fresh ginger

Blend again

Cherry-licious anti-inflammatory smoothie

I've been having a crazy Fibromyalgia muscle flare up & spasms in my rib area lately. Dr wants me on more drugs, but I refuse, hence this blog. Acupuncture is helping take the edge off, but I'm hoping this Cherry-licious Anti-inflammatory Smoothie will help take down some of the swelling.

Blend all together:
A lot of frozen black cherries
Splash of blueberries
1 frozen banana
Water
Ice

Now throw on some of your favorite music, like 311 & let natures food be thy medicine.

Acorn squash & refreshing green smoothie

Went back to fall foods today, I just felt like it. So I went to the store for some Acorn Squash. I've posted how to make it before ( here ), although I will again cause it's so easy. Cut in half, spoon out seeds, sprinkle with brown sugar & walnuts, bake at 400 for 1hour 30 min.

To go with it I made a refreshing green smoothie I found online. It tasted amazing but had lots of pulp in it. Just strain the finished product before drinking.

Refreshing green smoothie:

JUICE 1/2 cucumber

JUICE 1 rib celery

Blend with:

1 cup pineapple

1/2 lime

Water

Garnish with lime

(If you don't like it pulpy just strain it 1st)

This green smoothie is anti-inflammatory! Thanks to pineapples bromelain.

Coffee Breakfast Smoothie

Coffee smoothie, anyone? Yes, please! Banana added to it makes it breakfast on the go!

To make this was very easy.

Blend all ingredients:

1 cup coffee

1 tsp cinnamon

2 spoonfuls cocoa powder

1 spoonful peanut butter

1 banana (frozen if possible)

Some chocolate almond milk
About 5-8 ice cubes

Now go about your day feelin good!

Rooted blueberry smoothie

Today my body was craving rooted veggies such as beets & turnips, as well as blueberries. I thought, How can i make these rooted veggies & blueberries into a delicious smoothie. Here ya go! By the way, I never measure anything for smoothies.

For this smoothie you'll need a blender & a juicer. You'll need the following: beet juice, blueberries, strawberries, oj, mango, kale, lime. Of course you can eliminate & add as you prefer.

Did you know kale actually juices? This is how much juice 3 kale leaves me this time (haha, get it?). The fresher they are the more juice they'll provide!

Add the freshly juiced kale to the ingredients below (you won't taste it). Blend all together, add lime. 

Rooted Blueberry Smoothie:

2-3 handfuls blueberries

Handful strawberries

1 mango

Splash beet juice

About 1/2 cup orange juice

2-3 juiced kale leaves

Splash of lime

Lime for garnish

Now go put on some good tunes like 311 & enjoy!

Gluten free veggie pizza with carrot fruit juice

The other day I was feeling cheesy & craving carbs. I also crave my healthy smoothies & juices now. So I whipped up this yummy carrot fruit juice with produce in my fridge. It turned out amazing! Sweet, but not too sweet, and cool & refreshing. Give it a try!

Juice the following:

2 carrots

3/4 cucumber

1 orange (peeled of course)

Put freshly squeezed juice in blender

Add strawberries & blend till smooth

Add ice & cucumber slice for garnish

Now for the gluten free veggie pizza to the rescue! I buy Udi's GF cheese pizza. Just add baby spinach leaves & that's it!

It is really so easy being healthy, even when I feel like being bad! Nom nom nom

Weeknight chicken avocado salad with Digestive fruit smoothie

What to do when you're too tired & not wanting to cook? Just throw together this super easy & yummy chicken avocado salad with Digestive fruit smoothie.

Chicken Avocado Salad

Baby spinach leaves
Baked or broiled chicken
Avocado slices
Sunflower seeds
Lime
Ranch dressing

Just throw it all together & enjoy!

Digestive Fruit Smoothie

Blend together:
1 peach
handful cubed pineapple
Grated fresh ginger
Add ice

Your welcome.  :) Muah

Pink Cherry Summer Smoothie

Omg this was so good! Cherries are good for inflammation! Enjoy!

Blend all in blender:
Handful dark cherries
1 banana
Handful strawberries
Vanilla almond milk
Ice

Super Easy & Tasty Summer Salad

This salad was so good & easy wow.

 

 Baby spinach leaves torn into pieces
Fresh mango
Walnuts
Fresh lime squeezed ontop
Homemade strawberry dressing (strawberries & water blended)

Green & sweet smoothie treat

Ok this tasted way better than it looks. Yay green!

 

Blend all in blender:
1 banana
1 mango
Handful pineapple
Handful baby spinach leaves
Little water
Ice

Summer Strawberry Smoothie

Made this pretty concoction for breakfast the other day, it was delish.

 

Blend all in blender:
1 peach
1 kiwi
1 banana
Handful blueberries
Shake of cinnamon
A little vanilla almond milk

Valentines Berry Spinach Smoothie

Even though I don't celebrate, or believe in, Valentines Day, I still have been making red foods and treats in honor of the holiday. Here's and easy and festive way to get my veggies, fruits and omega 3's (much needed for RA and Fibro inflammation)...
my Valentines Berry Spinach Smoothie.

Added heart sticker to straw for show ;)

Put the following in the blender:
small handful fresh spinach leaves
frozen mixed berries
frozen mango
1 fresh banana
spoonful chia seeds
strawberry yogurt (or any flavor)
water
ice

Fill er up, with whatever you like!

This is what it looks like with chia seeds added...they look like little poppy seeds. They're so full of omega 3's, they're wonderful!

Ch-ch-ch Chia!

Blend it all up and voila!

Pretty berry red, like my bleeding heart! lol

So sweet and yummy! Can't tell there's spinach in there at all! Or seeds! Just sweet fruit and ice mmmmm.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Nom Nom

❤ being healthy! ❤
MUAH!!!