Millions Living with arthritis

There are millions of People living their lives with some form of arthritis . There are over one hundred different kinds of arthritis ranging from mild to severe. I have to say my pet peeve is when a person says to me on a painful day, take an aspirin that's what I do when my arthritis acts up, its just a little ache. As many of you may or may not know not all forms of arthritis are cured with an aspirin. For example Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common but also one of the most severe. It effects mostly women in their early twenties. However; The numbers are quickly on the rise for children and men. RA, as it is referred to is a very debilitating disease that can steal your life as you know it very quickly if you allow it. A simple way to explain how RA is different from inflammatory arthritis is, RA patients immune systems are confused the immune system attacks itself along with the persons joints and other major organs in the body as it progresses. Inflammatory arthritis usually comes with age and wear and tear on the joints, both are painful and cause swelling and stiffness. RA, patients need constant supervision from their doctors and need to be on a medication routine to suppress the immune system. Whereas; inflammatory arthritis patients can take an aspirin in most cases to relieve the pain. I think the public needs to be aware of the different forms and how they affect the person afflicted. Knowledge is power when you are battling any disease. If you have any form arthritis, physical limitations caused by chronic pain or injury or even chronic fatigue syndrom this is the site for you to freely be able to talk about your pain. How it may interrupt your life, make living a normal life a chore, every day struggles as well as triumphs, share your story, thoughts, recipes and most importantly your successes!

Have you ever felt that your arthritis was consuming your life sucking every drop of energy you have; making ordinary tasks and daily activities almost impossible to complete. This was what I was talking about when I said if you allow it to consume your life. When You find yourself focusing on the pain and deformity and not your life just getting through the day is almost impossible. You must redirect your focus on something positive. You may be thinking , I am in so much pain I can't do that. Yes you can, try focusing on a happy event if only for a few minutes it gave you a few minute break from the doom and gloom thoughts. Then the next time try to make the happy thoughts last a few minutes longer. Some may find that hard to do, so try calling a friend or reading a small article in a magazine or book. The key is to keep your mind busy. A busy mind does not have time for painful thoughts. Believe me I know there is times when the pain is so severe that this will not work. I am not talking about those times. It is so important and I can not stress enough to not allow the arthritis to take control of your life, you need to take control of the disease.

You can make changes to your lifestyle to make living with arthritis easier. One is to find your balance between activity and rest. Do not over do it on a good day because you feel good. You will pay for it later that night. It is so important to stay active, it is like the old adage move it or lose it, so true here people. Maintain a healthy weight, the more weight your joints have to carry the more pain you will feel. So maintain your normal body weight. Stay Positive, avoid stressful situations whenever possible. Buy a fish tank and fill it with fish, very calming to watch, do what you enjoy! Arthritis is an unpredictable disease, as is what the future holds for its victims. Allowing yourself to Accept that you have this chronic and painful illness is the first step in dealing with it. Taking controll of your disease is the next step. Your life as you knew it now holds a brand new reality with limitations. So stay Positive, active and informed, share your thoughts, never suffer in silence and live the best life possible!

Quote of the day: It is your life and only your life to live. This allows you to decide how you chose to live it.

I wanted to share a recipe with you today. My family loves this sheet cake. A very simple recipe.

Bayou Sludge cake
2 cups all purpose flour sifted
2 cups sugar sifted
½ cup Hershey’s coco powder
¼ tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter melted
½ cup canola oil
1 cup water
1 cup butter milk
1 tsp; baking soda mixed into the buttermilk 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs room temperature
2 Tablespoons Godiva Liqueur, original flavor it is a chocolate flavor
Candy ice crystals for decorating

Prepare a 17.31 x 12.25 baking sheet with non stick baking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, sugar, coco and salt set aside. Using a medium sauce pan add butter, oil and water heat over medium heat just until melted and whisk until blended, remove from heat, allow standing 5 minutes. Mix the buttermilk and baking soda together and allow standing about 3 minutes. In a bowl of a stand mixer armed with the whisk attachment add butter mixture and turn mixer speed to medium slowly temper in the buttermilk mixture. To the stand mixer bowl mixture slowly add the dry ingredients with blended add eggs mix for about 30 seconds scraping the sides until well blended, lastly add the liqueur mix until blended, pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 16 to 20 minutes until pick comes out clean, remove from oven and allow standing for about 5 minutes. In the mean time while the cake in the oven prepare frosting, you will be icing this cake while it is hot.

Icing:
1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup buttermilk
1 lb. Confectioners sugar
5 Tablespoons of Hershey’s coco powder
½ tsp salt Baked Beef, Chorizo and Corn Empanadas
1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons Godiva liqueur original flavor, it is a chocolate flavor

In a small sauce pan melt butter. Place the melted butter into a clean stand mixer bowl allow standing for 5 minutes to slightly cool. Temper in the buttermilk while mixer is on medium low speed. Slowly add powder sugar until blended add coco, vanilla and liqueur turn up to medium to medium high and mix until creamy it will be pour able but not watery. When the cake comes out allow standing for 5 minutes and pour icing over the cake and spread out evenly over entire cake, allow standing for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with ice crystal candy or candy of your choice. Serve warm or completely cooled it is really great ether way.