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Lately I have been pondering on the one thing that keeps me sane when I have flare up’s or bad days as we chronically ill like to put it and That one thing is reading. I don’t care what genre, or if it’s hard back or paper back when it comes down to it I am completely infatuated with reading. There is something about reading that relives me from every days struggles and it makes me calm. When read I am immersed in the book and I am able to step into the characters shoes just for a little bit and get a sense of knowledge about there life. If you haven’t noticed already I just so happen to be a bit of a book nerd, I especially love the covers of the books and the quotes entailed and so getting to my point I have decided to write this blog post detailing my favorite books. For as somebody once said “We read to know we’re not alone.”

1.) Fragile by Jandra Sutton

Blurb; 17-year-old Ava Collins grew up constantly reminded that she wasn’t – and couldn’t – be normal. A deaf student in public high school, her entire life was spent feeling like she needed to be ‘fixed’, but it wasn’t until she met Theo De Vries that she learned the truth.

Ava is learning that her life is her choice, that she gets to decide what she wants from her future, and that maybe we’re all a little bit broken.

And normal? Well, normal is whatever you decide.

My input: I love this book because not only is it beautiful written but it also shows that being normal isn’t all that it’s made out to be, and that you don’t have to be fixed because people will love you for who you are

2.) Fifty shades of grey by E L James

Blurb; When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires. Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My favorite quote: Sometimes I wonder if there’s something wrong with me. Perhaps I’ve spent too long in the company of my literary romantic heroes, and consequently my ideals and expectations are far too high.

My input; people have there different opinions in this book, some don’t agree with the relationship that Anna and Christian shared but My thoughts on this are as followed: somewhere within the dark bubble that was Christian grey’s life, he found what he needed. Love. he found love in Anna and I think that is beautiful.

3.) After by Anna Todd

Blurb: Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way.

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to.

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before.

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn’t the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her?

Unless…could this be love?

My favorite quote : I can’t help but think of the phrase ” sometimes it is better to be kept in the dark than be blinded by the light.

My input; Anna Todd and the after books are a inspiration and in fact this was the reason I started to write because her books inspired me greatly. I love the after books so much, I have read them over 50’times. Reason being there is so many twists at every bend, so much drama but at the end of it there is a love that is so great, it’s unlike any love that has ever been.

4.) A walk to remember by Nicholas sparks

Blurb: There was a time when the world was sweeter….when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats…. Every April, when the wind smells of both the sea and lilacs, Landon Carter remembers 1958, his last year at Beaufort High. Landon had dated a girl or two, and even once sworn that he’d been in love. Certainly the last person he thought he’d fall for was Jamie, the shy, almost ethereal daughter of the town’s Baptist minister….Jamie, who was destined to show him the depths of the human heart-and the joy and pain of living. The inspiration for this novel came from Nicholas Sparks’s sister: her life and her courage. From the internationally bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, comes his most moving story yet….

My favorite quote: “I held her close to me with my eyes closed, wonering if anything in my life had ever been this perfect and knowing at the same time that it hadn’t. I was in love, and the feeling was even more wonderful than I ever imagined it could be.”

My input: this is such a beautiful book. It is beautifully written but it also shows that opposite attracts and it shows the meaning of true love and sacrifice

5.) Breaking dawn by Stephanie Meyer

Blurb: When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella’s life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed… forever? The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.

My favorite quote: I almost went back. I almost turned around and fell down on my knees and started begging again. But I knew that I had to quit Bella, quit her cold turkey, before she killed me, like she was going to kill him.

My input: I love this book with every ounce of being. It’s so magical it draws you in to this world where vampires exist, A world where Bella and Edward are madly, deeply in love and I find it spell bounding and enchanting.

6.) The duff by Kody Keplinger

Blurb: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush, who calls Bianca the Duff–the Designated Ugly Fat Friend–of her crew.

But things aren’t so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

My favorite quote: No matter where you go or what you do to distract yourself, reality catches up with you eventually.

My input; I love this book because it’s funny, witty, drama filled and it makes you giggle even when you should frowning. This book shows that love happens when you least expect it with the person you least expected

7.) A street cat named bob by James Bowen

Blurb : When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.

Yet James couldn’t resist helping the strikingly intelligent tom cat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas.

Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other’s troubled pasts.

A Street Cat Named Bob is a moving and uplifting story that will touch the heart of anyone who reads it.

My favorite quote : Everybody needs a break, everybody deserves that second chance. Bob and I had taken ours.

My input: I have read this book 5 times now and every single time I still cry like a little baby. This book is so absolute, stunning, beautiful and it pulls at the heart strings . It shows how important animals truly are, they help us in ways most people wont ever understand and some animals can save lives to. For bob

and James this was definitely the case.

8.) Beautiful disaster by Jamie McGuire

Blurb: Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder. In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

Favorite quote: You know why I want you? I didn’t know I was lost until you found me. I didn’t know what alone was until the first night I spent without you in my bed. You’re the one thing I’ve got right. You’re what I’ve been waiting for, Pigeon.

My input: I still get excited about reading this book over and over it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and even though you will try and fight against it you will with out a doubt fall in love with Travis Maddox. This book is beautiful, brilliantly written, full of passion, and it’s perfect

9.) The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Blurb: Charlie is a freshman. And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can’t stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

Favorite quote: “We accept the love we think we deserve”

My input: this book is stunning and it is heart wrenchingly fantastic in every literal form. It shows the true beauty of friendship, finding yourself and finding love

10.) Paper towns by John green

Blurb: Quentin Jacobsen has always loved Margo Roth Spiegelman, for Margo (and her adventures) are the stuff of legend at their high school. So when she one day climbs through his window and summons him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow.

But the next day Margo doesn’t come to school and a week later she is still missing. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance . . . and they are for him. But as he gets deeper into the mystery – culminating in another awesome road trip across America – he becomes less sure of who and what he is looking for.

Favorite quote: What a treacherous thing to believe

My input: I love this book whole heartedly because it shows one girls struggles and one boys ultimate sacrifice for love. It’s sad but oh so compelling and beautiful.

11.) If I break by Portia more

Blurb: Fresh off of a broken heart I met Cal Scott.

He was just what I lacked a beautiful distraction.

At six-foot-two, with ebony hair, storm gray eyes, and a smile that

could only hide an agenda, I knew he was trouble. And for the first

time in my life, a little trouble was just what I needed.

No. What I wanted.

It wasn’t like I’d ever marry the guy.

Until I did.

What I thought would be my happily ever after, was only the beginning.

Cal has a secret. One that makes loving him come with a price, and

being his wife cost more than I bargained for.

Favorite quote:I was caught before I even knew I was being hunted,

Input: I have read this book ten times now and I still sob uncontrollably till this day. This book is perfectly written. It shows two sides to love, two sides to-a person and the ultimate sacrifice

12.) Love simon by Becky albertali

Blurb: Simon Spier is sixteen and trying to work out who he is – and what he’s looking for.

But when one of his emails to the very distracting Blue falls into the wrong hands, things get all kinds of complicated.

Because, for Simon, falling for Blue is a big deal . . .

It’s a holy freaking huge awesome deal.

Favorite quote: The way I feel about him is like a heartbeat — soft and persistent, underlying everything.

Input: this book is a breath of fresh air, it’s witty, awkward, funny and beautiful. It shows true love its finest sense

13.) the fault in our stars by John green

Blurb: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Favorite quote : “I fell in love the way you fall asleep, slowly then all at once”

Input: the fault in our stars is the most beautifully written love filled, heart wrenching story and it makes my heart melt everytime I read it.

14.) and I saved the best to last : everything everything by Nicola yoon

Blurb: Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. So allergic, in fact, that she has never left the house in all of her seventeen years. She is content enough—until a boy with eyes the color of the Atlantic Ocean moves in next door. Their complicated romance begins over IM and grows through a wunderkammer of vignettes, illustrations, charts, and more.

Everything, Everything is about the thrill and heartbreak that happens when we break out of our shell to do crazy, sometimes death-defying things for love.

Favorite quote: Sometimes I reread my favorite books from back to front. I start with the last chapter and read backward until I get to the beginning. When you read this way, characters go from hope to despair, from self-knowledge to doubt. In love stories, couples start out as lovers and end as strangers. Coming-of-age books become stories of losing your way. Your favorite characters come back to life.

My input: this is is my favorite book of all. It’s so beautifully written and I relate to it so much because I myself have a chronic illness that prevents me from going out a lot. This book really makes you feel how Maddie feels and the romance shared between her an Ollie feels real.

Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed my favorite books completion.

If you would like to comment and tell me your favorites and suggest some that would be amazing.

1.) my trusty friend the Hot water bottle: I travel everywhere with my hot water bottle, I have taken it to hospital, college interviews you name it. Just having heat and comfort with you on those bad days (flare ups) can really help especially if your like me and have extremely painful abdominal problems.

2.) Buscopan & Mebeverine : now these little gems are antispasmodic tablets that help fight cramps and spasms. buscopan doesn’t always work for everyone and that’s when mebeverine comes in and for me it helps within half an hour to an hour.

3.) tracksuit bottoms. It may sound stupid but I live by these. People who have illnesses such as IBS, IBD, Crones, Celiac etc tend to bloat and find it difficult to wear jeans or skirts because it’s very uncomfortable, so that’s where track suit bottoms come in. There extremely comfortable to wear and a plus is they give you room to Bloat freely. Yay!!!

4.) Peppermint tea and peppermint oil. Peppermint is extremely good for abdominal problems and it helps fight cramps and spasms. Having up to 3-4 cups of peppermint tea a day can really help control spasms. I know this for a fact because I drink peppermint tea everyday ☺️

5.) Bowelle. Bowelle is an app, that you can download on iPhones and iPads and it’s very useful. You can write down what you have had for lunch and it monitors your symptoms, it asks how you feel and it even monitors your stress levels too. It’s quite useful to have when your on the move

6.) Mediation & Sleep Hypnosis: I love meditating and doing sleep Hypnosis anyway. It’s very relaxing and I live by this because it really helps when I’m in agony and I can’t focus on anything else other than pain. I definitely recommend doing this

7.) Audiobooks: I know it sounds strange but I live by my audiobooks. I listen to one every night before I sleep, it really helps you unwind and helps make you tired especially if you have problems sleeping too. It really helps distract you from the pain.

8.) Comfort Blanket. I have my own comfort blanket and it’s a ratty old one direction blanket that has the smell of perfume on it. Now I really recommend this. I take it almost everywhere with me and it’s good because with chronic illness your always cold so this is a great way to stay warm and have comfort.

9.) Nutribullet to make Soups, Smoothies & Milkshakes. Again I know this sounds really daft But They actually help my IBS. A few months ago I brought a nutribullet and now I make dairy free smoothies and milkshakes which have helped me gain weight. I live by these little gems because they give you energy, and they are especially good if your like me and you have an iron deficiency, they help you put back all the nutrients you’ve lost.

10.) A nice warm bath at the end of every day. This is the one thing that actually does help me when I’m feeling like complete and utter death. That’s why I have left this one to last.

Thank you for reading. I hope this helped :

Living with a chronic Illness isn’t all fun and games we all can see that, it takes such courage to get through the day and the night when your physically, Emotionally and mentally in pain all the time so here is ten ways that can help you when your house bound on those really bad days we call flare ups.

1.) Write a list of all the things you want to get done and if you don’t do them on the day that’s okay, just writing them down will relive a bit of stress on your part, and then when your feeling better you know exactly what needs to be done.

2.) run yourself a warm bath or if you can’t move that well, get a family member to run you a warm bath and add some relaxing bath salts, and play some relaxing music. I myself do this when I am having a really bad day, I tend to get very bad head pressure that leads to migraines so this is the perfect way to get rid of some of the pressure and keep your stress levels At bay, because we all know when your in the midst of a flare up Its very stressful and can make you very anxious or depressed.

3.) try to keep yourself distracted from the pain. This way you can trick your mind to focus on something else rather then the pain that is consuming you. This distraction can be coloring in a book, playing on a Nintendo DS. Listening to music etc. these distractions are therapeutic and good for stress and anxiety, so if you are having a really tough day and your stress levels are high doing something relaxing can really help ease your symptoms. On my bad days I write poetry and I Play on my Nintendo ds and do Brain quizzes. It doesn’t matter how old you are, it can help anyone. And I can assure you that it helps you focus on something else rather then just the pain your feeling.

4.) if it’s a really tough day and you are feeling glum because you can’t go out, set up FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad so you can easily talk to family members or friends even. This will help you realize your not alone, and it will help lift your spirits when your feeling low.

5.) Read a book. If reading books isn’t for you then read some magizines. If your like me and you love kerrang magizines invest in some magizines for those bad days and flick through them and have a good old browse, but if your also like me and you love a good novel get yourself nice and cozy and settle in with a good book, I know it’s not going to take all the pain away, but it will help you relax and keep you calm. This is good because Helping you relax can help relive some of your symptoms.

6.) having an iPad is a good way to keep you distracted when your in a tremendous amount of pain because you can have a browse through social media and see what’s in the news or even go online and find different things to help keep someone with a chronic illness distracted. Your opportunities are endless with an iPad or iPhone. I can even recommend a game on the iPad and iPhone called tap fish that really helps me when I’m having a flare up, because it has sounds of the sea in the background and it’s very therapeutic.

7.) set up your Netflix on those bad days and choose a couple of films to watch for the day, despite what anyone says or thinks it doesn’t mean your lazy if you can’t move from the sofa at all, everyone needs a rest day sometimes and having a chronic illness means you need to rest an awful lot. So set up some films to watch, Get your hot water bottle handy if you need it and painkillers and watch your favorite movie. I know it won’t take away all the pain but I know it it might make you smile or laugh even, and hopefully it will distract you from the pain.

8.) Have a cuddle with your pets. I know this may sound stupid but pet’s know when something is wrong with their owner and having a cuddle with your cat or dog can really help you especially if your feeling alone or your feeling very low. Pets have a away of making us all feel ten times better when we’re near them.

9.) listen to an audiobook before you go to bed. This will help you become sleepy and also relax you if you’s still in a tremendous amount of pain.

10.) last of all don’t feel bad because you can’t do a lot of things, take those bad days and reinforce positivity and use that motivation to think about what your going to do tomorrow when the pain has passed

Thanks for reading I hope this helped 🙂

Every single year the average person will visit the doctors up to 13 times, and Most of the time when we go our trust worthy doctor will listen to us provide a statement about our symptoms and how we’re feeling and 50% of the time they will provide the correct medication or treatments.

Now don’t get me wrong our doctors and nurses across the globe are amazing and every year they save lives but sometimes just sometimes they can be misleading. Most doctors use empathy and respect when talking to us but the other 50% of doctors are the real worry. These are the doctors that turn you away when your sick. These are the doctors that provide you with a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. And I’m not the first that it has happened too.

My name is Chloe Jade I’m 21 years old and 3 years ago I went to my doctor surgery asking for help because every day I was Nasuseas, I had stomach cramps, Muscle pain, Chronic constipation , I had Chronic Fatigue, I had Chronic pain, and intolerances to most foods, in fact all of them upset me. But Every time I went to seek help they made me feel like the problem I had was all in my head. Now as healthcare professionals there job is to provide relief , Give reassurance and most importantly help people who are sick/ in pain but my doctor did no such thing. In fact I saw a total of 20 doctors in a space of 3 years before I was finally seen by one who didn’t make me feel like I was invisible.

It took 3 years for someone to finally do something other than keep popping me with pills or recommending laxatives which need I remind Do nothing. It was only when I had my first Severe flare up That sent me hospital, that they listened and started to do something Because doctors judge what they cannot see. What I had was an ongoing chronic ilness and let me just tell you something about chronic ilness

These are just some of the few symptoms that people with chronic illness suffer with, There’s to many to even list on one hand

• Pain and Cramping.

• Diarrhea.

• Constipation.

• Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea. …

• Changes in Bowel Movements.

• Gas and Bloating.

• Food Intolerance.

• Fatigue and Difficulty Sleeping.

• Joint pain

• Fibromalagia

• Acid reflux. Etc

People with chronic illness often miss out on family events, miss time with loved ones, friends, experience immense pain (physically or mentally) all while trying to carry out daily tasks. No one would ever choose to have chronic illness. It turns lives upside down. It invades family life. It is not made up, it is real… and it sucks!

Having a chronic illness causes Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, Guilt, Weight loss or even weight gain, Acid Reflux, intolerances, etc. Now when we go into the doctors and tell them about the symptoms we have to go through we expect them to be helpful but instead they just look right through us and they do nothing because chronic illness to them is invisible. It’s is a silent illness that is invisible to the naked eye, but just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The constant nausea, Pain, Joint lain, Acid Reflux, Depression, Anxiety, Guilt is all real and it happens every single day.

So instead of turning us away because you can’t see the pain we are enduring I ask instead if you can understand that we are suffering and instead of turning us away for us only to come back again in flood of tears recommend the tests we need, and the treatments, reccomend the specialists. Recommend pain relief, Don’t just turn us away because you can’t see the tremendous pain we go through every single day, instead listen, be compassionate and respectful, offer us a tissue if we get upset, talk to us about our symptoms because I assure you if you walked a mile in our shoes you’d wonder why we’re still hanging on.

1. Value yourself:

Treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism or hate. Make time for your hobbies and favorite projects e.g music or vlogging for an example! broaden your horizons. Do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument or become fluent in another language. All of these listed are vital things to help you.

2. Take care of your body:

Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to:

• Eat nutritious meals

• Avoid cigarettes (if your addicted seek help)

• Drink plenty of water

• Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods

• Get enough sleep. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression in college students.

3. Surround yourself with good people:

People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class or support group.

4. Give yourself something to do

Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else. You’ll feel good about doing something tangible to help someone in need — and it’s a great way to meet new people.

5. Learn how to deal with stress:

Like it or not, stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills: Try One-Minute Stress Strategies, do Tai Chi, exercise, take a nature walk, play with your pet or try journal writing as a stress reducer. Also, remember to smile and see the humor in life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system by 50% , ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.

6. Quiet your mind:

Try meditating, Mindfulness and/or prayer. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, research shows that meditation may help you feel calm and enhance the effects of therapy.

7. Set realistic goals:

Decide what you want to achieve, and write down the steps you need to realize your goals. Aim high, but be realistic and don’t over-schedule anything. You’ll enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-worth as you progress toward your goal.

8. Break up the monotony:

Although our routines make us more efficient and enhance our feelings of security and safety, a little change of pace can perk up a tedious schedule. Alter your life style, plan a road-trip, take a walk in a different park, hang some new pictures on the wall or try a new restaurant.

9. Avoid alcohol and other drugs:

Keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Sometimes people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate” but in reality, alcohol and other drugs only aggravate problems

10. Get help when you need it:

Seeking help is a sign of strength not a weakness. And it is important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and addiction and lead full, rewarding lives.

I hope this helped in anyway 🙂

Hello and welcome Back to my blog my lovelies, Now, I know that being gluten and dairy intolerant is extremely difficult and its not easy to find something that caters for all your needs so I have a recipe that might just make your life a little bit easier. this is My recipe for making Gluten free and dairy free Chicken , Sweetcorn and Mushroom soup using a nutribullet. (If you don’t have a nutribullet I will put up the alternative instructions so don’t worry.)

This is the perfect thing for those cold winter nights, So listen up angels and I will tell you how to make the perfect soup.

First things first your going need to buy the ingredients at your local supermarket or raid the house if you have them at home.

Your gonna need 💖 :

a pack of Chicken (this can be cold chicken or hot.

1-2 cans of Sweetcorn depending on how many soups you are looking to make.

A pack of sliced mushrooms.

A carton of Soya Milk or any lactose free/ dairy free milk that you like.

Method:

Once you have all of your ingredients. Take the chicken and cut it up into smaller chunks so it’s easier to blend.

Once that’s done take your Sweetcorn and your chicken and pop them in a bowl.

Take the sliced mushrooms and place them in the bowl along with the other contents.

Once you have everything you need pop the mixture into the flask which comes with the nutribullet and pour in milk until it gets to the half way line.

Turn on the nutribullet and let all the contents blend until it creates a nice smooth, creamy consistency. This should take a few minutes.

Once the soup is blended to perfection pour into a bowl and pop into the microwave for about 7 minutes maximum. This will give it time to heat up and create the perfect bowl of steaming hot soup.

Finish off with a nice pinch of salt and pepper and serve with some bread (Olive bread goes perfectly with it.

Alternative Method If you don’t have a nutribullet :

. Melt the margarine or dairy free butter in a large saucepan and gently cook the onion if your using it for 2-3 mins, until softened.

.

. Add the potatoes and stock.

. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 mins, or until the potatoes are tender.

. Add the sweetcorn, chicken and milk and cook gently for 3-4 mins, stirring often.

.

. Stir the blended cornflour and add it to the soup, stirring until thickened.

.

. Add the parsley (if using) and cook for another few moments. Season with ground black pepper, then serve

. Stir the blended cornflour and add it to the soup, stirring until thickened. Add the parsley (if using) and cook for another few moments. Season with ground black pepper, then serve.

And there we have it. The perfect dairy free and gluten free chicken, Sweetcorn, and mushroom soup for those cold winter nights 🙂

Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog, I hope you all have had a pleasant day or night! In my post today I want to talk about something that I see come up on the internet quite a bit and that is things you should never say to someone who is chronically ill. I myself suffer from Fibromyalgia, stomach problems, an iron deficiency, chronic fatigue, Depression and Generalised Anxiety Disorder and I know how difficult it is when someone is insensitive and says  all the wrong things.   

below are things that you shouldn’t say to somebody who is chronically ill. 

1. You don’t look sick.

I’m sure you mean this as a compliment, but what you’re really doing is making me feel bad and you make me feel like I’m faking my own ilness. But I’m not I’m actually sick.  I know you can’t see the abdominal pain that I endure every single day 24/7 or  the nausea that and chronic fatigue that consumes me whole But all of these things are happening right now  because I’m sick. Instead of saying I look fine, ask me how I’m feeling. If this is your first time hearing of my illness(es), ask questions. But please don’t doubt me when I say this sucks.

2. Can you eat that?

Yes. Thank you for questioning whether or not I can eat this, but it’s none of your business. What I eat is my own business.

3. What are you going to do when you’re in the real world?

What I’m going to do Figure out a way to fit all my treatments in, take my medications on time, and get enough rest because I’m reality My health will always be my main priority because otherwise I won’t be able to do anything in the “real world.”

4. I wish I could sleep in like you do!

The simple answer is no, you don’t. Because I alternate between sleeping all the time and not sleeping at all, which leads to chronic fatigue and headaches so I don’t think you’ll like it at all.

5. That’s a made-up illness. It’s probably just because you’re not getting enough sleep/eating right/stressed.

Yeah You’re kind of right, stress can aggravate my illness but it’s not the main cause. my illnesses will not suddenly go away because I got 10 hours of sleep last night or because I did some breathing exercises to calm my nerves . I still need to take my medication, do my treatments, and so on. Don’t invalidate me. I can show you proof of my illness if you ask kindly for it.

6. You’re so strong and brave – I could never do it.

Now this makes it sound like you’d rather die than have my condition, which kind of sucks because I didn’t choose to have it, it just happened. So here’s what I have to say to that: it’s hard living with my illness but someone’s gotta rock it

7. Try this alternative medicine! It cured my uncle’s-best-friend’s-aunt’s-brother.

However Tempting this may be , but I’m going to keep following my doctor’s orders on which medications I should take so they don’t interact horribly and leave me even more sick than before. So thanks but no thanks.

8. I’m so sorry.

This one isn’t actually as bad as the allothers, and it might feel like a natural response. The problem with this one is that there’s nothing I can say back to that response . I can say “It’s fine?” Or “I appreciate that?” Or “It’s not your fault?” Or “Yeah, it’s pretty shitty?” but  None of those feel like appropriate answers. I know you mean well, but asking if you can help in anyway is better then saying sorry.

9. You’re being too negative. Look on the bright side – you’re alive!

I don’t even have a response to this. Never, EVER, under ANY circumstances, say this to someone with a chronic illness. NEVER. Am I grateful that I’m alive? YES! Am I being negative when I talk about how my illness is progressive and scary? NO. I’m being a human with a chronic illness. Please, just listen and love me, and accept that sometimes I’m going to be negative and feel down.

10. Everything happens for a reason!

No. It simply Doesn’t. Because nobody plans to get sick, it just happens and instead of saying tons rethink and say something that it less insensitive.

I don’t mean to sound harsh and mean, truly. But the ONLY reasons behind my illnesses are science and chance. And the kind of reason you are talking about does not exist. Nobody deserves to be chronically ill. There is no good reason why. And if you really, honestly believe there is… please refrain from telling me and just be a kind and supportive friend/ family member.

Nobody is perfect we get that and if you have said any of the previous statements, don’t worry too much about it. not everybody knows how to respond to news like ours. Just think twice, be kind, and avoid the clichés. In the end, we’re people, not our illnesses or diagnoses, and we’ll be glad to have met somebody who will support us and love us regardless of that.

Thank you for reading 🙂

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia  diabetes, cancer or arthritis can come as quite a shock. But don’t fret It’s normal to experience a range of varied emotions in the wake of such a diagnosis. I assure you, you can learn to manage these feelings to live a fulfilling life despite your chronic illness.

Distress is a common symptom within a chronic illness diagnosis. When first getting diagnosed you will be distressed and find it hard to focus on one set thing But you need to remember your only human and it’s okay to feel this way even if it doesn’t feel like it. Research shows that a number of people who are experiencing stress in there lives before diagnosis, and those with a history of depression, may be at particular risk of psychological distress when they learn they have a chronic illness. This may be hard to disgust but It’s Okay to feel this way after your diagnosis.

Section 2: Digesting the news;

Digesting the news of your disease can bring to you a flood of emotions. A diagnosis of fibromyalgia, for example, is often associated with feelings of guilt and shame. Grief is another common reaction to chronic illness and again remember that it’s perfectly normal. You may even experience various stages of grief including denial, anger and sadness. You may feel like you’re on a roller coaster of emotions and you will be accepting to your illness one day, and then angry the next but this is ok! It may be helpful to remind  yourself that these feelings are normal, and will ease with time. It’s all about coping and learning and to manage these Symptoms to keep them at bay.

Section 3: Coping strategies for chronic Illness:

• Some days you may be tempted to pretend you never received your diagnosis. However, facing your diagnosis head on is the best way to cope. You can’t block it out even though it may seem like the easier choice because all that does is add more stress and pressure and that aggravates your body causing more pain and anxiety.

•on days where you feel the increase of stress and pressure do things that are more likely to keep you calm, invest in yoga or meditation videos, or listen to soothing music (even if this means it’s nirvana 😂) anything that can help your mental health will help keep your illness at bay too.

•Remember that if you need to sleep because chronic fatigue is getting you down, it’s okay to go off and sleep for a bit. No one will judge you, your body needs additional sleep and resting will help restore your energy for the next day.

• telling people about your diagnosis may be hard and I know it’s easier to avoid it at all costs but telling people will be beneficial for you  because then they will know when to help you, if and when you have a bad day

Section 4 : facing the illness head on

How can you face your illness head on? Well  good question: A great place to start is by writing down all of your questions and queries in a journal and taking them to your physician to discuss. Ask your doctor what specific steps you can take to help your health. Accurate knowledge can help you feel empowered and put your mind at ease. I for one did this when I was first diagnosed with IBS and it really does help! And it also helps to make sure that you haven’t left anything out when you are talking to your doctor because sometimes your mind goes blank and you come out the appointment without saying any of the things you wanted too.

Section 5: Managing the Elements of your life within reach:

try to manage the certain elements in your life that are within your reach. You may not be able to control everything and I completely understand that, but you can choose to eat healthy meals, take medications as prescribed and spend less time with people who aren’t supportive of you.

Section 6 : Finding support for your illness :

Decrease stress by letting go of unnecessary obligations. You may be able to take time off from said commitments, for instance, or ask for more help from family members and friends. You can Build a strong support network you can rely on, and communicate with them about how they can  help you manage your disease.

Section 7 : stress within the family

Illness can be stressful at the best of times but even more when an entire family is involved. It’s not unusual for couples or family members to experience strain on their relationship. Try to see things from the other’s perspective and keep the lines of communication open. If you have children, plan for some alone time with your partner. Also encourage your partner to make time to care for himself or herself, especially if he or she is your primary caregiver.

Section 8: Facing a life-threatening diagnosis :

Being diagnosed with a life-threatening  disease is most likely to trigger feelings of fear and grief and it is important to surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Try to find small things that you can enjoy every day, and set realistic short-term goals for yourself. Even small goals such as a visit to park with the dog or the museum with your mum, or a phone call with a close friend or relative can help you make the most of each day.

Section 9: Seeking help :

As you go through the roller coaster of emotions that is your medical diagnosis, remember that professionals can help in the places where you can’t. If you’d like professional help coming to terms with your diagnosis and managing your mental health/ chronic illness you need to be open and ask for it.

And lastly if it’s just a friendly face you need or a chat I will always be here and you can contact at me on my twitter @heyitschloejade via DMs and I will be here if need be to answer any questions you have or even if you just want to rant and rave 😘

Thanks for reading, come back soon 🙂