I was listening to my Spotify Meditation playlist this morning on shuffle. Probably 90% of my Playlist is music, because the healing power of music is real. (We'll talk a lot more about that later!) This guided meditation popped up and it's one of my favorites. It just covers all the bases. Have you ever practiced meditation? It's one of those things that I used to think, Oh, that's not for me. What I didn't understand is, that resistance itself was part of my problem. I found that being open to new ideas was also a gateway to healing. That openness allowed mevto take in new ideas, and freed my thinking. I love sharing this Meditation with you here. It's so valuable in our path to healing and wellness. https://open.spotify.com/episode/26TjgCm3zrmGIWvDTPoR2w?si=RgbP-ZLETx2p2lRBPeJxvg&t=942

I'm curious 🤔 When you received your diagnosis, did any medical professional say, Let’s make an appointment with a Registered Dietician and do some lifestyle assessment? If not, why do you think that is? Food is medicine. You are what you eat. These are true words. And I want to be clear. This is not about shaming. It's about recognizing where we are now, patterns, and self-compassion. It's about healing from within. Because you deserve it. 🫶

Hello AE Community! I want to tell you something that took me many years to figure out about lupus. And once I understood it, everything shifted. For the longest time, I kept asking: Why would my body attack itself? In what world does that even make sense? I felt that, if I could get a handle on what was actually happening in my body, and be able to visualize the process, I might be able to gain some control over it. This is what I learned about what's actually happening. Your immune system isn't broken. But it is confused. Here's the deal. Your bone marrow makes baby immune cells called B cells. They're supposed to mature in your lymph nodes and spleen (which are basically filtering stations where immune cells learn their job and coordinate responses). In healthy people, B cells get an "off switch." They learn what to attack (bacteria, viruses) and what to leave alone (your own cells). In lupus, some B cells never get that off switch. They become plasma cells that pump out antinuclear antibodies, or ANAs. These ANAs have not gone through lymph and spleen training, so they show up like rogue soldiers without orders circulating in your bloodstream, looking for something to fight. Your body constantly replaces cells. Billions die every day. It's normal. When cells die, they release their contents (DNA, RNA, proteins, etc. into your bloodstream. In healthy people, cleanup crews (macrophages) haul this debris away quietly. No drama. In lupus, your ANAs see that cellular debris and tag it as DANGEROUS. When ANAs bind to the debris, they create clumps called immune complexes. Think of it like gunk forming in a drain. These immune complexes get stuck in places like: - Your kidney filters (nephritis) - Joint linings (arthritis) - Blood vessel walls (vasculitis) - Heart sac (pericarditis) - Skin (rashes) And here's where it gets messy. Your body sees these stuck clumps and sends MORE immune cells to clear the "threat." But the threat is glued to your own tissue.

It has been proven that Self-compassion leads to healing. Through self-love we send messages to our nervous system that calms inflammation. It leads to decision-making that influences our thoughts and behaviors in small ways that can lead to big changes. I reversed lupus over a period of 20 years and I am completely system free. I'd be happy to share more! Any questions? 🥰