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5 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was First Diagnosed With Ankylosing Spondylitis

While reading 5 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was First Diagnosed With Ankylosing Spondylitis keep in mind that this is my personal experience with Ankylosing Spondylitis. We are each unique and so is our experience with this disease. However, I think if I knew these five things 15 years ago my journey forward may have been a bit simpler. Regardless of how hard it has been to get to exactly where I am now I would not change a thing. The struggles I have endured and continue to encounter from time to time have helped me to grow and become stronger. I am forever thankful for all of them! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE FEARFUL You do not have to be fearful of your future. You can still have a family, a career, achieve all your hopes and dreams. You will be able to do all the things that you loved pre-diagnosis. It’s ok to be scared. Being scared is a normal response to being diagnosed with a chronic illness but be careful to not let fear completely take over. Don’t let your medical team or what you read on the internet scare you. Your doctor means well and is only sharing his/her perspective based on the standard of care. He/she does not personally know what is possible for you when it comes to healing. You know yourself better than anyone else. You know that little voice you hear in your head, or the gut feeling that you have about something. Listen to it. It’s your intuition and is speaking to you for a reason. Don’t ignore it. Listen to it every step of the way. YOU ARE NOT A STATISTIC You are not a statistic or a textbook case. You are unique and your experience with Ankylosing Spondylitis is unique as well. Try to trust and let the fear go. It’s hard but it’s so important for your health. Being in a cycle of constant fear will create a chronic state of fight or flight which will only create more stress and hinder your health even more. I wish I would have understood that simply acknowledging my fear would lead to faster acceptance of what was ahead. Instead, I tried to ignore it which only made it fester more. YOU HAVE MORE CONTROL THAN YOU MAY REALIZE You have more control than you may realize. Focus on what you can…

COLLAGEN BENEFITS Collagen is beneficial to the body in several ways. It can improve your skin, help with joint discomfort, increase muscle mass, and help with keeping arteries healthy. QUALITY IS CRITICAL As with any supplement ensuring you are consuming one that is high quality is critical. Look for collagen powder that is coming from pasture-raised cows, wild-caught fish, or organic chickens. Many collagen powders are also 3rd party tested to ensure there are no contaminants. There are many great brands out there but the market has become saturated over the last few years as collagen popularity has risen so keeping these things in mind will help you find a quality product. GET IN A SERVING A DAY I try to get a serving of collagen into my diet daily either through bone broth or collagen powder. I love adding it to coffee, matcha, smoothies, and lemonade! This Easy Collagen Lemonade is a fun way to enjoy your daily serving of collagen. And, it can be modified by additional flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, or clementine. SWEETENER: YOU HAVE CHOICES The best part about this lemonade is you can sweeten it however you like. Honey, maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol work great! Print Easy Collagen Lemonade Author: Katie Faison Whole Lovely Life Cuisine: Drinks + Smoothies + Juices Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 24 oz Paleo, Refined Sugar Free, Keto, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Pescatarian, Dairy Free, Nightshade Free Ingredients ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from organic lemons ¼ cup of honey, maple syrup, erythritol, monk fruit or use stevia to taste 3 cups filtered water 1 scoop of collagen peptides Optional: toss in a few strawberries, raspberries, or clementine juice to change the flavor. Any fruit or fresh squeezed fruit juice canbe used. Instructions Add water, lemon juice, and sweetener to a blender. Blend until sweetener is fully incorporated. Add any additional fruit or juice and blend again. Add collagen to a small amount of warm water and mix until dissolved. Add to the blend and mix gently. NOTE: Don’t blend on a high setting or it may get foamy. Serve over ice and enjoy! 3.5.3251

Identifying your “WHY” is critical to every healing journey. Whether you are working to heal from autoimmunity, chronic illness, past trauma, or are working on creating new healthy habits identifying your why is a critical first step. I have been on a healing journey for over 15 years and the one thing that always helps to guide me especially when I get off track or am feeling discouraged is coming back to my “Why”. WHY DO I WANT TO HEAL When I decided to take my health and healing into my own hands one of the first things I asked myself was “Why”. Why do I want to heal? Not how am I going to heal but why do I want to heal. When we understand why we want to do something the how will figure itself out. Identifying your why will help you immensely on your journey forward. It is something you should remind yourself of daily and should come back to when you are struggling or feeling discouraged. It will help to carry you and continue to move you in the right direction. THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN THE PRESENT If you are on a journey to better health and have not identified your why take a few minutes to do it now. There is no better time than the present moment! Grab a piece of paper, jot down your why, and then place it somewhere that you will see it daily. EIGHT WAYS IDENTIFYING YOUR WHY WILL HELP YOU It will help you stay focused and keep you passionate about achieving your health goals. It will help you to gain full clarity on why you doing what you are doing and want to heal. It will help you to feel more satisfaction as your healing progresses. It will help guide your values and decisions related to your health. It will help to increase your trust and faith in the healing process. It will encourage flow vs. fight. It will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel and keep you going in the right direction. If you fall off track it will help to get you back on track. Re-visit your why daily! Come back to it anytime you start to question your journey or when you fall off track. It will keep you moving in the right direction. In Love, Health +…

I dusted off my juicer a few weeks ago and have been having a green juice daily and I am loving it! Does anyone else have a juicer they have not used in while? If you do, maybe this post will inspire you to get it out and put it to use! OFF-AND-ON RELATIONSHIP I sort of have an on-and-off relationship with juicing. I think mostly because I am not a fan of the post juicing clean-up. It’s not hard to clean the juicer it just takes a bit of time. And, time is a bit more limited in the morning during the school year. However, with slower-paced mornings this summer I have been enjoying it again. LETS GET JUICING I am a fan of a simple green juice that focuses only on produce that will yield a large amount of juice. Not only will you get more juice and have less waste but you will save money too! Save the leafy greens for your smoothies and focus on the ingredients below. CELERY (Add the entire stalk leaves and all.) LEMON (Peeled and seeds removed.) LIME (Peeled) CUCUMBER KALE and CHARD STALKS (Instead of throwing away the stalks from leafy greens like kale and chard and toss them in your juicer. Use the leaves for smoothies and salads.) GINGER ROOT TURMERIC ROOT Print Simple Low Sugar Green Juice Author: Katie Faison Recipe type: Smoothies + Drinks + Juices Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 16-32oz Ingredients 1 Cucumber 1 Lemon or Lime 1 Bunch Celery 1 Inch Ginger Root 1 inch Turmeric Root Instructions Wash all produce well. Remove lemon or lime skin and seeds. Juice everything and enjoy! TIP: Juice the ginger and turmeric first so that every bit of juice will get pushed out by the other ingredients. 3.5.3251

It’s been forever since I have created a new recipe so I’m excited to share this new one with you! Seven Sundays sent me their brand new muesli mix and it was screaming to be turned into a cookie! Seven Sundays is a local Minnesota company who makes their muesli using clean, healthy ingredients. They are a Certified B Corporation which means they have to meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. You can learn more about this on their website. They also share information on the farms they purchase their ingredients from which is super cool! I love supporting companies that are disrupting the food industry and Seven Sundays is doing just that with their innovative products. The muesli I used for this recipe is their newest launch Wildberry Maple muesli which was inspired by the Northwoods (I mean look at that packaging). All ingredients are locally grown by Midwestern family farmers. This mix is now available exclusively at all Costco stores in MN, WI and MI. If you live in one of these states run to your Costco because its only available while supplies last. The good news is you can buy their other muesli mixes on their website and these cookies will work with any of them! This muesli mix has cherries from Michigan, cranberries, and wild blueberries from Wisconsin. Buckwheat and flax grown organically and sustainably in Southern Minnesota, and maple syrup harvested in the Northwoods of Minnesota. The best part is this Wildberry Maple muesli is Gluten Free + Nut Free + Dairy Free + Refined Sugar Free + Vegan + Non GMO. H was pretty excited to try this new blend from Seven Sundays as you can probably see on his face. He was even more excited to make cookies! Hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Print Easy Muesli Cookies with Seven Sundays (Gluten Free) Author: Katie at Whole Lovely Life Recipe type: Treats + Snacks Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 12 mins Total time: 22 mins Serves: 2 dozen Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free Ingredients ¾ cup gluten free flour (I prefer Anthony’s) ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp baking powder ½ tsp cinnamon ¾ cup coconut sugar 1 cup/1 stick salted butter 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ cups Seven Sundays Muesli (or muesli of choice) Instructions In a…

Children play every single day. It is instinctual to them. It’s how they express themselves creatively and learn about the world around them. Play is not something they think about. It’s simply something they do. As adults, play is not typically built into our busy lives. We tend to focus more on our daily to-do list than on having fun. While our hectic lives can consume us the reality is that as adults we can make play a part of our daily lives. We need to schedule it on our calendar and slowly make it a daily habit. Play may look different as an adult but the main goal of play is to have fun! Committing to daily play can improve our health and lives. And, the best part is it’s free and accessible to everyone! HOW DAILY PLAY BENEFITS OUR MIND, BODY + SPIRIT Play gets our creative juices flowing Play helps us express our authenticity and personality Play helps us relieve stress Play help us connect with others Play creates joy in our lives Play increases energy Play helps with brain function IDEAS FOR GETTING MORE PLAY INTO YOUR DAY If you have kids play with them. Every single day! Set aside at least one hour of uninterrupted time and play with them. When we are distracted it is harder to get into the moment with our children. Put your phone in a drawer and clear your calendar so you can be one hundred percent focused on playing with your child. Get out in nature. Take a walk and observe all the amazing sights around you. View things with a lens of seeing it for the first time. Walk slow and observe everything closely. Touch things, smell things, and really take the time to gaze at them and study each and every detail. Play with your pet. Get creative. We are all naturally creative. Do something you love to do that makes you feel free like cooking a new recipe, painting a picture, writing or journaling, gardening, organizing a closet or writing a letter to someone you love. You can be creative in a million ways. Play a board or card game with your family or a friend. Do something physical. Play a sport, go ice skating, try a new exercise class or do a handstand. Learn to do something new, something you have always wanted to try. Learn to…

Pre-workout supplements have been gaining market share for some time now. Like all supplements, it can be hard to dig through all the options out there. If you choose to use a pre-workout ensuring you are getting one that is not only effective but contains clean ingredients is critical. SAY NO TO YUCK INGREDIENTS Workout supplements are notorious for containing all sorts of junk. Many pre-works on the market contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, and Sucralose. Studies show health concerns related to consuming artificial colors and flavors. This isn’t new news. However, concerns about sucralose are a bit more recent. It has been found to affect the gut microbiome in negative ways. You can find more information on that here and here. So many people are still being fooled to think Sucralose also known as Splenda is a healthy sugar alternative. It is not! Unfortunately finding a good quality pre-workout with high-quality ingredients is difficult. While there are pre-workouts available with clean ingredients the one ingredient I have found they all have in common is natural flavors. I have yet to find one without. If you know of one please share in the comments below and I will update this post and share! So, what is wrong with natural flavors? While I do think natural flavors are better than artificial flavors at the end of the day natural flavors are just as highly processed. One of the main problems with natural flavors is the FDA does not require food manufactures to disclose what ingredients make up the natural flavor. The only time this information is disclosed is if it contains a common allergen. While natural flavors are coming from a natural source like fruit or vegetables they are still lab-created. I personally believe consuming natural flavors in moderation is ok just like anything else processed. However, if you are consuming something daily then you want to make sure it is as close to its natural state as possible. The purpose of this post is not give pre-workout supplements a bad name. But, instead to share some things you may not be aware of when it comes to ingredients in these supplements and what I have personally found to work quite well instead. SAY YES TO REAL FOOD Now we are going to get into 4 Effective Pre-Workouts You Can Find In Your Kitchen. I use these four foods as pre-workouts and…

If you are living with Ankylosing Spondylitis, another autoimmune disease, or chronic pain there are alternative therapies that could help. I have been on a journey to healing for many years and while I don’t live with the daily pain I once did I do have acute pain from time to time. In a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 50 million or 20.4 percent of adults in America are suffering from chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain experienced most or every single day for at least 6 months in a row. Chronic pain can be caused by an underlying condition so if you are currently experiencing daily pain and have not been evaluated by a medical professional that should be your first step. If you know what is causing your chronic pain then the following alternative therapies may be helpful. I have tried many alternative therapies over the years and there are more than the ones I am sharing below. However, these are the ones I have found through my own experience to make the greatest difference for not only chronic pain but acute pain as well. 1. MASSAGE Massage is a therapy where the soft tissues of the body such as muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and the skin are manipulated with different degrees of pressure and movement. There are several different massage techniques a therapist can use. Massage has many benefits besides just the physical such as increased relaxation and reduced stress. Massage is readily available these days. However, if you are struggling with something like ankylosing spondylitis or a chronic condition finding a therapist who has experience with these conditions may help you achieve better results. Massage is something I always turn to when I am feeling muscle tightness or pain and it almost always produces immediate results. 2. ACUPUNCTURE Acupuncture is part of the ancient practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. My acupuncturist shared that in Chinese medicine it is believed that the body has thousands of points that are connected by meridians. Think of a meridian as an energy pathway. The flow of energy is called Qi. The flow of Qi is responsible for our overall health. If this flow of energy is blocked or becomes stagnant it can lead to poor health. Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into different acupuncture points which helps to…

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and holiday season. I don’t know about you but I am excited for 2021. Not because 2020 was a bad year but because 2020 was such an amazing year. I experienced so much growth this year, I learned a ton, was blessed to be with my sweet son H for distance learning, we sold our house, are in the midst of building a new house. And, because all in all 2020 was an incredible year! Our reality is truly shaped by our mindset and perspective. So many people have been waiting patiently for 2020 to come to a close. But, the reality is we all have the power to be happy with the moment we are in regardless of the external factors we don’t have control over. I hope 2020 was a good year for you as well! This is the first year I feel like I am heading into the new year already on the path to accomplishing so many things. For so many years I would put things off or say, “I will start on Monday or next month.” No longer! Each day we have an opportunity to start whatever it is we want to start that will improve our lives, our health, and our situation. I will be sharing more in a later post about what I plan to work on in 2021 but for now, I thought I would kick the new year off with a FREE PRINTABLE. I created this Nutrient Dense Smoothie Roadmap to help you create yummy smoothies at home so you can keep things exciting and get in your daily nutrients. Focusing on nutrient-dense foods is a simple way to nurture your body which makes it easier to stay away from things our bodies don’t need. When our bodies are nourished they won’t crave processed junky food. One of the easiest ways to get more nutrients in your body is to consume a nutrient-dense smoothie every single day. If you are working to eat healthier in 2021 instead of initially focusing on removing the bad stuff start by focusing on adding in some good stuff. A smoothie is a great place to start! Make a daily smoothie a non-negotiable and I promise your eating habits will slowly shift to craving clean whole foods. Over time it will be so much easier…

It’s the second week of December already! Can you believe it? If you have not already started your Christmas cookie baking what are you waiting for! Since we are in an apartment this year while our house is being built instead of creating new recipes I decided to create a Christmas Cookie Recipe Round Up of my favorites from the blog. My current kitchen is tiny and I make a major mess in the kitchen when I am working through recipes so I figured this would be better than living in a disaster for the month of December. Anyone else a messy cook? I try to keep things tidy but it’s a real struggle. Many of these recipes have become yearly favorites in our house. The best part is there is a recipe for everyone and every diet. Included are recipes that are Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Keto, Lectin Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sugar Free. Literally something for everyone! Almond Sugar Cookies (Lectin Free, Keto, Gluten Free, Dairy Free) Citrus Shortbread Cookies (Lectin, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Keto) Maple Butter Cookies (Lectin Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free) Classic Pecan Snowball Cookies (Lectin Free, Keto, Gluten Free, Egg Free) Salted Triple Chocolate Cookies (Lectin Free, Keto, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Grain Free) Chia Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free) Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookies (Grain Free, Refined Sugar Free) Candy Cane Sugar Cookies (Grain Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free) Salted Chocolate Pecan Cake Cookies (Grain Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free) Grain Free Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Refined Sugar Free) I hope this post helps you feel inspired to start your baking if you have not already. Or, find a new recipe to try this year! In Love, Heath + Gratitude, Katie

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5 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was First Diagnosed With Ankylosing Spondylitis

Easy Collagen Lemonade

8 Ways Identifying Your “Why” Will Help You On Your Healing Journey

Get More Juice With These Fruits and Veggies and A Simple Low Sugar Green Juice Recipe

Easy Muesli Cookies with Seven Sundays (Gluten Free)

The Importance Of Play and How To Get More Into Your Day

4 Effective Pre-Workouts You Can Find In Your Kitchen

6 Alternative Therapies That Can Help Chronic Pain

Nutrient Dense Smoothie Roadmap (FREE PRINTABLE)