5 Great Stretches For CF

Getting Active With CF

I'll admit it, I hate exercising more than anyone. I will find any and every excuse to NOT exercise. However, my CF doctor is an exercise fanatic, so I am starting to consider it. His professional opinion is that daily exercise can truly improve lung function and help with weight gain. I hate to agree with him, but he is absolutely correct. Performing 30-60 minutes of cardio along with weights and stretches can significantly improve your breathing. With a lot of pushing from my CF doctor and my friends, I joined a gym this summer at my school. I absolutely love it. I go the gym 3-4 times week. I spend some time on the cardio machines (treadmill, bike, or eliptical), stretches with the exercise ball, and some weights to improve my posture for better breathing. I still dislike exercising, but I am excited to try something new for CF on a consistent basis and am curious and excited to see the results in a few months.
I know that joining a gym is not an option for everyone, so here are some ideas for a simple workout at home that I have been doing when I am not at the gym. The easiest way to get a decent cardio workout is doing 100-250 jump ropes (with or without a rope). Jumping jacks are also a great option. After the cardio, try to do some pushups (I prefer the manly pushups). Start with just 5 or 10 reps and then increase your reps as you feel necessary. To improve that CF hump on on upper back, try out some stretches that will open up your chest and help you stand/sit up straighter and breather easier. These three simple workouts are absolutely free and easy to do daily at home.
And ofcourse, exercising is also great for mucus drainage. Exercising will help loosen up the clogged mucus from the lungs as you breathe harder during exercise and it will make you cough so you can get rid of all that junk. If you would like to improve your lungs, join me in my journey to better health with exercise and share your workout stories with me. Leave a comment about your routine.

CF Surveys-Make Some Cash

Are you looking for some extra cash? Well, there are some perks to having CF and one of them is doing CF surveys and participating in research and getting paid for it. CF surveys are conducted by pharmaceutical companies, equipment companies, and other industries that want to learn more about us CFers and our lifestyels. Many nebulizer companies, nutritional shake companies, and drug companies often conduct consumer research surveys targeted for CF patients. Most of these surveys are 1-2 hrs long and pay $100-$300 per survey. Some are conducted in home, some online, and some at specific sites. If you are interested in participating in CF surveys and getting paid for them, ask your healthcare provider how to sign up. The surveys are very simple and ask basic questions related to your life. There are no right or wrong questions, and it is quite a fun experience. The next time you see your CF doctor, ask them if they know about any CF surveys that are going on in your area. Get involved and GET PAID FOR IT.

Prednisone And CF

Prednisone is a synthetic glucocorticosteroid drug. This drug is given to patients for many different reasons. The main effect of this medication is to suppress the immune system and block the inflammatory processes of the immune system. Many CFers are on Prednisone for its anti-inflammatory effects. Prednisone helps with inflammation in the body including the lungs; it also helps the ease of breathing due to the reduction of inflammation. I, too, take prednisone when I am taking IV antibiotics. I am placed on this medication before all IV infusions because about five years ago I went into a septic shock after starting IV antibiotics and ended up in the ICU. To avoid this septic shock, I begin all my IV infusions with a high dose of prednisone and taper down every four days until I am off the IV medications to avoid any adverse reactions. Although, prednisone is a great medication for short-term use, it has many side-effects. The main side-effects are extreme hunger (leads to weight gain which is not bad for CFers), water retention (moon faced), growth stunting, mood swings, increases blood sugar, and depresses your immune system, which can lead to other infections such as fungal infections. CFers who are diabetic have to be extra careful when they are on Prednisone to monitor their blood sugar. Prednisone tends to spike sugar levels. CFers who are not diabetics should also check their glucose frequently to make sure their blood sugar stays normal.
I, personally, have a love/hate relationship with Prednisone. I love this medication because it helps with my breathing, helps me gain weight, and makes me feel better faster. I also hate this medication because I have the worst mood swings, it tastes bitter, and I cannot stop thinking about food when am on it.
Tell me your story if you have CF and are on Prednisone or have taken Prednisone.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash

Small finely chopped shallot/onion

Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

2 Leaves of Sage

Vegetable/Chicken Broth

Sour cream

2-5 counts Medium Shrimp

Preparation:

Peel and cut the butternut squash into big chunks. Place it on a cookie tray. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Cook the squash in the oven for 30-40 min at 350 degrees until the squash is soft and cooked through. Cool the squash. Place the squash in a blender and add enough broth to blend into soup (1cup broth:1cup squash). Blend until smooth. In a sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp of butter on low heat, and add the chopped shallot. Saute until translucent, about 5 min. Add the blended squash. Heat the squash for 5-7 minutes and add salt to taste. Add the chopped sage leaves and 1 tbsp of sour cream. Stir through and remove from heat. Saute the the shrimp with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place 2-3 shrimps on the soup and serve with some garlic bread. Enjoy!!!

Home-made Pizza Margherita

Ingrediants:
2 cups of All Purpose Flour
2 tsps of dry yeast
1 cup of water
Salt
Sugar
Cumin Seeds
Sliced Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza Sauce
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil
Preparations:
Pizza Dough: It's super easy, TRUST ME! Take 2 cups of flour, add 2 tbsps of vegetables oil, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of cumin seeds slightly crushed. Mix the dry ingredients together in a big bowl. Heat a cup of water in the microwave until it is warm. Take 5 tbsps of water and dissolve 1 tsp of sugar in the water. Add the yeast to the water and let it bloom. Add this water to the flour and mix. Add more warm water as needed to bring the dough together. The dough should feel very soft and rubbery (easily stretchable). If you feel like it's too watery, simple add more flour to fix it. Coat the dough with some vegetable oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 4-6 hrs in a warm place. It should double in size. It's good to make the dough in the morning before you go to work, so you can make pizza when you get home.
Pizza Sauce: You can certainly use store bought pizza sauce but I have a quick and cheap recipe. Take 1 cup of your favorite store-bought pasta sauce and add 1 tsp of sugar and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Heat over medium heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool. Easy pizza sauce.
Pizza Pie: Once the Dough rises, you can make your pizza. Oil the pizza pan with some vegetable oil so the pizza doesn't stick. Take the pizza dough and deflate it. Make the pizza into a round piece to work with on your pizza pan. Using the tips of your fingers, roll out the dough to your pizza pan size. Use some flour to keep your hands from sticking. Once the dough is rolled out, place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 mins. You want to cook the pizza crust first before you add anything so you have a crispy crust. Remove after twently minutes and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Layer your pizza with pizza sauce, tomatoes, and cheese on top of the pizza. Cook the pizza for an additional 20 minutes until the cheese is nicely melted. Few minutes before removing the pizza from the oven, sprinkle some chopped basil. You can add any other toppings you like to your pizza, but i just love tomato and basil on my pizza. Slice and enjoy with a side salad. Enjoy!!!

Caprese Salad On Bread

Ingrediants:
Loaf of French Bread
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Garlic Clove
Cherry Tomoatoes
Mozzarella Balls
Fresh Basil
Salt and Pepper
Preparations:
Cut the French bread into thick slices. Place on a baking sheet pan and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. Toast the bread in the oven at 400 degrees until toasted (2-3 min per side).
Take the bread out, rub the fresh garlic all over the bread while its hot, and set aside to cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, slice the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the fresh basil.
Once the bread is a little cool. Place some sliced tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and sprinkles some fresh basil top of the bread slices. Season with some salt and pepper. Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil on top to finish the appetizer. It's a great everyday snack and such an easy appetizer for dinner parties. Enjoy!!!