Spring

It is hard to believe that this time of the year would be tough for my rheumatoid, but it is: the Michigan weather changes quickly from warm and sunny to breezy, cold and rainy, and the changing barometric pressure really takes a toll on the inflammatory problems. A few nights ago, I suddenly had a hot spark of pain in my neck, right at the base of my skull, and a massive headache that made it hurt to move, or even talk. I immediately iced it, took some ibuprofen and laid down, but it was horrible. I could feel the swelling in my neck, and it seemed to travel down my spine and into my entire back. Awful. Thankfully, a nap helped the headache, but the inflammation did hang on for a few days , making it tough to have full range of motion.
Today is a day that I think could become another "matchstick headache" day. I call it that because it felt like a hot pain, like the flame when you strike a match, in my neck when it happened. The sky is overcast and it looks like it may rain at any given moment.
Why the rambling about the weather? Well, it was lunch time. I love food. Food loves me, too, because it seems to hang on tight in the form of fat! lol! Eating pierogies is not so smart, nor is it helpful for my health issues, and the weather effects my health like the food I eat effects my health. (Took the long way to make that point, didn't I?!)
I wanted pan-fried potato and cheese pierogies badly! With some red onion and olive oil, this is the tastiest! One of my all-time favorite dishes. I passed on that, though. I stared into my 'fridge for a few moments at the bag of baby spinach, and all the time I heard my doctors latest, "it takes planning and time in the kitchen to eat right. You really need to work on that to help yourself", and "The weight loss is good, but not unless you're eating right!".  So, the bag of spinach won. Here's what I ate for lunch today.

Ingredients

Baby Spinach

Red Onion

Button Mushrooms

Mandarin Oranges

Sliced Strawberries

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Croutons

T. Marzetti's Sesame Seed Dressing

It didn't take as long as cooling my pierogies would have, and it was delicious! I think doc would be proud!

On another note, my flower beds are definitely in need of some serious attention; however, my azalea bushes have bloomed beautifully this year, and we've managed to avoid the late spring night freeze that I usually lose them to! I snapped a quick photo from the deck.