Women, Health & Wellness, ROCK ON! Even if you have an Invisible Illness!

by Dr. Margaret Aranda, MD

Invisible Illnesses, we made National News!

Women, Health & Wellness, ROCK ON!

Well, this was a fascinating journey with an energetic comrade in time, fellow Baby Boomer Tom Matt. He has made one of his life's efforts to bring awareness, health, fitness, and energy to the Baby Boomers of today, and Hat's Off to him for such a grand accomplishment!

He asked me to be interviewed for his show, and honestly I can not recall how exactly it came about. That's the fuzziness about brain injuries...they make some memories hazy, but you know they happened. The week prior, we had a 'Pre-Interview' where we were introduced and received and exchanged background information. Tom is just the kind of guy that you don't want to stop talking to; he is charismatic, and his brain is filled with knowledge and justice.

The first thing I noticed about Mr. Matt is his energy. It is dynamic, compelling, and contagious. I could visualize him as a person who runs 10 miles/day, or multitasks effectively yet comes home to a wonderful wife and family. And still, he has time to pay attention to them, as they re-center and re-connect him to the world, to his own life, and to his own purposes. But on to my interview, some of which may have needed to be edited out because I talk too much sometimes. Just sometimes.

Mr. Matt was able to take me on a walk to my past. To age 13, where I made 35 sandwiches/day for 7 children, 5 days for the week. At 14, I picked garlic in the Gilroy fields with the migrant field workers, and Bill Withers' "Lean on Me" was blaring from a transistor radio. That song still takes me back to the fields, and to A & W Root Beer, where we went every Friday with our $0.35/bucket. Those root beer floats never tasted so good, before or since.

I think we mentioned when I ran away at 16, entering Junior College. I forgot to mention I got chicken pox and dropped out, only to go to Cosmetology and then Real Estate schools, gaining both licenses by the time I was 19. Graduated college in 1985, USC Medical School in 1990, Stanford anesthesiology in 1995, Stanford Critical Care in 1996. I forgot to mention that I also got Board Certified in Forensic Medicine and Certified in Age Management Medicine.

The big elephant in the room was that my daughter and I were in a car accident in 2006, leaving me bed-ridden for the better part of seven years now. I was getting better until January of 2013, when a doctor let me drop onto the hard wood floor, sustaining another traumatic brain injury and requiring crushed DDAVP or pituitary hormone now, and probably for the rest of my life. I'll probably always struggle with pulling nouns out of my head (expressive aphasia), and stuttering that will stay with me just like my long nails  ~ just a part of who I am. Some people even finish the end of my sentences for me, and you're not supposed to do that to a person with a brain injury. The patient needs the mental exercise. 

He asked me how I did it, how I survived seven years in bed. I said the answer was in Book 2, Stepping from the Edge. Soooo many people have asked, and basically, my answer is "one day at a time". But the book has lessons at nearly the end of every chapter, is individualized, can be used for Bible Study, and allows you to see the difference between 'believing' in God vs. 'acting like you believe'. Enough said.

The podcast came out today. At the end of the show, he asked me to summarize, in one word, my advice to others. If you know me for any length of time at all, you know what I said.

*** Click here for Podcast:   http://ow.ly/t1xi1    ***

Invisible Illnesses, we made National News!

Women, Health & Wellness, ROCK ON!

Thank you, Tom Matt!

Author Focus on Dr. Margaret Aranda

Announcing a recent, local article about Dr. Aranda's two recent books. One is on Christian Living, called Stepping from the Edge. It is the Sequel to No More Tears: A Physician Turned Patient Inspires Recovery. The Other is a children's book, Little Missy Two-Shoes Likes a Ladybug. Launching nationwide, her next book will focus on Women's Health from puberty past menopause, and you are guaranteed to learn at least 50 things that you did not know.

For now, it is good to see women highlighted in the news:

Valley News Group

Never give up.

Nancy Mills' Spirited Woman of 2014

by Dr. Margaret Aranda

If you can turn lemons into lemonade, or you can turn a mole into a molehill, then you have the kind of flexibility that is needed to succeed when others think you will fail, and you have the ability to fight to get your point across. Women need to speak up, especially when it comes to Health & Wellness. So honor yourself, and see what women all over the world are doing to honor you.

P.S. Yes, that's me on the bottom right; check out The Spirited Woman Directory 2014

You can see me as Cover Girl, pg 23, 24, 35, and 123 also!

Announcement: Spirited Women ShareFest Starts December 3, 2013

The Spirited Women Sharefest is a 10-day Celebration by women and for women, meant to inspire, encourage, and keep you persevering so that you can end 2013 on a bang!

To join, please go to My Facebook Page and Join! 

Also, Share with your family and friends!

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This is to Cordially invite you, as a visionary woman with dreams,

to participate in this fun and enlightening Share Fest!

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This is done globally, through the Spirited Woman Facebook Page, which you can find on the link.

I am delighted to stand with Nancy Mills in inviting you and the women in your lives.

We may not be able to meet everyone in person all the time, but the internet can bring us all together

to celebrate, to inspire, to encourage, to persevere, and to meet new friends on this

fantastic journey together!

So jump aboard!

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See you there! You can be sitting, standing, laying in bed, walking with a walker, sitting in a wheelchair, and none of that matters for this! 

You can still be with us, no matter where you are in the world!

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STAY TUNED! IT STARTS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013. 

Dr. Aranda named Cover Girl, Nancy Mills' Spirited Women 2014 Directory

by Dr Margaret Aranda

I can't stand up without midodrine, I can't eat without zofran, I get migraines and tinnitus without diazepam, and I would go into kidney failure without DDAVP. To name a few.

Despite all that, I use my fingers, my brain, and my computer to inspire, encourage, and educate doctors and patients alike. I won't forget the bed-ridden or the chronically ill, because I am both.

I am deeply honored that Nancy Mills called me to see if I would accept this invitation: to be in the Nancy Mills' Spirited Women's Directory of 2014. There are 14 other Cover Girls, too. Launching on 12/12/13, please mark your calendar to see the chosen Spirited Women worldwide, who are bound to make you smile and inspire you to be the best that you can be, no matter your circumstances. It's FREE, for you my friend. Free inspiration from me to you so that you can strive your best to accomplish one baby step at a time. Just one day at a time.

Now what could be better than that? My gift to you this Holiday Season.

Archives of the Vagina: A Journey through Time

by Dr. Margaret Aranda

For my Caring Friends, here's a preview of my newest book, written before the doctor dropped me on the floor in March, 2013. I wrote this book (many of you will understand) because I'm not sure if I'll live long enough to see my daughter live through all the stages of womanhood: the maiden, the mother, and the crone.

                                   Book Cover Photo. Archives of the Vagina: A Journey through Time.

The book starts with my first period, and is very tongue-in-cheek humorous, because we all know where we were when we started our first period. Then I go through history, sociology, anatomy, and the endocrinology of the ovaries.

I discuss what Aristotle thought of menstruation and menopause, how William T. Stead is a hero we never hear about for rescuing children out of prostitution in London's brothels. This book is filled with the sociology of menstruation, including whether women on their periods can fly a plane, and whether women who are camping on their periods attract bear attacks that lead to death.

One of the most surprising statistics that I learned in my research and interviews of women is that in the USA, in women over 45 years old, 40% have had a hysterectomy. Of these, nearly 50% have had normal ovaries removed without proper Informed Consent. I dedicate an entire chapter to "Ovarian Conservation" (i.e., keeping your ovaries), and give you all the risk factors you need to know so you can put yourself on the Chart to see if you are at risk for ovarian cancer, and hence should get them removed. So my next book will be Hysterectomy can be Hell. I hope to get an Army behind me on this one, because it will take a Movement to change our culture. And changing a culture always means that people won't like you. Believe me. I've been there before.

I discuss the HPV vaccination for girls aged 11-12, starting your period, how to put in a tampon, and introduce what most women don't know: the menstrual cup, and the nondisposable pad. I promote a certain program that helps girls in Africa obtain menstrual pads so they don't have to miss school, be drop-outs, get pregnant, contract HIV, attain a lower socioeconomic status, and die earlier than the girls that are more educated. So expect a Movement there, too, ladies and girls.

I go through the Women's Health Initiative and basically tear it to shreds, because it had, in my opinion, no application to women in menopause suffering symptoms of vaginal dryness and hot flashes. I let you skip a very medical chapter if you would like, but I also put it in there for medical personnel to evaluate it for themselves. I dissect menopause and give the man's perspective, too, hopefully leading you to more self-discovery and compassionate understanding. Pretty funny stories there, too, my friend.

The last half of the book is dedicated to such things as Invisible Diseases, the Low Glycemic Diet, Immunonutrition and Fish Oil, Telemeres, Living for not only Health & Wellness but also for Quality of Life, Caregiving (and the effects on women, by ethnicity), Long-Term care, and death and dying. I empower you to ask questions, eat Spoon by Spoon, and Don't Fall when you are elderly. I tired of seeing women come into the Operating Room for hip fractures from a fall. You need to know your bone density, and take your Vitamin D or Calcium. The role of an Endocrinologist in your care can not be underestimated. I also believe that Cenegenics has an excellent program for Concierge Medicine, private pay by cash, that is mostly utilized by Presidents and CEOs of companies. They are mostly men. This needs to change, because there are plenty of millionaire women out there. And women need to stop spending all their time nurturing others, and start spending some time nurturing themselves. So I took all this knowledge in my head and told it to you before my traumatic brain injury and DI occurred; and I thank God that I did it.

There. I said it. My opinion rings throughout this book, and it is backed up by over 200 Stanford-quality references that are NIH-funded. I list them all for you, and many of them are dated in 2012 and 2013. Nothing but the best for you, my friends. Nothing but the best. Be prepared to learn, to grow, and to  ROCK your WORLD. You can PRE-ORDER the book (February launch date perhaps) on The Aranda MD Shoppe. My official site is Coming Soon....and I hope you like it. 

God Bless You in all that you do.

Medi-Baskets(TM)

by Dr. Margaret Aranda

Medi-Baskets(TM): Diagnosis-driven, Individual Care Packages 

are a Novel Method to Prevent Complications and Optimize Quality of Life 

at the Time of a New Diagnosis

When a person is given a new diagnosis, many times there is a lag of time between the day of diagnosis and the time that the patient acquires key ingredients and supplies that are tailored to the diagnosis. For bad arthritis, one may need a grabber to get things off of high shelves. Or, the patient may have a new diagnosis of Heart Disease or Diabetes. It may or may not have taken months or years to get that diagnosis, and that is why we exist. We are here to cater to your individual needs, because every patient is different.

In the former days of medicine, the doctor gives the diagnosis, the patient may or may not receive a Brochure, peruse websites, talks to another doctor, and/or participate in an Educational Clinic or two. These are all great avenues to become educated about a Diagnosis and how important it is to watch the blood glucose levels, but they stop short from bringing practical and useful items into a patient's home and every-day life. These items are chosen for everyday use, to prevent complications or to optimize health and Quality of Life. Either way, we hope you have a little fun with it, and mostly, we hope you use it!

With MediBaskets(TM), we go beyond this continuum. We strive to supply you with key ingredients that are specific for your diagnosis. So, for diabetes, your insurance will pay for your a glucometer to check your blood glucose (sugar) levels, and you take it home with the insulin bottle and syringes. These are  standard items that most people obtain to check their sugar levels. We don't just stop there.

If you are new to a diagnosis of diabetes, perhaps you do not know that a great pair of softening socks may help you keep your feet from cracking. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor; diabetes will cause amputations in people of all societies. Foot cracking can lead to bleeding, infection, and gangrene. With diabetes, foot and leg sores can develop into severe lesions complete with eaten-away skin. In the worst case scenario, foot lesions can lead to gangrene and the need for emergency amputation. That is a medical fact. I've seen it in the Operating Room too many times. Then people suffer from phantom limb pain. And it all started with what you ate. What you put in your mouth. How much of it was green? How much of it came out of a box? Do you have abdominal obesity, putting you at risk of heart disease, chronic inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and death? What can you do now, today?

Some prevention or delay of kidney failure may be possible. Even if you don't have high blood pressure, studies from 20 years ago show that if you are simultaneously placed on an anti-hypertensive ACE-inhibitor, you will 'spill' less protein into your urine, protecting the kidneys. You're not supposed to spill any protein into your urine. So let's keep your kidney functioning normally for as long as possible, ok? We need you to visit your grandchildren or your children instead of spending 4 hours/day, 3 days/week going to a dialysis center. You'll have to have an iv port in, but you can buy special clothes that have zippers so you can hook your dialysis catheter up to the machine. But we don't think that was in your head as a real idea of a fashion statement. Your blood pressure goes down during dialysis, and the most common complaint after dialysis is a headache. Do you see how your Quality of Life will change? It's not funny. It's serious. And it's pretty much All in Your Hands.

So we try to think ahead for you. Whether you have a new diagnosis of heart disease, menopause, diabetes, dysautonomia, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, or you have a friend, relative, or co-worker who has a list of diagnoses we now serve, we can send them a MediBasket (from you or a group of co-workers, or a group of friends) to fit their needs. We know what it feels like to be suddenly athletic and then to be suddenly bed-ridden and sick, and we think we can make things better. 

So our President and CEO, Dra. Margaret Aranda vowed to make use of what we do know, and to pass it along to you!

Sample Medi-Basket(TM) for Diabetes. Individually made per patient, the Medi-Basket(TM) comes in four ascending sizes. The goal is for Preventive Medicine to rule, providing the patient with needed supplies for the mind, body, and soul. Perhaps a dash of humor here, and some body-soothing products will ease the physical and mental aspects of a new diagnosis. A physician is available to ask questions, but please realize that the answers are not meant to provide a medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or cure.

But we think you are sure to feel loved by the person(s) that sent it to you, because our CEO knows what it's like to be a patient, having been bed-ridden from dysautonomia for 6 years. She was getting better until she sustained another head injury, giving her DI. But she pushes ahead on the Medi-Basket (TM) because of you. Because Keeping you in the Community and Out of the Hospital?

That's our goal. 

We are doing our part to Keep You in the Community by sharing information and education with you, your loved ones, friends, and/or co-workers. This is only by your request or the request of a Caring Friend that you know. So, how wonderful is it to know that you are not alone. Others are rooting for you, so you keep up the good fight, and persevere!

How wonderful it is that people are helping people? We think that It's About Time! Of course we want to see you well, and we wish you all the Best in your Recovery. If you get bored, tune in to Medibaskets.com for some brainteasers and information, or comment, critique, or just be cranky. Don't let anyone tell you not to be yourself. There's nothing wrong with you; it's your injured body that you are living in that's just a little broken right now.

Medical Disclaimer: Remember that your new diagnosis needs to be managed by your doctor, to keep you In the Community and not in the hospital. Nothing is meant as medical advice, treatment, or cure. A doctor has to see you in person for a thorough examination, if needed.

Aranda MD Enterprises, LLC

26500-102 Agoura Road

Suite 656

Calabasas, CA 91302

www.medibaskets.com for Preventive Medicine Gift Baskets

www.MyPerseverance.com for free Resources