Issuu

issue 06

September 2021

Spoonie

community | compassion | connection

Acknowledgement of Country

In the spirit of reconciliation, Spoonie Mag acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

On the cover

My name is Erin Drazdzinski and I am the owner of Designs by Draz. I work a full time accounting job and do this as my side business. I started this business in May of 2020 when I picked up digital art as a hobby during quarantine. I run my business on instagram and Etsy (@designsbydraz) and love doing food and drink illustrations along with custom person illustrations! @drawingsbydraz 01

Health Disclaimer This blog or magazine (magazine) provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this magazine, or any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that has been read on this blog or magazine or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately. The opinions and views expressed on this blog or magazine and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practice, or other institution.

issue 06

contents september 2021 07 MONTHLY FEATURES Featuring the app, Corra, by Elya

11 WHAT WE'RE LOVING A collection of things we're loving this month

12 ARTICLES Lessons on reflection from Ailish and Kelly.

19 STORIES Keana, CJ and Steve tell their inspiring stories about their own self-reflection.

31 RECIPES A range of delicious dishes from Dimitria, Keara and Neet.

39 ARTIST FEATURE REFLECTION

Check out our artist feature by talented poets The POTSie Poet and A Chronic Illness Life. 03

reflection EDITOR'S NOTE Sometimes it takes months and years before we sit one random evening in the warmth of our fireplace with a cup of tea, reflecting. We often do not realize how far we have come until we take some time and reflect on our past. We must have conquered things and situations that we would never have thought were possible. Reflection is a vast collection of our experiences and thought processes over the years. With such a hectic schedule guiding us every day, shouldn’t we take out some time to relax and reminisce? Perhaps our past already holds the key to our problems and questions today. In this issue, we invite you to reflect upon your journey and get to know yourself even better! Join us in our journey to explore varied stories of reflection by our amazing Spoonie community!

Chronic Hope

Thank you We did it! After six months in the making, we hit our goal in thirty days. We could not have achieved what we just did without the support of the chronic illness community. We would like to take up this space to show our appreciation and our promise to continue amplifying the needs of the community.On the 29th of July, the Port of Hope team launched their very first Kickstarter called ‘Hope in a Bottle’. Behind Port of Hope is a team filled with young, creative minds that are eager to make a change within the chronic illness space. The idea of Hope in a Bottle was beginning to gain traction and we received heartwarming comments on our Instagram about how this bottle was exactly what they were looking for- a convenient way to take your medication on-the-go. After thirty days, the Kickstarter campaign was fully funded and 147 people pledged to bring this project to life.Our goal for Port of Hope was to bring tangible items that would uplift and empower the chronic illness community. We wanted to reflect that mission by design and through the functionality of the Hope bottle. Now, having surpassed our Kickstarter goal, we will continue to do everything we can to bring out more products that reflect our mission. If you backed the Hope in a Bottle Kickstarter and are waiting to receive your own, stay tuned for updates as we progress into the production stage. If you missed out on the Kickstarter and would like a bottle of your own, don’t fret. We will have an additional supply of Hope Bottles coming soon and we will notify you in Spoonie Mag as soon as it drops. Thank you again for helping us reach our goal. Your support does not go unnoticed.

Chronic Hope + Port of Hope 05

“Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things – then better yourself.” - Sonya Teclai

MONTHLY FEATURES THE CORRA APP

After years of living with multiple chronic illnesses, Corra's founder, Elya, decided to create an all inclusive health tracking app to support herself and others in the chronic illness community. The inspiration for Corra was born out of years of frustration. Elya had attempted to track things like her medications, nutrition, symptoms, and activity across multiple apps and platforms but discovered it was too difficulty to manage so many different programs. Following this, Elya created physical tracking sheets to consolidate all of her information, but this too was time consuming and inconvenient.

Desperate to find a supportive tool to help her manage her health, Elya decided if one didn't exist then she would have to make it herself. It was that desperation, determination, and ultimate decision that initiated the long journey that would be Corra's development.

This breakthrough app provides spoonies with an all-inclusive health app to track important aspects of living with a chronic illness. From symptoms and medication, to nutrition and activity, the Corra app allows its users to personalize their experience. In addition to the consolidated health tracking, the key aspect of this app is its correlation feature.

Elya believed that a mathematical algorithm could be created to help her identify potential triggers thereby allowing her to better navigate the ups and downs of living with a chronic illness.

Creating this algorithm became a focus of the app and the name Corra came as a spin-off of the app's focus on corra-lations. This revolutionary algorithm, unique to the Corra app, provides users with correlations exclusively derived from their own data. The more information logged in the app, the more detailed the correlations will be.

The Corra app pairs with your Fitbit, and Apple Watch to bring in important information. In addition, our app gives you the ability to print out all of your tracked information in a concise PDF to bring to your wellness team.

The Corra app was developed by a Spoonie, for spoonies. Elya saw a gaping hole in the tools available for those in the chronic illness community and made the brave decision to fix that. To follow along with the Corra app, follow them on Instagram @corra.health or to download the subscription-based app, visit their website at www.corra.health

Customized Expience Each user has the ability to customize the Corra app to fit their unique health challenges. You can pick and choose which tracking features are necerrary, link up to your Fitbit or Apple Health account, and even set reminders for appointments and medications.

Correlations Our unique algorithm provides you with personalized correlations between what you do and how you feel. The more detailed information you track, the more detailed correlations the app will provide you with.

Made by Spoonies, for Spoonies

The most powerful aspect of the Corra app, is why it came to be. Elya created this app because she wanted to fill a desperate need in the chronic illness community, not just for herself, but for every Spoonie struggling with their chronic illness.

Privacy is Priority At Corra we believe that your privacy and security are important, so we did not want to use ads or targeted marketing within our app. To ensure an ad free environment we charge a small subscription fee to each of our users. 10

WHAT WE'RE LOVING Portable Sauna Research shows that using a sauna helps with almost every aspect of health. According to research, almost everyone stands to benefit from saunas. The health benefits of infrared sauna include skin health, reducing inflammation, hormone balance, pain relief, detoxification, and immunity benefits. It is implicated to play an important role in heart health as well as thyroid health.

Oodie Who doesn’t love their cozy little oodie?They describe it as, “the warmest, most scrumptious and utterly buttery piece of clothing you will ever own.” You can buy a set for your entire family in a combo pack! It makes an amazing partner in winters as it is literally a blanket that can be worn! You can grab yours online at the Oodie store!

Essential Oils Essential oils are often used to ease stress, boost mood, relieve pain from headaches and migraines, get a better night's sleep, quell nausea, and even repel insects. Most essential oils have antiseptic properties as well. Some of the common oils are Basil, Cedarwood, Lavender, Rose, and Sandalwood. It has a lot of uses when it comes to diffusers, inhalation, application on the skin, etc. 11

My Journey with Ulcerative Colitis Hi, I’m Ailish! I’m 24 years old and I live in Essex, England. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in October 2020 but it was so severe I ended up having my colon removed in November 2020. I’m now living my best life with an ileostomy stoma! @littlemissscolitis

I’ll never forget the moment the doctors told me I would need surgery to have my colon removed. It was an overwhelming combination of panic, fear, and anger. After suffering for so many years with bowel problems to finally get a diagnosis was a relief - but I never expected to need major surgery just two weeks after my diagnosis! . I think it all started when I was sixteen-seventeen. The constant sick feeling after eating, the never-ending toilet trips, and the fatigue were awful. I was going back and forth to the hospital but kept getting turned away a lot as the Dr’s didn’t think there was any cause for concern. I had multiple tests and procedures done, but nothing really came back as to what the issue was - so it went untreated for a very long time. Years went by and I carried on as usual. I guess I just learned to live with the pain and discomfort. However, all the issues started to come back again during the summer of 2020. I took it upon myself to get a second opinion from another hospital and another Doctor and I’m so glad that I did! I was diagnosed with very severe Ulcerative Colitis. It was so severe since it had been left for years to build up and worsen, that the medication did not treat it. That is why I ended up having my ileostomy surgery. Since my ileostomy surgery, I definitely feel like I’ve grown as a person. Overcoming such a massive change was no easy task and sometimes it was quite overwhelming. It was so surreal to go through it all. Moreover, I had the added stress of undergoing a major surgery during a global pandemic. In such a daunting time, I was not allowed to have any visitors in the hospital and I felt really alone. 12

I’m so lucky to have such a supportive boyfriend who has been here since day one. I was so conscious at first after my stoma surgery, but my boyfriend reminded me that I am still the same person as I was before and he loves me just the same. I think that’s the thing when it comes to growth. It’s not just yourself that grows, it’s everyone around you also. This is why I created my Instagram blog, to allow others to come on the journey with me and to watch me grow as a person as I document life with a stoma! It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow and transform. I recommend taking the leap of being open and honest about your condition since it has been amazing for me!

“Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.” - Richard Carlson

Reflection Kelly is a 38-year-old mother and wife living with chronic Lyme, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and mental health struggles. She has a bachelor's degree in Early childhood education & psychology. She has been a W.I.T.S. Certified personal trainer for over 15 years and loves fitness. Healthy living has been a passion of hers and she loves to share what she’s cooking on her Instagram page @1strongmommag

“You have Lyme.” At that moment I was shocked, scared, and excited to finally know what was making my body fail. Lyme and it's treatment is a complex diagnosis with the controversy surrounding the disease. Had I known 10 years ago everything that I know now about chronic Lyme, I might still be teaching and I might have had more than one child.

As the years went on, I felt like so many of my dreams were slipping away. My increasingly disruptive physical symptoms made the easiest everyday task unbearable. Severe muscle spasms and nerve pain would last for months and I would find myself lying on the floor in agony. 12 15

Desperation led me to see multiple specialists in search of answers. When the answers didn’ t come from the doctors, I had to do a lot myself. When my symptoms didn’t fit into their narrow diagnosis, I would be handed off. Until July of 2020, I didn’t even know chronic Lyme disease existed. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue by several of these doctors. If you have ever been dismissed by a doctor when you are desperate for answers you know the feeling I'm talking about.

I am a certified personal trainer and have always strived to live a healthy lifestyle. About 6 years in I decided to take things into my own hands.

I read about inflammation and different diets that might improve my symptoms. The more I learned about the food, the more I fell in love with cooking for health.

It is the crushing loss of hope when you realize that you don’ t know what the root cause is all over again. I would experience flares a few times a year. The steroids and nerve-blocking medications prescribed to me left me with side effects worse than the symptoms. It was a hopeless feeling knowing that the doctors were missing something.

I used to think that life just happened to me and that I was stuck with intense emotions and physical symptoms. I thought I was helpless when it came to controlling any of it. Living half my life with multiple chronic illnesses has taught me that I can take control and better myself through learning new skills and coping mechanisms and change for the better. I am open-minded and always willing to learn something new to be the best version of myself despite all my struggles.

I focused on a whole-food-based diet and eliminated as many processed foods as possible and saw gradual improvement.

Flares still happened a few times a year, but the day-to-day routine got more manageable. It gave me a sense of control that I hadn’ t had since this all began. 16

In February 2020 I finally got the opportunity to meet with a Functional doctor who treats the patient as a whole and looks for root causes.

He was impressed that I already made a lot of difficult lifestyle changes. Twenty-five vials of blood and 5 specialty test kits later he found gut issues, heavy metals, and suspected Lyme. I did everything my doctor recommended. It included exercising, dry brushing, infrared sauna, Epsom salt bath, meditation, taking pills, drops and injections. It was really time-consuming but I committed to healing my body. I’ve tried ozone therapy, silver injections, and Dynamic Neural Retraining to name a few. Apart from gluten and dairy, I also cut out sugar, alcohol, grains, lectin foods, nightshades, high histamine foods, eggs, caffeine, high mercury-containing fish, corn, soy, and legumes.

I know that working hard each day and continuing to be open will lead me to remission. I look forward to gaining my health back. I am grateful for all this journey has taught me and who I am today. I have made growth and reflection a priority in my life.

I have learned so much and I always strive to continue to learn so that I can become a better person. Reflection helps me grow despite challenges. This past year has been full of growth and challenges for me. I have committed to giving my body the best possible chance to fight and heal using the tools I’ve learned through my treatment.

I am not the same person I was 10 years ago when all of this began. I now truly understand what eating healthy is, the importance of moving my body each day, and how meditation contributes to a positive mindset, outlook, and healing.

Letting those around me help when I need it and showing them my darkest days has given me the support I never thought I could have. I definitely go back and forth between despair, hopelessness, and feeling like I’m a “Warrior woman.” However, I know that I got this.

Oh, by the way, Kelly means Warrior Woman.

"Self-reflection is necessary to dig beneath our own layers and visit the inner crevices of our heart and mind to develop an understanding of life.”

STORIES: THE RAW AND HONEST TRUTH

Education Is Power Keana Casault is a Canadian endometriosis patient and university student who is advocating for and educating others on proper care for this highly misunderstood but not rare chronic illness. She does this through her Instagram, @endo.metri.osis, and a Canadian non-profit. In her spare time, Keana likes traveling and connecting with others in the chronic illness community.

When I started my journey with endometriosis, I was a scared and confused teenager. I was managing school, competitive figure skating, and my social life, all of which endometriosis played a massive role. Endometriosis is an often painfully debilitating disease that affects the whole body. Defined as a condition where endometrial (uterine)-like tissue grows in other body areas, most usually in the pelvis.

Endometriosis can cause symptoms of all kinds and can be different for every person.

My symptoms include: Debilitating pelvic pain. Referral pain into my back and legs. Chest and shoulder pain. Nausea. Excessive bleeding. Pain with voiding. Chronic fatigue. Brain fog. Weight gain and pain after most exercise. As you could imagine, after fighting for years with my body, I had to give up figure skating.

The recovery my body had to endure was far more extensive than I could tolerate while living a somewhat normal life. From the age of 15, I have bounced around from doctor to doctor, specialists of all kinds, surgeries, hormonal treatments, and countless procedures, many of which caused more damage than good.

But, consistently, I felt like the doctors were missing something, that they couldn’t expect someone to live in this sort of state for the rest of their life. Doctors couldn’t understand me, specialists wouldn’t help me, my friends and family thought I was lying about how much pain I was in.

I felt like I was drowning with no one there to save me, so much so that I started believing them. My new routine became adjusting to the pain and symptoms, pushing through flare-ups like nothing was wrong. This was all so that I could live a seemingly everyday life where I wouldn’t make others around me uncomfortable because of my chronic illness. As you could imagine, this sort of lifestyle came with many downfalls; I would push myself to just be normal and hide when I was in pain.

This, in turn, had me excusing myself to go throw up, fainting, my legs going completely numb, being out of commission for days following an outing, and countless emergency room visits. Most of which were completely hidden from my friends and family because the stress of explaining myself and not being believed would cause more pain and a ton of anxiety.

I’ m here to tell anyone who deals with a chronic illness, this is NOT only an unsustainable way to live but extremely dangerous and unfulfilling. How did I come to this realization? Well, I am 24 years old now; that’s 9 years of putting up a fight against myself.

However, I have realized, better late than never, that I am the most important person in my life and that if I am not healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, what is the point? Once I began putting myself first and putting less effort into those I felt I needed to prove myself, things started to change. I began caring about things that were to benefit and improve myself and my health; I was empowered to educate myself on endometriosis and find the care I deserved.

I decided to start an Instagram page where I could share my story, be immersed in the endo community, and help educate others so that their journey didn’t have to be as challenging as mine was. In turn, I was met with normalcy, support, and unbelievable connections.

I changed what I believed to be a hopeless situation into one of advocacy for myself and others. It turns out all of those doctors and specialists weren’t adequately versed in my medical condition. They were going off the 15-minute lecture in school on my condition or the definition from the 1800s that they knew no different from believing. Do I blame them? Yes and no. No, because they were wronged, the healthcare systems worldwide need to do more research and education on this disease. Also, yes, medical professionals, especially those who call themselves specialists, should keep up to date on the second most prominent gynecological condition in the world. This isn’t to say that there aren’t excellent, leading professionals in the endometriosis world. This is saying that only with luck or after extensive research and education will a patient land in their capable hands, and that needs to desperately change.

I encourage anyone reading this to educate yourself on your own or your loved one’ s medical condition; it could literally save a life. 21

“Reflective thinking turns experience into insight.” - John C. Maxwell

STORIES: THE RAW AND HONEST TRUTH

My Journey March 15, 2019, was the day that my doctor personally contacted me and told me that I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It was a day that would forever change the way that I’ ve viewed life.

CJ Walker is a wife and mom of 3 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes since March 2019. She’s the creator of “The Genetic Diabetic” blog, a contributor and moderator for T2Diabetes.com, an active member of DiabetesSisters, ambassador for the Chronic Disease Coalition, and an American Diabetes Association’s advocate and influencer. @thegeneticdiabeticblog

I remembered feeling defeated and in disbelief. Despite my best efforts to prevent a chronic illness that’s plagued my family for generations, I still managed to fall victim to this illness. I blamed myself for not seeing the signs sooner.

I felt like I was cursed. I felt like a failure. I was scared, confused, and numb. I’ve spent several months grieving the life that I’ve lost. Not being able to enjoy new restaurants with my husband, our family ice cream trips, monthly girls’ night out dates, and the plans that I’ve made with my husband and our family to travel and indulge in different culinary foods.

The life that I’ ve grown accustomed to was derailed by illness. I’ ve begun to turn into a person that I’ ve barely recognized. 23

I isolated myself from others. I had a bitter disposition with a negative outlook on life and was very uncertain about my future. I’ve realized that my chronic condition was permanent and there was nothing I could do to change my fate.

However, I also realized that I had the ability to control how I approach this new and unknown journey. I had to accept that this chronic illness journey was my reality and own it. I had a husband who needed his wife, three children who needed their mom, and a community who needed to hear my story. I had too much to lose by staying in a depressive state of mind, therefore, I’ve consciously made the decision to take better care of my health and manage my condition.

I’ ve dedicated my spare time to learning about my condition. I’ve decided to take my medication as directed and changed to a lowcarbohydrate diet. I’ve started walking 30-45 minutes a day for exercise and learned how to set boundaries in order to steer clear from stress.

A year and a half after my diagnosis, I’ ve made great strides in managing type 2 diabetes. I’ ve gained tons of knowledge from the Spoonie community.

This journey has taught me endurance, self-discipline, and self-reliance. I’ve rediscovered my self-worth and now have a positive outlook despite being on this chronic illness journey. I’m not able to do some things that I’ve set out to do, but I’ve been able to discover new life experiences with my family and friends. Now, I use my voice and share my story to advocate for others.

Dear Spoonie, you probably feel overwhelmed and defeated now, but I assure you that your life does not end because of your diagnosis. You can still thrive with your diagnosis. It all starts with the decision to accept where you are at this moment. This is now your reality and you have to own it. Acceptance is the foundation of growth on this chronic illness journey.

Acceptance is vital for improving your health and quality of life. Growth begins when you accept that the life you’ ve planned for yourself might not happen, but you learn to adapt and live one moment at a time. You don’t have to live a life of deprivation and depression. You have the power to change the narrative of your life.

Spoonie, own your journey!

“Time spent in selfreflection is never wasted – it is an intimate date with yourself.” - Dr Paul TP Wong

STORIES: THE RAW AND HONEST TRUTH

Living the Life Steve is a Creative Director and Filmmaker. He lives in the UK with his wife, son, and two cats. For over 30 years, he’s worked on all sorts of creative film projects all over the world. In 2018, he was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Steve has begun a recovery journey. IG: @creative_m_e.

“I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.” - Leonardo da Vinci.

When you have a chronic illness there’ s plenty of time for reflection. In fact, that’ s probably what most of us spend most of our time doing. Asking ourselves those BIG questions, and those LITTLE questions too. Such as: “Why did I become so ill?” “Was it my fault?” “Where have all my friends gone?” “What’s the rest of my life going to be like?” “Why did I smear hair gel all over my face instead of moisturizer?”

Asking questions about ourselves is a good practice when we have a chronic illness. It helps us to put things into perspective and, after much thinking and reflecting and questioning, hopefully, it leads us to an acceptance stage in our illness where we can go beyond the negative thinking and brain chattering and move into the next stage in our journey - let’s call it ‘Acceptance Plus!’

When Steve Jobs took a year out to meditate in India he came up with the idea for Apple, Charles Darwin took a trip to the Galapagos Islands to contemplate whether or not to become a clergyman and discovered the Origin of the Species, Benedict Cumberbatch took time out to teach English to Tibetan Monks and Nuns, Jesus did that 40 days and nights stint of deep thinking in the desert, and of course, Superman took a holiday at the Fortress of Solitude to get his act together. And Beyoncé and Taylor Swift had some positive ‘ME’ time too, amongst many others.

And likewise, so many people with chronic illnesses and debilitating physical injuries have also taken time for some personal reflection, helping to bring a sense of calm and focus into their lives that they may never have had before.

Let’ s face it, taking time out to stop, reflect, and answer those really big questions in life is a really positive thing. And a rare gift in life. It can be especially powerful when things have taken a turn for the worse, or the s**t has really hit the fan. Human beings have been taking time out to get their crap together for millions of years, and have often found clarity in their lives from doing so.

One of the most common things that people become aware of when they take the time out to have a long hard think about their lives is that WORK can take up MOST of our daily existence and energy.

So often we allow our careers or our work to become the sole focus of who we are and what makes us tick. It's endemic in how society operates. When you’re at school, the sole focus is on what job you’re going to do when you grow up. When you meet people, you always start off a conversation by asking ‘what do you do for a living as if that is the sole identity of who they are.

Obviously, I too have been forced to reevaluate my life, and for the better, I think. Have you seen Pixar’s inspiring movie, ‘Soul’? A wonderful film where the central character, Joe Gardner, defines the success of his life as being linked to playing with a famous Jazz Quartet.

He gets to play that gig, and then his life ends, and he’ s then forced to look back on his life and he realizes that success is not reaching a particular point or pinnacle, a successful life is measured by the number of special moments you have experienced throughout life.

Why do we never start off with ‘ what interests do you have in life?’ or ‘ what’ s important to you?’ .

And often most of those special moments have nothing to do with work life. And often we don’ t put any merit on these moments, and so they pass us by.

The list goes on. Small moments do matter, and one should often have the time to reflect on these and what’s important to them, they would often come to the conclusion that the things focused on or worried about in the past simply weren't important.

Although I’ve been a filmmaker most of my life, it’s taken me an awfully long time to realize that isn’t just the one thing I am. Sure I’ve won awards, worked and met with some incredible people, and on some of the amazing projects around the world, but these are just a few of the collective successes and special moments in my life.

In ‘ Soul’ , Joe Garner’ s motives finally come full circle by the end of the movie when he realizes that the best part of living isn't chasing ambition or catching hold of a fleeting dream — it's just living.

I’ m also a husband, a Dad and a friend, an artist, a creative, a gardener, a joker, a thinker.

Recipes

R e c i p e b y D i m i t r i a

@dimitrias_kitchen

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients 1 cabbage 500 grams beef mince 500 grams pork mince 2 cups medium-grain rice 1 can crushed tomatoes 2 large onions chopped 6 garlic cloves Half bunch chopped parsley, mint, dill Salt and pepper

Method

Method to cook

Prepare the mixture in a large bowl (ground beef, pork, rice, onions, crushed garlic, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, parsley, mint, chopped dill)and knead the mixture well by squeezing the ingredients with your hands to infuse the flavors.

Layer the bottom of a large pan with the thick leaves and the small ones that are too small to roll, then place the rolls on top snugly layers. Season with salt, pepper and pour 1/3 cup oil over the top with 1 cup chopped tomatoes and enough water to cover them. Place an inverted plate on top of the last layer to hold them in place in the pot and place the lid on and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and boil over medium heat for approximately 1 and 1/2 hours, or until the cabbage and the rice is cooked.

Remove the core of the cabbage and discard the outer leaves. Bring a large pot of water with a teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the cabbage and boil 10-15 min on either side, turning it around until the outer leaves start coming apart. Remove them with tongs and lay them on a tray. Once cooled, cut away the thick stem (some leaves are big and can be cut in half). Start by placing a couple of tablespoons of the filling on the bottom center of the leaf being careful not to overfill the rolls. Fold the lower section of the leaf over the filling towards the center and bring the two sides towards the center and roll them up (not too tight as the rice will expand).

Tofu Lettuce Wraps R e c i p e b y K e a r a @k m o n e at s

Ingredients 16oz block of firm tofu 1/2 medium eggplant, cubed 1/2 red bell pepper 1/3 cup finely chopped carrots 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion 1/2 jalapeño finely chopped Large romaine leaves Sauce/marinade

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce 3 tbs minced garlic 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp ground ginger 2 tbs honey 3 tbs avocado oil A handful of honey roasted peanuts Lime slices Optional to add tbs of hoisin sauce for a little spice

Method For the tofu:

Take the tofu out of water Cut into ~8 equal slices and lie flat on towels Press tofu with something heavy for 15-30 minutes to remove excess water Combine all marinade ingredients and coat tofu. Allow to marinate for 1 hour, turning tofu throughout Break apart tofu into crumbles Air fry or bake at 400 for about 18 minutes or until crispy For the veggies:

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat Add the eggplant, peppers, onions, and carrots Toss in the sauce and sauté until tender Optional: I air-fried my eggplant first to make it crispier then added it to the pan with other veggies Bring it all together

Add tofu to pan with veggies Sauté all together with the sauce Option to add more honey and some red pepper flakes Layout your romaine leaves, cutting off the bottoms Spoon in your tofu and veggies Top with roasted peanuts and a fresh squeeze of lime Enjoy as a main course or an appetizer!

Avocado Quinoa Patties

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa 2-3 medium avocados (mashed) 1 medium onion (chopped) 1 green chili (chopped) Green coriander leaves (chopped) 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional) 2-3 tablespoon cooking oil for shallow fry 2 tablespoons Cornflour for binding patties Salt to taste

Avocado Yogurt Dip: 1 medium avocado 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt ½ teaspoon black paper Green coriander leaves 1 teaspoon lemon drops Salt to taste

Directions

Combine quinoa, green chili, green coriander, mashed avocados, cornflour, garam masala, and salt together. Make 6-8 patties from the mixture. Heat the oil in non-stick flat pan, place patties on the heated pan, cook both sides in low-medium heat until patties are little golden brown. To make the Avocado Yogurt dip; Blend avocado, corridor leaves together, and whisk with yogurt. Season with salt, paper, and few lemon drops.

R e c i p e b y : N e e t @n e e t _ d i v a

ARTIST FEATURE

About The POTsie Poet I am twenty years old, and the mental, physical, and emotional toll of being chronically ill (I have both Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Fibromyalgia) takes on a person is a lot to handle. I started writing to be able to honestly express the most raw and real of my feelings and struggles. @potsie_poet 41

ARTIST FEATURE Before and After At first, I thought I could straddle the fault line – keep the two worlds close enough so I could exist in both. But the jolt was so shocking and the widening so sudden, that I began to lose my footing and my head started spinning and on the left and the right the words able \ unable known \ unknown real

\ unreal

began to glimmer beside me until the rift was so seismic they had flooded with light, and when I came to look down inexplicably I found I was rooted in a ground that I've known ever since as my new normal. ~ a chronic illness life

As someone who has suffered from chronic illnesses over the last nine years, like so many others, I have experienced the roller coaster ride of searching for answers. Yet, it wasn't until the beginning of this year that I felt the need to write these experiences down. Having always enjoyed poetry, I thought it would be the perfect format for expressing what it's like to live a life upended by chronic illness. In sharing my poems, I hope it will help others who are going through similar challenges feel less alone. 42

@achronicillnesslife

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