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Dear Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Pooja Parikh

Dear Hidradenitis Suppurativa, You snatched away my privacy; but you taught me humility. For a time, you took away my ability to walk; but you taught me to cherish the movements of my body. You took away my ability to … Continue reading →

Posted in Anecdotes, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, mental health | Tagged autoimmune, autoimmune disease, autoimmune warrior, chronicillness, dear hidradenitis, dear hidradenitis suppurativa, hidradenitis, hidradenitis strength, hidradenitis suppurativa, hidradenitis suppurativa awareness week, hidradenitis suppurativa scars, hidradenitis suppurative awareness, hidradenitis suppurative surgery, letter, letter to hidradenitis, letter to my disease, letter to myself, mental health, mental health awareness, my disease, my story, pain, personal story, reality, story, thank, thank you, thankful, warrior | Leave a comment

Welcome to AIPooja!
My name is Pooja, and I am trying to keep my head above water while balancing disease, wellness, and graduate school. Continually learning and growing, with no end in sight. I hope you find something you can relate to here!
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OKC PARTY PEOPLE! Or OKC dog people...or really just OKC people... . This little smiley pup and I will be hanging out at Bone Dog Boutique (@boneokc) in downtown OKC this Saturday (6/22) from 1-4pm. . I’ll be there to chat safer beauty and self care, give you a chance to learn some important info, try some fun products, go home with some free samples, and enter to win some great treats (human treats, not dog treats)! . Margo will be there to skeptically sniff you then give you a million tail wags while she wins your heart. . Can’t wait to see YOU there!!

What are some little moments in your day that make you feel proud of yourself? Sometimes, in my exhaustion and pain, I boost myself up by finding little things that make me proud. . For example, after working an exhausting 9 hour day full of cooking (which may not seem like much, but is a lot on a body that is still healing from surgery—yes my incision still isn’t fully healed), when all I wanted to do was come home and crawl under the covers, I managed to cook a nourishing dinner for myself. . It’s important to celebrate the little victories. It can be uplifting and energizing to acknowledge those wins, especially when we feel like we’re running out of fuel. . Details: Oven-fried chicken from The Healing Kitchen cookbook (made previously and froze, but reheated in the air fryer); green beans sautéed in avocado oil, coconut aminos, and Trader Joe’s EBTB seasoning (#aipreintro); kale massaged with olive oil, balsamic, and EBTB seasoning.

Another meal to show you from my personal chef trial (spoiler alert: I got the job 😊). . During this trial, I basically had free reign to make whatever I wanted for them, only limited by certain food allergies. I was told to do my thing so they could get a feel for my food (music to my ears). . I tried to create balanced meals that tasted great, looked beautiful & colorful (we eat with our eyes first!), satisfied hunger, and energized. I did this by keeping the meals heavy on the veggies and being mindful of the way I used higher-carb foods. . Details: chicken marinated overnight in garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dried oregano, olive oil, and crushed red pepper, skewered and cooked on a cast iron grill pan (marinating it in lemon juice makes it SO juicy and tender); zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and mushroom skewered and cooked on the grill pan until browned (I did skewers of each individual veggie and the chicken separately due to varied cooking times, then went back after and mixed things up on the skewers for the sake of presentation); kale massaged with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt; topped the kale with the Greek Chickpea Salad from @iowagirleats, subbing raw zucchini for the cucumber to cross-utilize the veggie. Topped it all with a quick squeeze of lemon juice, chopped green onion, and fresh dill!

To the man who passed on to me his love for music (specifically the classics), his skill for cooking and developing flavor, his nose, his curly hair, his fierce devotion to the people he loves, his temper, his generosity, his insane work ethic, his leadership skills, the sparkle in his eyes, his sense of humor, his soft heart, his pain tolerance, his clumsiness in the kitchen (we both sliced off the tips of our pointer fingers within weeks of each other 😅), his smile, his tenacity, his impulsiveness, his sweet tooth, his authenticity, his open-mindedness, his love—his overflowing, unconditional, heartbreaking and heart-healing love—everything I am because of you is a gift. A gift I treasure every day. . Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. I love you. . ♥️

OKC friends, come hang with me either tomorrow, June 15th or next Saturday, June 22nd from 1-4 at Bone Dog Boutique! I’ll be educating on all things safer beauty, and you’ll have the chance to win some fun prizes. . I’d love to meet you and help spread awareness about our poorly regulated cosmetics industry, so I hope you can make it! . Bring your pup too 🐶 because Margo will be with me. . Ps. The address is 100 NE 2nd St in OKC (zip code 73104). 💚

When your dinner looks like dessert 😋 . Sometimes, after a day of cooking, the last thing I want to do is make my own dinner...which leaves a conundrum because I still want something delicious to eat but don’t want to make it myself. Ya feel me? . In comes this yogurt bowl of sorts. Not AIP, but can be made #paleo by switching out the peanut butter for nut or seed butter. . The majority of the time, my diet is mostly AIP; I’ll eat nuts/seeds/grains every now and then but keep AIP as my template because it’s how I feel best. But fortunately my body allows me to mix it up sometimes, as long as it’s mindful. . Details: @coyo_organic Chocolate coconut milk yogurt mixed with @vitalproteins collagen and cinnamon; topped with 1 banana, 2 @madeinnature Choco Crunch Figgy Pops (crumbled up); finished with a drizzle of @wild_friends Chocolate Coconut Peanut butter. . Hit the spot. 😊

AIPooja: Seeking Wellness through Disease

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