1/8/11 Saturday. Morning Meltdown & Wedding Postponement

Hello hello! I hope everyone is well and enjoying this beautiful holiday season!  

This is the first blog post I have written in several months, so I'd like to start by saying I’m sorry for the long disappearance.  I’d especially like to apologize to any of you have been anxiously awaiting the results of my experiments!  Unfortunately, there are no new developments regarding my body issues - one reason I haven’t written.  My fibromyalgia comes and goes depending on how well I manage it or more-so, how disciplined I am in my wellness practice.  My left eye remains puffy as ever.  And my mustache has temporarily faded with the summer sun.  (Maybe it won’t come back next year...  hopeful!)

The other reason for my lengthy absence is that I have been very busy working on a sister project to the blog.  I have teamed up with a supremely talented production group and we have been developing a show based on the content and efforts of Joy’s Wellness Trip.  I’m very excited to share in this experience with you!


Exploring Joy is a show designed to explore wellness.  Sound familiar?  Exploring wellness been the focus of my blog from the beginning.   It’s become my mission...it’s even labeled as such in the “Hello, I’m Joy” section next to this post.  :)   

You can learn more about the show and the cause by visiting www.exploringjoy.tv, but to give you a quick overview, the purpose of Exploring Joy is to identify and explore holistic health and direct a nationwide wellness effort.  The title suggests that the show will be about me, but the focus is on the the exploration in which the audience is encouraged to take part in.  I will play host and fellow student to those participating in the exploration.  With guidance from traditional and alternative health experts, we will explore many different aspects of well-being including physical, mental and sexual health in an open and investigative manner.  Through this exploration we hope to gain clarity on the wide array of misconceptions related to health and wellness, and work towards an understanding of what makes us well, and ultimately what makes us happy.


Please check back soon to see the promo!  It's nearly finished...I can't wait to see it!

This cause is so important to me.  Since I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I have connected with so many people who  suffer from a vast array of diseases/bodily disorders-- fibromyalgia, lupus, Sjörgen’s, MS, CFS, Colitis, Crohn’s, digestion problems, migraines, depression, skin disorders, cancer...the list goes on and on.  I don’t know why, but I am always shocked when I meet people, especially young people, who suffer from these disorders.  Autoimmune diseases and chronic health issues are becoming more and more common.  This isn’t normal.  Bodies aren’t supposed to break down like this... And,  if I don’t stop now, I will continue to rant about this issue.  But can you blame me?  Last year I had terrible pain that felt like it radiated from the very core of my soul and extended beyond my skin.  My aura was pain.  No medicine helped me.  When I treated with Ayurveda I got better.  Many people are sharing stories like mine.  The pills aren’t working so they are seeking and finding help through alternative medicines.  If we are to be well, we must shift our focus from disease to health.  We must put our attention on wellness. 

Now more than ever, America needs a wellness plan.  

We need to stir it up!  I can’t do it alone!  We are undertaking a monumental effort; we are working to redefine wellness in America and the world as a community.  Ambitious?  Yes, it is.  Which is why I need your help.  The drive behind this movement has been accelerating but it needs organization and direction if it is to reach the people who need it the most.  Exploring Joy is an effort to help direct this movement.

How can you help?  Show your support by spreading the word!  Like our facebook page, or even better, get involved by posting your own health success story, health struggles or issues with our current medical model.  Offer praise for doctors and centers who have made a positive impact. Post your favorite wellness habits or products.  Ask the community a question.  And let us know what health topics you would like to see on the show!

Let’s begin this conversation and direct this crucial exploration together.  Change IS possible!  If we connect, get organized and work together, we can make American wellness a reality!

Are you with me people?! :)