Chiari Awareness Month

 September is Chiari awareness month! Most Chiarians walk, we bake! To show our support to our fellow Chiari warriors and loved ones we wear purple all month long. For the month of September 10% of our sales goes to the BOBBY JONES CFS FOUNDATION. 

What is Chiari 1 Malformation?! If you're like us, you'd never heard of it before until the day of your diagnoses. Honey, was diagnosed in 2021 after years of debilitating headaches which started at the age of 8 that were brushed off as, "Kids get headaches." Sadly, it wasn't until she woke up one morning with blurred vison and off balance that we were taken seriously. Her condition is continually being monitored and she is on a boatload of supplements to help aid in the body's natural way of correcting and healing itself. She also practices an anti-inflammatory diet. Her life has completely changed for the better. We have made leaps and bounds just by implementing these two things. 

Chiari malformation (kee-AH-ree mal-for-MAY-shun) is a condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal. It occurs when part of the skull is misshapen or smaller than is typical, pressing on the brain and forcing it downward.
Chiari malformation is uncommon, but increased use of imaging tests has led to more-frequent diagnoses.
Doctors categorize Chiari malformation into three types, depending on the anatomy of the brain tissue that is displaced into the spinal canal and whether developmental problems of the brain or spine are present.
Chiari malformation type 1 develops as the skull and brain are growing. As a result, signs and symptoms may not occur until late childhood or adulthood. The pediatric forms, Chiari malformation type 2 and type 3, are present at birth (congenital).
Treatment of Chiari malformation depends on the form, severity and associated symptoms. Regular monitoring, medications and surgery are treatment options. In some cases, no treatment is needed. Source

If you're a fellow Chiari warrior, please drop by our booth at the Grants Pass, Growers' Market, Saturday from 9am-1pm We'd love to take pictures with you and post them here on our blog to show the world we're not alone!  

Sending Shugga,
Shugga Cookie Crew