Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 1

As this is my first entry, I guess I should catch you guys up on what has been going on. I hope you all enjoyed the show this week. I watched it in Vancouver, Washington surrounded by my friends and family at Pepper's. Pepper's is where I got my start in the restaurant business. It was great to see all those guys, and yes, tequila was involved.

That was one of my favorite days on the show for obvious reasons. I mean you did see the entire restaurant filled with firemen, right? Man I love a man in uniform. Not to mention the fact that the spa day was awesome. I am not gonna lie; I was exhausted when they got us up at 2:00 a.m. to make the pasta for the firefighters.

Lupus and little sleep is not a good combination as you are all aware. In the end it was well worth it ... being able to give something back to those guys. That was so much fun. Plus we kicked the blue teams’ butt. The helicopter ride and the spa treatment was just what I needed to recharge my battery. Once we got back and service began, it was back to reality. You have Gordon yelling, Lovely in the weeds and Suzanne talking nonstop.

Wow!! I was hoping to stay below the radar and just try to get my stuff out and then help the others as needed. I should have known that Gordon would catch me off guard and ask me to do a little multiplication as he was yelling at me. I am totally blaming my response on lupus fog. At that point I probably would have misspelled my own name if asked. Luckily I was able to stay out of the elimination as Lovely and Tenille were chosen.

I was very surprised when Gordon allowed them both to return and decided not to eliminate anyone. I guess he was feeling generous. All in all it was a good night. I am still in the mix and will keep fighting.

Until next time, I have provided a yummy recipe for salmon for everyone to try out.

Amanda

Amanda's Recipe: Blackened Salmon over Watermelon Radish, Cilantro and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cucumber Vinaigrette

Yield: 2 servings.

2 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 watermelon radishes
1 bunch of cilantro
4-5 cherry tomatoes

Blackening seasoning:
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
* Mix all together

Cucumber Vinaigrette:
2 cucumbers (peeled, roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups of grape seed oil
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper

*Combine all ingredients in blender except grape seed oil. Blend and slowing add oil until combined.

Dust salmon with blackening seasoning, Add oil to pan and heat. Sear salmon seasoned side down first, until brown, then flip and finish in 400 degree oven until cooked to you r liking (about 3 minutes for medium rare, depending on thickness).

Peel and julienne watermelon radishes, rough chop cilantro and cut cherry tomatoes in half. Combine in a bowl and toss with Cucumber Vinaigrette.

Serve salad on a plate with salmon on top.

Treating Lupus Nephritis: Does Ethnicity Play a Role?

Lupus is seen two to three times more often in people of African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Native American heritage than in Caucasians. Information on how medications work in these populations may one day enable physicians and researchers to tailor treatment for each individual.

Read more.

Ways to Follow the LFA Online

There are many different ways to follow the LFA online. Wanted to share some of them with you.

Facebook
Join the LFA's cause in Facebook.

MySpace
Follow the LFA on MySpace.

Twitter
Follow the LFA on Twitter.

If you want to join in the discussion, then visit the LFA's message boards, and join the more than 4,200 users from around the world who are there to offer advice, support, and encouragement 24/7.

And finally, stay in touch with the latest happenings in the lupus community when you sign up to receive LFA's free enewsletter.

Listen to the Lupus Foundation of America on Blog TalkRadio

Good morning everyone:

Hope you're as ready for the weekend as I am. Have some plans scattered throughout, so things should be busy. I just hope it doesn't rain on any of my outdoor activities. Fingers crossed.

Let's jump into the lupus news.

Last Wednesday, LFA health educator Dawn Isherwood appeared on the Blog TalkRadio show "Conversations with Linda" to discuss lupus.

Hosted by Linda Lawson, "Conversations With Linda" is a lifestyle show "... representing all aspects of life, featuring experts from every field." Appearing on the show with Dawn was Denise Williams, who initially struggled with depression after her lupus diagnosis.

To listen to an audio recording of show, go to "Conversations with Linda" and scroll to the episode called "What You Need to Know about Lupus."

That's your lupus scoopage for the day. Have a great weekend.

Wick

Meet Amanda Davenport, an NYC-based Sous Chef who has lupus, on Fox’s "Hell’s Kitchen" Tonight

Be sure to watch Amanda Davenport tonight on the premiere of Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen at 8:00 EST/7:00 CST.

Amanda is a 27-year-old Sous Chef based in New York who has lupus. Every week Amanda and 15 other contestants will be put through rigorous culinary challenges ... competing for the grand prize of a Head Chef position at Araxi Restaurant in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.

Originally from Washington State, Amanda lives in New York City, and received her training from the French Culinary Institute. Amanda is also an active supporter of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), and recently participated in the NYC Walk for Lupus Now. We wish her good luck in the competition, and encourage everyone to tune-in and cheer for her.

Read Amanda's Hell's Kitchen bio here.

We’re also thrilled that starting next week, Amanda will be a regular contributor to our blog. She'll provide recaps of previous episodes, and share some of her favorite recipes.

Stay tuned ...

Largest Lupus Drug Trial Ever Completed is Successful!

First Potential Lupus-Specific Treatment in Sight

BENLYSTA™ Successful in First of Two Pivotal Clinical Trials

Today, Human Genome Sciences (HGS) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced positive results from a year-long clinical trial of BENLYSTA for treating lupus. When the 52-week study concluded, the lupus patients who were treated with BENLYSTA had improvement in overall disease activity without clinically significant flare-ups in one or more isolated organs when compared to patients who received the placebo (inactive agent). The patients receiving BENLYSTA also were able to reduce their intake of steroid medications. The study is the largest ever to be completed for lupus and the first Phase III (late stage) trial of a new biologic immune therapy for lupus to succeed in meeting its primary endpoint and most of its secondary endpoints.

Sandra C. Raymond, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) issued the following statement.

"For people with lupus and their loved ones, this is an historic day! With no new drugs for more than 50 years, since the Eisenhower Administration, the news today indicates that it is possible to develop new, safe, and effective therapies for lupus. We are greatly encouraged by the positive top-line data which shows that HGS’ 52-week BENLYSTA study met its primary endpoint. These results provide hope that this complex chronic autoimmune disease can be brought under control and that, eventually, a cure can be found for the estimated 1.5 million Americans and more than 5 million people worldwide living with lupus.

"We look forward to hearing the results, this fall, of a longer-term Phase III clinical study of BENLYSTA. The data from both studies will be evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Should the FDA ultimately approve BENLYSTA, it would become the first drug successfully developed to specifically treat lupus since the disease was discovered more than a century ago.

"Lupus is a complex disease and not every therapy will be appropriate for all patients. Each person with lupus is unique and it is likely that successful management of lupus will require a number of therapies, perhaps used in combination with each other. The LFA and its Medical-Scientific Advisory Council urge the federal government and industry to greatly step up their research efforts on lupus so that physicians have a complete arsenal of therapies at their disposal to provide the individualized treatment that lupus requires.

"We are grateful to Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline for their pioneering efforts to develop a new, safe, effective and tolerable treatment for lupus, to the physicians who have passionately committed to researching this disease, to the companies who continue to invest in finding new treatments, and to the thousands of people with lupus who have volunteered and participated in clinical studies over the years so discoveries such as this one could be possible.

"Meanwhile, the LFA will continue to implement its initiative entitled, A New 21st Century Approach to Lupus Healthcare, to ensure the ongoing advancement of the science and medicine of lupus to meet the multi-dimensional needs of people with lupus."

Watch Sandra C. Raymond’s videotaped comments.




Frequently Asked Questions regarding BENLYSTA™ (Formerly Lymphostat-B)

Read Official Press Release from Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline on Positive Phase 3 Study Results for BENLYSTA™

Lupus Foundation of America's "Your Skin & Lupus" Chat Transcript Posted Online

Thanks to everyone who attended the "Your Skin & Lupus" webchat hosted by Dr. Andrew Franks. It went really well. A copy of that chat transcript has now been posted online.

And, we hope you will join us for the September 9, 2009 webchat. The topic is "Participating in a Clinical Trial," and it's hosted by Mr. Ken Getz.

Mark your calendars for that.

Changing Direction: How Lupus Can Alter Your Life’s Goals -- For The Better

Shawn Blanton’s grandmother wanted him to be the first in the family to go to college. When he was diagnosed with lupus at 15 and doctors informed the family that he was having mini-strokes, that hope flickered. When they told him he might not live to age 30, it was all but snuffed out.

But Blanton was a self-described “geeky kid who liked school,” especially math and science. He was determined not to let lupus stop him -- even if his diagnosis delayed his dream for a few years. “I have a stubborn streak,” says the now 38-year-old resident of Springfield, IL. “I take after my grandmother that way. I wouldn’t accept what others told me. I was having too much fun living life and trying different things.”

He worked with tutors to graduate from high school with his class, not falling behind despite intense fatigue and lupus-related kidney disease. After high school, Blanton worked for a local video store, advancing in the company until, at 24, he was managing operations for the 100-store chain. But the long hours and travel between stores wore on him. He looked to the things he loved before -- math and science -- and what he’d learned from having lupus, and he settled on a career: physical therapy.

Read the complete article "Changing Direction: How Lupus Can Alter Your Life’s Goals -- For The Better"

Liked what you read? Then subscribe to Lupus Now magazine.

Learn More about Your Skin and Lupus

Lupus skin disease, called cutaneous lupus erythematosus, can occur in one of three forms:

• chronic cutaneous (discoid) lupus erythematosus
• subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, and
• acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

Skin disease in lupus can cause rashes or sores (lesions), most of which will appear on sun-exposed areas, such as your face, ears, neck, arms, and legs.

Did you know that approximately two-thirds of people with lupus will develop some type of skin disease?

Read more about how lupus can affect your skin.

New York Times Website's Patient Voices Series Features People Affected by Lupus

As part of its Patient Voices series, The New York Times website is featuring the stories of people from across the country who are affected by lupus. Using audio interviews and photos, Patient Voices seeks to give a glimpse into the life of someone living with lupus.

The individuals featured are as diverse as the disease itself, and include actress/model and Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) national spokesperson Tomiko Fraser Hines, who lost her sister to lupus, and Jeremy Margolis, who recently suffered a heart attack resulting from lupus complications.

The LFA would like to thank the participants for having the courage to share their stories, and believes they will not only help raise awareness of lupus, but will also educate the public about a disease that is often misunderstood and under recognized.

The LFA would also like to extend its gratitude to The New York Times for helping to increase awareness of lupus, an unpredictable and potentially fatal disease that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans and at least five million people worldwide.

Visit The New York Times website, and listen to the interviews and view the pictures.

LFA's "Your Skin & Lupus" Webchat to be Held Wednesday, July 15 at 3 p.m. Eastern

Reminder -- the Lupus Foundation of America's Webchat is next Wednesday afternoon, July 15, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.

The LFA welcomes Dr. Andrew Franks, who will serve as the guest expert for the Your Skin & Lupus webchat.

This is your opportunity to ask questions and learn from a lupus expert. Dr. Franks is Clinical Professor of Dermatology and the Director of the Connective Tissue Disease Section of The Skin & Cancer Unit at New York University Medical Center. He continues to train other dermatologists, rheumatologists, and students in this specialty.

You can submit a question in advance here.

We hope you can join us Wednesday afternoon, July 15. To do so, you can log in to the live chat here.

As always, copies of all chat transcripts are posted online within a day or 2 of the chat. Follow this link to read the LFA's previous chat transcripts.

Lupus Blog Spotlight: 710.0: A Life With Lupus

Good morning everyone. Hope you had a safe 4th of July weekend. Mine was relatively uneventful, which was fine by me.

Let's jump back into things. It's been a while since I did a lupus blog spotlight, so I thought I would this morning.

I would like to share a lupus blog with you. It is called 710.0: A Life With Lupus. As an FYI ... "710.0" is the ICD-9 (International Classification of Diseases) code for "SLE," aka systemic lupus erythematosus.

Here's a little bit about Beep, a blogger living in California.

"I went from an Ivy League college, to decades of enforced poverty because I've needed to qualify for government health care in the U.S. since being diagnosed with lupus at the age of 23."

If you have some time, swing by 710.0: A Life With Lupus and say hi.

That's the lupus scoop from my end. Happy Monday, and have a great week.

Until next time, Wick

How Lupus Can Affect Your Skin

Summer is here, and with summer comes vacations and lots of exposure to the sun. For many people who are living with lupus, this means you have to prepare yourself for the light -- both sun and artificial -- that you’ll face during the day. Every day.

To help make sure you’re as protected as possible when you venture outside … for a game of miniature golf while you’re on vacation, or while you’re working inside beneath fluorescent lights, the LFA has created a special section of content for you.

Some of the items you'll find on this landing page include:

• Info on LFA's July 15 webchat on "Lupus and Your Skin"
• Detailed content on lupus and your skin
• Lupus Now articles pertaining to lupus and your skin
• Ask the Experts: Lupus and Your Skin
• How to Find a Dermatologist

Prepare yourself for the light.