Yeah, wow! Such a long time 'tween posts here. I'd been under the weather with all sorts of crap, namely another round of flu-ishness, a health scare that turned out to be a false alarm (lump in the breast), psoriasis, and a long, cruel visit from Arthur (that's arthritis, in case you had visions of a mean uncle coming to stay and taunt me). Arthur, you have been a very bad boy, and are hereby BANISHED from my spine. Away! Away, ye, from my neck! Be gone, from my shoulder! Your presence is not wanted!
I have to thank my awesome chiropractor for helping me to rid the majority of the pain from the ever-evil Arthur. But along with the psoriasis (something I get maybe one time a year for a few weeks; this visit was over a month long and incredibly painful not to mention ghastly to look at - just get a look at my initial flareup one morning; I could barely open my right eye, it was so swollen!) I had been feeling quite unlike myself since early autumn. Just very draggy, mopey, utterly yuck, not sleeping well at all due to the constant pain in my spine, along with a weight gain of over ten pounds (horrifying to me... I used to be very svelte and limber). I missed a lot of Halloween activities, which to me is tantamount to a sin! Horrors! How could that have happened? I'm usually so on the go, and excited to attend all manner of autumn-related functions, but not this year, and it got me really depressed. In my depression (unusual for me to be be stuck in that sort of mental muck, as I'm generally a very upbeat, optimistic sort) I did a lot of deep soul searching. I was like, "What's going on here!? I'm never sick like this! What is the problem?"
I of course realize that I am responsible for my Self, and it was singularly my own damn fault that I became run down and sickened due to my once-pristine diet becoming a garbage dump of bad food choices. I'd allowed myself to become totally addicted to sugar and junk food, eating it daily - sometimes hourly - until I felt like a giant heap of toxic sludge. Could not get through a day without at least a quart of ice cream, candy bars, heaping handfuls of candy corn, and cheese toast (carbs, sugar, bad fats mixed together... not good!)...
Perhaps this was the reason for my continuing bloat, my recurring skin problem, my deepening mental fog, and my painfully inflamed joints???
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| Swollen, flaky, and just plain miserable. |
Doing my research over the years, I have learned that science/medicine has largely agreed that the cause(s) of most cancers and/disease can be attributed to chronic inflammation from poor food choices and combinations. I should know this as I've seen a huge difference in my overall health when I stop taking extreme care of my self, and pick up a bag of burgers and fries for dinner on a regular basis (refer to Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" documentary!!!!).
Long story short: I've cut out sugar (save for maybe a half-teaspoon of raw sugar in my morning coffee, to enhance my stevia). I've wanted to do this for a long time, but it was difficult breaking the addiction; and I will have to say, when you are presented with an acute problem (ie: health scares) it makes it oh, so very easy to banish the sweet monster cravings from your life! You WANT TO feel better, and will take any step that is necessary to do so.
Along with processed sugar (I do, however, eat organic, unfiltered raw honey), I cut out most fat, and processed foods including bread and pasta. People don't realize that that stuff is highly addictive in and of itself, and turns pretty much to sugar in your system!
Upped my intake of veggies (not hard for me to do, as I am- um, make that, have been, mostly vegetarian for decades, but yes, I consume some fish and chicken and seriously enjoy a good bloody steak perhaps once or twice a month), legumes (love me a big crock pot of lentil stew!), some fresh juicing (kale will save the world!!!), taking my good vitamins and EFA supplements like I used to. Oh, and of course, drinking tons of fresh cool water with lots of freshly ground or pressed ginger root in it. Mmmm, how I have grown to truly love that stuff. Antiseptic qualities coupled with antioxidants? Pour me another, please! It also helps ease my GERD (acid reflux) immensely. No wonder the Asian culture includes so much of this wonderful stuff, all bounty of the sweet Mother Earth.
Plus, I'm also chowing down lots and lots of really spicy foods such as curry. The more the better, in my book. I know that research of late tells of the magical inflammation-busting properties of curry (turmeric namely, along with hot peppers, etc.) which is great news for me - more Indian food? Why yes, please! Yum! Needless to say, I'm down ten pounds, feel far less bloaty all over, and my skin has cleared up amazingly well. It's a wonderful feeling overall, especially getting up in the morning, stepping on the scale, and seeing you're down yet another pound! My goal is to lose 20 total. I know I'm not going to be back down to 118 pounds like I was in my 20s... and that's ok. I starved myself to get and remain there, so if I can hover at, say, 140 pounds? That is more realistic and I'm fine with that!
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| Almost a month later, feeling my usual pale freckly Scot-Irish self again! |
Now, as for Arthur? I hear that once he comes to visit, it's a good chance he'll rear his fugly head again over the course of your lifetime, but you can make it less so by your food and exercise choices, so I'm planning on a counter-attack in every way to keep him from pestering me. I may be 52 years old but I don't intend to feel that way!!!
So off I go to the kitchen, where you'll find me preparing yet another big vat of cabbage/onion/celery/carrot/tomato/kale/garlic/curry soup!
