Resist Victim Mentality

I was at the nail salon the other day getting a pedicure. You know, in the near empty, no walk ins, everyone is wearing masks...nail salon.

I was watching the soothing videos of tropical fish and sea turtles, and I couldn't help but over hear the very loud conversation between a client and the nail tech.

The client was talking about all her medical woes. Her gall bladder issues. Her osteoarthritis. The fact she couldn't get around as well due to her knees.

I of course had to glance up.

Predictably, she was the fab 4 - which leads to gall bladder issues.

I'll get into that in a minute.

I blog because we have a huge part in our health. What we chose to eat, or not eat. If we chose to be active, or sedentary. If we take the hard path, or the easy one.

Change is hard - I get it. It has been a process for me - one that has taken me from nine years ago being incorrectly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That diagnosis got me off the couch. I stopped being sedentary. In my mind, I told myself I was plenty busy working full time in nursing - and yes, I was logging 10-15K steps per day on days I worked. But that is not enough!

I started walking 5k a day. I started reading labels. I started eating mindfully. I worked my way up to running half marathons. I ran many races every year. I lost 30lbs. I went from mildly overweight into a very healthy BMI.

Next, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three years ago next month. Okay, more changes. I gained 20lbs back. My lower carb diet wasn't cutting it. I couldn't exercise without my blood sugar tanking. I had to start insulin.

Time to figure out how to be healthier, once again. It has lead me to a whole food, plant based no oil diet. I am doing much better, my blood sugars are more stable, and I am increasing my endurance once again.

Osteoarthritis? Oh yeah, I got diagnosed with that, too. A knee. My back. My shoulder. My wrist. Some fingers.

Eating healthy, exercising, and being at a healthy weight are all ways to prevent or lesson the symptoms of the diagnosis I have. My asthma - I haven't been on inhalers daily since April.

I could have taken my diagnosis and sat with them. I'm too depressed. I'm in too much pain. I'm diabetic.

I refuse to!!

Fair, fertile, female, fat. These things lead to gall bladder issues. I can only change one of those factors, but it's a big one (no pun intended). If you are overweight, you are at higher risk for gall bladder issues.

If you are overweight, you are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Hypertension. Heart disease. Osteoarthritis due to the huge amount of strain on your body.

The older I get, the harder it is for me to maintain a healthy weight. When I was in my 20's and 30's, I could eat whatever I wanted to. And I did!

I'm paying for that now - my decades of emotionally eating high carb, unhealthy foods do torment me at times.

I also now have almost a decade of eating healthy. I plan to continue to learn and eat and move, to be the healthiest me possible.

Is it easy? No. I would much rather watch TV and chill, with some ice cream or pastry. I'm just being honest.

I realize, though, that no one is to blame for the diagnosis' I have. I am in control of what I do to get and stay healthy.

Sitting around bemoaning my pain doesn't help. I live in constant pain, from the arthritis stiff joints. I have found that eating cleaner is beginning to help with the pain. It has not helped with the joint stiffness. What DOES help is getting up and going for a walk, or a run, or rebounding, or hula hooping with my weighted hoop. I am moving and exercising with no pain once I get moving!

Yes, there are those that are dealt cards that are a lot tougher than the ones I was dealt. I believe with all my heart, though, that there are changes everyone can make to improve their life. To improve their outlook.

The first one is to quit seeing yourself as a victim. If you have messed up, then make it right. If you have dug yourself a hole, start digging out. One shovelful at a time.

I read the most disturbing statistic - that when a patient has a heart attack, they are given advice on what to eat and how to stay healthy post open heart surgery. The percentage of people that actually follow the advice of their physicians? 10%!! Only 10%. After being snatched from the brink of death.

We are physical, emotional, spiritual beings. If you are sick in any of these areas, seek advice. And follow it!!

Don't underestimate the power of nutrition to heal you. Even knowing as much as I knew, I am gobsmacked at how much better I feel living a whole food, plant based, no oil diet. I didn't get here overnight.

But I got here.

Victim or victor? The choice is yours.

Chose wisely. Whatever YOU decide, it's no one else's fault.

Recommended reading:

"Eat To Live", Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
"Mastering Diabetes", Cyrus Khambatta, PhD and Robby Barbaro MPH
"How Not To Die", Michael Greger, MD
"The Healthiest Diet on the Planet", John A McDougall, MD
"Finding Ultra", Rich Roll
"Running Until You're 100", Jeff Galloway

Recommended watching:
"Forks Over Knives"
"Supersize Me"
"Food, Inc."

The Exhaustion

By far, my biggest health challenge isn’t diabetes. It isn’t asthma. It isn’t osteoarthritis.

Way ahead of all three, my biggest foe is the exhaustion.

It is absolutely relentless.

I have queried my ologists about this. They do lab work, and shrug.

I’ve asked people on my diabetes boards about this. They will ask about all the labs I’ve have drawn, that all result normal.

I keep thinking that it’s got to get better.

So far, it hasn’t.

It’s present, to some extent or another, every day. I push through, and live my life.

Once in a while, I hit a wall. That was this past Thursday. I could not function. I pushed to get 30 minutes of cardio in...and spent the rest of the day in bed.

It’s frustrating.

I know there are probably multiple things factoring into this.

I just wish I didn’t feel this way.

Don’t @ me with home remedies and supplements - believe me, I try to eat clean, drink a ton of water, and am drinking Herbalife shakes daily. I take supplements. It helps. I think.

So tonight I’m exhausted. I ate a healthy dinner. I did my yoga and cardio. I drank 108oz of water.

I’m planning on going for a 3+ mile walk with my hunny and the dogs.

Hopefully.

I’m doing the best I can!

Basics

Week one of no excuses, let's do this.

I started over because I have really been struggling with asthma - I'm on two different inhalers, and due for a CT scan this week to see what is going on.

After I had my pity party, I got my plan together.

First of all, goals are very important. I don't have a weight goal - I know what my BMI should be and I am not far from it. I try to focus on making healthy choices every day, and my body will respond accordingly.

First goal - 15K steps a day. Yes, that is a lot. My prior goal was 10K a day, and when I wasn't sick, I could reach this goal. I use a Fitbit, and I am involved in challenges and a private Facebook group, and that helps me a lot.

Now that race season is here, my goal is to run 4 days a week. I am using the Jeff Galloway Half Marathon app, and I originally started with his 5K plan. I am never going to be fast, but I can walk/run a consistent 11 minute mile over a half marathon. My running goals area always the same - have fun, and finish. I have not failed to meet these goals.

I do sign up for races - when I pay for a race, I feel obligated to go. And to run. And to train. This year a bought a package for a sale price, and this helps me pace myself throughout the year. I can knock out a 5K with no training, but anything longer, I must train. So bottom line, this keeps me training all the time.

Someone advised me years ago to get fitted for running shoes - I cannot stress enough how important this is. I run in a shoe I never heard of, and it's two sizes bigger than my normal shoe. But I am not in pain, I don't get blisters. Shoes will make or break you.

Also important is fun, cute clothes to run in. What? Yes, as a woman, this helps! If you are tossing on an old t-shirt and sweats, just stop!! The performance materials keep your cooler (or warmer) and wick moisture, and are much more comfortable. There is an initial cost, but I find that they last a long time. I love putting together my race day outfit!!

If you need to run with a friend or in a group, find one. I am a member of the local running club - but I run alone most of the time. I am still working on getting my husband to do races with me, but he will train with me.

Stay safe! The rates of violence against runners are real, and scary. Have situational awareness at all time. If you run at night, wear a lot of lights and reflective clothing. I run with my dogs if I am alone at night. Carry mace if you have to go through a sketchy area. If you feel you are being followed, change your course if possible - and call for help immediately.

I am going to tai chi, yoga, and a modified yoga stretch class a least 3 times a week. This is helping me out a lot!! I am especially fond of the tai chi. Three times a week is the goal, but going more is awesome. I have a local gym that is less than 2 miles away. This is crucial! If you sign up at a gym that is inconvenient for you, it will just be an excuse not to go. Trust me, I've paid a LOT of money to gyms I rarely went to. I also pay month to month - not having to have a contract is great!!

Water water water!! I have a goal of a minimum of 80oz a day. I usually drink more than that. I didn't get here overnight- my keys to success are to have a 32oz cup I like, and carry it, or a water bottle, everywhere.

Accountability! I meet weekly with my Herbalife coach - yes, I get weighed and measured, but it more to see progress, however incremental. The store is an incredibly positive place to go - I get my shake there once a week instead of making it at home, and I always leave encouraged. Having someone cheering you on is a good thing!!

Logging everything I eat and drink. I do this using MyPlate - another app you can get. It breaks down my meals into protein, carbs, and fat, and being able to see at a quick glance where I am is really helpful. I would say 90% of the food I go to put in the app is already in there - but if I need to add something, it is really easy. Trust me, if you know you have to log what you are eating, it will make you think twice before you eat something.

I carry healthy snacks with me, along with my water. When I am babysitting, I will bring my lunch shake. Once I am streamlined I will replace the lunch shake with a healthy, low carb lunch. Right now I am in jump start mode.

I don't punish myself with food, or because of food I eat. While I can eat whatever I want, there are foods that make it hard for me to manage my blood sugars, even with the most aggressive planning with my insulin pump. This doesn't mean it's all kale and broccoli. I love ice cream and custard and chocolate, and I still have them - in moderation. The morning my blood sugar is more forgiving, so I can eat more carbs then. Night time - forget it. I have learned, and am learning, what works for me.

Read, research, repeat. There are a lot of reputable resources to help you on your journey to health when you have diagnosis that impact you. I have found Facebook groups are extremely helpful - they can point me in a direction I hadn't thought of, or give me advice that comes from their years of experience. OF course I put anything major past my "ologists", but keep in mind, the recommended amount of carbs per day that the ADA recommends is WAY more than I ever eat.

I am sore and stiff today, but I have gotten to 11K steps as of this writing. After my healthy dinner, I am going to take the dogs for a walk, and I am sure I will meet and perhaps exceed my goal.

There will be good days, and some not so good.

The most important thing is to keep going. Having a healthy life is choices you will make every day, for the rest of your life.