I believe fibromyaglia is the greatest gift I have ever received! Yes you read that right ;you see I was simply going about life with no real intention, no focus. I ate healthy when the mood struck me and ate whatever most of the rest of the time.I would exercise when it was convenient or fun and skip it if the TV looked better. I guess I was like 90 % of Americans. But fibro jumped up and slapped me in the face. It said NO MORE!! I tried eating healthy and it helped but not completely, exercise tended to lift the brain fog but did nothing but increase the pain. It is hard to truly decrease stress when you are constantly in pain and not able to think clearly but I would meditate and do yoga sometimes. It wasn't until I realized fibromyaglia is not about one thing or the other. Fibromyaglia is a systemic reaction to a lifestyle that does not honour my body temple. It takes the whole shebang to truly overcome it.
Yes there are many theories about lime disease, Chronic fatigue syndrome,leaky gut, yeast over growth, overuse of anti biotics and even PTSD. And yes treating these issues is an important part of recovery. But let's face facts ladies and gentlemen, we treat this conditions with a healthy lifestyle! Right?! All of them require the same basic treatment.; remove the crap from our diets and replace it with whole foods, get off our butts and move no matter how much it hurts, learn to deal with stress and realize life sometimes throws us a few bad apples.
Fibro doesn't let me forget this. I know gluten and soy are not good for my particular body yet it is frequently easier to just grab some cheap pasta or the cheapest salad dressing. Fibro jumps up slaps me with arms so sensitive I can't rest them on my desk without severe pain. I know I need to pause, breath and make time for for releasing stress but sometimes I get myself in a frantic go go frenzy. Fibro rewards that behavior with the sensation of an army of fire ants chewing on my legs.
So yeah; fibromyaglia sucks! Don't get me wrong. But I now live a healthier more active life because of it. And I thank my higher power daily for the Gift of Fibromyaglia!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Play for Health
When we began the discussion on what constitutes a healthy lifestyle I was amazed at how much work it appeared to involve. I mean dam! So many minutes of cardio and so much time spent weight bearing and this amount for stretching. Than we add in food journals, meditating, regular journaling, tongue brushing, and towel scrubs. When do we make our artist's dates and spend that quality time reading with the kids or the big one; when do we fit in preparing real foods or even shopping for them. We have created this monster of a standard that just overwhelms most people." I can't do all that stuff so why bother doing any of it" Well time management is a subject we will go into depth with later on but today let's take a look at ourselves and realize just how silly we really are.
Yes all these things will bring us some type of improved sense of well being and I would try to do each one of them...ONCE IN AWHILE...yes once in a while schedule in a bunch of stuff...but seriously...what are going to do....spend your 10 minute morning break sitting in the john trying to meditate? Are you going to run on the treadmill in between stirring the broth based soup you must have with every meal? Maybe you can fill out your food journal during the time you are sitting for a red light?
How about having some fun? There are over 10,000 studies proving that laughter heals. Google it if you don't believe me. I won't bother putting links here because they are so easy to find. Spend your day having fun. Exercise doesn't have to be a treadmill or a gym...how about shooting hoops with your kid and his friends after school for an hour? I suck at basketball but I love chasing the kids around trying to steal the ball from them as they try to play. I always break a sweat and I am pretty sure by the way I am panting I have probably hit my target heart rate! The kids think it is hilarious when I miss easy free throws and they pretend to faint when I accidentally get a bowl into the hoop.
Sitting in a lotus position chanting OM isn't always fun or even relaxing...but finding a quiet trail or park and doing Thich Nhat Hanh's walking meditation gets you
#1 outside for some sunlight
#2 some movement and deep breathing
#3 and of course some mind quieting time
is this a giggling good time? no is it fun YES
Do you have to sit and read a chapter book every night? How about playing Scrabble with the kids? Or even karaoke? They have to read for that too!! Fun isn't always a particular activity...it is an attitude...don't be so self conscious all the time...dance with the mop to that Sleeping Beauty song as you do the floors...you know the one...you are trying to think of the words right now...you are even humming it a bit aren't you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjegSDxnVX0 Once Upon A Dream
Now finish this as you listen to that. Long commutes are often used to listen to self help books and all those classics you never got around to reading...how about downloading some Bill Engram or Jeff Foxworthy into that Ipod tonight?
You see fun doesn't have to be a scheduled activity and scheduled activities can be fun. Now your homework until next time http://www.dumbspot.com/dumb-jokes
go to this site or the site of your choice and memorize 1 joke and than tell it to someone...your dog if no one else will listen...than come back here and tell me just how much better you feel!!
Q: What's the difference between a Northern fairy tale and a Southern fairy tale?
Northern fairy tales begin with "Once upon a time..."
Southern fairy tales begin with "Y'all ain't gonna believe this..."
Yes all these things will bring us some type of improved sense of well being and I would try to do each one of them...ONCE IN AWHILE...yes once in a while schedule in a bunch of stuff...but seriously...what are going to do....spend your 10 minute morning break sitting in the john trying to meditate? Are you going to run on the treadmill in between stirring the broth based soup you must have with every meal? Maybe you can fill out your food journal during the time you are sitting for a red light?
How about having some fun? There are over 10,000 studies proving that laughter heals. Google it if you don't believe me. I won't bother putting links here because they are so easy to find. Spend your day having fun. Exercise doesn't have to be a treadmill or a gym...how about shooting hoops with your kid and his friends after school for an hour? I suck at basketball but I love chasing the kids around trying to steal the ball from them as they try to play. I always break a sweat and I am pretty sure by the way I am panting I have probably hit my target heart rate! The kids think it is hilarious when I miss easy free throws and they pretend to faint when I accidentally get a bowl into the hoop.
Sitting in a lotus position chanting OM isn't always fun or even relaxing...but finding a quiet trail or park and doing Thich Nhat Hanh's walking meditation gets you
#1 outside for some sunlight
#2 some movement and deep breathing
#3 and of course some mind quieting time
is this a giggling good time? no is it fun YES
Do you have to sit and read a chapter book every night? How about playing Scrabble with the kids? Or even karaoke? They have to read for that too!! Fun isn't always a particular activity...it is an attitude...don't be so self conscious all the time...dance with the mop to that Sleeping Beauty song as you do the floors...you know the one...you are trying to think of the words right now...you are even humming it a bit aren't you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjegSDxnVX0 Once Upon A Dream
Now finish this as you listen to that. Long commutes are often used to listen to self help books and all those classics you never got around to reading...how about downloading some Bill Engram or Jeff Foxworthy into that Ipod tonight?
You see fun doesn't have to be a scheduled activity and scheduled activities can be fun. Now your homework until next time http://www.dumbspot.com/dumb-jokes
go to this site or the site of your choice and memorize 1 joke and than tell it to someone...your dog if no one else will listen...than come back here and tell me just how much better you feel!!
Q: What's the difference between a Northern fairy tale and a Southern fairy tale?
Northern fairy tales begin with "Once upon a time..."
Southern fairy tales begin with "Y'all ain't gonna believe this..."
Monday, January 23, 2012
Benefits of a Rapid Weight Loss Program
As we all know; the largest percentage of successful weight loss happens in the mind. In a society that is used to the quick fix ; the old concept of slow , steady weight loss with lifestyle changes has lost its appeal. And for the person with a significant amount of weight to lose; 1-2 pounds a week can be absolute torture. This is especially true when we turn our TVs on see people losing 5, 10 and 15 pounds a week . But how many of us can leave our lives for 16 weeks to let some woman scream at us so we can lose the weight?
It really isn't a case of education. Fat people know how they should eat. We have read every diet book ever published. I have cleansed my colon, lived on grapefruit three meals a day, combined my proteins and kept so many food journals I now have carpal tunnel. And I have endured countless lectures on healthy eating from my skinny friends. Seriously, the average fat person has more education on weight loss and dietary theory than any board certified dietician could dream of having. In fact I have a message for them too. The pounding into our heads of calories in vs. calories is an ABUSIVE over simplification of a very complex issue!!! YES I SAID ABUSIVE!!
Telling a 300 pound woman to walk 10,000 steps a day, eat 1,200 calories and drink 150 ounces of water is ABUSIVE ! Do you understand the pain this woman is already in? I am not even addressing the psychological pain of having her personal failure thrown in her face every time she walks past a mirror ( which is now every 15 minutes thanks to the 150 ounces of water). But let's think about the addition of 150 extra pounds on healthy joints, let alone joints that have been under used and under nourished. ( Yes, a fat person is generally extremely under nourished but that is a topic of a future blog) Plus she has now had to remove 2/3 of her food intake so she is super hungry and grumpy.
Oh ,I know " We should eat to live not live to eat." But we do not simply eat to feed our belly's. If you believe that you have not been living on this planet for very long. Food is an integral part of our culture, our society. Going to the park to play frisbee with some friends? You bring a sub or a picnic linch. Friends coming to visit? They will always ask if they can bring something and you know they aren't talking about paper towels! How do we celebrate Christmas? Easter? Passover? Birthdays? Superbowl? Even the 4th of July is about BBQ chicken, Momma's potato salad and Aunt Dorothy's famous deviled eggs!!
So this woman is now in physical pain, she is hungry, she has been removed from regular society and with 150 ounces of water she has now moved the laptop into the bathroom! Okay yes good health is worth some sacrifices. But here is the kicker; now you are going to tell this 300 pound woman that she must do this for a minimum 75 weeks and maybe 150 weeks! Yeah a year and a half and maybe three years! That's what 1-2 pounds a week is to someone with 150 pounds to lose.
And you wonder why she fails time and time again?! Oh did we forget to mention that every time she gains a few pounds she is going to have to through all this all over again?!
Oh I get it! We have to make life style changes and we have to adjust to new eating habits. YADA YADA YADA! That is just so much blabber to someone facing what looks like an impossible task.
With a quick weight loss strategy we can help this woman stay motivated. Nothing is more motivating than that next size down in a pair of jeans! We can keep her in society and she can learn to hydrate with out sloshing when she walks. She can have a beer and a piece of pizza with her friends at the Super Bowl party with out worrying that she has totally blown every mile she put in on the eleptical last week. Can she do it every day? No of course not; but you would be surprised how much just having the option helps.
There are a number of rapid weight loss programs available to us. On some level they all work; but of course some are safer than others and a person should spend some time examining each one. Hiring a health and wellness coach familiar with these plans will ease the process greatly. A good coach will also help address issues like why did she get that heavy in the first place? Is it all emotional? Are there digestive issues like leaky gut or celiac sprue adding to the problem? Does she have candida, chronic fatigue or fibromyaglia? And the biggy for me...does she have food allergies? An intolerance for one or more foods can make weight loss nearly impossible, especially if the intolerance is gluten and the first thing the dieter does is increase her fiber rich, whole grain breads!
So in conclusion there are multiple reasons a person would chose to take a rapid weight loss approach. Doing this in conjunction with a trained coach/health care professional can be a safe and effective means to loss weight and keep it off.
If you are looking for rapid, safe weight loss contact me ! I can help!
go to WWW. GoldenWillowWellness.com and fill out a confidential health history and claim your free 50 minute health consultation today
I have seen women reduce their calories so low a gerbil wouldn't be able to survive and exercise so hard they have torn up ligaments just to get on the scale and see 1/2 a pound gone this week.
It really isn't a case of education. Fat people know how they should eat. We have read every diet book ever published. I have cleansed my colon, lived on grapefruit three meals a day, combined my proteins and kept so many food journals I now have carpal tunnel. And I have endured countless lectures on healthy eating from my skinny friends. Seriously, the average fat person has more education on weight loss and dietary theory than any board certified dietician could dream of having. In fact I have a message for them too. The pounding into our heads of calories in vs. calories is an ABUSIVE over simplification of a very complex issue!!! YES I SAID ABUSIVE!!
Telling a 300 pound woman to walk 10,000 steps a day, eat 1,200 calories and drink 150 ounces of water is ABUSIVE ! Do you understand the pain this woman is already in? I am not even addressing the psychological pain of having her personal failure thrown in her face every time she walks past a mirror ( which is now every 15 minutes thanks to the 150 ounces of water). But let's think about the addition of 150 extra pounds on healthy joints, let alone joints that have been under used and under nourished. ( Yes, a fat person is generally extremely under nourished but that is a topic of a future blog) Plus she has now had to remove 2/3 of her food intake so she is super hungry and grumpy.
Oh ,I know " We should eat to live not live to eat." But we do not simply eat to feed our belly's. If you believe that you have not been living on this planet for very long. Food is an integral part of our culture, our society. Going to the park to play frisbee with some friends? You bring a sub or a picnic linch. Friends coming to visit? They will always ask if they can bring something and you know they aren't talking about paper towels! How do we celebrate Christmas? Easter? Passover? Birthdays? Superbowl? Even the 4th of July is about BBQ chicken, Momma's potato salad and Aunt Dorothy's famous deviled eggs!!
So this woman is now in physical pain, she is hungry, she has been removed from regular society and with 150 ounces of water she has now moved the laptop into the bathroom! Okay yes good health is worth some sacrifices. But here is the kicker; now you are going to tell this 300 pound woman that she must do this for a minimum 75 weeks and maybe 150 weeks! Yeah a year and a half and maybe three years! That's what 1-2 pounds a week is to someone with 150 pounds to lose.
And you wonder why she fails time and time again?! Oh did we forget to mention that every time she gains a few pounds she is going to have to through all this all over again?!
Oh I get it! We have to make life style changes and we have to adjust to new eating habits. YADA YADA YADA! That is just so much blabber to someone facing what looks like an impossible task.
With a quick weight loss strategy we can help this woman stay motivated. Nothing is more motivating than that next size down in a pair of jeans! We can keep her in society and she can learn to hydrate with out sloshing when she walks. She can have a beer and a piece of pizza with her friends at the Super Bowl party with out worrying that she has totally blown every mile she put in on the eleptical last week. Can she do it every day? No of course not; but you would be surprised how much just having the option helps.
There are a number of rapid weight loss programs available to us. On some level they all work; but of course some are safer than others and a person should spend some time examining each one. Hiring a health and wellness coach familiar with these plans will ease the process greatly. A good coach will also help address issues like why did she get that heavy in the first place? Is it all emotional? Are there digestive issues like leaky gut or celiac sprue adding to the problem? Does she have candida, chronic fatigue or fibromyaglia? And the biggy for me...does she have food allergies? An intolerance for one or more foods can make weight loss nearly impossible, especially if the intolerance is gluten and the first thing the dieter does is increase her fiber rich, whole grain breads!
So in conclusion there are multiple reasons a person would chose to take a rapid weight loss approach. Doing this in conjunction with a trained coach/health care professional can be a safe and effective means to loss weight and keep it off.
If you are looking for rapid, safe weight loss contact me ! I can help!
go to WWW. GoldenWillowWellness.com and fill out a confidential health history and claim your free 50 minute health consultation today
I have seen women reduce their calories so low a gerbil wouldn't be able to survive and exercise so hard they have torn up ligaments just to get on the scale and see 1/2 a pound gone this week.
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