Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts

Monday, September 26, 2016

Etiology Unknown...

It all started towards the end of 1981 and why I remember this so vividly is because of how it impacted me when I heard those words for the first time. We were already living in Chicago, I remember the year because I turned 30 in that job and that would have been January of 1982.

My boss was a Neuro-Psychiatrist in other words a double boarded Neurologist and also Psychiatrist who practiced both at the same time. His patients had emotional problems but most of them due to major diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis or ALS for example. So he would deal with the physical aspect of their illness and the Psychological crisis they found themselves in once they were given a life sentence diagnosis.

It was only him and I in the office, I was 29, married to a Doctor myself so I knew all these things for years, however I never stopped fearing something like this could happen to me. I was surrounded by it all day long, I took dictation about it, that's all I heard it made me think. What if that was me?

The worst part were the first two words of the dictation I received on all these patients from the doctor so I could transcribe it and put it in their chart as well as send it as a report to their referring physician. The first time he dictated them to me I have to confess I had no idea what they meant so I asked him right away,  I need to understand everything I write so I can do my best transcription job not just that of a parrot.

He would start most of his reports with "Etiology Unknown". You have to understand that he was this older doctor in his 70s who had set a routine for himself he never changed. He would golf on Wednesdays rain sleet or snow didn't stop him, there were always the orange golf balls they were easier to spot on the snow. He was Jewish just like I am so that's why he liked me when he hired me I could tell. It was like helping your own. I did have a lot of experience as a secretary and like I said married to a doctor so that helped of course.

So Dr. Sherman RIP and his routine made him dictate the same things for most of his patients. Etiology Unknown means that they basically don't know what caused their terrible disease they will either have for life or die from sooner than expected.

That got me to think all of these scientists all of these discoveries, all of these chemicals and just for what? to prolong something that is supposed to have no resistance to it, makes no sense to me, chemicals may kill a cancer but they also kill other parts of that body of yours that were not supposed to die. Why would anybody want to prolong their life with chemicals fixing one thing while killing another. What kind of a life is that, is it important to live longer or is it to live the best way we can while we can.

We are totally responsible for our own well being. I have things in this body of mine that all of a sudden began to appear out of nowhere, things I never experienced before including allergies, I have patches of red on my arms, my legs, I had to go to 5 doctors who didn't know what it was until I had it biopsied and it's some autoimmune disease, or in other words "Etiology Unknown" all these top dermatologists were giving me very strong creams and warned me to use sparingly, they would make the spots go and when I'd stop they'd come back, so by remembering those two words I decided to stop all chemicals and went a different route this time.

I went the longer way, the natural way, the way that takes more of your time and dedication, the one that follows the rules of nature because those are the real rules, the rules of man are man made and who says that the man that made that rule is a better one than the one nature created. The one where you have to eat the right things not those that taste better. Be kind to others so you can receive kindness, love and let others love you, give your all to everything you do most of all do what you love.

Now I go to a Naturopathic Doctor who listens to how I feel inside, who prescribes only natural supplements to help heal the damage done, things to detoxify my body from chemicals and metals that now appear in nature thanks to man. I have to pay this out of my pocket of course because Insurance companies will pay for you to get well the man made way not the natural way, if you are a responsible human being trying your hardest to live a good natural life you're on your own! Natural supplements can actually be more expensive than chemicals and you have to take more of them to even out the little pill. So for now I get what I can with what I have and try to take better care of myself in general.

Little by little I've noticed I've started to heal. My joints don't hurt anymore nor do my extremities, I've also started to lose some weight and I'm proud to report that my food intake has gone to a healthy 95% of what I ingest is actually good for me. I found out that my body is sensitive to things I ate my whole life like corn, sugar, dairy, grains, wheat, oat, spelt, peanuts, strawberries, I'm even sensitive to broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, I'm mentioning these because they were all part of my diet, I thought I was eating the right things and in fact I wasn't.

I'm very proud that I took the time to find all this out, then went along with the program and eliminated all of those things from my diet, they added up to 35. Most of them were on my plate every day one or another. I no longer eat breads or pastas (except for Brown Rice or Quinoa Pasta), deserts, no sugar on anything or dairy. There goes my beloved Quesadillas!!!

I had to re-invent the way I ate and what and do that while living in a house with a great cook who loves to prepare delicious meals that he knows I love, who doesn't restrict himself with anything and eats it in front of me. It actually makes him sad to see me restricting myself so much but my determination and control make me feel very good about myself, even though the weight is coming down slowly and after moving to this new apartment I haven't been exercising. I made a new promise to myself. Today I put on a Zumba video and I'm starting an every day 30 min. dance routine. Get that blood pumping and those extra unwanted curves letting go of my body. I want to be at my best so I can give others coming from a better place.

I don't know if I can eventually revert all the damage I might have caused to my body with all the chemicals I ingested over the years, things for cholesterol, osteoporosis, headaches, stomach aches, colds, flus, things doctors tell you you HAVE to take or else you will keep deteriorating. Also with all the things I ate for over 60 yrs. of my life processed food filled with chemicals and who knows what all else is around in everything, including our water.

I was the one who stopped exercising, the one who started to eat all the good things I love, the food that kept me company, broke my boredom, satiated some desire, I was happy with my life so why did I need to feed my body to the point where it became unhealthy and difficult to handle.

I know the energy is there, as is the desire to live a good and healthy lifestyle for as long as my body and my mind stay healthy. Whatever part I can control in having success at a better outcome I may do it at my pace but you better believe that I will go into that Etiology Unknown world and beat it with Love, Dedication, Responsibility and Trust.

Thank you Dr. Janci Karp ND!

Hugs xoxo
@nit@

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

You Don't Want IT Bad Enough...


I've had the same challenge my whole life, to maintain a low weight and keep up with an exercise program so that I can reap the benefits it brings to the quality of my life. I've managed to develop the discipline it takes to follow through as far as healthy and moderate eating habits as well as a consistent workout programs, but the challenge is that even if I can hold on to the program for a long time, as soon as something creeps up into my life that throws my routine off for whatever reason, or I'm dealing with something, no matter what, that takes most of the energy I have and doesn't leave me with enough to continue my programmed routine.

I've managed to workout and eat healthy and in moderation for years at a time so I'm not sure what makes it so difficult for me to get back on the saddle once I fall off the horse, because life is unpredictable and we do fall off the horse, especially me who still has to conquer the fear of riding one. Oh how I would LOVE to do that!!!! or Would I?...

Years ago just after giving birth to my son I weighed more than I ever did in my entire life, I had no idea how to handle that because I'd never been at that weight before, and even when I had 5 or 10 lbs. to lose at some point I found that to be so hard for me to accomplish. How was I going to lose all this weight?! I thought it was a very long shot...

I had two newborn babies less than a year apart, I was 38 and chunky at best. I wanted to sleep all day but couldn't and when I couldn't sleep those few minutes in between caring for two newborns I wanted to eat to keep myself awake and feeling alive.

I don't remember exactly how long it was but at least for the first two years of their lives I didn't sleep more than 4 hrs. a day with intervals. I got used to staying awake so I would use my time the best possible way but none of it was spent exercising and that I know for a fact.

I thought I wanted that more than anything in my life, the same way I've been thinking I want it right now and yet the results are telling me that I Don't Want It Bad Enough or I'd have it by now!!! Everything I've ever really wanted in my life I've had it so why not this?

I took some time off and just ate, I forgot how happy being trim and healthy makes me feel and I stopped exercising and ate all I wanted long enough to put me at the unhealthiest point of my life. I mean I have it in my hands to change that, all I have to do is what my daughter and my husband say to me, just put the shoes on and go workout. I must not want it bad enough that I find all sorts of excuses not to start again.

Though there are no excuses why I waited this long to pick that habit back up that allows me to match the way I view and think of myself with the way I look and feel on the outside. That's not me I'm looking at the reflection in that mirror, the picture on the camera, that's not the one I want to be and this is not the way I want to feel for the next say 30 yrs. of my life. I still have a lot of dreams to fulfill, and lot of things to experience, a lot of places to visit and a lot of happiness to embrace in my well lived "Parallel Parked in a Perpendicular World" Life!!!.. But I have to feel and look the part to enjoy it to the fullest.

I DO WANT IT BAD ENOUGH, I'LL SHOW ME THAT :) I know I can, I've done it more than once!

Do you want what you think you want Bad Enough? Ask yourselves that, you'll be surprised of the answer if you're honest enough with yourselves. Nothing can stop you if you really Want it Bad Enough!!!... Go make it happen on purpose, I am...

Hugs xoxo
@nit@