Starting the Journey...again
Journey again, you ask? Why again? It seems this journey for a life with no chaos is one that I have started many times, and subsequently stopped just as many times. What makes this time different? I am finally fed up with being 41 and feeling like I am 80. So, I begin this journey again with a new starting point, and I can thank my bosses for the opportunity. One day before we left for Christmas break, they brought in a massage therapist and her co-hort who was trying to get us signed up to check out Ozark Wellness Practice. I was intrigued with what they had to say, so I ventured out last week to visit this chiropractor at Ozark Wellness, Dr. Tim. During Dr. Tim's assessment of me he asked me when was the last time I felt good, with no pain. He guessed a long time...he guessed correctly. His question made me pause, reflect and ask myself when was the last time I felt good. Honestly, I'm not sure. I know I had energy and felt good after our daughter was born in '94 but after our son was born in '98 things started to go downhill. So, my best guestimation would be at least 13 years ago was the last time I felt good--mentally and physically. After our son was born I was dignosed with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) and put on medication. From then on I've been on one medication or another. I've also had other surgeries and incidents that have affected my body--a gallbladder removal, total hysterectomy, serious bronchial infection (several times), and a broken tibia and fibula (possibly caused by the medication I was on for 6 months that weakened the bones). Doctors have not listened to what I've been saying--I think stress, not eating healthy, and medications are causing the majority of my problems.
So here I am, walking into another doctor's office in the hopes of finding a solution to the chaos that is called my life. I call it chaos because I feel that all the medications I'm on have helped create a chaos in my life (and head)! I'm 41 and on 8 different medications and feel like I have an 80 year old body that hasn't been taken care of. Imagine my delight when I heard this doctor voicing everything I have concluded was wrong with me. Not only did he say he could help (after taking multiple xrays of my back and neck and doing an assessment of my health) but he said I am on the right track with my nutrition. In May 2011 I discovered I was allergic to wheat, dairy, eggs, and beef. I first cut out the wheat, and haven't had a migraine since then. Yay! I cut out the eggs as well just because it could send me into anaphylaxic shock. No need to add more chaos to my life so I just look longingly at others as they eat their eggs. I have substituted bison and turkey for the beef whenever I can, and as for the dairy, well, well that is the one area where I cheat. I can't help it, I love cheese. :)
With all of these substitutions, I am on the right track. All I need to do now is increase my vegetable intake. That will be a difficult task. I always told my younger siblings that I couldn't eat vegetable because I was allergic to them. Yep, they believed me! While I eat more veggies now than I ever have before, it still is but a small drop in the bucket of where I need to be. It looks like my next few weekends will be filled with searching for recipes on yummy veggies. How can we make it taste better without killing all the nutrients? Ladies and gentlemen, that is the question of the hour!
It seems I have digressed a bit. So, I walk in to the chiropractor's office today in severe pain. This is my second visit (the first one was yesterday) and I managed to really put Dr. Tim to the test by causing major muscle spasms just by looking for oncoming traffic before pulling out of my driveway this morning. So much for having a normal day today. I shuffled into the office (there is no normal walking with pain this severe) with my shoes in hand. Shoes? you ask. Yes, shoes. My assignment was to bring in shoes that I was willing to wear with my orthotics (which I guiltily explained yesterday that I only wear during work out sessions). Dr. Tim is more than just a chiropractor that adjusts your bones, he looks at you as a whole person--feet and all. I was promptly told that the shoes I have are too small and I am not to wear them. Hmmm, sounds like a shopping trip is in order! :D He approved of my white Sketchers that I was wearing at the time. After a little adjustment to my back and placing my orthotics (the ones that weren't worn down) in my Sketchers he had me walk up and down the hallway. I felt like a miracle had been performed! I was actually walking and not shuffling! The pain is still there in my back, but definitely not as bad as it was when I walked in to his office today.
Now I have the conundrum of deciding what to eat for dinner. So far today I have managed to avoid all vegetables of any shape or size. I would blame it on the fact it wasn't a normal day for me (sleeping all day with muscle relaxers in me) but this is my time of no excuses, of changing my life, and being honest with myself. I avoided those veggies just because I wanted to and the fear of not being able to make a dish I liked, therefore wasting food. This will be my biggest obstacle as I struggle for that life with no chaos that I desire to have. Since I am the only one eating tonight, I believe I will just make a simple dinner of baked fish and a small salad. The big question for tonight, will I be able to put those cherry tomatoes that my hubby so lovingly bought for me in my salad???
So here I am, walking into another doctor's office in the hopes of finding a solution to the chaos that is called my life. I call it chaos because I feel that all the medications I'm on have helped create a chaos in my life (and head)! I'm 41 and on 8 different medications and feel like I have an 80 year old body that hasn't been taken care of. Imagine my delight when I heard this doctor voicing everything I have concluded was wrong with me. Not only did he say he could help (after taking multiple xrays of my back and neck and doing an assessment of my health) but he said I am on the right track with my nutrition. In May 2011 I discovered I was allergic to wheat, dairy, eggs, and beef. I first cut out the wheat, and haven't had a migraine since then. Yay! I cut out the eggs as well just because it could send me into anaphylaxic shock. No need to add more chaos to my life so I just look longingly at others as they eat their eggs. I have substituted bison and turkey for the beef whenever I can, and as for the dairy, well, well that is the one area where I cheat. I can't help it, I love cheese. :)
With all of these substitutions, I am on the right track. All I need to do now is increase my vegetable intake. That will be a difficult task. I always told my younger siblings that I couldn't eat vegetable because I was allergic to them. Yep, they believed me! While I eat more veggies now than I ever have before, it still is but a small drop in the bucket of where I need to be. It looks like my next few weekends will be filled with searching for recipes on yummy veggies. How can we make it taste better without killing all the nutrients? Ladies and gentlemen, that is the question of the hour!
It seems I have digressed a bit. So, I walk in to the chiropractor's office today in severe pain. This is my second visit (the first one was yesterday) and I managed to really put Dr. Tim to the test by causing major muscle spasms just by looking for oncoming traffic before pulling out of my driveway this morning. So much for having a normal day today. I shuffled into the office (there is no normal walking with pain this severe) with my shoes in hand. Shoes? you ask. Yes, shoes. My assignment was to bring in shoes that I was willing to wear with my orthotics (which I guiltily explained yesterday that I only wear during work out sessions). Dr. Tim is more than just a chiropractor that adjusts your bones, he looks at you as a whole person--feet and all. I was promptly told that the shoes I have are too small and I am not to wear them. Hmmm, sounds like a shopping trip is in order! :D He approved of my white Sketchers that I was wearing at the time. After a little adjustment to my back and placing my orthotics (the ones that weren't worn down) in my Sketchers he had me walk up and down the hallway. I felt like a miracle had been performed! I was actually walking and not shuffling! The pain is still there in my back, but definitely not as bad as it was when I walked in to his office today.
Now I have the conundrum of deciding what to eat for dinner. So far today I have managed to avoid all vegetables of any shape or size. I would blame it on the fact it wasn't a normal day for me (sleeping all day with muscle relaxers in me) but this is my time of no excuses, of changing my life, and being honest with myself. I avoided those veggies just because I wanted to and the fear of not being able to make a dish I liked, therefore wasting food. This will be my biggest obstacle as I struggle for that life with no chaos that I desire to have. Since I am the only one eating tonight, I believe I will just make a simple dinner of baked fish and a small salad. The big question for tonight, will I be able to put those cherry tomatoes that my hubby so lovingly bought for me in my salad???
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