For the past few weeks I have not physically been myself. I hit a wall of consistent muscle cramps and impacting fatigue. It goes far beyond the "mom" exhaustion. Normally I could run with the kids or circle around them. Now, after just a couple of errands, today my kids vegged out while I crashed. Not me in the least. Frustration would cover the description on how I feel. I looked at everything, from stress to sleep habits to food to activity to any change. Nope. Nothing. I had nothing.
I dragged myself to the doctor. Panels of blood test were ordered then came the wait game. I know it is a process with any diagnosis, but the waiting is a killer. This morning when I got the results it was what the doctor and I suspected. My iron is low; while I am not anemic, it is something like it and has the same symptoms. I am grateful it is as simple as quadrupling my iron intake. However, what I have felt has been anything but simple or easy. Life doesn't stop when you are not well. I still have a family, appointments, commitments, study/disciplines, etc. They do not disappear. This isn't the first illness I have had to tackle and it won't be the last. My approach has been remarkably different this time so it had less of an effect then it has in the past. Normally, I wouldn't see the point of healthy anything and want to wallow in whatever it is. Don't do that. Wellness, healthy, active life style is not for emulating those picturesque ideals- it is facing what is in front of you head on. It is a real process of trial and errors, new disciplines, new habits to begin to move from survive to thrive. This time maintaining my healthy lifestyle helped maintain my health. It could have been a lot worse. My encouragement through these post is that you find ways to flourish even when you wanna curl up and hide. Sometimes it's okay to do that too. I have just a few quick suggestions/ reminders to get through the not well times or not well life.
1. Sleep is everything! Get in a good routine: patterns, set time, seek professional help when needed if sleep alludes you.
2. What you eat sustains you. Fat, processed foods, sugar will have negative impacts. Lean proteins, veggies will give you a much needed boost. For me, it is now looking at iron rich veggies. I couldn't for the life of my figure out why some days were much worse than others. Some days I was eating a more iron rich vegetarian diet, some days I was eating iron rich, lean meats- other days were good but not exactly what I needed. Now I can be more intentional with the help of my doctor and some research. Seek help, advice, and do your homework. Eat to nourish you.
3. Find balance and accept limitations. I have struggled deeply with scaling back my activity. I love my cardio and yoga mostly for mental health reasons. It does a lot for me physically but more for my brain. I didn't stop but reigned it in and aimed more for restorative yoga to allow my body to heal. My house isn't as clean, my OCD has been effectively silenced. My readings are lighter; I love to read but even the fatigue was impacting that as well. Even a mild activity had to be adjusted. There are times recently where I have had to approach someone and say, "I am sorry, I just can't right now." Begrudgingly, I am trying to take my own advice. Find balance.
4. HYDRATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Seek help. For this round I sough the advice of a friend for natural,holistic health and a doctor for diagnostic. Both gave me great feedback and viable options to get better. My doctor was wonderfully accepting of my preference for natural and I had choices on how to address my iron level. You and I also need to unload our fears, frustrations, thoughts... Find someone or journal or do both.
6. Have faith in your own strength and divine strength. There are days where it has been digging deep to move. I do whole heartedly believe it was beyond me and it was because of me. You have it too.
Whatever isn't going quite right- physical, mental, anything, and everything- having a healthy life style is imperative. You must have it. Some days to survive today. Some days to flourish. Your thrive isn't going to look like mine or someone else's thrive. There is nothing to compare.
It's not picture perfect and a times just down right rough. But it is beautifully yours.
I dragged myself to the doctor. Panels of blood test were ordered then came the wait game. I know it is a process with any diagnosis, but the waiting is a killer. This morning when I got the results it was what the doctor and I suspected. My iron is low; while I am not anemic, it is something like it and has the same symptoms. I am grateful it is as simple as quadrupling my iron intake. However, what I have felt has been anything but simple or easy. Life doesn't stop when you are not well. I still have a family, appointments, commitments, study/disciplines, etc. They do not disappear. This isn't the first illness I have had to tackle and it won't be the last. My approach has been remarkably different this time so it had less of an effect then it has in the past. Normally, I wouldn't see the point of healthy anything and want to wallow in whatever it is. Don't do that. Wellness, healthy, active life style is not for emulating those picturesque ideals- it is facing what is in front of you head on. It is a real process of trial and errors, new disciplines, new habits to begin to move from survive to thrive. This time maintaining my healthy lifestyle helped maintain my health. It could have been a lot worse. My encouragement through these post is that you find ways to flourish even when you wanna curl up and hide. Sometimes it's okay to do that too. I have just a few quick suggestions/ reminders to get through the not well times or not well life.
1. Sleep is everything! Get in a good routine: patterns, set time, seek professional help when needed if sleep alludes you.
2. What you eat sustains you. Fat, processed foods, sugar will have negative impacts. Lean proteins, veggies will give you a much needed boost. For me, it is now looking at iron rich veggies. I couldn't for the life of my figure out why some days were much worse than others. Some days I was eating a more iron rich vegetarian diet, some days I was eating iron rich, lean meats- other days were good but not exactly what I needed. Now I can be more intentional with the help of my doctor and some research. Seek help, advice, and do your homework. Eat to nourish you.
3. Find balance and accept limitations. I have struggled deeply with scaling back my activity. I love my cardio and yoga mostly for mental health reasons. It does a lot for me physically but more for my brain. I didn't stop but reigned it in and aimed more for restorative yoga to allow my body to heal. My house isn't as clean, my OCD has been effectively silenced. My readings are lighter; I love to read but even the fatigue was impacting that as well. Even a mild activity had to be adjusted. There are times recently where I have had to approach someone and say, "I am sorry, I just can't right now." Begrudgingly, I am trying to take my own advice. Find balance.
4. HYDRATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Seek help. For this round I sough the advice of a friend for natural,holistic health and a doctor for diagnostic. Both gave me great feedback and viable options to get better. My doctor was wonderfully accepting of my preference for natural and I had choices on how to address my iron level. You and I also need to unload our fears, frustrations, thoughts... Find someone or journal or do both.
6. Have faith in your own strength and divine strength. There are days where it has been digging deep to move. I do whole heartedly believe it was beyond me and it was because of me. You have it too.
Whatever isn't going quite right- physical, mental, anything, and everything- having a healthy life style is imperative. You must have it. Some days to survive today. Some days to flourish. Your thrive isn't going to look like mine or someone else's thrive. There is nothing to compare.
It's not picture perfect and a times just down right rough. But it is beautifully yours.
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