Several months ago, April to be exact, I started to have a weird sensation in my arm. I waited it out a few weeks hoping it would go away on it's own. It did not unfortunately, so I finally made an appointment with my doctor. It was going to take a month to get in to see her. At my visit she ordered some lab work. I was able to go get blood draw at my convenience. I went the next morning! It took 10 days to get the results. The results were only on my computer screen. Most everything looked normal but I did have a couple of questions so I consulted my Dr. via email. She told me one of the results seemed weird and she wanted to consult with me in person and maybe have more tests done. I set up another appointment. Again the appointment was scheduled for a month out! Really?!? This was just craziness. I emailed her back and said it took a month to get into see you before, if you are going to order more labs anyway can't you just order them so I can come in with ALL the results for us to discuss it? She agreed. I went in for that appointment and all of my labs were fine but she wanted me to see a neurologist. I had to wait for the insurance referral for that and then I set up the appointment. It took another month to get into see that Dr. He wanted to schedule an MRI that took another two weeks. Then it took another month to get the results from that. My MRI was clear. I don't know why exactly I had to go in for that. So the whole process to essentially find out nothing was wrong with me took 5 months!
My husband along with the kids have had issues with receiving proper and timely medical care for broken bones and ankle sprains. Due to insurance policies and red tape in the military, unsatisfactory treatment was received. I know many doctors. I love them dearly and I know care immensely, but I believe our system is failing. Through this experience I thought, "Man, if something is really wrong with me, I could be dead by now." This made me realize more than I ever had before and with more passion that I need to take better care of myself and my family! I know it is my responsibility in the first place but I don't really feel like I have the support of medicine to back me up like I once thought. So where has this led me?
Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine." I am taking the time to listen to my body and see what foods give me energy and what food makes me tired and sick. I am making sure I get in movement throughout my day. I am monitoring not only my physical health but my emotional, spiritual, mental, environmental and social health because they all play a part in my health. I have turned to natural remedies such as essential oils. It is empowering to be able to take care of my family and their health.
Taking care of ourselves needs to be a priority. Even though it hasn't always been a priority it is so now more than ever. It amazes me how the Lord can take unpleasant experiences in our lives and make them positive and life changing. I hope you have a healthy day today and everyday.
For more about me or the services I provide visit my website at www.believeandachievehealth.com
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Killing Two Birds or Maybe Even Three with One Stone
It is September and of course (in our house) that means doing our full home school schedule. This year, I decided we would base our schedule off of time spent doing school. We used to do school where when the kids had completed the minimum in each subject, they were done for the day. So they still have their minimum that they need to do for the day but the school day doesn't end until 2:30pm. If they get done early then they pick what they want and work on it till 2:30.
As a mom and teacher, I have some times during the day when I don't have anything to grade, teach or any laundry to switch. I found myself sitting there either harping on one of the kids to pay attention, focus in and do his work. This was not good on the relationship. I decided since it wasn't much time, I'd check email or Facebook. That resulted in being a time waster and taking longer than I had planned. The boys knew they didn't have my full attention so they would start to play and goof off.
This years solution.....Squats, Step ups, and other functional exercises! I can still focus on the kids and make sure they are doing their work all while getting in some extra movement. I also started having the boys do exercises in between each subject so that they are not sitting there for long periods of time. We do bear crawls, crab walks, frog jumps, jumping jacks, squats, push ups, planks and burpees. It has really been nice. The kids have enjoyed it as much as I am.
In the past, I have just felt like I didn't have time for exercising and homeschooling. I am NOT a morning person and by the time I get the kids to bed, I'm too tired. This year we are making it a family priority. It gets easier each year as the youngest gets older. Then I feel like we can do more family exercising.
I have also started doing my own 1 hour routines, in the afternoon. While I am exercising, the boys are doing their chores. So the house is getting clean while I am working out! This has been great! Then I don't feel like I don't have time to exercise because there is too much cleaning to do.
This has been a great solution so far for getting schoolwork, exercise and cleaning in at the same time!
What do you do to get the most out of your time? I'd love to hear what works for you below!
As a mom and teacher, I have some times during the day when I don't have anything to grade, teach or any laundry to switch. I found myself sitting there either harping on one of the kids to pay attention, focus in and do his work. This was not good on the relationship. I decided since it wasn't much time, I'd check email or Facebook. That resulted in being a time waster and taking longer than I had planned. The boys knew they didn't have my full attention so they would start to play and goof off.
This years solution.....Squats, Step ups, and other functional exercises! I can still focus on the kids and make sure they are doing their work all while getting in some extra movement. I also started having the boys do exercises in between each subject so that they are not sitting there for long periods of time. We do bear crawls, crab walks, frog jumps, jumping jacks, squats, push ups, planks and burpees. It has really been nice. The kids have enjoyed it as much as I am.
In the past, I have just felt like I didn't have time for exercising and homeschooling. I am NOT a morning person and by the time I get the kids to bed, I'm too tired. This year we are making it a family priority. It gets easier each year as the youngest gets older. Then I feel like we can do more family exercising.
I have also started doing my own 1 hour routines, in the afternoon. While I am exercising, the boys are doing their chores. So the house is getting clean while I am working out! This has been great! Then I don't feel like I don't have time to exercise because there is too much cleaning to do.
This has been a great solution so far for getting schoolwork, exercise and cleaning in at the same time!
What do you do to get the most out of your time? I'd love to hear what works for you below!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Labor not with thy Food, nor thy Body.
Food and our bodies shouldn't have to be a battle ground! We shouldn't have to Labor all day thinking about whether or not we are going to eat this or that? Or how we feel guilty because we ate this item that we shouldn't have and on and on the dialog goes and the battle in our minds continues with our food. It also continues with not liking this or that about our bodies. I'm too fat, too ugly, too short..ect..
I bring this up because this month we celebrated, Labor Day! The day that marks, summer coming to an end and those last end of season bbq's. Labor Day, even though now a major shopping day, so a lot of retailors don't get work off, was originally the creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. So let's bring this back to food and our relationship with it. A couple things I have found important in this matter is 1)Loving what is. We don't need to feel guilty or shame over what we should or shouldn't have eaten because we did or didn't eat it so therefore that is the reality of it and we need to accept that reality because that is what truly happened. Does that make sense? A choice was made. It is important that we acknowledge and accept our choice for what we felt we needed at that time based on the knowledge we had. We also know that it is done and we can make a different choice the next time if the previous one did not result in the outcome that we truly desired. 2) By being aware of a food situation that feels uncomfortable or brings on feelings of guilt and shame is the perfect doorway if we open it and explore it to figuring out why we eat when we eat and why we choose the foods we do. The food, the eating, the extra weight is only the symptom to what we really need to work on. Isn't that just beautiful? I think so. Just knowing that helps me to end the battle and love my body so much more. It is so smart to be able to help warn me of when something isn't right. For example, for me, it boils down to a few basic feelings... love, acceptance, fear, loneliness. Even if other feelings come up and can usually deduce them back down to these.
These are just two techniques that I wanted to share to help you not to Labor so hard against food and your body. So this Labor day, take the time to relax. Do some praying and meditating and listening to what your food and your body is trying to help you discover! Rejoice and be grateful for all the strength your body gives you each day and the well being and prosperity you have concerning these. Oh and just a disclaimer, by no means am I suggesting in the title or in this post that exercise (Laboring with our bodies in the form of physical activity) is something we would be best not to do. Quite the contrary. More to come on this later.
For more helps and insights to end the fight with food, visit my website www.believeandachievehealth.com where you can sign up for my monthly newsletter and join one of my various groups/classes.
I hope you have the best day ever!
I bring this up because this month we celebrated, Labor Day! The day that marks, summer coming to an end and those last end of season bbq's. Labor Day, even though now a major shopping day, so a lot of retailors don't get work off, was originally the creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. So let's bring this back to food and our relationship with it. A couple things I have found important in this matter is 1)Loving what is. We don't need to feel guilty or shame over what we should or shouldn't have eaten because we did or didn't eat it so therefore that is the reality of it and we need to accept that reality because that is what truly happened. Does that make sense? A choice was made. It is important that we acknowledge and accept our choice for what we felt we needed at that time based on the knowledge we had. We also know that it is done and we can make a different choice the next time if the previous one did not result in the outcome that we truly desired. 2) By being aware of a food situation that feels uncomfortable or brings on feelings of guilt and shame is the perfect doorway if we open it and explore it to figuring out why we eat when we eat and why we choose the foods we do. The food, the eating, the extra weight is only the symptom to what we really need to work on. Isn't that just beautiful? I think so. Just knowing that helps me to end the battle and love my body so much more. It is so smart to be able to help warn me of when something isn't right. For example, for me, it boils down to a few basic feelings... love, acceptance, fear, loneliness. Even if other feelings come up and can usually deduce them back down to these.
These are just two techniques that I wanted to share to help you not to Labor so hard against food and your body. So this Labor day, take the time to relax. Do some praying and meditating and listening to what your food and your body is trying to help you discover! Rejoice and be grateful for all the strength your body gives you each day and the well being and prosperity you have concerning these. Oh and just a disclaimer, by no means am I suggesting in the title or in this post that exercise (Laboring with our bodies in the form of physical activity) is something we would be best not to do. Quite the contrary. More to come on this later.
For more helps and insights to end the fight with food, visit my website www.believeandachievehealth.com where you can sign up for my monthly newsletter and join one of my various groups/classes.
I hope you have the best day ever!
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