Blog
WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR?
August 3, 2021
Are you content to be classified into a group according to a choice you make? Are you okay for that classification to then determine if you can work, attend a concert, or shop at a store? Maybe a few examples of possible classifications will help explain.
All smokers (tobacco, marijuana, vape) versus all non-smokers
All thin people versus all fat people
All people who lift weights 4x week versus all people who don’t
All people who get 8 hours sleep/night versus all people who don’t
All drinkers of alcohol versus all non-drinkers
All people who walk 10 miles per day versus all people who don’t
All vegetarians versus all meat-eaters
All HIV+ people versus all HIV negative people
All people who consume dairy versus all people that don’t
These are a few examples. It’s not an exhaustive list. Now, choose one of the above. Imagine that grouping determines where you can dine, shop, work, and live. Oh, and no excuses. No exceptions. No exemptions. You are one or the other. There is no in between. There is no acceptable exception, excuse, or exemption. If you don’t walk 10 miles per day, every day, you fall into the opposing group. If you have one alcoholic drink per year, you fall into the “all drinkers of alcohol” group. Got it?
Now, imagine this label is also used to describe you to friends, neighbors, strangers, colleagues, and more. It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do, it’s attached to you and follows you around. You have to indicate or prove your status to enter a store, doctor’s office, church, and school. Remember, no excuses, exceptions, or exemptions. You either are or aren’t (fill in the blank). You either do or don’t.
How do you feel about this? Imagine a world where this is reality. Now, I ask again, “how would you feel”? Would you stand for it? Would you be okay with it? What if the grouping also applies to children? Your children? What would you do in response?
Why am I proposing these scenarios? I believe that we, as a society, are on a slippery slope of classifying groups of people that then imposes various freedoms or restrictions based on their choices. The last time this began to happen, millions of men, women, and children were eventually slaughtered. The amazing thing is that it was allowed to happen by the society at large. Why? Look it up and refresh your memory of history class. Remember the Native Americans and the Trail of Tears? If you don’t, look it up. Many people believe that atrocities like this would never happen again because you/we wouldn’t allow it to happen. I did some research and found that right now (8/3/2021) there are three areas under Genocide Watch, three under Genocide Warning (more dangerous), and ELEVEN areas in Genocide Emergency. The state of genocide emergency means that massacres are occurring, right now. It’s not hard to find. Look it up. Then tell me it would never happen again. What are we doing to prevent it from happening in our local community and the USA in the near future? I believe it is coming to your hometown soon if we continue to allow the use of labels and groupings based on a personal choice.
I’ve been thinking this for many months now but earlier this week, on a major network morning TV show, the hostess indicated they were switching back to her cohorts in New York City where they were with a “fully va((inated audience”. Change “fully va((inated” to any of the examples above and think again about what you would be comfortable with. For example, an all fat people audience. Or an audience of all non-smokers. Or an audience of all people with an eating disorder. Or an audience of all women who have their yearly Pap smears. Or an audience of all people who walk 10 miles a day. Or an audience of all sedentary people.
This might seem extreme or even silly. But I don’t think it is. Is it okay to classify people by a personal health choice and then use that choice to determine what they are allowed to do or not do? If it is not appropriate, then why is it okay for society to now classify us as va((inated or not? It feels like a very dangerous slippery slope that could go wrong and go wrong quickly.
This is not an argument for or against any va((ine. What you choose to do is up to you. The issue is whether it is appropriate to use a personal health choice as a classification tool to group people for restricting their freedoms. And remember, there are no excuses, exceptions, or exemptions. Allow me to use the consuming of dairy as an example. In this reality, you either consume dairy or you don’t. (Dairy equals all forms of cow’s milk, cheeses, sour cream, whey protein, milk powder, etc.) Cow farmers are top dog in this alternate reality. They own most everything. They make policy and legislation based on how it benefits their bottom dollar. Thus, dairy consumers are allowed to do anything and everything they want because it puts money back into the pockets of the cow farmers. People who don’t consume dairy, for whatever reason, are tagged and labeled to prevent them from participating in society. It doesn’t matter if you’re allergic or sensitive or just don’t like dairy. Too bad. No excuses, exceptions, or exemptions. You are called names and blamed for all problems because you aren’t doing your part to protect the cows and their livelihood. If you or your child is allergic/sensitive to dairy, what would you do? Raise a ruckus or sit back and allow them to control your life?
Again, I am not suggesting that you should or shouldn’t participate in the jab. I am suggesting that it is dangerous for us to classify people according to a choice for the use of controlling people and their movements. Do our health choices effect one another? Somewhat, yes. As a student of biology, chemistry, health, wellness, and fitness, the short answer is yes. However, it is not as wide of an impact as we are currently be led to believe. Have you heard the saying that you are most like the 5 people you spend the most time with? Would this also apply to your health? I think so. We typically think of health choices as being selfish. “You do you, boo”. However, the choices you make for your health and wellness can impact those you spend the MOST time with. Some examples: Smokers expose their family and friends to second hand smoke; Smokers have higher chances of several types of cancer; We share immunity with those we live with; The healthier I am and able to mount a proper immune response to any pathogen, the healthier my husband and children and vice versa. So whether I choose to exercise is mostly about taking caring of me but it does impact my family. If I’m weak and prone to falling, then my family will end up caring for me instead of me caring for them. Thus, my health choices do effect others but it’s the people I live with and/or spend a large amount of time with. There is less impact on my community at large.
In conclusion, I stand firm that your health choices are to be your personal choices. They are not to be advertised or used for society-at-large classification to determine freedoms and restrictions. Scripture teaches us to be united, not uniform. United means we are different with various skills, talents, abilities, resources, and choices and that we work together, respecting our differences, for a common goal. I am afraid that we are on the slippery slope leading to being grouped by skin color, gender, nationality, or other genetic factors. I feel confident you won’t stand for that. If you think one level of grouping is okay but not the other, then why is that? Again, I am not expressing favor for or against a personal health choice. I am asking critical questions about where we are in humanity right now. The question remains, “What do you stand for”?
August 3, 2021
Are you content to be classified into a group according to a choice you make? Are you okay for that classification to then determine if you can work, attend a concert, or shop at a store? Maybe a few examples of possible classifications will help explain.
All smokers (tobacco, marijuana, vape) versus all non-smokers
All thin people versus all fat people
All people who lift weights 4x week versus all people who don’t
All people who get 8 hours sleep/night versus all people who don’t
All drinkers of alcohol versus all non-drinkers
All people who walk 10 miles per day versus all people who don’t
All vegetarians versus all meat-eaters
All HIV+ people versus all HIV negative people
All people who consume dairy versus all people that don’t
These are a few examples. It’s not an exhaustive list. Now, choose one of the above. Imagine that grouping determines where you can dine, shop, work, and live. Oh, and no excuses. No exceptions. No exemptions. You are one or the other. There is no in between. There is no acceptable exception, excuse, or exemption. If you don’t walk 10 miles per day, every day, you fall into the opposing group. If you have one alcoholic drink per year, you fall into the “all drinkers of alcohol” group. Got it?
Now, imagine this label is also used to describe you to friends, neighbors, strangers, colleagues, and more. It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do, it’s attached to you and follows you around. You have to indicate or prove your status to enter a store, doctor’s office, church, and school. Remember, no excuses, exceptions, or exemptions. You either are or aren’t (fill in the blank). You either do or don’t.
How do you feel about this? Imagine a world where this is reality. Now, I ask again, “how would you feel”? Would you stand for it? Would you be okay with it? What if the grouping also applies to children? Your children? What would you do in response?
Why am I proposing these scenarios? I believe that we, as a society, are on a slippery slope of classifying groups of people that then imposes various freedoms or restrictions based on their choices. The last time this began to happen, millions of men, women, and children were eventually slaughtered. The amazing thing is that it was allowed to happen by the society at large. Why? Look it up and refresh your memory of history class. Remember the Native Americans and the Trail of Tears? If you don’t, look it up. Many people believe that atrocities like this would never happen again because you/we wouldn’t allow it to happen. I did some research and found that right now (8/3/2021) there are three areas under Genocide Watch, three under Genocide Warning (more dangerous), and ELEVEN areas in Genocide Emergency. The state of genocide emergency means that massacres are occurring, right now. It’s not hard to find. Look it up. Then tell me it would never happen again. What are we doing to prevent it from happening in our local community and the USA in the near future? I believe it is coming to your hometown soon if we continue to allow the use of labels and groupings based on a personal choice.
I’ve been thinking this for many months now but earlier this week, on a major network morning TV show, the hostess indicated they were switching back to her cohorts in New York City where they were with a “fully va((inated audience”. Change “fully va((inated” to any of the examples above and think again about what you would be comfortable with. For example, an all fat people audience. Or an audience of all non-smokers. Or an audience of all people with an eating disorder. Or an audience of all women who have their yearly Pap smears. Or an audience of all people who walk 10 miles a day. Or an audience of all sedentary people.
This might seem extreme or even silly. But I don’t think it is. Is it okay to classify people by a personal health choice and then use that choice to determine what they are allowed to do or not do? If it is not appropriate, then why is it okay for society to now classify us as va((inated or not? It feels like a very dangerous slippery slope that could go wrong and go wrong quickly.
This is not an argument for or against any va((ine. What you choose to do is up to you. The issue is whether it is appropriate to use a personal health choice as a classification tool to group people for restricting their freedoms. And remember, there are no excuses, exceptions, or exemptions. Allow me to use the consuming of dairy as an example. In this reality, you either consume dairy or you don’t. (Dairy equals all forms of cow’s milk, cheeses, sour cream, whey protein, milk powder, etc.) Cow farmers are top dog in this alternate reality. They own most everything. They make policy and legislation based on how it benefits their bottom dollar. Thus, dairy consumers are allowed to do anything and everything they want because it puts money back into the pockets of the cow farmers. People who don’t consume dairy, for whatever reason, are tagged and labeled to prevent them from participating in society. It doesn’t matter if you’re allergic or sensitive or just don’t like dairy. Too bad. No excuses, exceptions, or exemptions. You are called names and blamed for all problems because you aren’t doing your part to protect the cows and their livelihood. If you or your child is allergic/sensitive to dairy, what would you do? Raise a ruckus or sit back and allow them to control your life?
Again, I am not suggesting that you should or shouldn’t participate in the jab. I am suggesting that it is dangerous for us to classify people according to a choice for the use of controlling people and their movements. Do our health choices effect one another? Somewhat, yes. As a student of biology, chemistry, health, wellness, and fitness, the short answer is yes. However, it is not as wide of an impact as we are currently be led to believe. Have you heard the saying that you are most like the 5 people you spend the most time with? Would this also apply to your health? I think so. We typically think of health choices as being selfish. “You do you, boo”. However, the choices you make for your health and wellness can impact those you spend the MOST time with. Some examples: Smokers expose their family and friends to second hand smoke; Smokers have higher chances of several types of cancer; We share immunity with those we live with; The healthier I am and able to mount a proper immune response to any pathogen, the healthier my husband and children and vice versa. So whether I choose to exercise is mostly about taking caring of me but it does impact my family. If I’m weak and prone to falling, then my family will end up caring for me instead of me caring for them. Thus, my health choices do effect others but it’s the people I live with and/or spend a large amount of time with. There is less impact on my community at large.
In conclusion, I stand firm that your health choices are to be your personal choices. They are not to be advertised or used for society-at-large classification to determine freedoms and restrictions. Scripture teaches us to be united, not uniform. United means we are different with various skills, talents, abilities, resources, and choices and that we work together, respecting our differences, for a common goal. I am afraid that we are on the slippery slope leading to being grouped by skin color, gender, nationality, or other genetic factors. I feel confident you won’t stand for that. If you think one level of grouping is okay but not the other, then why is that? Again, I am not expressing favor for or against a personal health choice. I am asking critical questions about where we are in humanity right now. The question remains, “What do you stand for”?
New Classes and Packages
Aug 23, 2019
Beginning Sept 1, there are new mixed packages and small group classes to choose from at Reignite Pilates. Mondays at 9 a.m.--Mat Class--Foundational mat Pilates will challenge your mind and body as you strengthen and stretch every major muscle group. Inner core strengthening will lead to a more stable foundation for your every movement. Learn about healthy movement and finding deeper strength and flexibility for your body.
Wednesdays at 9 a.m.--Small Group Equipment Class--Pilates apparatus gives our bodies different feedback through exercise. Equipment can be used to either assist your body through an exercise or provide resistance. Equipment will include the Universal Reformer, Tower, Chair, Spine Corrector, and Ladder Barrel. Class will be circuit style with a limit of 4 people in the class.
Pricing
Private Sessions (50 min)--$60
Duet Sessions (50 min)--$35 per person
Mat Class--$10
Group Equipment Class--$25
Mixed Package of all options--$250--includes
2 privates
2 duets
2 mat classes
2 group equipment classes
Mixed Package of Privates and Duets--$370--includes
4 privates
4 duets
Mixed Package of Privates and Mat Class--$270--includes
4 privates
4 mat classes
Mixed Package of Privates and Group Equipment Class--$330--includes
4 privates
4 group equipment classes
Packages of Privates or Duets are also available.
All Mixed Packages are meant to be used within a one month period. Packages expire 6 weeks after purchase.
Contact Ruth Edwards at 336-688-8039 to schedule your spot in a class, book a private or duet, or for more information.
Aug 23, 2019
Beginning Sept 1, there are new mixed packages and small group classes to choose from at Reignite Pilates. Mondays at 9 a.m.--Mat Class--Foundational mat Pilates will challenge your mind and body as you strengthen and stretch every major muscle group. Inner core strengthening will lead to a more stable foundation for your every movement. Learn about healthy movement and finding deeper strength and flexibility for your body.
Wednesdays at 9 a.m.--Small Group Equipment Class--Pilates apparatus gives our bodies different feedback through exercise. Equipment can be used to either assist your body through an exercise or provide resistance. Equipment will include the Universal Reformer, Tower, Chair, Spine Corrector, and Ladder Barrel. Class will be circuit style with a limit of 4 people in the class.
Pricing
Private Sessions (50 min)--$60
Duet Sessions (50 min)--$35 per person
Mat Class--$10
Group Equipment Class--$25
Mixed Package of all options--$250--includes
2 privates
2 duets
2 mat classes
2 group equipment classes
Mixed Package of Privates and Duets--$370--includes
4 privates
4 duets
Mixed Package of Privates and Mat Class--$270--includes
4 privates
4 mat classes
Mixed Package of Privates and Group Equipment Class--$330--includes
4 privates
4 group equipment classes
Packages of Privates or Duets are also available.
All Mixed Packages are meant to be used within a one month period. Packages expire 6 weeks after purchase.
Contact Ruth Edwards at 336-688-8039 to schedule your spot in a class, book a private or duet, or for more information.
Change
Aug 20, 2019
“Change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” ~Mandy Hale~ Before I begin, please understand that this is my personal experience, especially in terms of my faith and my beliefs. It is not all about me and my thoughts and opinions. It doesn't really matter what I think. But it does matter what God says......for He is Other, He alone is Holy and Just and Sovereign.
A few months ago, I sensed that change was on the horizon with the direction of my Pilates business. At the time, it was that feeling that something was not quite right. I could not put my finger on what it was. When I have this sense or feeling, I pray. For over 2 months, I asked the Lord to make it clear to me where I needed to be located with my Pilates business. He answered. Loud and clear.
The answer came in the form of difficulties. I certainly did not ask for the trials and tribulations and yet, I knew, without a doubt, that my Lord was showing me when and where I needed to be.........I need to be at home.
We have twin teenage boys. They are amazing! They are both smart, talented, caring, and responsible. Did you notice the description "teenage"? Yes, they are adolescents. They are trying to figure out where they belong in this big and scary world. With that comes some parenting challenges that we haven't had until recently. It's nothing new in terms of adolescent development. It's normal. It's to be expected. Yet, it's still not easy and my husband and I desire to obey the Lord's call to disciple our boys as they work through adolescence.
Through all the conversations, the prayers, the emotions, the listening, and the processing, it became clear that in addition to needing to be at home, I no longer belonged in the space that I am currently renting for teaching Pilates. Initially, I felt panic. Where would I go? Where could I afford to go? What kind of creative scheduling could I come up with that would allow me to continue teaching but give me more time at home?
My ever faithful and loving Heavenly Father already knew. While brainstorming with a dear friend, He revealed the new location to me. It was a breath of fresh air. It allows me to be at home, continue to teach Pilates, AND have the space to offer group classes.
Over the next two weeks, I am excited to transition my clients to my home-based Pilates studio. A group mat class and small group equipment class will be offered in addition to privates and duets. The way an addition was built onto our home, the space is private and professional with it's own entrance. I do not have to keep my home spotless and you will not have to encounter my pets. 😉 It is a win-win!
Interestingly enough, the sermon at church this week was about waiting on God to sort out the details of our lives versus taking control of situations. Pastor Aaron prompted us to "consider if the opportunity in front of me is God's providence or a temptation to derail me?" The situation I was facing with where to locate my business was exactly that: God's providence or a temptation. Because Oh....I was tempted. With realizing that I didn't belong any longer, I was tempted to be offended and hurt. To feel betrayed. To defend my thoughts and feelings. To blame. To be sharp tongued and accusatory. I certainly had that internal dialogue and those conversations with God. By God's Grace of conviction and godly counsel, I held my tongue and I waited. I waited some more.
God gets all the glory for sorting out the details of this situation. He saw, He heard, and He acted. He road blocked my foolishness. He pointed out the right direction to me through godly counsel. Sometimes, the direction we are to go is not always as clear. But this time, in this situation, He made it crystal clear. Even though I have no doubts about these decisions and this direction, I still need faith. Faith to trust that this is the right path at this time and that it will be good.
When we do not know what the future holds, the Lord reminds us to trust Him. When we encounter difficulties, the Lord asks us to trust Him. When we are uncertain of where to turn, the Lord tells us to turn to Him. With imperfection, I have worked and am working to "Trust in the LORD with all my heart, and not to lean on my own understanding. In all my ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight my path." Proverbs 3:5-6
As always, He is still working on me. May I continually be open to learning and growing in the Lord and His ways. 💕
Aug 20, 2019
“Change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” ~Mandy Hale~ Before I begin, please understand that this is my personal experience, especially in terms of my faith and my beliefs. It is not all about me and my thoughts and opinions. It doesn't really matter what I think. But it does matter what God says......for He is Other, He alone is Holy and Just and Sovereign.
A few months ago, I sensed that change was on the horizon with the direction of my Pilates business. At the time, it was that feeling that something was not quite right. I could not put my finger on what it was. When I have this sense or feeling, I pray. For over 2 months, I asked the Lord to make it clear to me where I needed to be located with my Pilates business. He answered. Loud and clear.
The answer came in the form of difficulties. I certainly did not ask for the trials and tribulations and yet, I knew, without a doubt, that my Lord was showing me when and where I needed to be.........I need to be at home.
We have twin teenage boys. They are amazing! They are both smart, talented, caring, and responsible. Did you notice the description "teenage"? Yes, they are adolescents. They are trying to figure out where they belong in this big and scary world. With that comes some parenting challenges that we haven't had until recently. It's nothing new in terms of adolescent development. It's normal. It's to be expected. Yet, it's still not easy and my husband and I desire to obey the Lord's call to disciple our boys as they work through adolescence.
Through all the conversations, the prayers, the emotions, the listening, and the processing, it became clear that in addition to needing to be at home, I no longer belonged in the space that I am currently renting for teaching Pilates. Initially, I felt panic. Where would I go? Where could I afford to go? What kind of creative scheduling could I come up with that would allow me to continue teaching but give me more time at home?
My ever faithful and loving Heavenly Father already knew. While brainstorming with a dear friend, He revealed the new location to me. It was a breath of fresh air. It allows me to be at home, continue to teach Pilates, AND have the space to offer group classes.
Over the next two weeks, I am excited to transition my clients to my home-based Pilates studio. A group mat class and small group equipment class will be offered in addition to privates and duets. The way an addition was built onto our home, the space is private and professional with it's own entrance. I do not have to keep my home spotless and you will not have to encounter my pets. 😉 It is a win-win!
Interestingly enough, the sermon at church this week was about waiting on God to sort out the details of our lives versus taking control of situations. Pastor Aaron prompted us to "consider if the opportunity in front of me is God's providence or a temptation to derail me?" The situation I was facing with where to locate my business was exactly that: God's providence or a temptation. Because Oh....I was tempted. With realizing that I didn't belong any longer, I was tempted to be offended and hurt. To feel betrayed. To defend my thoughts and feelings. To blame. To be sharp tongued and accusatory. I certainly had that internal dialogue and those conversations with God. By God's Grace of conviction and godly counsel, I held my tongue and I waited. I waited some more.
God gets all the glory for sorting out the details of this situation. He saw, He heard, and He acted. He road blocked my foolishness. He pointed out the right direction to me through godly counsel. Sometimes, the direction we are to go is not always as clear. But this time, in this situation, He made it crystal clear. Even though I have no doubts about these decisions and this direction, I still need faith. Faith to trust that this is the right path at this time and that it will be good.
When we do not know what the future holds, the Lord reminds us to trust Him. When we encounter difficulties, the Lord asks us to trust Him. When we are uncertain of where to turn, the Lord tells us to turn to Him. With imperfection, I have worked and am working to "Trust in the LORD with all my heart, and not to lean on my own understanding. In all my ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight my path." Proverbs 3:5-6
As always, He is still working on me. May I continually be open to learning and growing in the Lord and His ways. 💕
Transformation
Jun 13, 2019
When we see transformation photos, we tend to focus on how the physical body has changed. We all like to see ourselves looking thinner and trimmer. This transformation photo of myself shows this too, but there is so much more going on than just dropping pounds due to diet and exercise. I went through a weight loss six years ago. It was easier then. I had gained weight due to lack of activity while grieving the loss of my sister. The grief led to depression and chronic headaches and I got stuck there for a couple of years. As I began to heal mentally and emotionally, the more I found my way back to exercise and eating healthy. I hired a personal trainer and got to work. Obstacle course racing became an interest and off I went. It was great fun and I enjoyed pushing my body to be stronger and faster. For most of that weight loss, it was as simple as finding a calorie deficit (more calories burned than calories consumed).
As I continued to train hard and circumstances changed, I found myself in a stressful work environment. I hit walls while strength training because I did not have muscular balance. Injuries and chronic pain entered the picture. Headaches became frequent again. And no matter how hard I trained and maintained nutrition, the pounds began to slowly reappear on my body.
I knew something wasn't quite right but I didn't clearly see all the puzzle pieces. I already had my personal training certification and had determined that I needed to stop the heavy lifting and create more muscular balance through out my body. That's when I discovered Pilates.
The more I learned about Pilates, the more I appreciated the method. I began the teacher training program and quickly "drank the Kool-Aid". It made sense. It was thorough and in-depth. The requirements of college level anatomy, over 100 hours of class, and 400 hours of personal practice and student teaching, increased my understanding of how the body moves and works. Due to my commitment to the teacher training, I resigned my part-time job.
The pounds continued to add up. I knew what to do. I increased calorie expenditure. I reduced calorie intake. It didn't change my weight. I kept plugging along feeling a bit frustrated but not worrying about it as I knew I was doing the right things. I was more focused on creating muscular balance and reducing chronic pain than losing weight.
Suddenly, on a Saturday night at the end of October, I was in excruciating abdominal pain. Nauseated. Vomiting. I had experienced the same symptoms four years prior and was confident it was the same problem: Small bowel obstruction. But why was it happening again? And why so suddenly?
CT scans, x-rays, lab work, a colonoscopy, and biopsies confirmed what the GI docs suspected---Crohn's disease. Mild, but my ileum is smaller than normal. When it becomes inflamed and swells, it causes the obstruction.
I had experience with anti-inflammatory nutrition and quickly returned to it after that episode. Three weeks later, I had another obstruction despite the diligent nutrition. I kept digging into research and information about diet and lifestyle for autoimmune disorders. It was confusing! I reached out to my friend who has Hashimoto's and is now a food blogger with a focus on Autoimmune Protocol. She shared some resources and I began the Myers Way protocol for reducing inflammation. I found an integrative doctor and learned that my levels of estradiol, progesterone, B12, and cortisol were not balanced. All of these factors were increasing inflammation inside my body.
I continued following the Myers Way and began the supplements needed to balance the hormones. Things began to improve. I was feeling much better. Finally. And then I had two mild obstructions within a week of each other. Can we say frustrated?
I saw my GI doctor again and discussed my options. Thankfully, he was willing to listen to my pages of questions, what I was eating and not eating, and patterns that I was noticing. He suggested increasing the dosage of the anti-inflammatory medication before jumping to anything else. This has worked! I have a goal of being able to eliminate the need for the medication but for now, my body needs the help.
All the while this was going on, I was continuing to teach Pilates 3 days a week, practice Pilates for myself, swim, and run. I also scheduled time to relax, read, be with the Lord, meal plan, grocery shop, and all the other things of life. There were times that I would swim 1200 yards or run 3 miles and then find myself exhausted or not feel well. Then I'd scale back and try to build back up again. I thought I was noticing a pattern but had not put my finger on exactly what was happening.
Then things just clicked. I stopped pushing so hard. I began to tune in even more to what my body needed each day regarding exercise. When I jumped in the pool to swim, I had a plan and a goal for the work out but if my body didn't respond well, then I did what I could and stopped. I stopped running. I walked instead. Some walks were leisurely. Some walks were pushing the pace. It depended on how I felt that day. The same with Pilates. Some workouts were tough. Some were gentle and flowy.
I thought I was losing weight because my clothes were looser. I began to weigh myself again. Yep. The pounds were coming off. Hmmmm. I'm not counting calories. I'm not hyper focused on getting in a certain amount of cardio or heavy weight training. So what is it? What are the key ingredients to this multi-layer transformation? Here's what I've done and continue to fine tune:
Hormone balance
Increasing my level of B12
Supporting my adrenals
Increased sleep quality
Managing stress more effectively
Eliminating dairy (I have a sensitivity)
No gluten
Decreasing added sugars
Eliminating other foods that tend to cause inflammation (nightshades, legumes)
Exercise based on how my body feels each day
Reducing my toxic burden (filtered water, sunshine, glass containers for food, etc)
Choosing local, organic foods vs. processed
Even though the transformation photo says "17 pounds gone", it is not just about that. It has not been a simple formula of calories in versus calories out. I want you to know that if you've been trying to lose weight with that simple formula and it's not working, then there is likely something else going on. Inflammation, toxic burden, stress, autoimmune disorders, food sensitivity, and more can prevent your biochemical processes from working properly and prevent you from reaching your health and wellness goals.
Your health is not just the number on the scale. It is not just how much you exercise. It is not your size. It is not just what you eat. It is not just your stress management skills. It is ALL of that and more. God created you fearfully and wonderfully. The human body and brain is a marvel. We have still only tipped the iceberg in terms of our understanding of how it all works together. But work together it does. I encourage you to explore all of your health: mental, emotional, relational, spiritual, and physical. Create balance. Give yourself space and time to do it. It is up to you to #fightforyourhealth
Jun 13, 2019
When we see transformation photos, we tend to focus on how the physical body has changed. We all like to see ourselves looking thinner and trimmer. This transformation photo of myself shows this too, but there is so much more going on than just dropping pounds due to diet and exercise. I went through a weight loss six years ago. It was easier then. I had gained weight due to lack of activity while grieving the loss of my sister. The grief led to depression and chronic headaches and I got stuck there for a couple of years. As I began to heal mentally and emotionally, the more I found my way back to exercise and eating healthy. I hired a personal trainer and got to work. Obstacle course racing became an interest and off I went. It was great fun and I enjoyed pushing my body to be stronger and faster. For most of that weight loss, it was as simple as finding a calorie deficit (more calories burned than calories consumed).
As I continued to train hard and circumstances changed, I found myself in a stressful work environment. I hit walls while strength training because I did not have muscular balance. Injuries and chronic pain entered the picture. Headaches became frequent again. And no matter how hard I trained and maintained nutrition, the pounds began to slowly reappear on my body.
I knew something wasn't quite right but I didn't clearly see all the puzzle pieces. I already had my personal training certification and had determined that I needed to stop the heavy lifting and create more muscular balance through out my body. That's when I discovered Pilates.
The more I learned about Pilates, the more I appreciated the method. I began the teacher training program and quickly "drank the Kool-Aid". It made sense. It was thorough and in-depth. The requirements of college level anatomy, over 100 hours of class, and 400 hours of personal practice and student teaching, increased my understanding of how the body moves and works. Due to my commitment to the teacher training, I resigned my part-time job.
The pounds continued to add up. I knew what to do. I increased calorie expenditure. I reduced calorie intake. It didn't change my weight. I kept plugging along feeling a bit frustrated but not worrying about it as I knew I was doing the right things. I was more focused on creating muscular balance and reducing chronic pain than losing weight.
Suddenly, on a Saturday night at the end of October, I was in excruciating abdominal pain. Nauseated. Vomiting. I had experienced the same symptoms four years prior and was confident it was the same problem: Small bowel obstruction. But why was it happening again? And why so suddenly?
CT scans, x-rays, lab work, a colonoscopy, and biopsies confirmed what the GI docs suspected---Crohn's disease. Mild, but my ileum is smaller than normal. When it becomes inflamed and swells, it causes the obstruction.
I had experience with anti-inflammatory nutrition and quickly returned to it after that episode. Three weeks later, I had another obstruction despite the diligent nutrition. I kept digging into research and information about diet and lifestyle for autoimmune disorders. It was confusing! I reached out to my friend who has Hashimoto's and is now a food blogger with a focus on Autoimmune Protocol. She shared some resources and I began the Myers Way protocol for reducing inflammation. I found an integrative doctor and learned that my levels of estradiol, progesterone, B12, and cortisol were not balanced. All of these factors were increasing inflammation inside my body.
I continued following the Myers Way and began the supplements needed to balance the hormones. Things began to improve. I was feeling much better. Finally. And then I had two mild obstructions within a week of each other. Can we say frustrated?
I saw my GI doctor again and discussed my options. Thankfully, he was willing to listen to my pages of questions, what I was eating and not eating, and patterns that I was noticing. He suggested increasing the dosage of the anti-inflammatory medication before jumping to anything else. This has worked! I have a goal of being able to eliminate the need for the medication but for now, my body needs the help.
All the while this was going on, I was continuing to teach Pilates 3 days a week, practice Pilates for myself, swim, and run. I also scheduled time to relax, read, be with the Lord, meal plan, grocery shop, and all the other things of life. There were times that I would swim 1200 yards or run 3 miles and then find myself exhausted or not feel well. Then I'd scale back and try to build back up again. I thought I was noticing a pattern but had not put my finger on exactly what was happening.
Then things just clicked. I stopped pushing so hard. I began to tune in even more to what my body needed each day regarding exercise. When I jumped in the pool to swim, I had a plan and a goal for the work out but if my body didn't respond well, then I did what I could and stopped. I stopped running. I walked instead. Some walks were leisurely. Some walks were pushing the pace. It depended on how I felt that day. The same with Pilates. Some workouts were tough. Some were gentle and flowy.
I thought I was losing weight because my clothes were looser. I began to weigh myself again. Yep. The pounds were coming off. Hmmmm. I'm not counting calories. I'm not hyper focused on getting in a certain amount of cardio or heavy weight training. So what is it? What are the key ingredients to this multi-layer transformation? Here's what I've done and continue to fine tune:
Hormone balance
Increasing my level of B12
Supporting my adrenals
Increased sleep quality
Managing stress more effectively
Eliminating dairy (I have a sensitivity)
No gluten
Decreasing added sugars
Eliminating other foods that tend to cause inflammation (nightshades, legumes)
Exercise based on how my body feels each day
Reducing my toxic burden (filtered water, sunshine, glass containers for food, etc)
Choosing local, organic foods vs. processed
Even though the transformation photo says "17 pounds gone", it is not just about that. It has not been a simple formula of calories in versus calories out. I want you to know that if you've been trying to lose weight with that simple formula and it's not working, then there is likely something else going on. Inflammation, toxic burden, stress, autoimmune disorders, food sensitivity, and more can prevent your biochemical processes from working properly and prevent you from reaching your health and wellness goals.
Your health is not just the number on the scale. It is not just how much you exercise. It is not your size. It is not just what you eat. It is not just your stress management skills. It is ALL of that and more. God created you fearfully and wonderfully. The human body and brain is a marvel. We have still only tipped the iceberg in terms of our understanding of how it all works together. But work together it does. I encourage you to explore all of your health: mental, emotional, relational, spiritual, and physical. Create balance. Give yourself space and time to do it. It is up to you to #fightforyourhealth
Listen to my body? What?!?!
Apr 19, 2019
Listen to your body? Have you heard this before? I have. Numerous times. And I want to. And I try to. And I still get it wrong sometimes.
A few weeks ago, I was moving right along the path of following an autoimmune protocol for diet and lifestyle. I was feeling good. Symptoms were decreasing and some were even eliminated. YES! I was losing weight. FINALLY! I was able to resume running and swimming in addition to my Pilates practice. And then one night....boom....The severe abdominal pain began. Ugh. Not fun. What happened?
I'm still trying to work this puzzle. I think I'm making progress as I find some pieces that fit. Then something comes along and shuffles a piece or two and I'm baffled. Has this ever happened to you?
I tend to be a deep thinker when it comes to my mind and body. I want to be self aware. I want to grow and improve. I like to understand both my mind and body and what is going on in there. Currently, I've landed on two main points.
The first is to slow down. I was given this advice approximately four years ago by a performance nutrition expert after I indicated that shopping for locally grown, organic, high quality ingredients was going to require visiting multiple retail establishments within a week. I was thinking that I did not have time to go to a grocery store, the farmers market, and a speciality grocery store all in one week. I was also thinking about the food prep--the chopping, slicing, dicing, cooking from scratch, etc and so on. Seriously?! Who has time for that? His answer to me? You need to slow your pace of life. You need to take the time to shop this way and cook this way. I did for a while. And then I got sucked back in to a culture of busy-ness until the Fall when I was diagnosed with Crohn's.
I continue to receive the message to slow down. It's been confirmed repeatedly over the last four years. I guess that means I need to heed the advice. I'm trying. I have now built cushion into my schedule. I have a designated day of the week that I grocery shop two to three stores without being rushed. I try not to schedule activities in the evenings so that I can prepare meals. I am allowing my business to unfold instead of pushing so hard to take on more clients.
Slowing down leads to being able to listen to my body. Before I jump in the pool to swim 1250 yards or head out for a 3 mile run, I am learning to stop and ask myself if this is what my body needs. Yes, exercise is good for you. Our bodies need to exercise. We were created to move. However, exercise, especially higher intensity exercise (think running), creates temporary inflammation in the body. Therefore, although I need to move, a walk may be best for my body if I'm not feeling 100%. I don't have all this sorted out yet. I've been conditioned for 25+ years to exercise hard. High intensity hard. Kill yourself hard. I would rather run than walk. My right hip would prefer running to walking. I enjoy throwing heavy weights around. But this may be doing more damage than good in my current state. Therefore, taking a few minutes to sit with my body and determine what type of exercise it needs, is important for my health at the moment. This is tricky because my body does not always give me a clear answer. I'm learning through trial and error. I'm trying to listen yet not give myself a pass on getting my body moving.
Slowing down and listening to one's body is probably not a 'one size fits all' protocol. What slowing down looks and feels like for me may be different for you. My mother, who is 36 years older, can run circles around me. She can cook, clean, garden, organize, pay bills, and visit a friend all in one day and not need a nap! I need a nap just writing that sentence.
My exercise regime may not suit you and your body. I fell in love with Pilates a few years ago and knew immediately that my body needed it. That was one easy answer! A year ago I found swimming as a form of exercise and also quickly knew that it was good for my body and mind. What I still have not exactly sorted out is how hard to go each time I jump in the pool. Two weeks ago, I was pushing and it seemed to be all hunky-dory until I found myself with another partial obstruction. Since then, I have not been able to push any workouts. And I'm learning to be okay with it. I jump in the pool, give it a go, and then listen. I try. I do what I can and if my body struggles, then I back off and just enjoy some easy laps. If my body says, "game on", then it's game on.
This is not a fun place to be in. It's not predictable. It's not super stable or reliable. And my personality likes the structured, ordered, and predictable. It seems to be "two steps forward, one step back" for me right now. What is one to do? What I'm trying to do is trust the Lord and His plans for me. He has always been faithful, kind, caring, and generous to me. I can be confident that He has not changed. So I trust Him and listen. I slow down. I do what I can do. And rest in His love for me.
I'll continue to learn. I'll continue to share what I learn. Maybe it will help someone along the way. If you have learned how to listen to your body, maybe you can share what has worked for you.
Apr 19, 2019
Listen to your body? Have you heard this before? I have. Numerous times. And I want to. And I try to. And I still get it wrong sometimes.
A few weeks ago, I was moving right along the path of following an autoimmune protocol for diet and lifestyle. I was feeling good. Symptoms were decreasing and some were even eliminated. YES! I was losing weight. FINALLY! I was able to resume running and swimming in addition to my Pilates practice. And then one night....boom....The severe abdominal pain began. Ugh. Not fun. What happened?
I'm still trying to work this puzzle. I think I'm making progress as I find some pieces that fit. Then something comes along and shuffles a piece or two and I'm baffled. Has this ever happened to you?
I tend to be a deep thinker when it comes to my mind and body. I want to be self aware. I want to grow and improve. I like to understand both my mind and body and what is going on in there. Currently, I've landed on two main points.
The first is to slow down. I was given this advice approximately four years ago by a performance nutrition expert after I indicated that shopping for locally grown, organic, high quality ingredients was going to require visiting multiple retail establishments within a week. I was thinking that I did not have time to go to a grocery store, the farmers market, and a speciality grocery store all in one week. I was also thinking about the food prep--the chopping, slicing, dicing, cooking from scratch, etc and so on. Seriously?! Who has time for that? His answer to me? You need to slow your pace of life. You need to take the time to shop this way and cook this way. I did for a while. And then I got sucked back in to a culture of busy-ness until the Fall when I was diagnosed with Crohn's.
I continue to receive the message to slow down. It's been confirmed repeatedly over the last four years. I guess that means I need to heed the advice. I'm trying. I have now built cushion into my schedule. I have a designated day of the week that I grocery shop two to three stores without being rushed. I try not to schedule activities in the evenings so that I can prepare meals. I am allowing my business to unfold instead of pushing so hard to take on more clients.
Slowing down leads to being able to listen to my body. Before I jump in the pool to swim 1250 yards or head out for a 3 mile run, I am learning to stop and ask myself if this is what my body needs. Yes, exercise is good for you. Our bodies need to exercise. We were created to move. However, exercise, especially higher intensity exercise (think running), creates temporary inflammation in the body. Therefore, although I need to move, a walk may be best for my body if I'm not feeling 100%. I don't have all this sorted out yet. I've been conditioned for 25+ years to exercise hard. High intensity hard. Kill yourself hard. I would rather run than walk. My right hip would prefer running to walking. I enjoy throwing heavy weights around. But this may be doing more damage than good in my current state. Therefore, taking a few minutes to sit with my body and determine what type of exercise it needs, is important for my health at the moment. This is tricky because my body does not always give me a clear answer. I'm learning through trial and error. I'm trying to listen yet not give myself a pass on getting my body moving.
Slowing down and listening to one's body is probably not a 'one size fits all' protocol. What slowing down looks and feels like for me may be different for you. My mother, who is 36 years older, can run circles around me. She can cook, clean, garden, organize, pay bills, and visit a friend all in one day and not need a nap! I need a nap just writing that sentence.
My exercise regime may not suit you and your body. I fell in love with Pilates a few years ago and knew immediately that my body needed it. That was one easy answer! A year ago I found swimming as a form of exercise and also quickly knew that it was good for my body and mind. What I still have not exactly sorted out is how hard to go each time I jump in the pool. Two weeks ago, I was pushing and it seemed to be all hunky-dory until I found myself with another partial obstruction. Since then, I have not been able to push any workouts. And I'm learning to be okay with it. I jump in the pool, give it a go, and then listen. I try. I do what I can and if my body struggles, then I back off and just enjoy some easy laps. If my body says, "game on", then it's game on.
This is not a fun place to be in. It's not predictable. It's not super stable or reliable. And my personality likes the structured, ordered, and predictable. It seems to be "two steps forward, one step back" for me right now. What is one to do? What I'm trying to do is trust the Lord and His plans for me. He has always been faithful, kind, caring, and generous to me. I can be confident that He has not changed. So I trust Him and listen. I slow down. I do what I can do. And rest in His love for me.
I'll continue to learn. I'll continue to share what I learn. Maybe it will help someone along the way. If you have learned how to listen to your body, maybe you can share what has worked for you.
Have you ever felt lonely?
Mar 14, 2019
Loneliness. Have you experienced it? I have and it's not fun.
There have been a couple of seasons in my life where I felt lonely. I was not alone in either of those seasons. Family and friends were around me. But I felt alone. There is a difference between actually being alone and feeling lonely. I remember the day that my counselor asked me this question. I had to take a moment to consider the difference before I answered the question. My answer? I was not truly alone. I felt lonely.
The first time I felt lonely for an extended period of time was when we moved an hour from family and I became a stay at home mom at the same time. My boys were 15 months old and I wanted to stay at home with them. The job change for my husband and the move allowed us to have this option. But it was lonely. I did not know anyone. I did not have my family or friends to help me with twin toddlers. I did not bump into people I knew when I went out to run errands or took the boys to eat lunch at a fast food restaurant with a play space. I felt alone.
Thankfully, we connected to a church a couple of weeks after moving that also had a ministry for moms every Thursday morning. I made friends at church and in the neighborhood. I began to feel less alone as we had play dates at parks, older women mentored me and offered to come over to give me a break for an hour or two, and we connected to a gym with great child care. It's pretty easy to connect to people when you have two adorable boys in tow! Although this season was a season of growth for me and I did feel alone in the beginning, I was healthy. Healthy mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
The next time I felt lonely was about a year after my sister died. She battled colon cancer for 20 months and went to be with Jesus two months before her 40th birthday. I then slowly slipped into a depressive episode that I could not stop. I also began to experience daily headaches and migraines. The depression and the headaches began a vicious cycle of doctor's appointments, trying different medications, sleeping lots, and 'sleep walking' through daily life. My physical health began to decline. I could not muster up the motivation to go for walks. I was using convenient frozen foods to feed my family. I was addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. Over the next few years, I became unhealthy--spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. And I felt very alone. Who could understand how the headaches and migraines felt? Who could understand that sleeping was what my body just wanted to do? Who could understand the lack of motivation for anything and everything? I felt very lonely.
I wasn't me. And for about two years I was stuck there. Slowly but surely I began to reclaim my health, in all the ways. I began running with a friend. Then I joined a fitness center. Then I hired a personal trainer. I went through grief counseling through hospice. Twice. Then I had a secular counselor and then participated in a two week intensive outpatient therapy group. Then I found a Christian counselor. (She was the one that asked if I was alone or felt lonely.) I began to wean off prescription meds with the help of herbal supplements. Bible study was a constant but it was the only group that I stayed connected with through church. It took time and lots of healing, but I healed. In all the ways.
It doesn't mean that all things have been hunky-dory ever since. My marriage has needed intentional work. My hormones obviously needed attention. I had to give up heavy strength training due to repeated injuries and find something that worked better for my body. (Yay Pilates!) What it means though is that I found my way back. The way back to a total healthy person. I had to try things. Some things worked. Some things didn't. I'm still trying because now I have this auto-immune disorder to work on. But I'm getting there. I will share more on that soon.
So my encouragement to you is.......if you feel lonely, you won't always feel lonely. Find something that connects you to the bigger world. Find someone that "gets you". It will probably mean reaching out. Do it. Ask for help. There are kind and loving people who want to connect with you. I know I do. :)
And remember......nothing, nothing at all, can ever separate you from the love of God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You are never ALONE.
Mar 14, 2019
Loneliness. Have you experienced it? I have and it's not fun.
There have been a couple of seasons in my life where I felt lonely. I was not alone in either of those seasons. Family and friends were around me. But I felt alone. There is a difference between actually being alone and feeling lonely. I remember the day that my counselor asked me this question. I had to take a moment to consider the difference before I answered the question. My answer? I was not truly alone. I felt lonely.
The first time I felt lonely for an extended period of time was when we moved an hour from family and I became a stay at home mom at the same time. My boys were 15 months old and I wanted to stay at home with them. The job change for my husband and the move allowed us to have this option. But it was lonely. I did not know anyone. I did not have my family or friends to help me with twin toddlers. I did not bump into people I knew when I went out to run errands or took the boys to eat lunch at a fast food restaurant with a play space. I felt alone.
Thankfully, we connected to a church a couple of weeks after moving that also had a ministry for moms every Thursday morning. I made friends at church and in the neighborhood. I began to feel less alone as we had play dates at parks, older women mentored me and offered to come over to give me a break for an hour or two, and we connected to a gym with great child care. It's pretty easy to connect to people when you have two adorable boys in tow! Although this season was a season of growth for me and I did feel alone in the beginning, I was healthy. Healthy mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
The next time I felt lonely was about a year after my sister died. She battled colon cancer for 20 months and went to be with Jesus two months before her 40th birthday. I then slowly slipped into a depressive episode that I could not stop. I also began to experience daily headaches and migraines. The depression and the headaches began a vicious cycle of doctor's appointments, trying different medications, sleeping lots, and 'sleep walking' through daily life. My physical health began to decline. I could not muster up the motivation to go for walks. I was using convenient frozen foods to feed my family. I was addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. Over the next few years, I became unhealthy--spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. And I felt very alone. Who could understand how the headaches and migraines felt? Who could understand that sleeping was what my body just wanted to do? Who could understand the lack of motivation for anything and everything? I felt very lonely.
I wasn't me. And for about two years I was stuck there. Slowly but surely I began to reclaim my health, in all the ways. I began running with a friend. Then I joined a fitness center. Then I hired a personal trainer. I went through grief counseling through hospice. Twice. Then I had a secular counselor and then participated in a two week intensive outpatient therapy group. Then I found a Christian counselor. (She was the one that asked if I was alone or felt lonely.) I began to wean off prescription meds with the help of herbal supplements. Bible study was a constant but it was the only group that I stayed connected with through church. It took time and lots of healing, but I healed. In all the ways.
It doesn't mean that all things have been hunky-dory ever since. My marriage has needed intentional work. My hormones obviously needed attention. I had to give up heavy strength training due to repeated injuries and find something that worked better for my body. (Yay Pilates!) What it means though is that I found my way back. The way back to a total healthy person. I had to try things. Some things worked. Some things didn't. I'm still trying because now I have this auto-immune disorder to work on. But I'm getting there. I will share more on that soon.
So my encouragement to you is.......if you feel lonely, you won't always feel lonely. Find something that connects you to the bigger world. Find someone that "gets you". It will probably mean reaching out. Do it. Ask for help. There are kind and loving people who want to connect with you. I know I do. :)
And remember......nothing, nothing at all, can ever separate you from the love of God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You are never ALONE.
How Exercise Became My Friend
Feb 19, 2019
I was an active kid. I was flatfooting (clogging) as soon as I was old enough to walk. I took ballet and tap during my elementary school years. I was constantly outside playing. I took gymnastics and then became a flag corp member of my high school marching band. Our marching band was competitive, so flags and rifles included quite a bit of dancing and sprinting (!) across the football field.
In college, I began walking and running and taking step and water aerobics classes for weight management and stress relief. I even took weight lifting and aerobics as elective classes. I found it all interesting but didn’t think much about it beyond that.
I continued a similar pattern through my young adulthood years, during pregnancy, and while my boys were young. My main purpose and motivation for exercising was for weight management. An added benefit was the stress relief.
Then my sister died after an ugly and hard fought battle with colon cancer. I quit exercising. I can’t explain it. I just couldn’t bring myself to go to the gym or to do any physical activity beyond caring for my boys and keeping house. I succumbed to a vicious cycle. I didn’t feel like exercising. I suffered from daily headaches and migraines. This led to doctors visits and trying medications. The one that worked made me a zombie. I slept through a year of my life. I tried to go for walks every now and then. I KNEW I needed to get moving again and part of me wanted to. A bigger part of me wanted to take a nap on the couch. I gained weight. I didn’t care.
Finally, after lots of secular counseling and hospice grief counseling and medications that actually worked without making me sleepy, I began to walk and run again. A friend wanted to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon so we registered for the race and started training! It got me out the door again but I must admit that all I did was train the three days a week necessary to be ready for the half. I had not fallen in love with exercising again.
Shortly after completing the Disney Half, the Lord connected me with a local fitness director through my son’s recreational football team. I joined her facility and made new friends and began to find joy in exercise again. By then I needed to lose weight so I hired a personal trainer to hold me accountable. Next thing I know I’m running Tough Mudders and Spartan Races! I became a recreational obstacle course racer. What?!?!
Yep, I got strong. I lost weight. I could climb a rope even after being tired and wet and muddy. I ran these crazy races with friends and loved it. Having races on my calendar kept me motivated to run and to lift weights. Then life changed again. Friends moved away or were hurt and couldn’t run the races. Then I started to hurt. My neck and upper traps hurt all the time, which created headaches that I thought I had gotten to a very manageable place. During my obstacle racing journey, I had completed my certification in personal training. This gave me access to fitness journals and I began to dig for information into why I was getting hurt almost every time I lifted heavy. It became obvious to me that I had unintentionally created muscle imbalances due to the types of lifting I was doing and not doing. Since I also have scoliosis, I was already assymetrical and without carefully structured strength training programming, muscle imbalances became problematic.
Enter in Pilates. From what I was reading, practicing Pilates would assist my new journey of creating a balanced musculature. I found a legit Pilates teacher and studio, gave it a try, and fell in love immediately. I could tell from the instruction and the first few workouts that it was what my body needed. I began a dedicated Pilates practice. I quickly entered into a Pilates teacher training program. Pilates comprehensive teacher training requires a full year of participating in monthly weekend long education, hours and hours of personal practice, and even more hours and hours of ‘student teaching’. It’s no joke. Oh, plus a college level anatomy course. Was it worth it? Absolutely!
Not being able to run and jump and lift like I had been meant that I gained some weight back. Now I’m also realizing that my screwed up hormones has something to do with that too. What I want to focus on in this blog though is that through most of the ups and downs of life, exercise has been there for me. In the last three years though, it hasn’t been about weight management. It’s been about not hurting. It’s been about finding healthy movement that prevented chronic pain. Now don’t be fooled. Creating muscle balance didn’t happen within a few sessions. It took about 3-4 Pilates sessions per week over the course of three years for my neck and traps to not scream at me daily. I’ve slowly been able to add walking and running back into my fitness schedule. Last year, I discovered swimming for exercise and I love it!
Rather than every exercise session being about the amount of calories burned, I encourage you to find a way to move in a healthy way that you enjoy. I mean truly enjoy. Learn about your body and the connections between your mind, body, and spirit. Give your small, stabilizing muscles some love and attention too. Your aging body will appreciate it. Most importantly, move. Move for fun. Smile. Enjoy it.
Feb 19, 2019
I was an active kid. I was flatfooting (clogging) as soon as I was old enough to walk. I took ballet and tap during my elementary school years. I was constantly outside playing. I took gymnastics and then became a flag corp member of my high school marching band. Our marching band was competitive, so flags and rifles included quite a bit of dancing and sprinting (!) across the football field.
In college, I began walking and running and taking step and water aerobics classes for weight management and stress relief. I even took weight lifting and aerobics as elective classes. I found it all interesting but didn’t think much about it beyond that.
I continued a similar pattern through my young adulthood years, during pregnancy, and while my boys were young. My main purpose and motivation for exercising was for weight management. An added benefit was the stress relief.
Then my sister died after an ugly and hard fought battle with colon cancer. I quit exercising. I can’t explain it. I just couldn’t bring myself to go to the gym or to do any physical activity beyond caring for my boys and keeping house. I succumbed to a vicious cycle. I didn’t feel like exercising. I suffered from daily headaches and migraines. This led to doctors visits and trying medications. The one that worked made me a zombie. I slept through a year of my life. I tried to go for walks every now and then. I KNEW I needed to get moving again and part of me wanted to. A bigger part of me wanted to take a nap on the couch. I gained weight. I didn’t care.
Finally, after lots of secular counseling and hospice grief counseling and medications that actually worked without making me sleepy, I began to walk and run again. A friend wanted to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon so we registered for the race and started training! It got me out the door again but I must admit that all I did was train the three days a week necessary to be ready for the half. I had not fallen in love with exercising again.
Shortly after completing the Disney Half, the Lord connected me with a local fitness director through my son’s recreational football team. I joined her facility and made new friends and began to find joy in exercise again. By then I needed to lose weight so I hired a personal trainer to hold me accountable. Next thing I know I’m running Tough Mudders and Spartan Races! I became a recreational obstacle course racer. What?!?!
Yep, I got strong. I lost weight. I could climb a rope even after being tired and wet and muddy. I ran these crazy races with friends and loved it. Having races on my calendar kept me motivated to run and to lift weights. Then life changed again. Friends moved away or were hurt and couldn’t run the races. Then I started to hurt. My neck and upper traps hurt all the time, which created headaches that I thought I had gotten to a very manageable place. During my obstacle racing journey, I had completed my certification in personal training. This gave me access to fitness journals and I began to dig for information into why I was getting hurt almost every time I lifted heavy. It became obvious to me that I had unintentionally created muscle imbalances due to the types of lifting I was doing and not doing. Since I also have scoliosis, I was already assymetrical and without carefully structured strength training programming, muscle imbalances became problematic.
Enter in Pilates. From what I was reading, practicing Pilates would assist my new journey of creating a balanced musculature. I found a legit Pilates teacher and studio, gave it a try, and fell in love immediately. I could tell from the instruction and the first few workouts that it was what my body needed. I began a dedicated Pilates practice. I quickly entered into a Pilates teacher training program. Pilates comprehensive teacher training requires a full year of participating in monthly weekend long education, hours and hours of personal practice, and even more hours and hours of ‘student teaching’. It’s no joke. Oh, plus a college level anatomy course. Was it worth it? Absolutely!
Not being able to run and jump and lift like I had been meant that I gained some weight back. Now I’m also realizing that my screwed up hormones has something to do with that too. What I want to focus on in this blog though is that through most of the ups and downs of life, exercise has been there for me. In the last three years though, it hasn’t been about weight management. It’s been about not hurting. It’s been about finding healthy movement that prevented chronic pain. Now don’t be fooled. Creating muscle balance didn’t happen within a few sessions. It took about 3-4 Pilates sessions per week over the course of three years for my neck and traps to not scream at me daily. I’ve slowly been able to add walking and running back into my fitness schedule. Last year, I discovered swimming for exercise and I love it!
Rather than every exercise session being about the amount of calories burned, I encourage you to find a way to move in a healthy way that you enjoy. I mean truly enjoy. Learn about your body and the connections between your mind, body, and spirit. Give your small, stabilizing muscles some love and attention too. Your aging body will appreciate it. Most importantly, move. Move for fun. Smile. Enjoy it.
Test Results
Feb 6, 2019
Here we go! With lab results we have a more accurate picture of what is going on inside my body. I was slightly anxious for my second appointment with the integrative doctor yesterday. I wanted to understand the test results but I was also apprehensive about what they could mean. The integrative doctor was excited that we had some answers. She was encouraging as “it’s not that bad”! I won’t bore you with details so here’s a synopsis:
My estrogen and progesterone are completely out of whack. (That’s medical terminology by the way....out of whack.) Seriously, my estrogen is extremely below normal. My progesterone is extremely above normal. They ain’t jiving.
My DHEA is below normal. DHEA is a precursor to the estrogen and progesterone.
My late afternoon cortisol is below normal, which explains why I want to take a nap every day at 4 p.m.
My B12 is barely inside the normal range.
And I’m slightly sensitive to cow’s milk.
SO! We have a treatment plan that is not overwhelming and that should turn me into a new woman! I was taking a supplement that I need to stop. I have three supplements to address the hormone imbalances. I will receive monthly B12 injections. Avoiding dairy will be up to me. I can already tell you that I now know what symptoms I have when I consume dairy and they are not GI symptoms. They are upper respiratory allergy symptoms and headaches! I didn’t realize! I thought I was weird having “allergies” all year round. I thought I kept picking up cold viruses even though I had become a bit of a germ-a-phobe with hand washing and sanitizing and “don’t even look at me if you’re coughing”. I was doing it to myself by eating dairy. Well.
However, because I am prone to inflammation, I still need to be vigilant with choosing and preparing foods. It will be important for me to grow some of my own vegetables. I will purchase other vegetables that are organic from local farms. Eggs and poultry will be purchased from local farmers that pasture raise their chickens and do not use hormones and antibiotics. We will accept all donations of venison. :) It does not appear at this point that I need to do an extreme diet of any type as long as I am mindful of where my food comes from and some of the combinations.
This is still a bit of a lifestyle change for Americans. We so easily get caught up in conventional meats and dairy and the convenience of canned fruits and vegetables. Plus the convenience of having someone else prepare our food by eating out. Why do we get caught up in this? Because we are busy. We work. We have events and groups to attend. We have our kid’s activities to take them to and pick them up from and support them in. We try to squeeze in exercise. We watch TV. We have errands to run and phone calls (or texts) to make. All of that leaves very little time for menu planning, grocery shopping at 2-3 different stores, and preparing food. Guess what? We can find a way. It’s important. More and more Americans are being diagnosed with preventable diseases. I had already begun to make changes. I will continue to work on this lifestyle change, knowing that it’s a process and a journey.
I’m very thankful to God for answering prayers. I am asking Him to guide my decisions about these changes and to lead me in the directions that are best for my total health and wellness. He has provided some answers and sources for clean food. I am not figuring all this out on my own. He is the ultimate teacher and healer. Praise HIM!
I do not know why it took me so long to have some of those tests done. In hindsight, it seems silly that I didn’t pursue that type of testing earlier in my life. I got sucked into being too busy. So if you’re physically suffering in some way, I want to encourage you to seek answers via lab work versus guessing and treating symptoms. It’s important to look for the root cause and addressing it.
In a soon to come post, I will share more about the ways of eating that I am experimenting with in addition to sources I’m finding for clean, clean foods.
Until next time......
Feb 6, 2019
Here we go! With lab results we have a more accurate picture of what is going on inside my body. I was slightly anxious for my second appointment with the integrative doctor yesterday. I wanted to understand the test results but I was also apprehensive about what they could mean. The integrative doctor was excited that we had some answers. She was encouraging as “it’s not that bad”! I won’t bore you with details so here’s a synopsis:
My estrogen and progesterone are completely out of whack. (That’s medical terminology by the way....out of whack.) Seriously, my estrogen is extremely below normal. My progesterone is extremely above normal. They ain’t jiving.
My DHEA is below normal. DHEA is a precursor to the estrogen and progesterone.
My late afternoon cortisol is below normal, which explains why I want to take a nap every day at 4 p.m.
My B12 is barely inside the normal range.
And I’m slightly sensitive to cow’s milk.
SO! We have a treatment plan that is not overwhelming and that should turn me into a new woman! I was taking a supplement that I need to stop. I have three supplements to address the hormone imbalances. I will receive monthly B12 injections. Avoiding dairy will be up to me. I can already tell you that I now know what symptoms I have when I consume dairy and they are not GI symptoms. They are upper respiratory allergy symptoms and headaches! I didn’t realize! I thought I was weird having “allergies” all year round. I thought I kept picking up cold viruses even though I had become a bit of a germ-a-phobe with hand washing and sanitizing and “don’t even look at me if you’re coughing”. I was doing it to myself by eating dairy. Well.
However, because I am prone to inflammation, I still need to be vigilant with choosing and preparing foods. It will be important for me to grow some of my own vegetables. I will purchase other vegetables that are organic from local farms. Eggs and poultry will be purchased from local farmers that pasture raise their chickens and do not use hormones and antibiotics. We will accept all donations of venison. :) It does not appear at this point that I need to do an extreme diet of any type as long as I am mindful of where my food comes from and some of the combinations.
This is still a bit of a lifestyle change for Americans. We so easily get caught up in conventional meats and dairy and the convenience of canned fruits and vegetables. Plus the convenience of having someone else prepare our food by eating out. Why do we get caught up in this? Because we are busy. We work. We have events and groups to attend. We have our kid’s activities to take them to and pick them up from and support them in. We try to squeeze in exercise. We watch TV. We have errands to run and phone calls (or texts) to make. All of that leaves very little time for menu planning, grocery shopping at 2-3 different stores, and preparing food. Guess what? We can find a way. It’s important. More and more Americans are being diagnosed with preventable diseases. I had already begun to make changes. I will continue to work on this lifestyle change, knowing that it’s a process and a journey.
I’m very thankful to God for answering prayers. I am asking Him to guide my decisions about these changes and to lead me in the directions that are best for my total health and wellness. He has provided some answers and sources for clean food. I am not figuring all this out on my own. He is the ultimate teacher and healer. Praise HIM!
I do not know why it took me so long to have some of those tests done. In hindsight, it seems silly that I didn’t pursue that type of testing earlier in my life. I got sucked into being too busy. So if you’re physically suffering in some way, I want to encourage you to seek answers via lab work versus guessing and treating symptoms. It’s important to look for the root cause and addressing it.
In a soon to come post, I will share more about the ways of eating that I am experimenting with in addition to sources I’m finding for clean, clean foods.
Until next time......
A New Journey
Jan 23, 2019
I’ve been meaning to begin this blog for a couple of years. I just couldn’t seem to carve out the time to sit down and write. Maybe there was a reason. Maybe the reason is that I am being forced on a different journey and this is what I’m supposed to share.
What’s forcing this different journey? A diagnosis. An autoimmune disorder diagnosis. Yes, I realize it could be worse. There are so many blessings for which I am grateful. But the reality for me and my health and my world is that in order for me to stay out of the hospital, to stay out of severe pain, and to have energy for most every day, I must embark on a trip. A trip that will have ups and downs and wind-a-rounds. A trip that will be enlightening and confusing. A trip that if you’d like to read about it, may help you too.
Since young adulthood, a variety of GI symptoms have been a fairly regular part of my life. However, none of the symptoms lingered long enough to cause great concern. Also, they have been so varied that most doctors have told me they are unrelated to each other. I haven’t always believed this but I didn’t know what to believe. I don’t have the educational background to completely understand how the GI system works and how it works with the rest of the body. I am a reader and a researcher and have learned much but it hasn’t been enough. Also, there is good, seemingly reliable yet conflicting information out there.
So back to the diagnosis. At the end of October, out of nowhere, I landed in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction due to inflammation of the ileum (where the small bowel connects to the large bowel). Less than a month later, it happened again. No warning signs. No early symptoms. Between those two events, I did have a colonoscopy in which the physician was able to see that my ileum is structurally small due to past inflammation. Biopsies and blood work were also completed to rule out colon cancer (my sister died 10 years ago from colon cancer). The lab work returned as positive for Crohn’s Disease.
Remember, I’m an information hoarder. Thus, the research into autoimmune disorders, inflammation, and Crohn’s began. About four years ago, I had already ventured into anti-inflammatory eating and lifestyle so I had a foundation of information. Building on that information, I dug a little deeper but wound up confused. In addition to books and cookbooks, there’s social media. I found that there is a large community on social media who successfully manage their autoimmune disorders with diet and lifestyle. Interesting and encouraging and hopeful! But so much of what I was reading, albeit good information, conflicted with what I had learned a few years ago.
What do you do when you’re confused? Sometimes nothing. But I knew I didn’t have that luxury. Several things happened to lead me to search for an integrative medicine doctor. I firmly believe that all things in our bodies are interdependent, just as nature is. Therefore, there must be some other things going on in my body that are exacerbating inflammation. There are too many other symptoms for me to ignore.
My first visit with an Integrative Medicine Dr was yesterday. It was such a peaceful appointment. I don’t have much information to share yet. Lab work has been ordered to test all hormones, food sensitivities, and toxic metals. I’ll know more in two weeks. But what I do know is that my body is unique. What works for one person may not work for me. And what works for me may not work for you. This is why I know these lab tests are important. But what I do learn, I’ll share with you. Maybe it will help you too.
To be continued.....
Jan 23, 2019
I’ve been meaning to begin this blog for a couple of years. I just couldn’t seem to carve out the time to sit down and write. Maybe there was a reason. Maybe the reason is that I am being forced on a different journey and this is what I’m supposed to share.
What’s forcing this different journey? A diagnosis. An autoimmune disorder diagnosis. Yes, I realize it could be worse. There are so many blessings for which I am grateful. But the reality for me and my health and my world is that in order for me to stay out of the hospital, to stay out of severe pain, and to have energy for most every day, I must embark on a trip. A trip that will have ups and downs and wind-a-rounds. A trip that will be enlightening and confusing. A trip that if you’d like to read about it, may help you too.
Since young adulthood, a variety of GI symptoms have been a fairly regular part of my life. However, none of the symptoms lingered long enough to cause great concern. Also, they have been so varied that most doctors have told me they are unrelated to each other. I haven’t always believed this but I didn’t know what to believe. I don’t have the educational background to completely understand how the GI system works and how it works with the rest of the body. I am a reader and a researcher and have learned much but it hasn’t been enough. Also, there is good, seemingly reliable yet conflicting information out there.
So back to the diagnosis. At the end of October, out of nowhere, I landed in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction due to inflammation of the ileum (where the small bowel connects to the large bowel). Less than a month later, it happened again. No warning signs. No early symptoms. Between those two events, I did have a colonoscopy in which the physician was able to see that my ileum is structurally small due to past inflammation. Biopsies and blood work were also completed to rule out colon cancer (my sister died 10 years ago from colon cancer). The lab work returned as positive for Crohn’s Disease.
Remember, I’m an information hoarder. Thus, the research into autoimmune disorders, inflammation, and Crohn’s began. About four years ago, I had already ventured into anti-inflammatory eating and lifestyle so I had a foundation of information. Building on that information, I dug a little deeper but wound up confused. In addition to books and cookbooks, there’s social media. I found that there is a large community on social media who successfully manage their autoimmune disorders with diet and lifestyle. Interesting and encouraging and hopeful! But so much of what I was reading, albeit good information, conflicted with what I had learned a few years ago.
What do you do when you’re confused? Sometimes nothing. But I knew I didn’t have that luxury. Several things happened to lead me to search for an integrative medicine doctor. I firmly believe that all things in our bodies are interdependent, just as nature is. Therefore, there must be some other things going on in my body that are exacerbating inflammation. There are too many other symptoms for me to ignore.
My first visit with an Integrative Medicine Dr was yesterday. It was such a peaceful appointment. I don’t have much information to share yet. Lab work has been ordered to test all hormones, food sensitivities, and toxic metals. I’ll know more in two weeks. But what I do know is that my body is unique. What works for one person may not work for me. And what works for me may not work for you. This is why I know these lab tests are important. But what I do learn, I’ll share with you. Maybe it will help you too.
To be continued.....