Finding Health and Happiness, One Green Smoothie at a Time

I found happiness in a green smoothie and a bowl of fat flush soup.

 
Who says 38 is old,well some people do, but not this young lady over here! I am proof positive that it’s never too late to make a life change.

 
2013 came spiraling in for me. Disappointment in my self, my weight, my health, my mood. Frustrated over my older children’s choices. Disenchanted with my marriage. I prayed that the new year would be better for all of us but not really believing what I was saying. I just wanted out, out of my marriage, out of motherhood, out of this body that I couldn’t stand.

 
I decided one more try at weight loss, we had a competition at work and the prize money was worth giving it a go. I tried a six week cleanse I had done with a Health Coach one more time and it was like a religious experience. Clarity set in. I realized I was my own biggest problem. I was choosing sickness and unhappiness.

 
I did what any other self respecting overweight lunatic would do, I enrolled in school to become a Certified Health Coach. I jumped in with both feet. Learning everything I could about different dietary life styles, self care practices, acceptance of self and others. I learned how to listen, to choose peace, to own what is mine and let go of what belongs to others.

 
I have a calmness about me now that wasn’t there before. I take care of my needs, I work on my energy, I let others in, I trust that people are not out to hurt me. I give kisses and hugs. I can listen without offering an unwanted solution. I allow my adult children to make choices I disagree with, without feeling that I have to fix everything. What a difference a year makes.

 
I am happy, I am healthy, I am whole. Admittedly, I can not add skinny to that list but here’s the thing, I happen to love the Me I am today. I also know tomorrow’s Me is going to be even better. Look at Me strutting my curvaceous stuff. You go girl!

 
I brought 2014 in quite eventfully. I will be going into surgery in a couple of days, flash backs from an earlier less healthy life style, but i have a confidence that my body will heal and I will be just fine.

 
I have some great things coming down the line. I will launch my business this Spring, Vivacious Voluptuous Health, working with women to live their best, healthiest life right now, at any size. I will celebrate my 10th Wedding Anniversary. I will be going on a Girl’s Vacation. I will just be Me and I am awesome!

 

I must’ve added extra spinach to that green smoothie last January and I am so thankful I did! Find the key that opens the door to freedom for you, it doesn’t matter where you are at right now, it’s never too late for awesomeness!

Medicated and Radiated:Choosing Alternative Symptom Care

I woke up the other morning energized. I was ready to take on the world. I mean seriously I had all the tools. I had a healthy mood and food regimen, I had my work out plan all written out. I could not be stopped. I was ready to take on 2014! Until the pain began.
That very same morning I ended up in the ER writhing in pain and fearful. I’m not really the doctor trusting kind of girl. After being medicated and radiated over a nine hour period, I was sent home with a take two of these and another doctor will call you a couple of mornings from now.
As I took the two of these, one of those and on and on, a sadness and despair began to creep in. The side effects, the continued pain, the aggravation of not knowing what was wrong became too much. I eventually took easing the pain into my own hands and used some alternative methods that I believe are worth sharing:

• Crying: It’s okay to cry. Boy oh boy have I cried, I mean really sobbed but it hurt and I was tired. I needed to get it out. Each good cry was a relief and once I was done I would take a proactive step to making myself feel somewhat better.
• Hot water bottle: So worth having on hand. Instead of the horrible headaches being caused by the medication to ease my stomach pain a strategically placed water bottle did the trick just as well. Like a warm hug right where you need it. Aaaah.
• Mint green tea: I had horrendous nausea. I was given a prescription for that symptom also, go figure. The mint tea substitution did the trick, eased the nausea and also because it was decaffeinated it also was hydrating.
• Water: I slowly sipped water all day. Picture in your head flushing out toxins, getting rid of all the bad and then keep on sipping,
• Deep breathing and massage: Now I needed help from the Hubby with the massage part but so helpful. The release of endorphins from getting into that good space would ease some of the pain without the guilt caused by taking narcotics, prescription of course!
• Movement and sleep: I really should label this “Listening to my body.” Basically its sleep when you feel tired and get up and move when you can . I slept for two days straight. I let my body do what it needed to heal itself. The third day I woke up with a burst of energy, washed three dishes, cooked a very basic dinner for my family, felt extremely accomplished and then went back to bed. It sounds silly but it made me feel really good to do something.

After waiting for my doctor to return from vacation, I received my verdict. He looked at me, listened to my symptoms, reviewed my CT scan and pronounced that I would be in surgery in a few days. No fairy tale endings. The natural remedies didn’t cure me. They did exactly what the medications in the ER where intended to do, ease the symptoms of the cause. Sans the side effects.

I guess I did start 2014 on an upswing. There is something empowering about finding healthy alternatives to symptom care that don’t involve medications that cause even more symptoms. Rock on 2014, I’m ready for you!