The Road to Health is Paved with Good Intentions

There was a day about two weeks ago that for whatever reason, I wasn't able to exercise.  As the day wore on, so did the depression.  I was a little surprised how quickly it came and how heavy it was.  In that moment I realized that all my exercising, supplements, and eating healthy were helping keep the depression away, but they weren't healing me.  Sure, I'm mostly happy, but I wouldn't say I'm joyful or light or at peace.  My husband and children deserve a joyful wife and mother.  I deserve to be a joyful wife, mother, and woman.  That's when I decided it was time to seek professional help. This isn't the first time that I've thought about seeing a counselor, but it is the first time I've acted on it.  During my husband's deployment, I was encouraged to see one, but I told myself that I didn't need to, and that I was fine.  I was strong enough to handle my husband being gone, my two small children, and being pregnant.  I was Superw...

Over a decade ago I belonged to a gym and had a fantastic trainer.  She told me that an exercise routine needs to be switched every 6 weeks because your muscles become used to it and it's no longer a challenge.  To see growth, you have to change.  Tomorrow is the last day of week 6 following the routine I talked about in  Depression and Exercise .  I don't usually exercise on Sundays so I'm reporting today.  I planned on doing a weekly report, but that failed so here's an overall summary of the last 6 weeks. Goals: no more than 20 grams carbs, 112 grams fat, 90 grams protein First column is the exercise program, whether I did physical therapy (indicated with a T), and what weights I used for the arm exercises (half, one, or two pounds). The second, third, and fourth column are carbs, fats, and protein respectively. The last column is for notes.  D means I ate dairy and CP shows I had collagen peptides. Week 1 1/1 - Barre 1 half (this was a ...

When I think about it, I started this journey several years ago.  My sister was struggling and after reading " The Hormone Cure " by Sara Gottfried , she met with a hormone specialist.  Although now she doesn't feel she got a lot out of it, she did learn a few things about her body that benefited both of us.  I figured if she wasn't able to absorb certain formulas of vitamins, I probably couldn't either.  I also decided to see an OB/GYN who specialized in hormones.  We talked about what was going on and due to the fact that I was nursing, she kept it simple.  She had my blood work run, and based on the results recommended that I take magnesium*, calcium, iron, and vitamin D.  Through my sister's experience, I added the methylcobalamin form of vitamin B.  I have since learned that some of the formulas I was taking weren't the best.  Turns out buying your vitamins from regular grocery stores isn't the best idea.  They tend to have fillers ...

I started following a ketogenic diet about 7 months ago. I lost 15 pounds quite quickly, but then I started to feel... off. Without going into details, I'll simply say that last month it got to the point where I was starting to think something was seriously wrong and was researching doctors. Then I was given the opportunity to read Keto: The Complete Guide to Success on The Ketogenic Diet, including Simplified Science and No-cook Meal Plans  by Maria and Craig Emmerich. I've been researching the ketogenic diet for quite awhile so when I started this book, I was a little skeptical that there was anything else I could learn. Not only was I wrong, but I also realized that a lot of what I had previously learned wasn't correct.  Craig and Maria have done a wonderful job breaking down the science in a way that's easy to understand. Their knowledge and experience show you how to be successful on keto and how to break through plateaus so you can achieve your health goals. Thi...

Eight years ago today my husband left for a 7-month deployment.  We had two kids under 3 and I was pregnant with number 3.  My mom wanted us to move in with her while he was gone, but I thought I would be okay.  I was not.  This wasn't my first time dealing with depression, but it was the first time that I couldn't easily fix it. I had small issues with depression when I was a teenager, but the first real bout I remember was postpartum.  Five days after my first child was born, I remember having a complete breakdown in the car at the tennis courts where my husband was meeting his dad for a match.  I went from being completely independent to having a little person with me ALL THE TIME.  I know I'm not alone with this feeling.  I had to return to work in 5 weeks so we decided that I would pump now so my husband could bottle feed her from time to time and give me a break.  It worked and I was able to move on.  I struggled when my second...

Happy New Year!  I'm a little late, but that's my life right now.  I have all sorts of things that I want to blog about, but I haven't had time.  Shortly after my last post my kids went on Christmas break.  Yeah, four kids at home all the time equals not a lot of "Me Time".  I'm not complaining; I love my kids, but that's why it's been a while.  They've returned to school and I've finally caught up enough to start blogging again. I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions.  The biggest reason is because I, like most people, don't keep them.  I also don't want to wait for an arbitrary date to decide to make changes.  I try to make them when I recognize the need.  This year is different, although it's more a matter of timing than it being a new year.  Over the last several weeks I've been really pondering over what I want and how to get it.  I've realized that I have pieces to many puzzles, but they're all mi...

"The cause of Meniere's disease isn't understood. One popular theory that hasn't been proved is that Meniere's disease appears to be the result of the abnormal amount of fluid (endolymph) in the inner ear. This often shows on autopsies, but it's not clear that it causes the episodes. Factors that affect the fluid, which might contribute to Meniere's disease, include: Improper fluid drainage, perhaps because of a blockage or anatomic abnormality Abnormal immune response Allergies Viral infection Genetic predisposition Head trauma Migraines Because no single cause has been identified, it's likely that Meniere's disease results from a combination of factors"  ( Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017 ). I was two months into following a low sodium diet and had a pretty good handle on what I was eating.  I bought a low sodium cookbook and was making homemade bread and other foods that I had gone without.  I started reintroducing foods that I ha...