The Fat Cell Jellies are Running through my Body trying to Sabotage Me!

Chief Jelly: “Listen up, this is an ENTIRE BODY emergency meeting!  As you’ve noticed some among us have been SHRINKING!  We need to put an end to this.  As a group we are releasing the “SUGAR CRAVINGS.” This trusted tactic has worked for years but seems to be malfunctioning of late. Please check your sugar craving enzymes and release those cravings immediately!

…..

Brain Jelly: “there is liquid entering the body….is it sweet?” 

Neck Jelly: “Ugh! It’s water. AGAIN!

Thigh Jelly: “Chief, I’ve been taking an especially hard hit in my area, I’ve seen many of my troops shrinking and a long forgotten muscle is growing. I petition for intensified action.”

Upper arm Jelly: “Well, I’m doing fine up here, this silly chick is running and doing all that sweaty, heart pumping exercise, but she’s forgotten about us, hee hee hee.”

…….

Chief Jelly:  “Attention, the sugar cravings are still NOT working. Time to add LETHARGY!”

Belly Jelly: “Thank goodness, Chief, although I like jiggling around on these ‘runs’ I’ve noticed a muscle pushing my troops around and trying to shrink them also.”

LETHARGY runs rampant.

Chief Jelly: “Why hasn’t sugar consumption resumed?  We’re using CRAVINGS and LETHARGY.”

Back Jelly: “From where I can see, it looks like our body has discovered large quantities of VEGETABLES. Can we make them taste worse?” 

Chief Jelly: “That was my fear, we can’t. Now that She hasn’t had sugar for a while, the VEGETABLES are tasting good. Jeez, we had her roped into a 12 year old’s palate for so long, NOW she decides to grow up and squash our Fat Cell Jellies.”

…………….

Calf Jelly: “She’s moving again chief, this is ridiculous. What else can we do?”

Chief Jelly: “We need to attack on two fronts: HEADACHE and STRESS.  Eye Jelly: you know what to do, make the head throb.  Brain Jelly, send her images of imaginary scenarios of her kids getting hurt to increase the stress. “

Brain Jelly: “Doing my job, boss.  She just texted her son to find out when he’d be home; I’m reeling her in with Stress.  She’ll be scrounging for some leftover Easter candy soon!”

Eye Jelly: “I wish I was more helpful, I sent her a big HEADACHE and she is now ‘taking a nap.’ Backfired big time, sorry, Chief”

Upper Arm Jelly: “Eeeek, why are my muscles groaning and stretching? What is Yoga? What are Free Weights? Brain Jelly, can you tell her those aren’t for her?”

Brain Jelly: “No can do, DETERMINATION and MOTIVATION are in my way.”

Narcotics Addiction Lurking in Suburbia

 Narcotic abuse is rampant in our society and we have all become complicit in ignoring its causes.

As I wrote about on April 3, I recently had minor surgery.  An endometrial ablasion,  which is a 1 day procedure that includes a D&C.  As I sat in pre-op I was visited by no less than 5 people. They each introduced themselves and reviewed what I was having done. Someone mentioned I’d be going home with 2 prescriptions: 800mg Motrin and Percocet. I was a bit nervous and really just wanted to be knocked out and taken to the OR. Actually they kept me awake so in the OR everyone could again identify themselves and say what they were there to do. My brain wanted to explode – please just put that mask of propofol on my face! 

Finally I was awaking in recovery. A nurse noticed and was at my bedside explaining she would get my Percocet and be right back. My groggy self knew enough to realize that I was not in pain at all. I was too out of it to verbalize anything. Luckily it took her awhile so when she came back with her tiny paper cup holding the pill I had the wherewithal to protest. No I do NOT want a narcotic. She was surprised and asked me my pain level from 0-10, I said 2. She agreed to “dispose” of the pill. Flashes of Nurse Jackie pocketing the pill ran before my eyes, but no matter to me, I did not want nor need to ingest it.

Today I’m 10 days post-op and didn’t fill either prescription. I took 3 standard Motrin the evening of the surgery. A couple more the next day and that was it. I never had anything close to severe pain. I was sporadically uncomfortable for a day or two as my uterus recovered from the invasion. I don’t have an unusually high tolerance for pain which makes me wonder if other people think being a little uncomfortable is reason for narcotics. I wouldn’t want someone to needlessly suffer in pain, but doesn’t a reasonable amount of pain mean your body is coping and you are alive? 

Maybe I’m the odd-man out. I never have understood women who wanted to have an epidural as soon as they arrived at the hospital for childbirth.  My thinking is that if I’m going to deliver a 7 lb. baby that it is going to hurt and I did know that when I got myself into that situation. I guess I’m of the “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” mindset. Well, at least epidurals are not a highly addictive, easily acquirable drug.

Back to our nation's narcotic/opiod crisis. This situation that I was in is repeated daily thousands of times across the US. Percocet and Oxycodone are routinely prescribed for a multitude of surgeries. See the astounding data from the CDC here. Otherwise sane, productive, normal people go home and fill these prescriptions. Some of them will become addicted. Many who are able to just take a few pills or never take any more will find their pills being pilfered by someone in their household. A teenage child, one of the child’s friends, a service person, even one of their own friends who is hiding his/her addiction will find themselves sneaking 1 pill while using the bathroom.

The only power I have is that of AWARENESS. Please pass the word and research this yourself.  If you don’t think you personally know someone addicted to narcotics, you are probably wrong. There are many, many very good people hiding their addiction right in your insulated suburban neighborhood.

Although this blog has morphed from KindCleaning (with Norwex) to KindCleaning (your body for healthy living) I cannot ignore some social problems that definitely affect the health of our society.

Making Friends as an Adult is Yucky

Making new friends as an adult is a yucky and awkward business if you’re not a natural friend-maker.  Some people are, I have a friend who has relocated several times and always seems to find a group of close friends wherever she lands.  But for the rest of us, it can be a daunting process.  I’ve never had even a bit of this friend’s natural friend-making ability (which is very different from just being “friendly”).

• Nursery School – no friends at all, played alone.  Scared my mother one day when the teachers couldn’t find me.  I was hiding in an indoor playscape.
• Elementary School – friend who was a natural friend-maker lived across the street so I rode her coattails through middle school.
• High School – no friends at school; but when I started working in retail and fast food I found camaraderie with the other teens and finally had my own group. And there was one good friend who sought me out because she noticed I loved Adam Ant as much as she did.
• College – friendships mostly based on roommates and their ability to make friends
• Working World – made friends with those in my “training class” and finally did cultivate a few friendships on my own (well, it’s about time!)
• Home with a Newborn – whoa, nothing prepared me for this glut of friends.  I expected a Lucy & Ethel relationship with one of my neighbors but as I pushed the stroller past the homes during the day they were silent. It took me a couple of years to find other homemakers in the neighborhood and then to find someone whose company I really enjoyed was another challenge.

About this time one of my friends from that training class explained that making friends as an adult was kind of like dating.  You start by getting a phone number, then gauge receptiveness to getting together with the kids. Finally you see if you can branch beyond mommyhood to doing something without the kids or even having a phone conversation that isn’t about drop-offs, pick-ups or which kids have a cold.

Currently I’ve discovered several new friendships forming and I’m proud of this because they were ones I actively chose.  With my new interest in healthy living I think I’ve become a better “potential friend.”  Being happier with myself, I’m more willing to approach others and suggest a get-together.  Being someone who is activiely promoting a positive lifestyle makes me more attractive to others as a friend. 

So ladies, as we pursue our #GoRedGetFit goals be assured that our healthy lifestyle reaps many rewards.  We are healthier in body AND in mind; and that healthy mind allows us to spread our internal goodness (love) to those around us.  

My March Plateau

This is on the wall at my Cardiologist's office - so nice, to read and confirm I am following through on it all!

March has been a plateau month for me and I’m oddly OK with that. My stagnation has forced even more reflection as I assess my progress, or lack thereof, my past and the reasons behind my obesity.  Wow! Two scary words already: plateau and obesity. Technically my BMI puts me in the Obese range (there, I even typed it with a capital.) 

Eating my Colors everyday for Heart health

I lost 0.8 lb. in March. My total loss since Oct. 1 is 22.2 lbs. Here’s why I’m OK with this and motivated to continue with zest:

1.       I probably gave about 65% effort this month. Between a blizzard that blocked my walk/run path for days and 3 children’s consecutive spring breaks to stress my mind I just wasn’t giving my all.

2.       A plateau is NOT a gain.  I’ve been told by several people (some who went to med school) that by losing weight slowly I greatly increase my chances of keeping it off. 

3.       My “Procedure” which I probably stressed for subconsciously all month.  On Tuesday I had a Novasure Ablasion. (TMI coming!) This is a one day surgery that scrapes and cauterizes the lining of the uterus.  I had it for menorrhagia.  I hope that I will be like the 80% of women who have this and never have a visit from Aunt Flo again.  I also hope the bloating, sugar craving time before Aunt Flo doesn’t happen anymore either.

Revelation: When my older children are at college, I don’t worry much about them, but when they are home, my mental “mom” link revs up with constant worrying that causes stress which causes me to try to soothe myself with food. I can now recognize that raising four children with an intentional mind set caused that higher level of stress over the years and thus stuck me with a spare tire or two around the middle. The “intentional” parent is one who has a reason for every decision. I need alternatives that are not food related.  For now, everyone is back at school – my household only has 2 children and seems quiet and peaceful.  This quote from Riding in Cars with Boys sums up motherhood and I will devote another blog post to it in the future:

“Sometimes we love people so much that we have to be numb to it. Because if we actually felt how much we love them, it would kill us. That doesn't make you a bad person. It just means your heart's too big.” (She’s talking about her child)

Sometimes you need some chocolate