Dental Problems Are Affecting My Health: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

I am continuing to wear my pedometer and tennis shoes.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?  

I have set up goals for my health.  I have made some major accomplishments.  I have been drinking water.  I have given up soda during the Lenten season.  

I'm not losing too much weight.

I have also noticed my skin condition dramatically improve.  I now have looser clothing.    That's okay for now.  My main concern has always been to get healthier.  Fortunately, I do feel more knowledgeable about the information of real healthy foods than even a year ago.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. Tried my best to stay away from breads, but I needed to eat a peanut butter sandwich yesterday (Sunday).  I was able to sleep afterwards.  Been noticing that milk causes me some bloating, too.

2. Been suffering with tooth abscesses.  Haven't been able to eat hard foods.  Can't exercise because rapid movements and heavy chewing causes me headaches.

3. Drank some smoothies and V8 vegetable juice.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Will try my best to eat what I can.  I will opt for several smoothies and more V8.

2. Call a dentist and set up an appointment.  Thankfully, we now have dental insurance.

3. Try not to sink into depression after my setback of all this tooth pain and sense of hopelessness.


Here's a special point of honesty.

My dental problems have greatly affected my life for these last few years.  It is a source of deep sadness and humility.  I am very limited in what I can eat.  While others take for granted that they can bite into an apple, I sincerely wish I could do it.  Hopefully, a good dentist can help improve my life.

Well, thanks for letting me vent about dental problems affecting my health.  I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please pray for me, as I resume my dental appointments.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Spring Is Upon Us: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

I wear my pedometer at all times to track my activity levels.

Spring is upon us.

I had a long, dreary week with the rains.  I started out fine with activity and then, I couldn't keep the momentum.  I had to rest.  It's as if my body needed it.  By the way, my weight stayed the same. 

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. I'm still soda free.

2. Have been reading my Bible.

3. My back is better.

4. Decluttered at the beginning of the week.

5. Drank lots of water.

  

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Limit sweets.

2. Limit bread.

3. Exercise more.

4. Continue to be soda free.

5. Go to sleep early.

6. Drink more smoothies.

I had a wonderful weekend.  

I learned about what causes back pain.  I also learned what I could do to alleviate it.  One of the causes is sugar.  That means that I have to avoid it like the plague to keep my sciatica away. 

I look forward to the new week.  The birds are already singing.  The trees are bearing bright, green leaves.  The bluebonnets are gracing San Antonio's grassy lands.  That means it's gardening time--which should provide plenty of exercise and wonderful vegetables.

Well, thanks for reading about my spring fever.  I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

We Have Weight Loss: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

My weight loss aids are my pedometer and tennis shoes.

Oh, I experienced a tough week.  I was eating lots of beans and veggies.  My stomach was churning uncontrollably.  I knew that eating the healthier foods would not be easy.  Trying to eat better foods like cauliflower and edamame would be a great challenge.

Something wonderful happened--I had weight loss.

All that suffering produced a welcome result.  I lost two pounds.  The pain of bloating was horrible, but I feel better now.  I felt helpless and even bought some medicine, but I didn't need it after all.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. I've been soda free.  Hasn't been easy.  My hubby is still buying soda for himself.

2. Caught up with my Bible reading plan a bit.  I am about two-thirds caught up.  Hope to catch up with the rest eventually.

3. My sciatica is still bothering me.  We need a new mattress set, but we need to save up to buy it.  Until then, I will have to bear up with stretching.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to be soda free.  Giving it up for Lent has helped.  That's not to say that there aren't temptations.  Seeing hubby drinking it makes me want to take a sip.  The pain on my left side will remind me to stay away from it.

2. Pray about my cravings.  No amount of supplements or talks or advice will help me.  I will put my trust in the Lord for this one.  I will keep knocking on God's door about this, until the cravings subside. 

3. Declutter and deep clean my house.  This will provide exercise.  I am not able to do any organized or rigorous programs.  I think just getting active has helped me this past week so I will keep at it, and my house will get cleaner.

4. Plan to lose 7 pounds within the next few months.  That is 5% of my current weight.  I haven't focused on numbers lately, but I need a solid goal to approach.  This will propel me to rev up my methods to lose weight and get healthier.

I now have momentum in my health quest.  

Knowing that I have lost weight is motivating me to keep going.  Of course, I am out of the first two months of the year 2012.  In those months, I ate lots of cake.  From this point onward, I will concentrate on eating more healthy foods.

Well, thanks for reading about my weight loss.  I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

From Cravings to Contagious Behavior: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

We bought new bottles to fill with water for the kids.

My hubby was on a semi-vacation last week.

This past week was a tough one.  My hubby was home for part of the week.  He took off work so he could fix our Ford Taurus and do some home repairs.  I gotta say that whenever he is around, I get lazy so that affected what we ate.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. Had too much takeout and junk food.  We are definitely out of the No Takeout Challenge.

2. Suffered with sciatica and feeling of bloating. Stretching has helped my lower back.

3. Didn't meet my goal of walking 3,000 steps per day, but I still jotted down how much I walked.

4. Never did catch up on my Bible reading plan, but I still read my Bible everyday.

5. Here's one positive thing--I've been soda free for at least a week!

These are my new tennis shoes and pedometer.

I am concerned about my children's water intake.

Trying to get healthy is not just for me.  It's for all of us.  I want my children to develop positive habits.  This means that I have to devise methods for them to change negative behavior.  I've noticed that my oldest son drinks (craves) too much apple juice.

I bought each child a jug.  They now have a water challenge.  They must drink at least 2 cups or 16 ounces of water per day.  My youngest ones exceeded the challenge by at least 4 cups.   

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to be soda free.

2. Try to walk 2,500 steps per day.  This might be more doable.

3. Continue reading my Bible and try to keep up with the plan starting in March.

4. Continue to do my stretching.  This should keep injuries at bay.

5. Continue to make dinners with veggies and smoothies with fruit.  

6. I'm hoping to take supplements to stave off cravings for junk food.

7. Try to eat a few spinach salads with balsamic vinegar.  I've been craving something sour, but I have to be careful with my salt intake.

Sciatica reared its ugly head last week.  

I tried to move around last week, but I felt stuck.  I researched and found a great article on sciatica that helped me immensely.  I hope it can help someone who suffers with it.  I also read on Facebook about the idea of taking Vitamin D3; I have some so I will try that out, as well.  Keeping hydrated should help.

I pray that my health habits become contagious behavior for my children.

Now that I have my tennis shoes, I feel more confident.  I hope these shoes help steady my feet while I walk.  My pedometer came with a nifty booklet.  In it, there was a worksheet to fill in how many steps I did for any given day.  It also came with tips to walk efficiently, and I hope to institute some of those ideas so my kids can watch and be encouraged to take part.

Well, thanks for reading about our cravings turning to new, contagious behaviors as part of my health goals for 2012.  I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for February going into March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.