New Health Goals for Fall 2011

Soda--my poison

I know this is a running theme in my life, but I must say it: I am in a lot of pain right now.  I wish this pain could just leave me alone.  I don't remember  being without pain.  I've taken too much Naproxen Sodium for my deep pain.  It is not doing anything anymore.

The only thing I can do is pray for the wisdom to find relief.  That's why I am going to rev up my health goals.  I'm hoping that I can improve my health by instituting some beneficial new and old habits.  I know that I am capable of developing new habits, and that might be what I need to reduce my pain.

Here are my new health goals:

1. Drink more water.

I'm not talking about measuring the amount of water I drink because I already drink a lot of water.  What I mean is that I might as well drink only water.  Whenever I drink water, I feel immediate relief from pain, which encourages me to drink more water.  There are challenges to this goal, though.  I want to get away from drinking bottled water, the last water filter broke easily, and we couldn't return it at the store.  Also, we have fluoridated water, which is considered dangerous.

2. Drink no soda.

This year, I spent about 4 to 5 months without drinking soda.  That is dedication.  I did experience some benefits.  My weight was maintained, and I was less inflamed.  I will need to rededicate myself to the no-soda challenge.

3. Take supplements.  

I am a proponent of eating vitamins and supplements in their natural form.  Many foods, like meat, vegetables, and fruits contain those nutritious ingredients; however, I do not eat enough healthy foods for complete health.  That's why I want to take vitamin B, for example, for energy.  Also, vitamin C is great for the immune system.

4. Eat breakfast.

I like to drink coffee to wake me up.  If I bother to get up, I can drink it to remain awake throughout the day.  If I eat eggs, I get protein which will help me lose weight.  If I eat oatmeal, that will keep me sated.  If I drink a smoothie, it will boost my energy.

5. Boost my metabolism.

According to Dr. Oz, Zinc, red chili peppers, vinegar, whey protein, and iced drinks help metabolism.  I think my metabolism, the rate of breakdown of food, is sluggish.  I need to speed it up.  If supplements can help, I will turn to them, at least for a short time. 

6. Exercise.

This one is a challenge due to my illness.  I would like to aim for ten minutes per day.  I think, though, that it's more realistic to begin with sitting and using my dumb bells and resistance bands.  Also, I now have my large exercise ball in my bedroom, which keeps staring at me, saying, "Sit on me!" 

7. Eat less junkfood.

Here's some more honesty.  I've been eating too many sweets.  It's so bad, I am itchy.  I need to change that.  I also need to take Chromium Picolinate, which reduces cravings.  Taking it in the short term has helped me keep from craving the simple carbohydrates, which do little to give energy and flush out of my system too quickly.

8. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

This one is tricky.  No, I'm not confused about what to eat.  The thing is, we are on a limited budget.  Also, when we buy the healthy foods, my kids immediately eat them.  That means that fruits, like  bananas, are eaten quickly.

9. Get dressed and put on shoes.

I've been feeling a bit frumpy.  I don't know if I need to buy new clothes, but I need to get out of my pajamas.  There are two main reasons why I stay in mine.  For one, I have been feeling a bit depressed.  Also,  my pajamas are more comfortable, which eases my pain.

10. I need new methods to move.

I wish I had a trampoline, but I can't use that as an excuse not to move my body.  I need to move to stimulate my lymphatic system.  It seems very congested.  I need to dance with a little hop, too.  Perhaps, something like jazzercise could help me.

11. Reduce sitting time.

I'm being honest here: I spend too much time in front of the laptop.  Yes, I am blogging, but that doesn't mean I need to be on Facebook all day.  I need to do more around the house.  My kids do their chores, but there are still some things that only I can do.  Deep cleaning like wiping the kitchen cabinets and reorganizing the contents of the refrigerator and freezer are things that only I would bother to do.

12. Sleep more.

I don't need to be in front of the television and/or Netflix.  We might need to move our television out of the master bedroom.  We might need to cancel our subscription to Netflix.  I love watching old movies, but staying up late is detrimental to me.  Research shows that during sleep time, the body heals itself.

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

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for this fall season?  How do you handle setbacks to your health?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits.  You might need to tweak 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.