Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Proof

via Pinterest
I had some great news yesterday.

No, it did not come via the news. That's for another blog and another blogger. I'm not even going to go there.

Mine actually came in the mail. Last week when I went to the doctor for my sinus infection, I asked him to run some blood tests for me. I have been anemic for as long as I can remember. I actually remember taking little green iron pills when I was in elementary school. (I actually remember this because the coating tasted sweet!). Throughout my late teens, 20's, and now early 30's , my iron as always tested low. Doctors have ordered more (very unpleasant) tests, I have been told to take iron pills, to eat red meat (which I haven't done in 18 years), blah blah blah. It seems that no matter what I did, my iron would not come up. I pretty much had the medical community stumped. (I'm going to leave that one alone too!)

Well, guess what? My test results from last week showed that my iron was NORMAL!! The normal range for iron is 32-120; mine was 82!!! It seems that my body couldn't even absorb the iron that I was getting from grains and meats. Again, I was listening to the external noise and advice instead of listening to and trusting my own body. I have to admit, I am amazed. I feel so blessed that I have discovered a way of living that honors my body. That just confirms my choices about my diet, and my reasons for writing this blog. I SOO want to help others to honor their own bodies as well!!


Here's a glimpse of what I ate yesterday to keep my body going strong:
This deliciousness was my lunch at work. (My food pictures never look to pretty because a) my food is in a tupperware container at my desk, and b) I get my photo skills from Instagram).

Baby kale is on the bottom, and it's topped with my roasted veggies of the week, 1/4 of a large avocado, sundried tomatoes, raw sauerkraut (great for digestion), torn nori (roasted seaweed) pieces, nutritional yeast (aka "nooch", aka my favorite thing), and apple cider vinegar. So stinkin' yummy.


I worked out at home yesterday morning, doing Tone It Up's Surfer Girl Workout for the first time. It was great! A good, quick, full-body toning workout that you can do with no equipment and makes you sweat. Check!

(Pinterest again)
I wanted to go for a run after I did the DVD, but I didn't get up in time. So after work yesterday, I headed out for a quick 4-miler. I am  so very happy that the Houston heat and humidity has subsided for a little while. I so missed running outside. It just makes me happy.

This morning I hit the gym again before work for 20 minutes of HIIT on the stepmill and a chest/tricep weight session.

Question: Do you ever have days at the gym when you feel weaker than normal?

 Today I felt like I just couldn't lift my normal amount. So frustrating! I have days like that now and then, but they pass and it's not a big deal; I just do what I can and know that I'm still getting a good workout :)

I so love working out first thing in the morning. One of my favortie things to do is listen to a worship station on Pandora.  It puts my mind at peace and gets me focused for the day ahead.

Verse of the day:
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"
Psalm 34:8

Have a blessed day!

P.S. If you read this, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Or comment on anything you've read, answer my question above, etc. I'd love to hear from you!

5 comments:

  1. Brooke, it happens to me a lot. The frustration of feeling weak at times. I hate it. Especially if I don't run a good 5k in less than 25 minutes. Annoying! I beat myself up. I think it happens (this is what my trainer has said) because your body is letting you know it needs a break. I mean, before I met you guys, I was a health freak! Ran almost everyday and did weights 5 times a day...not good. It's all the medication and all the anxiety and depression that has gotten me to where I was a week ago. But I made a vow to break through those barriers! :D I am stronger no matter if I am taking pills or not!

    P.s- congrats on your test results!!! I know how much it sucks to be anemic :(

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  2. Thank you for writing this blog!

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  3. yes, i think sleep, stress, allergies affect me the most. Glad you iron is okay! rest up and fuel up friend.
    xxoo

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  4. Hi Brooke!
    Dear Sister in CHRIST...I'm soooooooo glad that you're feeling so much better. THANK THE LORD!!!
    Isn't it soooooooo hard, when you seem to feel Sick, Weak, and Unable to do everything you want to do? It's soooooo upsetting, at times, when your body can't do all the things that other peoples' bodies seem to always be able to do????!! Drat!
    Plus, we both have been suffering from Sinuses. (Me...for the last month.) I've been taking the expensive SINUS MAX (NEW) pills for such a long time.
    Plus, since the box only has 20 pills @ $19.99...there's an extra level of frustration...huh sister? LOL
    I'm a regular or daily, chronic illness Christian. I have 4 of them. [DIABETES; FIBROMYALGIA or FMS; AMPUTATIONS OF BOTH FEET & LEGS (below the knees); and in 2006, I had Kidney Renal Failure. Needing to take dialysis, 3 days a week, for 3 1/2 hour sessions.)
    Actually, One of my Doctors decided to give me 4 strong, and new Diabetes medications...BEFORE he saw the results of my blood test. If he had only waited to see the results of my blood test...he would have seen that there was No Way that my body/kidneys could have taken those 4 new, strong medications. PLUS, when I went to see the Dr., I wasn't sick. I just needed the refill of my regular Diabetes MEDICATIONS THAT I'D BEEN TAKING FOR YEARS! (The Dr. just wanted to try these 4 new meds, because he thought it would give me a much tighter control over my Diabetes. Which I didn't HAVE to have.)
    I was soooooooooooooooooo upset. For 3 days after I started to take the meds...my kidneys started failing. Plus, I gained 60-some lbs of water. I HAD SUCH A HARD TIME GETTING OUT OF BED. (I MAY HAVE EVEN ROLLED OUT OF BED! TEE-HEE) Ha!
    WHEN THE SUBJECT OF SUEING HIM, WAS DISCUSSED, I GAVE IT SOME CONSIDERATION. HOWEVER, I DECIDED TO JUST FORGIVE HIM. YET, BEING HONEST WITH MYSELF...I KNEW MY DOCTOR HAD DONE ME WRONG. SOOOOOOOOOOO, I ASKED GOD TO JUST "GET HIM," FOR ME! [THAT DOCTOR'S URGENT CARE CENTER, THAT HE HAD OPENED...WENT BANKRUPT!!! AND, I'M SOOOOO GLAD TO HEAR OF IT! FOR THIS DOCTOR HAS A BAD REPUTATION WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S HEALTH.
    FOR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE CONSIDERED STUDYING TO BECOME A DOCTOR. YET, I KNEW THAT I HATED THE SIGHT OF BLOOD. AND, I LOVE PEOPLE TO THE POINT THAT I'D ALWAYS BE HAVING SYMPATHIC PAINS, WITH THE PATIENTS...AND I'D BE SECOND GUESSING MY DIAGNOSIS. I'D BE SOOOOOO AFRAID OF POSSIBLY BEING WRONG, AND HURTING SOMEONE.
    Yet, please don't feel sad for me. I'm doing all things in life, that I want to. I wear Prothesis...AND MOST OF ALL...JUST LIKE YOU...MY GOD BLESSES ME WITH EVERY THING WE NEED. SO HANG IN THERE SISTER.

    PLEASE CONTACT ME...WHENEVER YOU WANT TO TALK.....I UNDERSTAND. LOVE IN CHRIST
    MONA

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  5. Sorry it was soooooooooooooo long.

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