Choosing the Healthy Way

One of the best parts about being pregnant, even during a Richmond summer with temps and humidity in the high 90’s, was the fact that I wasn’t having monthly cramps.

Between the contractions during my kids’ deliveries I thought to myself, “is this worse than my worst cramps?” Except for a few of the doozies the answer was, “Not really.” And, I looked forward to the prospect of having less pain when I wasn’t pregnant because my mom had always told me that the cramps weren’t so bad after having a baby.

There I was, nursing my 7-month old, when my periods started up again. What, me worry? It was going to be a breeze, right? Well, no. However, Advil had been invented by 1982 and that made things better. But, not all the way better. And, the cramps got worse as time went on. My friends dreaded the hormone switch-off in later life; I longed for the day. There was nothing else to do but endure a recurring day of pain on a monthly basis, I thought.

One of my younger friends began improving her health a couple of years ago by running. She got stronger and this gave her more energy, plus it has been a mood booster. Buoyed by her success with better health she and her husband began a quest for more nutritious eating about a year ago. They started by following a meal plan that is similar to what an allergist might prescribe as an allergy ID diet, when food groups known for frequent allergic responses are avoided for a period of time, then one food group is added back at a time. If you mix it up and eat outside of what is on the plan you won’t know what you might be sensitive to, so you have to choose your food carefully and stay true to the plan.

Within a week their energy improved. After about three months my friend noticed that her monthly cramps weren’t so intense and she experimented with not taking the fast-acting prescription medicine for cramps she had been relying on for years. After about six months she was not even taking over-the-counter pain meds for her cramps. She reports that if she eats some beloved “fun foods” too close to her period then she has some discomfort but, even then, nothing like she endured in the past.

Folks tell me that raw veggies are even more delicious if you add fresh flowers to the table

Of course, this won’t work for every female who follows a careful food plan. But, I wonder if it might have worked for me all those years when I writhed in pain in my bed, clutching a heating pad to my abdomen, wondering how soon I could drag myself to the kitchen and slug down another shot of whiskey for the pain.

It also makes me think about how my current way of eating might influence what happens to me later in life. Having enjoyed a brief time span of being at a healthy weight over the nine years I’ve been a member of Weight Watchers has made me realize that it feels good to be at a normal BMI. That’s why I keep going to meetings despite my poor eating habits; there’s always hope. But think--maybe my eyesight will continue to be okay, maybe I won’t lose my toes to diabetes and, just possibly, I might have more energy if I ate mostly nutritious food and very few “treats."

Choosing to live a healthier life isn’t a one-time decision for me and that must be why it’s so hard. I guess the real question is, is it worth it?

Below is one of the areas I'm pursuing via my Rubric for Retirement.  Gotta have a plan.

Demonstrates cardio and strength abilities commensurate with current health guidelines.	Assesses current status, in conjunction with health care professionals, to determine possible areas needing improvement.	Determines areas of competency (ex: healthy meal planning) and areas of need (ex: increase cardio activity by “x” weekly, reduce abdominal fat).	Demonstrates measurable improvements in targeted areas needing improvement (ex: waist measurement decreases from 150 cm. to 145 cm. in one month	Upon achieving goals, maintains desired measurements (HR, waist size, brisk walking speed per mile) for 3 month maintenance period.	HR and BMI stay within health guidelines. Able to complete preferred activities without need for frequent rest breaks.