I've been trying to write a post for several weeks about having a healthy body. However, I've been stuck on the idea that I don't want it to sound preachy. I have had, in my time, a well oiled machine of a body and a ready for the junk heap body. I am currently hovering in-between. I am a work in progress.
However, I was prompted to write Part One of this because of something that happened this weekend.
I need to digress for just a moment. I've been working on getting back up to optimum vitality for a minute now. Back in December, I became a pescatarian. For those of you that don't know, it means I am a vegetarian that also eats fish and seafood, but no chicken, turkey, pork or beef (that includes bacon - the hardest part). I did not do this for morality. I have never apologized for being carnivorous. I did it because it feels better. And being a writer, it's cheaper (okaay!)
Then as winter has been turning into spring I started feeling as though I was getting a little slow and my joints have really been complaining. So, I was working up to another cut to my diet. Then a friend of mine invited me to join a group on facebook dedicated to cleaning up our diets! Don't you love how the Universe just provides at the moment when you need it? And Bingo! The next step to getting more pep in my step without my knees complaining arrives.
Now, we're back to the story. Friday night, I was out with another friend. It was late and we needed to stop and get something to eat. We ended up at a pizza place, so I knew I was in trouble. I'm not supposed to be eating any animal products, low fat, no white flour, no refined anything. That left salad - they were out of salad...I ordered the penne with sun-dried tomatoes, no cheese...I had to eat something and although the pasta was a no-no, it was good under the circumstances.
While I was eating it, I knew something was up. I wasn't sure what was going to happen but, I knew my body was going to experience some unhappiness.
This was an understatement.
I will not regale you with all of the details. Suffice it to say my digestive system was under attack and I was at it's mercy for about 12 - 14 hours. Writhing in pain, is a very vivid description and completely accurate. I am proud to say that although I am currently at my parents home, I did not cry out for my mother. But, I really wanted to!
This is what started me thinking...we really take our bodies for granted. We expect them to do whatever we are requiring of them...without complaint...often without the proper fuel. We will often treat our cars considerably better than we treat our bodies. But, we feel affronted when our body is unable to rally.
I should let you know, I have been fighting the good fight against sickness for quite some time. The only time I really get sick is when I'm depressed, then everything goes downhill. Migraines take over my head. My asthma grabs a hold of my lungs. And my body seems to develop the ability to turn every calorie into fat. However, with joy, fully in my life, I have been quite successful in keeping sickness at bay. So, I was doubly affronted by my digestive tract taking such a serious turn (pun intended).
I am joyfully recovered and even more dedicated to the clean up of my diet. I can't say once I've completed the cleanse that I won't go back to eating eggs, cheese and the occasional piece of seafood. But, I can say that refined sugar and flour are definitely getting the boot. My diet is more colorful, and you know how I feel about color. Plus, I'm being forced to really THINK about what I'm eating. I can't just stick my hand out and shove whatever I come up with in my mouth.
These bodies are the only ones we get, barring any Hollywood tom-foolery. We need to find better ways to treat them. I am not going to tell you to give anything up. I'm going to ask you...what can you be doing differently that will make your body run better? Is there a time that you remember eating differently and feeling differently than you do now? And for extra credit...corn...is it really a vegetable?
Share your thoughts, your recipes, tell me I'm crazy for giving up bacon...whatever you feel called to do.
Until next time, I remain...Joyfully Robyn
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