It’s been a bit of a funny kinda health week. The Ginger Hunk became doubled over in pain on Wednesday. He had a mysterious stabbing pain which started a couple of weeks ago and had every kind of test known to man. It gradually got worse over time. Tests for his heart, blood, liver and everything followed. We could not find the culprit, and I watched my usually strong commando go all quiet, sit on the couch with yellowy pale skin, complaining about how much it hurts. It was quite scary to watch.
The Ginger Hunk is one of the most positive, upbeat people you will ever meet. For him to be whinging and complaining, I knew it had to be bad. In he went to hospital on Thursday, and was diagnosed quick smart with a stomach ulcer and prescribed the right medication straight away. He felt immediately better and woke up on Friday like a new person. We talked about how sick he was, how lucky we are and how amazing modern medicine is. By Saturday he was back in the sky on his paraglider, and we were able to go out to our dinner as planned for our wedding anniversary.
Back in the old days, you would have a stomach ulcer and just have to deal with it. These magical tablets will keep the acid down, so the ulcer can heal. His hip is on the mend and 2015 is going to be great.
I don’t know if I told you this either, because I don’t like to write about my lady bits on the world wide interweb but I feel this message is important. I had some high-grade abnormal cells removed from my cervix about a month ago and had a check up last week and have been told it is all good. I had a pap smear which came up bung, and I was whisked into the gyno quick smart to have the dodgy cells removed. They would have turned into cancer over time if left untreated. Again, I am reminded and grateful for the joys of public health and modern medicine.
If you are reading this and have not had your lady bits checked out recently GO AND DO IT.
How good is the diagram of the health tree above? It is from learning fundamentals if you want to check them out.
My health map has been a bit out of sorts this year. I still manage to train, but I have been reaching for the booze and not planning my meals out like I used to. It has led to 5 extra kilos and a general sluggy feeling where I am not bouncing out of bed like the morning person I once was.
I had a long think about being my best me physically and mentally this week. Especially after the death of Phillip Hughes. You can be the top of your game and doing everything right on your health map, and still have your life slip out from under you at any moment.
So I am doing two things to try to restore my balance. I am going off my anti-depressants, which I have started to do now, after taking such a very low dose for quite a while. I feel mentally fit and strong and more sure of myself. Most importantly, now that I have felt pretty normal for most of the year, I know what it looks like when I get into an anxious cray cray state and might need them again. I would take them again if needed without hesitation.
Secondly, while I know that weight and fitness has not been a huge priority for me in 2014 (and I am not beating myself up about it) I need to make this a priority for the next couple of months. It is more about my diet than anything else. I have been eating in a rush, making bad choices, and drinking too much as a stress relief, instead of filling my body with food that will make me feel good.
So I have joined the advanced humanology summer challenge to get me back on track for 2015. It starts on the 5th of January, and is a 12 week body challenge. You don’t have to do a crazy diet, you can exercise your way, but it is about being committed, supported and accountable for your choices. It’s not about a number for me anymore, I want to feel fit, strong,healthy and foxy again like I did last year.
I want to be the best version of myself that I can be, because life is too short to take the healthy body that I have been given for granted.
Happy Sunday!
Are you changing anything to be more healthy?
Do you feel you might have been given a second chance?
