Tis the Season to Get Sick

November 30th was a good day, it started off that way anyhow. Worked out with my fave, had breakfast and got to work on time, but it was all downhill from there. By the time he afternoon arrived that sinus pain had me jacked up so bad I couldn’t see straight. I shut it down, headed home and got in the bed, which I never do.

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After a weekend of pill popping, nose blowing, hacking and coughing I was at Kaiser on Monday like yooooooo I can’t take this anymore!!!!  I visited with a really nice NP who proceeded to tell me it was viral. Yeah those cooties were going around the office and evidently it was my turn. I was instructed to continue my regimen, added some steroids (again) and sent me packing. You can guess what ensued next,

lots of eating and NO EXERCISE WHATSOEVER.

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I eat a lot on the roids because allowing hunger to set in is the worst,  I feel sick to my stomach. So in order to not add on to the grossness that was this cold, I ate and ate and ate. Two weeks after its start I attempted to work out and was still coughing and too congested to do anything of substance. By week three, the symptoms had mostly dissipated so I hit the weights first with this young lady. Needless to say, the weakness was real and expected, however it was good because I got through without collapsing and got in two more workouts,  the week the last of which was quite comical.  Remember this? There was a guy who DID NOT MOVE.  I did  the 6 stations after him and had to improvise the rest on the floor with the regular equipment, but I digress.

Flu season is no joke, I take a flu shot every year. As an asthmatic I don’t fool around. Fortunately what I had, was the common cold. Telling the difference for me is easy, since I’ve had horrible flu before I knew this recent illness was not that.  However, in case you aren’t aware, here’s a great source for telling the difference.

The hardest thing for folks who lead an active life is shutting it down to recover. The good news for those who are not old and skittish (moi) is that you don’t have to. The rule of thumb is for above the neck symptoms moderate exercise is cool, below the neck, not so much. Your body is a wondrous piece of work, it will let you know if you’re doing too much. Also to lower your chances of getting sick in the first place, practice good hygiene, stay away from sick folk etc.

Hopefully you and yours will make it through the holidays and the remainder of winter without cold or flu. If you do get caught, this is no time to try to set a PR in anything. Focus on getting well.

Until next time see you at the gym, but if I see you sneezing, I’m going the other way.

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Photos: MsThorns

 

Skip the Gym This Season, Seriously

Let me tell you what an old broad hates about the holidays. People and their cars. Yeah mugs are generally all ’tis the season to be jolly” and such, there’s just too many of them. During this time of year I generally avoid retail establishments other than the grocery store like the plague and even that can be dicey. Now I do happen to be fortunate to a) have a gym that’s not close to popular retail establishments and b)an old broad body that wakes up early sans clock most days to get to the gym, allowing me to avoid said people and cars. However some of you may not be as fortunate. Your gym may be next to the mall or worse, Wal-Mart and you just don’t want to fool with all the hoopla. Well guess what? You can skip the gym and get those reps in…

AT HOME. Surely you didn’t think you were going to get a pass did you?

Believe it or not gym rats there are tons of fitness channels on YouTube. (Now if you already know this, this post is not for you, but feel free gift this to someone else). I’ve been working out with YouTube folks for maybe 5 years now and enjoy the convenience of rolling out of bed jumping in clothes and getting it in right at home. Any type of workout you want can be found there, strength training, cardio, HIIT, kickboxing you name, as well as the more centering practices of Yoga and Two Chi. So to help some of you nOObs along, here’s the YouTube trainers I currently workout with now as well as some of my tried and true faves.

HASFit – Coach Kozak and Claudia are the dynamic duo behind HASFit. They have over 1000 FREE videos on YouTube and a variety of them, HIIT, Cardio, Strength you name it.  Kozak usually does the high intensity moves, Claudia the lower intensity.  These two are not the “HEY C’MON LET’S GET IT” types, they are quiet assassins.  They calmly whoop your tail and you’ll love it.  I do most of my strength training with these two, most recently this.

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BodyFit by Amy – I came upon her by accident, looking for a Kettlebell workout.  I had done most of the ones that I like with my old standbys and was looking for somebody, anybody else and Amy fit the bill.  She has a wide variety of workouts by type Cardio, Strength etc, but also specialty workouts like her prenatal series. I did one of her prenatal cardio kickboxing workouts on a day when I was really sore and it was great to for getting in some light cardio. I generally do Kettlebell and strength training with her, most recently this.

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Lumowell – My standing workout schedule includes 3 days of walking per week.  Some days, due to work, fatigue and downright laziness I can’t make it out of the bed at 0 dark thirty to go to the gym.  Instead of wearing out my carpet with household laps,  I looked for walking workouts on YouTube, found a few that were good but a few years old, then Lumowell popped up. I was like whaaattt is this???? Well the trainer is an animated lady or gent (haven’t done one of his yet), with voiceover ques.  The exercises are great and include modifications. For the workouts I suggest turning the sound down and using your own music if you like exercising to music.  I most recently bumped some House doing this one.

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Now for my faves, my tried and trues, the ones I ALWAYS go back to week after week after week

Yoga – Yoga by Candace, Fightmaster Yoga, YogaTX, Yoga with Adriene – I’ve been ALL over YouTube trying various Yogis, subscribed and unsubscribed to many, but these 4 I go back to every single time.  I can’t tell you why but these are the ones that are best for me and the way I wish to practice right now.

Favorite HIITMAN – Millionaire Hoy.  This dude is non-stop work, energy and talking!  I have never seen anyone do what he does and talk like that at the same time.  What I like, is that he doesn’t hide the fact that he’s working as hard as the viewer.  Every now and again he’ll let out a little scream which is HEEEEELARIOUS to let you he’s feeling it.  I dig him so much and believe in what he’s doing that I joined the BOOM Fist Bump family on his Patreon.  MillHoy has incredible HIIT workouts, cardio, targeted body area workouts, themed workouts and as of late a lot more strength training which, if you can tell I’m starting to ALMOST enjoy.  Check him out, his energy is contagious even at 5:00 am in the morning.

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Do you have enough tools now to skip the gym but NOT skip your workout?  I hope these resources help and that you find the right trainers for you and your lifestyle.  If you have tried any of these folks or would like to make some recommendations, I would love to hear from you in the comments and in all the usual spots.

Until next time, enjoy time with your family during the holidays, but don’t forget about yourself, put in that WORK!

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Photos: YouTube screenshots of trainer pages and MsThorns

Physical, Mystical very Diabetical

2004 or thereabouts  I just wasn’t feeling well, overweight, uncomfortable, sluggish not bad, but just not well.   I had taken a fasting glucose test a couple of times where they make you drink that fake nasty wannabe Fanta drink and my doctor determined I was borderline diabetic and had “insulin resistance” or some nonsense.  Well on that last fasting test I crossed on over into Type 2 Diabetes land.  My doctor gave me a prescription for Metformin, a diet book from the American Diabetes Association and sent me on my way.

Anyone diagnosed with diabetes in the early 2000s had to have gotten the book.  It was a colorful little book with pictures of fresh veggies and such and a meal plan with suggested foods. The calories were limited (I think) to about 1200-1500 per day.  Needless to say, the way I was eating at the time, I lasted all of three days on that diet. First of all it was low-carb and no sweets which are of course my favorite things. THEN this plan recommended nasty food like cottage cheese. BLEH, who eats that?  I couldn’t do it.  I went into full scale rebellion mode, eating all the food, all the snacks and drinking all the pop.  Of course doing so for the next two years only made matters worse.

I was having WILD swings in my blood glucose.  I would spike up to 280-300 and drop down into the mid 50s.  The lows were really scary because I would start sweating and shaking and being all panicky as is wasn’t helping. My diet was trash and I knew it but was it THAT trash?  I went back to the doctor, told him about the wild swings and you know what he did? He gave me some more medicine.  This time a shot that I had to administer every day right into my fat stomach. That was 2006.  The medicine worked I was still eating whatever I wanted but I wasn’t having all the wild swings anymore.  Byetta was a life saver, a least for the moment.Byetta-2

I started a new job in 2007.  I recall going into the restroom at the job, every morning, listening to make sure no one was coming so I could expose my stomach and shoot up.  I wasn’t good enough at it where I could just look down and handle my business within the confines of a stall, I needed a mirror.  I felt better but NEEDING to do this every day sucked and I very much wanted to not need it anymore.  That same year a member of the management team at my job passed away suddenly.  He was only 3 years older than me at the time. Not only did the entire office mourn is passing, but I was scared sh***ess.  I went to my new doctor at the time, an absolutely awesome lady doc who kept it 100 at all times and told her I didn’t want to take any of those meds anymore. She said getting off the medication required getting the weight off. I complied and have been Diabetes drug free since then.

That’s the long and short of how I became Type 2.  Do I do right all the time? Nope, my struggles are well documented, but I do the best I can most of the time and when things start getting out of hand, my body and my doctor of the last 4 years, Dr Diva,  let me know and I get back on track in.   Diabetes is nothing to play with, complications can be severe, however with proper management you can still live your best life.

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#thisisdiabetes

What about you?  Are you Diabetic?  Want to tell you story?  Hit me up in the comments or in the usual spaces.  I’d love to have you do a guest post here on Powered By Soul sharing how you live your best life with Diabetes.

Until next time, see you at the grocery store, where hopefully you’ll see me reaching for broccoli, instead of Tostitos.Snacks-2

Photos: Meds, Web MD; all others, MsThorns

Big Mama, Medicine Woman

I am now my mother.

Way back during the times that dinosaurs roamed the earth I was a teen living in the home of my mother and father. In one house (my fave), was a nice sized kitchen. Open, eat-in style with plenty of cabinet space and a walk in pantry. The upper cabinet closest to the pantry housed the family pharmacy. In it were all the prescription meds, otcs and vitamins. We certainly had medicine cabinets I just don’t recall medicine being in them. The kitchen was it and looking back it makes sense because the kitchen is where the beverages were and required for taking meds, unless you’re a person with snake-like tendencies swallowing pills whole without water. None of us are snakes.

I am now my mother.

Around age 37 or so the proverbial poo hit the fan. I thought I was having a heart attack, madamoiselle drama queen called the nurse advice line who told me to call an ambulance and go the hospital. Now EMTs weren’t an unusual site in my townhouse community as there were a few neighbors who were seniors. I was NOT a senior and was getting hauled off to what later became a more frequent hangout spot, Northside Hospital.

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I was a big lady, am now too but even bigger then. I tell them I’m having chest pains and can’t breathe and these fools put my big butt on a treadmill on INCLINE. They kept speeding it up until I was running. Then they looked at me crazy because I was running. I’m like, “don’t get it twisted I’m a 200 lb cardio queen.” But I digress, they finished the stress test, told me my heart was fine and that I was having an asthma attack.

Whaaaaat??

They used to say that you “outgrow” asthma. Those famous theys lied. I’d gone 20 years without problems but the greenery of the metro and the smog had me jacked up. After painful allergy tests, allergy shots which I still get, Ct scans (just had one last week) and alllllllll the meds I’ve become my mother, the lady with the kitchen medicine cabinet except my kitchen is far less spacious and said meds are kept In a basket. Most of the basket is filled with vitamins, however meds are ever present to handle all of my various maladies. Do I like it? Nah. Are there alternatives? Yeah sure, just haven’t found anything that doesn’t cause HIVES. So for now, I do what is required in order to keep all my fluffiness upright and above ground.

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What about you? When was the moment that you became your mom/dad/grandmam? Let me know in the comments or the usual places. Until next time, see you in the vitamin aisle or the pharmacy where I’ll be trying to maintain.

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This is the Gym: Do You Read? Edition

As documented before I am a cardio queen, loathe to do strength training. However at this stage of the game, I’m thinking about doing more. They say (the doctors) that strength training, especially as you age, is good for strengthening bones and what not and may help prevent osteoporosis. I do what they say sometimes and grudgingly hit the weights, mostly at home, but occasionally at the gym. One of my fave workouts is the PF 30 at Planet Fitness. You hit all the body parts and get in a little cardio in 30 minutes. Of course I do additional cardio after that but when I hit that PF 30 circuit I’m focused, completing the circuit in the order it was created, sometimes. Why sometimes? Because PEOPLE! Lord Jesus be a fence between me and these mugs in the circuit room lifting all Willy Nilly.

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I walk in, alone, put my ear buds in, start my house music (all soulful house mixes welcome) and start the circuit. Then here comes Stretch Armstrong. He’s here to use the step to stretch before his workout. Not a problem, he’s at the last station and will be long gone before I get there. I’m cool until the entrance of the Wonder Twins. They are here to do chest and shoulders and that’s it, oh and talk to each other a lot and take too long and cause me to skip those two stations and come back. They finally leave, I double back and get back on track until I see Old Time Rock and Roll enter the room. He’s a 50 something like me and is going hard on one step, no other equipment. He has that grit on his face like he’s straining for a marathon. I’m like bruh it’s not that deep, please move.  By the time I get to his station I’m good, he’s finished the marathon.

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Believing I have left all interlopers behind me I proceed to move through the last 5 stations and wouldn’t you know, Abs of Steel shows up for the ab machine. She does, I don’t know how many sets and how many reps, and I throw in the towel. I finish my abs separately which I needed to do more than that station anyway. But, that doesn’t negate the fact that mugs came into the express room and did everything but the express circuit @$*%^+>#(%

Look I’m all about mugs going hard for their workouts. I’m happy to see people working out especially those of us who are a certain age or older but, I need y’all, use the equipment for its assigned/posted purpose and keep it moving. However, judging from this experience, some of y’all don’t read,  at least not gym signs anyway.

Until next time see you at the gym, where I hope to find you adhering to all posted signage.

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Photos: MsThorns

 

I Love It When They Call Me Big Mama

Things going on with my peepers. Not anything I haven’t seen before, but particularly noticeable and troublesome this go round. I see my doctor who sends me to the ophthalmologist who happens to be located in West Hell, I do what she says though.

The doctor tells me what I already know since I’ve had the condition several times over the years. However, instead of waiting on things to return to normal he decides to treat it more aggressively (my words) and prescribes a little white pill.

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This is prednisone and it is the devil.

I’ve been on it before for asthma and allergies but not for any period longer than two weeks and it always has been beneficial in short courses, bronchial inflammation, gone, eczema gone, etc.  I have experienced those benefits this time as well a few undesirable side effects like bruising easily, thinned skin  and unfortunately the SWOLE look I’m rocking that has nothing to do with pumping iron.  My weight, bless the LAWD, has been up and down the same 4 pounds as long as I’ve been on it, but my cheekbones? Where dey at? My stomach, already hefty, now putting all zipper, buttons and waistbands to the test.

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Now let’s be clear i’m not feeling sorry for myself, this is only a RANT.  I’m feeling better for sure, looking? Not so much and I do CARE.  Prednisone is a highly prescribed drug, used for a NUMBER of health conditions and for some it is good, it’s been good for me, it’s just the extra fluff that I can really do without.

What about you? Have you been prescribed something that didn’t have life threatening side effects, but perhaps impacted your performance, appearance or proved to be an obstacle in parts of you life?  Let me know in the  comments and the regular spots.

Until next time, see you at the gym, where maybe I’ll be back to my usual fluffy self.

Photos: MsThorns
Video: The Notorious B.I.G., Warner Bros

Yeah I Bit

Being 599 years old now (50) I have turned into one of those “I used to walk 5 miles one way barefoot in the snow to school” people when relating how “hard” we had it back in the day and how soft the yutes of today are. I love saying stuff like, “back in the day we had to look in a phone book for a number or call and get direction or use an actual paper map to get somewhere. These churn know nothing of the hardships we dusties born in the 1960s had to endure. But, let’s be clear, I love my tech. I love saying “ok Google, give me the best chocolate chip cookie recipe while listening to Spotify on my fancy wireless speakers. When it comes to tech and fitness though, I’m decidedly old school. I think the most important tech you need is a good pair of shoes for whatever your activity is. Tech fabric is good too for old hot flashing broads like myself but the wearables? Nah B I’m good. My Timex Ironman tells me how long and how fast I’m going and any course I’m on has mile markers on it. Yet a funny thing happened in March 2015. I had the bright idea to take my old self to the store and get a wearable. I didn’t do any research either. I know my Soror swore by her wearable and if it was good enough for my diva sister it would be good enough for me. So I copped me a Fitbit.

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Being a semi-doubter I wasn’t about to drop any serious coin, so I got the next to the cheapest model, the One. It was cool, easy to set up and use and the app was clean. I stuck it on my strap and headed out the door, every day, that I remembered and logged 35 to 45k steps a week. Clearly short of the standard 10,000 a day “they ” say we’re supposed to get. It didn’t help me do any more than I was already doing. Then one day I forgot I had it clipped to mon brassiere and threw it in the washing machine. It no longer worked but I was not pressed. I was busy anyway, working all those jobs trying to get my life together. 10,000 steps, let alone a Fitbit, was the last thing on my mind. Then it happened.

I blew up!

Being a petite fleur, 5 lbs shows up quickly and I was up about 25. Then my doctor was on my case about it so, I got another ONE. I wore it every day got the steps in when I could and reached that fanatic tipping point where I would turn my car around and go back home and get the blasted Fitbit if I forgot it. Who does that? Me and a bunch of other weirdos who want to track every doggone thing. I was full-fledge addicted and it was nothing nice.

I started adding friends on Fitbit, participating in Challenges, and watched my dad and that same Soror whoop me every week in step totals. Didn’t care though, I was actually moving more, was actually getting those pounds off and winning a challenge every now and then. All that “success” justified a reward, that reward was an upgrade. Amazon had the Charge2 on sale and I had to have it.

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I was in love. So sleek, so fancy, telling me when to get up off my fanny and move, it was the bomb! Until it wasn’t. I missed my watch. My regular big old Ironman. I TOOK it off and put my One back on and watch my steps turn well, weird. I could walk through Wal-Mart and get a thousand steps with the One and get MAYBE a quarter of that with the Charge2. I could do my hair for an hour with the Charge2 and get a thousand steps sitting down. I called bulls***.

The Charge2 is arm sensitive/driven. Do a lot of arm moving and waving and those steps go up. Walk with little arm movement or if it isn’t loose enough on the arm the steps are woefully under counted. There’s some user forums and documents and such that tell you to measure your steps and calibrate to address those issues. Then I remembered why I didn’t get a wearable for such a long time. I ain’t trying to do ALL THAT.

Now it’s May 2017. I still wear them both but use the Charge2 mostly for cardio and strength training and the One for walking. As of the day of this writing I haven’t worn either for a few days and it’s been GREAT! You see sometimes too much of a good thing is exactly that, too much. Fitbit had me stressing over how much sleep I wasn’t getting (which was also dead wrong), how I can smoke my friends step count and going into full scale panic when I didn’t have it on. Do I think wearables are useful? Absolutely, they can be a motivator and provide instant feedback on what you’re doing. However they can’t be wholly relied upon to starting or maintaining a healthy body/healthy life. In my experience, how my body and mind feel continues to be the best gauge of stamina, strength, flexibility and how rested and mentally well I am. Might be the same for you too.

Tell me about your experience. Do you use a wearable to measure your exercise, steps, heart rate and such? How’s it working out for you? Let me know in the comments or in the usual spots and until next time, see you on the trail where I’ll be rocking my trusty Ironman and maybe a Fitbit hidden somewhere.

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P.S. add me on Fitbit 😃

Photos: MsThorns

Check In and Check Up

This is the 2nd week of January and I’m sure you’ve read, listened to and watched all things regarding health and fitness goals. You have set some goals for yourself and allow me to be the first or fifth person to say YAY YOU for setting those goals!!!! I’m wishing you much success and give you a gentle reminder that you’ve got to the put in the work.  While you’re working toward those goals though, I need to add just a few more things to your clean and healthy plate.  I mean you didn’t think that was all did you?

Ye olde broad is no stranger to the “doctor’s office.” I’ve been a regular since my arrival on planet earth 50 years ago.  However, some of you may not be.  In fact, some of you avoid the doctor’s office like the plague, or you consider doctors to be the plague. Whatever the case maybe, if you are insured/have means/have access get over yourself (jokingly) and don’t be afraid (seriously) to get some of the recommended screenings for your age and sex.  So what types of things are on the table?

WOMEN: we need to test ALL the things. If you want to stick around for a while, suck it up buttercup and get these recommended screenings:

Screening tests Ages 18–39 Ages 40–49 Ages 50–64 Ages 65 and older
Blood pressure test Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.

 Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.

 Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.

 Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Bone mineral density test
(osteoporosis screening)		 Discuss with your doctor or nurse if you are at risk of osteoporosis. Get this test at least once at age 65 or older.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about repeat testing.
Breast cancer screening
(mammogram)		 Discuss with your doctor or nurse. Starting at age 50, get screened every 2 years. Get screened every 2 years through age 74.

Age 75 and older, ask your doctor or nurse if you need to be screened.
Cervical cancer screening
(Pap test)		 Get a Pap test every 3 years if you are 21 or older and have a cervix.

If you are 30 or older, you can get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years.

 Get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years if you have a cervix. Get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years if you have a cervix. Ask your doctor or nurse if you need to get a Pap test.
Chlamydia test Get tested for chlamydia yearly through age 24 if you are sexually active or pregnant.

Age 25 and older, get tested for chlamydia if you are at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant.

 Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active and at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active and at increased risk. Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active and at increased risk.
Cholesterol test Starting at age 20, get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.

 Get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.

 Get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.

 Get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.
Colorectal cancer screening
(using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy)		 Starting at age 50, get screened for colorectal cancer.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it.

 Get screened for colorectal cancer through age 75.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it.
Diabetes screening Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
Gonorrhea test Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk. Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk.
HIV test Get tested for HIV at least once.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse because you may need more frequent tests.

All pregnant women need to be tested for HIV.

 Get tested for HIV at least once.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse because you may need more frequent tests.

All pregnant women need to be tested for HIV.

 Get tested for HIV at least once.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse because you may need more frequent tests.

 Get tested for HIV at least once if you are age 65 and have never been tested.

Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.
Syphilis test Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk or pregnant. Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk or pregnant. Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk. Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.

Source: womenshealth.gov

Again these are recommendations and your doctor may recommend more or fewer screenings.  When you do see your provider,  (and you will see one, right?) have a thorough and truthful discussion about your health and your family history.  They are doctors, you can tell them ALL OF IT, that’s what they are there for.

MEN: you are not all of the hook.  There’s a honey do list of screenings for you as well:

Screening tests Ages 18–39 Ages 40–49 Ages 50–64 Ages 65 and older
Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening Get this one-time screening if you are age 65 to 75 and have ever smoked.
Blood pressure test Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.

 Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.

 Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.

 Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).

Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.

Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Cholesterol test Starting at age 20 until age 35, get a cholesterol test if you are at increased risk for heart disease.

Starting at age 35 and older, get a cholesterol test regularly.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.

 Get a cholesterol test regularly.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.

 Get a cholesterol test regularly.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.

 Get a cholesterol test regularly.

Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.
Colorectal cancer screening
(using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy)		 Starting at age 50, get screened for colorectal cancer.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it.

 Get screened for colorectal cancer through age 75.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it.
Diabetes screening Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
HIV test Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.

 Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.

 Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.

 Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.

Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.
Syphilis screening Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk. Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk. Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.
Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.

Source: womenshealth.gov

ERRRRBODY: Get a dental and an eye exam. Your healthcare provider can give you recommendations on how often and your insurance provider (if you are insured) will tell you how often you can go and what’s covered.

Now I likely should have prefaced this entire post with a recommendation for you to see your healthcare provider before starting any diet and/or exercise program, but you already know that, right?  That said, I challenge you to take a holistic approach to your health.  Treat yourself the best way possible by shooting for a healthy lifestyle that includes preventive medical care.

Until next time, see you at the doctor’s office where I will be getting prodded, poked and weighed, like the human I am.

medequip

Photo: MsThorns

Note: For the uninsured, there are still options.  The board of health in your county/parish/township generally provides low and no-cost healthcare services as well as free clinics in larger metropolitan areas.  Local charitable/non-profit organizations are also resources for free community health events that provide a variety of medical and dental services and referrals.  

Soul Revival

I hadn’t been there in over five years, July 2011.  I actually wrote about it here.  I only made it there a few times, not to return because as far as I was concerned it had nothing on my fave.  I really had no intention of returning there but I moved this summer and there’s some renovations going on at the park that I now frequent.  I decided last Saturday to give it whirl again.  It was a fairly cool morning considering the heatwave we’ve been in since like March???? It was cloudy, which was even better at least until I started walking.

It had been so long that I didn’t remember what the trail was like, was it hilly, covered in trees.  I didn’t know until I got out there.  I saw some things that rang a bell.  The big red barn, the disc golf stuff, which I still didn’t have a clue about, and then something I couldn’t put my finger on.  I started feeling cross, a little bit sad and heavy, I started to remember what landed me at this park those years ago.  I was looking for something, I was looking for me.

The last time I was there I had just been through a year of hell.  Those who know me well know that I have a flair for the dramatic, but what I went through wasn’t drama, the struggle was very real.  I had been in a depression like I had never experienced in my life.  I was trying to piece myself back together and 2011 was what I call the between.  I was leery, weary and white knuckling through.  I was at this point carrying the heaviness with a smile on my face, I wasn’t on the verge of tears all the time, but I was still tired.  Being out on the trail last Saturday brought all of that back.  I FELT IT. It was uncomfortable.

As I did five years ago, I powered through, this time briskly walking.  As I kept moving I remembered the pain, I remembered the year after when I nose-dived again, and the year after slow recovery.  As I moved faster, my mind moved faster, right out of the pit.  I thought about all of the good things that happened since then. I thought about how hard I fought to get it together, I thought about all the support I had, the soft gentle kind and the girl get your s**t together kind both of which worked for my good.  I thought about all the BLESSINGS that have come into my life since then and felt overwhelmed again.  Then I was finished.

I went to go stretch on some stairs.  There was a hawk sitting on the fence near me.  I snapped a few pics of him with my phone, stretched some more and then the sun came out.  I felt complete and whole and absolutely happy.  I thought that it was the distance that kept me away all these years, it wasn’t, it was my head.  As has been the case many, many times I had to work through some stuff out on the trail and I’m so glad I did.  In fact so glad that I went back a couple of days after and guess what? The day was perfect, seasonable and sunny, just like my disposition.

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Want more information on Lenora Park? Check this and all the other fine parks Gwinnett has to offer on their website.

Until next time, see you on the trail, where I’m always working out something 🙂

Back In Love Again

You may recall the love I have for the sporting goods store and the fretting done over the loss of Sports Authority. Well, while missing a turn I landed in the parking lot of a gigantic white box. I tuned up my nose and sucked my teeth. I knew that it was TOO BIG and could never replace my beloved SA or my back home fave Dunham’s Sports but I made note.

After a dryer situation over the weekend, I said I needed more essentials since my machine faileth me. You know what I mean, draws and socks, namely athletic socks. So I moseyed over to Big White Box, muttering I bet they don’t have what I need, I bet they’re high, I bet they suck.

I roll up and they have some sort of industrial size feeders and grills outside and I prayed, please Lord Jesus don’t let this be a giant “Huntin/Fishin/Campin” store. Well folks the Lord heard my cry because Academy Sports and Outdoors has errrrrrrrrthang.

Full disclosure: they did not have the super thick Thorlo walking socks, but they did have the regular ones and every other type of Thorlo so I was stoked. I got some socks that I’ll be doing stuff besides walking in so they got a pass. My next test was yoga mats.

The big box sports and other retailers are notorious for having one brand and one type of mat, the 3mm which is too thin for ye olde broad. Guess what? The heavens opened up and sent me a 6 mm antimicrobial yoga mat. I was ready to shout, but held on to it. There was one more test…

Tights.

Since I wrote about it a while ago I stepped my gear game up. I now actually match somewhat and have a lot more color. I still buy the majority of it at Walmart.  Other stores and the online retailers have nice stuff, but those jawns are HIGH. I didn’t expect Academy to be at Walmart pricing but, they need to be way under $75 for me to be fully sold. I found some from 17.99!

I was sold.img_0832

As much as I like a package in the mail sometimes I want/need those socks, bag etc TODAY. Fortunately now my hard earned fitness dollars have found a new home at Academy Sports and Outdoors. The wait is a 10 minute drive and checkout counter away. If you have one in your town, check em out and if you don’t give some love to your local sporting goods store, they might just have exactly what you’re looking for.

Photos: MsThorns