~An Almost PS - Reflecting on the past nearly 3 years~

PS: Was just thinking......

By virtue of my relationship with Liz (my mentor) and the subsequent help I received through Wisdom Wellness (and my on-going self-diagnosis), my health situation - which had escalated to my having a compromised immune system, chronic bronchitis (COPD), adrenalin dependency, sleep apnea, chronic migraines, continual weight gain and inability to lose weight, extreme fatigue, anemia, an irregular heart rate (usually averaging around 90 bpm where I had previously averaged 65 bpm), extreme mood variations and unexplained outbursts of rage, and which resulted in my having visited (at least) 17 doctors and put me in dependence on ... (let me count, hold on...) ... (at least) 11 different prescriptions simultaneously!! over the course of about 2 years -

[my health situation] has improved to the point that I have, essentially, healed from the chronic bronchitis so as to not even have a trace of the asthma that was still lingering as of last year (!), the fatigue has been all but eliminated, I am growing in my ability to discern the difference between "adrenalin" (fake energy) and when I'm really burning energy (strength!), I am maintaining better control over my mood swings (praying without ceasing; rejoice in the Lord always!) and now WITHOUT the use of an antidepressant, and instead of prescriptions (chemical masks!), I am taking Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Omega 3, Magnesium, Iron and now this "migra-eeze" - things my body NEEDS for its health. And my heartrate is now back down to an average of 70 bpm....

To be sure, I am not miraculously healed. (Though I dare say I was/am malnourished!) I still have PCOS and I have a lot of weight to lose. But to ONLY have these two main hurdles? It FEELS like a veritable miraculous healing! ;) To be able to SEE, also, the progress after some time - when I was once feeling very hopeless! - is in itself a huge blessing.

Wow.....In effect, measurable indicators of what has also been a significant spiritual transformation, also.

Synergizing "The Gabriel Method" and the "Ultramind Solution"

http://www.gabrielmethod.com/weight-loss

Aside from some obvious spiritual differences, I think the principals he is expressing are consistent with what I've been discovering about my own body over the past two, going on three years.

Learn to deal with mental/emotional stress, eat what your body is starving for (various nutrients we've engineered right out of our food, creating a kind of "famine" in our bodies), and doing what he calls "follow your heart" - meaning, take hold of the life you WANT to live and live it. (Seems simple enough, but anything short of that is going to be another source of stress on the mind and body, to say nothing of the spirit!)

In conjuntion with this, I am very interested to learn more about "The Ultramind Solution" which seems to also be in keeping with many of the same principles, predominantly emphasizing learning what your body NEEDS and training your mind as well as properly FEEDING your "two brains" - caring for both your brain chemistry, and the ability of your body to properly absorb the nutrients it needs via the "2nd brain" - your gut - your intestines.

http://www.ultramind.com/index.php

Both men are basically stating: Nourish your mind by nourishing your body by using your mind to listen to your body and re-train your appetites.....

Now that my health is out of "crisis mode" and well on the way to healing, it is time to tackle the body-memory that is still demanding to store energy as fat that it does not need!

~Perhaps a writer I am not: A few updates and a New Goal~

Despite my proclivity to verboseness, apparently I am not as much of a writer as I would have myself believe. I have not one but three active blogs, and I haven't posted on any of them in so much as 2 months, until today.

So, by way of a brief update:

*asthma symptoms have not returned, and my voice seems to be fully restored

*extreme fatigue levels are all but non-existent; need to continue to be careful how I manage my stress - mostly, for now, means not over-committing myself to activities, and not over-extending myself IN any of my chosen commitments

*have started a new supplement called "migra-eeze" by Life Extensions, and after MONTHS of continual migraines and almost no relief, have now reached a 3 week mark without a recurrence of a migraine since using the supplement!

*incidentally, have also been anti-depressant free since about the same time - and I do not feel any adverse effects for having weaned myself off what amounted to a relatively small dose

*have not noticed recurrence of uncontrollable "rage" as I was experiencing before going on the anti-depressant (except for the "rage" associated with my "normal" sinfulness. unfortunately, that wasn't intercepted by the antidepressant, either....)

*have fudged on gluten-free status by way of perhaps not-so-diligently reintroducing some of the delights of bread into my diet and have not so far noticed any adverse effects - however am proceeding with much trembling and caution as the destruction of my immune system was a LONG process, and while there have been MANY contributing factors, the adding back in of gluten might be the most difficult to detect....

*am reading "Hunger for God" by John Piper and will no doubt have several quotes to share on this site as it EXACTLY pertains to the MAIN crux of this blog - namely that of re-training my appetites - and most expressly, my "hungering and thirsting after righteousness...."

*primary keys to health so far seem to be:

1) DISCERNING when my body is kicking into "adrenalin mode" and taking necessary steps to mitigate this "natural" high gear,
2) PRAYERFULLY surrendering myself in any given moment to the sovereignty & grace of the Lord so that he can "call to mind by way of reminder" the need to "die to self" and so enable me to walk in the very HUMILITY that receives his grace!, (you need not say it - no, this "humility" is NOT native to me, and is something that must be cultivated SUPERnaturally)....
3) learning to say NO to people or to be ok with being less than impressive (not easy as one who has made an idol out of winning other people's good opinion!),
4) dovetailing with #3, learning to know when to ASK FOR HELP from others, and then accepting it! (also not easy as one who has become very accustomed to her independence!),
5) GOING TO BED at a reasonable hour - and that includes PLANNING for an earlier bedtime, so I can "slow myself down" enough in advance so as to actually fall asleep at a reasonable time,
6) learning to be OK with "doing nothing" - that is, RESTING is NOT a waste of time!!
7) taking in the proper nutrients; the most of which I seem to be deficient are the various vitamin B's, vitamin D3, magnesium and omega 3's.

Well, that's not comprehensive, but it will do by way of an update. For those who might be interested, at least. ;)

Comment with any questions, and I'll be apt to share more. ;)

~Leah

PS - Next major focus - LOSING WEIGHT