happiness and health and well-being

I went back to see the holistic doctor on Thursday without much optimism. I debated cancelling the appointment altogether but I was curious to find out the results of the tests he'd ordered (blood work, saliva testing, the works). I assumed the visit would center around the gyn. issues that were behind my initial visit only to discover that everything apparently stems from the way that I handle (or rather mis-handle) stress. Technically this has resulted in Low free-T4/thyroid, low B12 and low progesterone plus cortisol and DHEA levels that were all over the place. The doctor talked through everything but I just couldn't quite take it all in at first. He gave me handouts with information and prescribed several things and sent me on my way.

Over the next few days, I spent time researching and discovered that I have a fairly typical case of adrenal fatigue which is basically what happens when you take a system designed for responses to immediate, life-threatening conditions (e.g., Fire! Large animal attacking me!) and keeping it turned on for months and years on end. As I began to learn more and reflect, I realized that though the recent stresses at work exacerbated things, I have not managed stress well for a very long time.

So I picked up one of the recommended books (The Core Balance Diet by Marcelle Pick and Genevieve Morgan from the Women to Women clinic) and began following the recommended plan for adrenal fatigue by and even in just these few intervening days, I've been absolutely amazed by the results. The food recommendations are more or less basic good health sense – lean proteins with every meal, complex carbs, lots of greens and no sugar, caffeine or processed foods among other things – on a *very* regular basis (every time I even start to think about being hungry, it's time for another meal). But the book is so much more than just a diet plan. Not only do they recommend the meals you should eat but the schedule your day should follow (which includes breaks for tea and “deep breathing”) and there’s a whole section on the mental wellness which includes a strict rule of no multitasking – including (and this is a toughy for me) no eating and doing other things like watching TV, reading, etc. That restriction really made the problems with my current lifestyle so apparent. I could not stop the mental worry list, jumping from one thing to the next and thinking about how I was going to fit in everything I still needed to do that day.

The first full day I felt slightly ill but by Monday, my body started to adapt to the new food and new routine. For the first month, you are supposed to turn off all electronics by 7:00pm and start winding down to prepare your body for the 9:00 bedtime – every night! It seems so impossible to do but it’s actually helped me prioritize and let go of some things. Luc The most amazing part is that it seems to be working! I’ve always been notorious for “never sleeping” and even when I do sleep, it is very lightly with frequent waking but since starting this, I’ve been sleeping 9 hours a night straight through. It’s staggering to realize how closely physical and mental well-being are connected.

We’ll see how things go since I haven’t even completed a full week yet but I'm hopeful that the 6-wk follow up visit will be a completely different story.