How healthy are you? Is it something that is a priority for you right now?
It wasn’t a priority for me for many years – having 2 babies very young, getting divorced, being a single mom, then having two more babies and raising 4 kids all took a front seat while my health was stuck in the boot, trying desperately to push out the brake lights so someone would come and help it.
Eventually tired of trying to scream for help, my body just said “Nope we are not going to do this anymore.” and I literally was not able to get out of bed for weeks. In all fairness to me, I had started making some changes towards a healthier lifestyle but was still in a very stressful environment which ultimately led to my burnout.
It was the diagnosis I need to make some big changes to my life, not just in my diet but in my overall lifestyle. I thought I had an understanding of what a healthy lifestyle was and I sort of did but I was missing that everything needs to work together – you can’t be eating the organic veggies and doing the yoga if work is adding in too much stress – sure it helps but the stress, it not managed, will literally break you.
After the blood tests confirmed my long list of issues I had to go cold turkey on everything – coffee, diary, sugar, processed food, red meat – the small amount of these things I was having all had to go. I had to start walking or exercising regularly. I had to start managing my stress properly – stricter boundaries, ending toxic relationships.
It was scorched earth time – I had to literally burn it all to the ground and start again. I was already exhausted (adrenal fatigue will do that to you) which made this even more exhausting but I knew I couldn’t carry on the way I was – even if I wanted to my body had made it clear, it was not going to.
This all happened 4 years ago and has led to down a rather eye-opening rabbit hole. I read as much as I could about adrenal fatigue and burn out. I listened to books and read posts on perimenopause and menopause. I read articles about what foods are healthy, what are not and why. I researched exercising and what types were the best (because some actually put more strain on your adrenals).
I didn’t just read all the things, I started making changes and slowly I healed my body by putting strict boundaries in place, taking time for myself and making sure we were eating foods that nourish our bodies. But a consequence of this season of my life has been an extra 20kg, I just can not get rid of.
I have tried to make peace with it but I know that carrying around the extra weight is not healthy – even if I am being as healthy as I possibly can. The fact it won’t shift means that there is still something not right in my body.
This search for answers and Emma’s recent health issues has led me down another rabbit hole of trying to learn more and resulted in an illuminating conversation with a naturopath yesterday about diet, supplements and overall health. She confirmed what I already knew but needed another reminder about – our bodies know what they need to do and everything begins and ends with the gut.
I have always leaned in to the more natural side of medicine, preferring a homeopath to a GP and generally avoid a Dr altogether by allowing our bodies to try do their thing first (which 9/10 times they actually do). I firmly believe our bodies know what they need, we just need to listen. It is not always an easy path to follow because there is a pill for literally anything that ails you and it will definitely help – in the short term.
It is frustrating for me that I had to go through the trauma that was the burnout to remind me what is important. It was a really tough time for me emotionally as well as physically. Looking back I can appreciate that it was the only thing that was going to make me make the changes I need to make. It has made me more aware of the red flags in all aspects of my life and to listen to them when they present themselves.
I know that I am not alone in this. Maybe you haven’t burnout but there are so many women who are carrying all those red flags with both hands while trying to live their lives and you don’t need. You can put the flags down, set the boundaries and start living your best life!
Stress is a killer. I lived in a stressful environment most of my life. I have fibromyalgia and an autoimmune disorder. I fear that these stress induced changes are likely permanent. However, I am doing what I can to to see if I can tame these illnesses including moving out of the US. Living there is a toxic environment. It’s early days yet. I’ve been in my new country – Albania – for just two weeks, but I have hope.