Last post about body woes for a while

[sarahmichigan]

Yes, yes, I know this is my journal and I can write what I like, and if people don't like it, they can scroll on by. But I have been feeling conscious about the fact that I've been posting about how bad I've been feeling, both mentally and physically, a lot lately.

One bit of good news is that I think taking extra meds for my thyroid is going to make me feel a lot better. I'm already feeling better, though I think it's too early to be the medication and is likely one part placebo effect and one part increased efforts at stress management. Another bit of good news is that I'm feeling better mentally, too. I suspect I'll still go through sad patches, but I think I'm generally a pretty cheerful person, and I'm feeling much better than I did just a few weeks ago.

Some random thoughts on healthy and body:
1. I don't want to become my diagnosis. I know some people identify so closely with their physical or mental health condition that it's all they think and talk about, and I don't want to be that person. Yet, the thyroid rules SO many body functions that attempts to get this under control are having a big effect on my energy levels, my weight (hello water retention gain!), general achy-ness, and ability to exercise at the level I'm used to. So, I may post about my health issues from time to time, but I'm going to put it behind a cut and keep them brief and infrequent, mostly for my own reference as I'm trying to document and manage my health. It's part of who I am, but it's not all I'm interested in, and I want my LJ to reflect that.

2. I know that stress can either cause or aggravate a great many physical conditions, and I need to be super-careful about managing stress in my life. I just recently read "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," and it had some useful reminders for how to approach my problems and challenges in a way that will minimize stress in my life. I want to make sure to implement them.

3. Reading up on the recommendations, either from a science-based perspective or just personal anecdote, about how to eat to feel well when you're hypothryoid are beginning to push my diet and body image buttons. It MAY be the case that I could cut out soy and wheat and that I could low-carb it a while, and those things might improve my energy levels. But I've worked really hard to 'legalize all foods," and get out of the dieting mindset that some foods are "good" and some are "bad" and I don't want to let this make me backslide. I need to keep the focus on feeding myself when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm full, and focusing on how my body feels and reacts to the various foods I feed it. I need to trust my body to tell me what foods make me feel good and what ones make me feel bad, rather than blindly following what has worked for others. It's tough, though.

Comments

[dionysus1999.livejournal.com]

I still have guilt about leaving food on my plate, especially when we're eating out. I think I need to practice leaving some on my plate and not feeling guilty.

[mcniadh.livejournal.com]

A good way to eat reasonably is to cut the meal in half before you even start eating, with the intention of eating half and taking the other half home. Then, when you're done with the first half and let it settle a bit, if you're still hungry, then dig into the second half with the idea that you're "borrowing from tomorrow's lunch" rather than "feeling guilty about wasting".

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's pretty much what I do.

J. was rather ticked this week when she actually FINISHED meals at restaurants, because she felt cheated out of leftovers.