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February on the Prairie

Last month I shared how January went for me as far as health and wellness. In a nutshell, it was a rough month.  And so was December, November, October, and August before that.  In fact I haven’t felt truly ‘well’ for over a year. I hate to sound whiny but it is true. “The change” is not fun. Don’t get me wrong, not every day is a rough day and up until Augustish I felt okay most days with the occasional tiredness or small issue.  But once things started falling apart everything seemed to snowball.

Around the middle of January, I started to see a chiropractor to help with headaches and problems from an auto accident 18  years ago.  My first visit with him helped alleviate a headache that had been going on for almost two weeks. I intended to do an entire wellness and rehab course with him. However, my husband had a schedule change. His co-worker went out on medical leave. His new schedule meant I didn’t have anyone to watch our little boy while I went to the chiropractor. That combined with the fact that every time it snows I’m stuck at home unless I take Joe into work at 5AM (the time he needs to start when it snows) since we share our four-wheel drive truck.  So chiro visits became very difficult.

Structural Integration

I’m on a non-profit board here in town and one of the other board members does Structural Integration (commonly called ROFLing but he did not go to the ROLF school so he is not a ROLFer) and he and I started talking about my issues. I have to admit I was a little hesitant. When I had a massage in December the therapist said she was going to do a ROLFing technique on me to help my hip. It left me crying. I couldn’t imagine that an entire session of ROLFing would be a good idea. But after talking with my him I decided to give it a try. While it is uncomfortable at times it is not overly painful (like the massage was). And after the first visit I had a lot more range of motion in my neck than I’d had in years. In fact, my neck was starting to get so bad that I was having trouble turning my head.  I’ve had four visits now and am really starting to notice some huge improvements. In fact today my aches and pains are greatly diminished. I’m hopeful that I’m on the road to recovery. I very much miss doing the things I used to do and having the energy I used to have.

What is Structural Integration? Read more here.

To help with inflammation I’ve started taking turmeric and ginger. I can’t actually say how much of a difference these are making. I’m also drinking nettle infusion several times per day. I’m not doing any of the tinctures that I made last month. I thought that one or the other of those might be adding to my headaches. So I’ve stopped them for now. Once the headaches are under control I’ll consider adding them back in. I am still having many hot flashes and other menopause symptoms so I do want to try the wild yam to see if it helps with those.

I do know that acupuncture helped before with both the tiredness and hot flashes. I’d like to have additional acupuncture sessions but with my wonky schedule and tight budget I don’t know that I can swing that right now.  Once I finish the SI stuff I might.

Stuff

My girls both came down with a cold. They stayed home a day from school but using Master Tonic, honey for cough, gargling salt water, drinking broth and sipping mint/licorice root tea they were well quite quick. My husband and I both had minor sore throats but didn’t progress beyond that and little boy never did get sick.  I’m very pleased! A note about Master Tonic, we have been putting a tablespoon in about 1/4 cup of water for the girls, Joe and I. That seems to be a great way to drink it. For our little boy (age four) he gets a teaspoon in a half cup of water. He calls it “hot water” and will sip it for about a half an hour before he tires of it. He actually asks for it which is interesting.

Deadwood, South Dakota September of 2010

One thing I’ve really been thinking about is how hard it is to do the things that need to be done when one isn’t feeling well.  I am very fortunate that I work from home. This allows me to adjust my schedule to accommodate for good times and bad.  I’ve reworked things so I’ve completed the bulk of my work by one in the afternoon. I can then rest for awhile. This does mean I’m sometimes working on weekends (especially when trying to get taxes done) and then again in the evenings.  Having that afternoon rest is very helpful. I’m also trying to get to bed each night between 9 and 9:30. I don’t fall asleep straight away but just being in bed is quite nice.

Preparing meals is also a challenge. If you look at my menu plans you’ll notice the meals are super simple. I use the crock pot a lot. I feel pretty good in the mornings so getting things together and in the crock pot then is helpful. Sometimes I’ll even take a few minutes to prepare the sides and then reheat in the evening.  And sometimes my family is fortunate to have a big chunk of meat for dinner and little else! My husband is great about helping with things like keeping the broth going or cooking up the greens for me on Sunday afternoon (then I just reheat during the week). The girls are also helping a lot. Unfortunately, with work schedules and school most of the time I’m the only one home when it is time to get the meals on the table.  There are still things falling through the cracks. I haven’t made bread for several weeks. Funny thing, we aren’t missing it too much.

What’s Next?

The SI is a course of treatment that lasts at least ten visits. I’m expecting to need around 12 since I’ve had four visits but one didn’t count as the ten. Because I have a few issues we strayed a little from the actual course plan.

Other than continuing with the SI and the items for inflammation I don’t expect to make many changes right now.  I’m still going to the Y once or twice a week and walking on the tread mill and doing either the bike or the elliptical.  I’m not doing any weights or anything else right now. I am sitting in the sauna and loving that!  Oh, my husband is planning something he is very excited about. He is training for a marathon. Or a half marathon. He hasn’t decided yet. It is the first weekend in June (I think) so he still has some time.  He is very excited about it. I’m excited to cheer him on.

Along the lines of Health and Wellness… Be sure to check out the Extreme Health Library available only until midnight PST March 7. This bundle includes 53 digital health and wellness products. I’m loving learning about so many different things.  I’m currently reading through Adrenal Fatigue Solutions- 90 Day Plan to Improve Adrenal Function by Pat Robinson.  You can read more about Pat’s book and all of the other products in the bundle here.