"health and lifestyle" edition ;)
Jun. 11th, 2012 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
floatingleafI did mean to post yesterday, but I got my period and spent much of the evening in a horizontal position. It hasn't been too bad, though; not much pain or nausea, just the usual lack of energy. That's the most annoying thing about my periods these days - they just make me feel extremely lethargic. And the feeling can drag on for days. When I was younger, I usually felt really horrible for about 24 hours - but after that I was fine. Now I don't really get such bad cramps or intense queasiness anymore, but the general crappy mood lasts much longer. I don't know what's better. I still usually stay home on my worst day - but it is becoming more difficult to determine WHICH day is actually the worst. So mostly it all depends on how I feel in the morning; if I'm up to dragging myself out of bed and getting dressed, I go to work. If not, I call in sick. So if I find I'm feeling like complete crap two hours after I've dragged myself into work, then I just say "tough shit", clench my teeth and endure it for the rest of the day. And if I find that I am perfectly fine two hours after I've called in sick, then it's just a nice bonus.:)
I have to say, though, that I found a good natural remedy for PMS. Homeopathic chewable tablets called Cyclease, bought at Whole Foods. They really ease the physical discomfort, and almost completely remove the nervous tension/irritability of those final days. At least for me. Of course, eating lots of fiber probably helps too, and I tend to mostly live on salads & fruit in the summer - but I do think taking those tablets has made a palpable difference. Who knew?
But speaking of remedies - it seems I have got my vicious hay fever under control. *knocks on wood* Allegra is working. At least for now. *knocks again, just in case* At first it was taking a while to kick in, and didn't seem to last all of the promised 12 hours; but after a few days, I started to forget about the next dose (and you never forget your allergy pill unless the last one you took is still working, LOL). So now I have switched to a 24-hour dose (since they had a discount on a 30-pack at the local supermarket). I was afraid it was going to knock me out - but that didn't happen. Apparently my body has adjusted, and it isn't even making me sleepy anymore. And I don't sneeze either. Well... not often, anyway. Of course, my nasal passages are not completely clear - I can feel the snot is still there, but it is much more... condensed, shall we say.:P And it doesn't give me headaches or obstruct my breathing. So all's good for the moment.
But I'm afraid I still struggle with this "new lifestyle" of less computer time and frequent exercise that I had envisioned. I miss posting more often, even if it's trivial and pointless. I want to exercise more often, but I simply lack the energy. It's either too hot (I'm on the third floor, with one ancient, creaky A/C unit to the entire apartment), or the wrong time of the month, or my allergies are bugging me, or... you get the picture. There's always something. So even if I do manage to tear myself away from the computer, I just end up stretched out on the sofa with a book. And the yoga/meditation thing isn't going well either. I just can't get into the habit of it, can't picture myself doing it with any sort of long-term consistence. And if I can't be consistent, what's the point of trying at all?... You don't get anywhere with it unless you do it on a very regular basis. But I do wonder why I'm so reluctant. Am I afraid that it's a waste of time, because I can't do it "right" and it isn't going to help me in any way? Or am afraid that it IS indeed going to change my life somehow if I do get seriously into it, and my phobia of change is kicking in?... It's probably both, now that I think about it. I had a very similar reaction to the prospect of changing my diet and losing weight a few years back - I was very reluctant at first, fishing for excuses not to do it, grumbling, procrastinating, bracing myself for disappointment. Only after seeing the first positive results - however small - did I gain a whole new perspective. And yes - once I realized I COULD do it, there was no going back. It seems I still need a lot of convincing before I give myself permission to succeed at something. Which is a whole another psychoanalytic saga of doom, LOL. But mostly I think I've been reading too much about how "stepping on a spiritual path" transforms a person's life, and I am simply intimidated by the unknown. Because deep down, I know I very much want to go there. And if I want something that seems intimidating, I tend to convince myself that I don't really care all that much in the end. Sometimes the convincing works. Sometimes it doesn't. But it always takes time to figure out what to do and how to go about it. Spontaneity isn't my strong suit, to put it mildly. *snort*
And that is all in this installment. Methinks an early bedtime is in order. Back to work tomorrow.:/
I have to say, though, that I found a good natural remedy for PMS. Homeopathic chewable tablets called Cyclease, bought at Whole Foods. They really ease the physical discomfort, and almost completely remove the nervous tension/irritability of those final days. At least for me. Of course, eating lots of fiber probably helps too, and I tend to mostly live on salads & fruit in the summer - but I do think taking those tablets has made a palpable difference. Who knew?
But speaking of remedies - it seems I have got my vicious hay fever under control. *knocks on wood* Allegra is working. At least for now. *knocks again, just in case* At first it was taking a while to kick in, and didn't seem to last all of the promised 12 hours; but after a few days, I started to forget about the next dose (and you never forget your allergy pill unless the last one you took is still working, LOL). So now I have switched to a 24-hour dose (since they had a discount on a 30-pack at the local supermarket). I was afraid it was going to knock me out - but that didn't happen. Apparently my body has adjusted, and it isn't even making me sleepy anymore. And I don't sneeze either. Well... not often, anyway. Of course, my nasal passages are not completely clear - I can feel the snot is still there, but it is much more... condensed, shall we say.:P And it doesn't give me headaches or obstruct my breathing. So all's good for the moment.
But I'm afraid I still struggle with this "new lifestyle" of less computer time and frequent exercise that I had envisioned. I miss posting more often, even if it's trivial and pointless. I want to exercise more often, but I simply lack the energy. It's either too hot (I'm on the third floor, with one ancient, creaky A/C unit to the entire apartment), or the wrong time of the month, or my allergies are bugging me, or... you get the picture. There's always something. So even if I do manage to tear myself away from the computer, I just end up stretched out on the sofa with a book. And the yoga/meditation thing isn't going well either. I just can't get into the habit of it, can't picture myself doing it with any sort of long-term consistence. And if I can't be consistent, what's the point of trying at all?... You don't get anywhere with it unless you do it on a very regular basis. But I do wonder why I'm so reluctant. Am I afraid that it's a waste of time, because I can't do it "right" and it isn't going to help me in any way? Or am afraid that it IS indeed going to change my life somehow if I do get seriously into it, and my phobia of change is kicking in?... It's probably both, now that I think about it. I had a very similar reaction to the prospect of changing my diet and losing weight a few years back - I was very reluctant at first, fishing for excuses not to do it, grumbling, procrastinating, bracing myself for disappointment. Only after seeing the first positive results - however small - did I gain a whole new perspective. And yes - once I realized I COULD do it, there was no going back. It seems I still need a lot of convincing before I give myself permission to succeed at something. Which is a whole another psychoanalytic saga of doom, LOL. But mostly I think I've been reading too much about how "stepping on a spiritual path" transforms a person's life, and I am simply intimidated by the unknown. Because deep down, I know I very much want to go there. And if I want something that seems intimidating, I tend to convince myself that I don't really care all that much in the end. Sometimes the convincing works. Sometimes it doesn't. But it always takes time to figure out what to do and how to go about it. Spontaneity isn't my strong suit, to put it mildly. *snort*
And that is all in this installment. Methinks an early bedtime is in order. Back to work tomorrow.:/
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-12 09:33 am (UTC)I know exactly what you mean about struggling to get into a new lifestyle routine. It's very easy to have good intentions, very difficult to actually put them into practice. I know that for me, I often just forget... I'll tell myself I'm going to do more exercise, I'll do it for a few days and then suddenly a week has passed and I either haven't thought about it at all or have kept putting it off to another day. It's tough to really revamp your lifestyle, especially if you've been in the same habits for a long time.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-14 04:14 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-14 05:48 pm (UTC)I've been working on a "new lifestyle" for years...but apparently I'm just not very good at it. I want to do better but yes, what you said, it sounds very familiar. I just keep telling myself 'baby steps' but often I find it's one step forward an two steps back. But today, I'm just glad to be here talking to you. ♥
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-15 01:16 am (UTC)So glad to hear that. *hugs*
Yeah, sometimes my baby steps are so tiny they're really hard to notice.;P
today, I'm just glad to be here talking to you
YES. <333
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-16 08:06 am (UTC)Yeah, sometimes my baby steps are so tiny they're really hard to notice.;P
YES. It makes me feel better knowing I'm not alone but oh, it can be frustrating sometimes.
today, I'm just glad to be here talking to you
YES. <333
*more hugs* and ♥ ♥ ♥ I'm going to do my best. Of course, my best isn't always that great, but I'll keep trying!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-14 11:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-15 01:20 am (UTC)