I suppose I ought to clarify...

My last post sure seemed "doom & gloom."  It wasn't meant to be that way at all.  I woke up in the middle of the night full of thoughts... trying to process all I had learned yesterday.  I couldn't go back to sleep for a couple hours and those words kept repeating in my head.  I figured maybe if I wrote them down my brain would settle a little bit and I could actually get some sleep.  I realize now that I probably ought to translate those incessant thoughts.

In regards to the actual blog post: the first line was all the stuff I learned from the blood work and visit with a hormone specialist (Shelly Kirk, here in St. George); the second line was what I felt about all of it; the third line was what prompted me to visit with Shelly and discover these things; and the fourth line was my overall feeling about everything combined.  Literal translation: I am blessed and am so thankful for the knowledge I now have about my body.  Blessings, blessings, blessings.

Now to explain the "science" of it all.  I'm sure there are some out there wondering why I would put this information out on the internet... and I do it because this blog is like a journal for me and I am fine with sharing if maybe someone, somewhere ends up being helped like I was.  My blood work showed low levels of vitamins B6 & D and low insulin.  It also showed extremely low levels of vitamin B12 and Progesterone as well as high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol.  Basically all of these things I have my parents to thank for.  None of it has been brought on by my habits... more just genetics.  (I have gotten many great things from my parents... I will try not to complain about the genes they gave me.)

What does all of that mean?  Basically, it pointed to a minor case of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and insulin-resistance (precursor to diabetes).  I feel blessed to know this because it started bringing answers to questions... some I didn't know I had.  I now feel armed to prevent the escalation of these issues and feel like I can take charge of my health in a way I didn't know I needed to.  Now I know I need to focus on eating in a way to level out my blood sugar and try my best to keep it level.  It also let me know that I have vitamin deficiencies that are contributing to my body not functioning like that of a normal female.

Like I said before... my case of PCOS is minor so I didn't realize I was "abnormal."  I actually just thought the things that weren't quite "by the book" for my body was just the way I was and nothing to be concerned about.  I have learned though... that there's no reason to be abnormal and there are things we can do to improve our situation... even if it comes down to the way we were made.

So as I've tried to make heads or tails of all this information (believe me... I read enough last night to make my head spin) I've concluded it is kind of like the question of "the chicken and the egg."  My issues of PCOS, insulin-resistance, and low progesterone are all linked and with the improvement of any one of them I may find improvement with all of them.  That makes me happy.  My mom asked me why at 25 I felt a need to seek out information about my seemingly healthy body.  I am a big believer in prevention and that there are ways to improve our body and its function without modern medicine.  That is not to say I don't believe in medicine.  I take Zyrtec for my seasonal allergies and Ibuprofen for muscle/joint pain.  I understand it's application in my life but don't feel like it is my go-to answer for my problems.

Most of all, I have been excited to find out why my weight has been stalled for a good year now despite hard work to change it.  I've been excited to find out why my two kids were born at the exact same time of the year.  I was also quite excited to find a list of fairly common signs of low progesterone that I thought were just "me."

So rest assured... I'm OK.  I'm really happy to know the things I know and look forward to seeing changes.  

Here's a picture to prove it:  I'm happy.

whoa.

sub-fertility. insulin resistance. PCOS. cholesterol. genetics.

recognition. information. empowerment. hope.

a well timed conversation with a friend.

blessings.

A Little Glimpse of ME

Tonight at Zumba we cooled down to this song.  It was not the first time I've heard it... another time at Zumba months ago we cooled down to it too.  I soooo love it.  And in it's own special way, I love what it means to me at the end of my workout.  I work pretty hard (I think) to stay healthy and don't always see the results I'm hoping for, but I realize I have to be my own champion... my own cheerleader... to keep my head up and keep trying.  It can be easy to talk myself out of a workout or into a junk food binge and I have decided I will not be self defeated.  So here's a little something to make any of you that are interested feel a little closer to me and what I think/feel inside.

P.S.  I chose the clip from The Ellen Show because I secretly want to dress more like Ellen herself.  I love her style.  And yes... I realize why it's so cool and chill... but I like it all the same and want a few more pieces in my wardrobe that are like hers.

OK... I'll do it.

Each time I look at my computer I think, "Someone out there really needs to blog.  I need some new reading material."  After so long of waiting and waiting, I decided maybe I would take a turn and then everyone else would follow suit.  And I couldn't just write this and leave it at that.  So here's a picture and a story.

This picture is really no good.  All I had was my phone and this is the only photo of the whole evening that wasn't somehow corrupted.  (Seriously... they all have issues when you try to look at anything but the thumbnail on my phone.  Darn.)  My phone camera does a fairly acceptable job when the subject is still and the light is at least kind of decent.  But Tyler was not holding very still... not because he was running away like a normal person would be... but because he was so excited to hold this boa constrictor!

We were over at Colby's parents' house the other evening and this kid, Jackson, came over to have Connie help him with a little something for his Eagle project paperwork.  We started asking him about his pet snake and he just lit up!  A little interest in his pal had him super eager to bring it over to show the little boys.  Connie was on the verge of freaking out because she did not want that snake in her house.  She was so sweet and polite while asking him to please not bring it over, but Colby and Brady convinced him it would be a good idea.  I was super impressed by Connie once the snake was there.  She just acted like it was no big deal... she sure loves her grandsons more than she hates snakes.  What a good Grandma.  Marshall and Tyler thought it was pretty cool to see this 6 1/2 ft snake and touch it and hold it and stuff.  At first Tyler would barely touch it and then squeal so loud... almost like it was scary but he still liked it. It only took a second to be sure that he really, really liked it and Marshall was definitely intrigued.  We learned that the snake's name is RJ, he eats rabbits, and will probably not get much bigger than he is right now because he will only grow to the size of his habitat... and his habitat is a tank.  Not Jackson's bedroom like we had heard.  Jackson has some logs mounted in his room to be a little jungle gym for RJ and the snake gets to hang out in his bedroom for a little while most days before getting tucked safely back into his cage.  I'm pretty sure we all took a chance to pet the snake and check it out.  I like that my boys weren't too freaked out by it and were just curious about the creature.  I like even more that Colby took the time to explain to Marshall that we don't just play with snakes.  RJ is a pet and so we can trust him more, but if you just find a snake somewhere you don't try to touch it or play with it because snakes can be very dangerous.  I believe Marshall took that counsel very seriously... thankfully.

I want to win this book!

One of my favorite bloggers (Shawni from 71 Toes) wrote a book about motherhood.  

That book is being given away HERE.  

I want to win this book :)