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.