ducks lined up at last

It has taken a long time, but I've finally gathered my health issue ducks in a row. The bursitis seems to have abated and the five PT visits have made great improvement to my right hip's comfort and range of motion. Puff tooth was extracted yesterday afternoon. I'm already beginning to feel better [although the cost of getting a dental implant is shocking!] And, I had a blood draw earlier this week to check my current thyroid hormone levels because I'm still certain that my current prescribed levoxyl is too low. I think it needs to be increased back to where it was six months ago. We'll see...hmmm, actually those results should be back. Better go call the doc's office.

Feel so ready for spring this year. How about you?

~♥~

doctor, doctor, tell me the news

Seeing the nurse practitioner today to follow up on the xrays I had taken last week to determine if I have a stress fracture or if it's osteoarthritis in my right hip.

I'm going to ask her about increasing my thyroid med back to where it was a year ago. Since it's been lowered, I've been gaining weight at the rate I was losing it before. Frustrating. It was lowered in response to a routine dexa showing I had osteopenia. Sometimes it feels as if I've gone down some weird health rabbit hole. Would love to press reset and be back where I was 18 months ago.

~♥~

what it is

Howdy, folks. It's weigh in Monday. And, what did I find this morning...? Why it's a two pound gain. Thank goddess I'm working out, decreasing alcohol, drinking more water and exercising just about every day or who knows how much weight I would have gained. Yep, suspect I'm in the midst of a metabolic meltdown. Fun times.

~♥~

droopy

It's Monday so this morning's weigh in results are duly noted. I'm down a few ounces. Mind you, this is a week where I exercised quite a bit and also fasted for a colonoscopy. It's also the week I've been on a lower dose of thyroid medication. Don't think it's working out for me. But, how long do I give it? I feel droopy this morning.

~♥~

adaptations

A couple months ago, I received a diagnosis of osteopenia. I thought it wasn't much of a concern but my PA was all kinds of concerned about it. She talked at length about how I should start buying bones and boiling them to make soups. I was appalled. Not having a poker face, she eventually picked up on this. So, her next thing was to lower my levoxal prescription as there is a relationship between thyroid function and bone growth. She said if it makes you feel bad, well, we'll go another route. I wasn't really sold on this because I wasn't ever sold on the idea that osteopenia is a big deal. And, I'm not a big fan of trying something and waiting to see if it makes me feel bad.

Anyhoo, I just now (this morning!) started the lower dose. We'll see. I'm going to start reading Jillian's book about metabolism for tips to boost my sluggish thyroid through diet to compensate for the reduced levoxal.

Something else on the horizon, a colonoscopy this Friday. Jealous?

In other news, I've been biking a nearby trail instead of the American River Parkway Trail. The local trail is a short segment which means I go back and forth to make some miles. It also has some inclines including one that is about a mile long. It seems like riding 10 - 15 miles on this trail is working different muscles in my legs than the usual 25 - 30 miles on the ARBT.

Sometimes you just have to shake things up a bit I guess.

~♥~

marvelous magnesium

Though I'm prone to wishful thinking when it comes to vitamin supplements, the more I read about magnesium, the more I'm convinced of its value in being fit and healthy. Having a normal amount of magnesium in your body is tied to just about everything that one would consider important.

• blood pressure


• bone health


• heart function


• balanced mood


• energy levels


• insulin


• metabolism


• muscle function

After I started bicycling around this time last year, I had a terrible bout of leg cramping during the night and first thing in the morning. Since I've been taking a magnesium supplement, this has not been a problem at all. Another thing I've noticed is that my recovery from pulling weeds and the other movements associated with yard work, is much better. I used to have such sore legs after doing what amounted to lots of squats. I'm wondering if the combination of doubling my Vit D (per Dr.) and taking magnesium will also lower my blood pressure which is on the border of being "a problem."

Here's a list of sources of info about magnesium so you can read for yourself about all its benefits:

National Institute of Health

Dr. Weil

The Thyroid Disease Blog

Do you take a magnesium supplement?

~♥~

this & that

Read some health tips today that I thought I'd pass along. Who knows, maybe this information will end up being of some use to somebody. First, since it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month (not Breast Awareness Month --oh, boy!) from Dr. Weil:

Six Warning Signs of Breast Cancer

1. A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
2. A change in the size or shape of the breast
3. Nipple discharge or tenderness
4. An inverted nipple
5. Ridges or pitting on the breast (resembling an orange peel)
6. A change in the look or feel of the breast, areola or nipple (such as temperature, swelling, redness or a scaly feel)

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, see your doctor for a diagnosis and possible treatment. If you are over 40, talk to your doctor about mammograms.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 4 years ago. Before I was diagnosed, I noticed a difference in my overall energy level, weight gain (eight to ten pounds) despite a lot of exercise and eating well, seemed to be losing a lot more hair than usual when I washed it, and last but no way least, I felt a little down. Jillian Michaels was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when she was 30. She writes a lot about this condition, which is no big deal at all once it's detected. All it takes to find out if your thyroid needs some help is a simple blood test. Here are some indicators for hypothyroidism from Jillian:

Some Signs of Underactive Thyroid

Do you feel sluggish or have you started to pile on extra pounds that you can't blame on a poor diet or lack of exercise? These symptoms and others, including "brain fog," coarse hair and skin, depression, exhaustion, joint pains, constipation, and high blood pressure, may be signs that you have hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function, which can sap your energy and cause you to gain weight.

Jillian also provides information about things to do if you are found to have an underactive thyroid such as not eating these veggies raw (news to me!) -- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, and some supplements that support proper thyroid function: selenium, vitamin D, zinc, and fish oil.

As always, the best health tip is: listen to your body.

~♥~

Revving up a sluggish metabolism Part II

I love how Tena at Shrink to Fit signs off her post with a reminder to drink your water. Water, it seems, plays a role in fostering a healthy metabolism.

Water- Drink your water! It helps the body flush out excess sodium and toxins. A German study showed that drinking water helped boost the metabolism by 30 percent. Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated also helps to keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger, and can prevent unnecessary calorie consumption and binging.

In the comments to the first post about dealing with a sluggish metabolism, POD provided a link to a post by Mark Salinas about foods that accelerate the metabolism. Good info -- check it out. Any of these foods surprise you?

Don't forget to drink your water!

~♥~

Ways to amp up a slugo metabolism

I was diagnosed with low level hypothyroidism about three years ago. Hmmm...about the time this extra weight started creeping up on me. Even with daily medication, my metabolism is nothing near what it used to be and it'll never be normal. Because of this, I'm all about ways I can rev things up so this little tip thingy from Dr. Weil caught my attention:

As we age, our metabolisms slow down, which can lead to gaining extra, unwanted pounds. But small dietary adjustments can help minimize weight gain. Try these suggestions:

1. Eat small meals throughout the day. This encourages steady caloric burn and a consistent metabolism. check
2. Choose healthy carbohydrates. Replace refined, high-glycemic-index carbs with unrefined, low-glycemic choices. The latter do not cause the spikes in blood glucose levels that encourage the storage of fat. check
3. Use spices. Capsaicin (the compound that gives chili peppers their bite), black pepper and ginger all boost the generation of heat in the body, leading to more calories burned. check
4. Drink green tea. The main antioxidant polyphenol in green tea, known as Epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, stimulates the body to help burn calories. Dr. Weil recommends drinking a few cups of quality green tea every day. check -- sort of, I'll drink tons of iced green tea as the weather warms up.

I already do these things with the new addition of adding strength training. Is this as good as it gets? Oh well, let me know if you have other tips to add.

~♥~