Over the past year I’ve been making some massive lifestyle changes to accommodate my health. To be honest it’s probably the first time ever that I’ve really looked at my health and started paying attention to what my body is telling me.
I have IBS so it’s always telling me that I can’t handle cake, but I’d eat in anyway. This past year I just had the realisation that I don’t need to be such a people pleaser, saying yes to everything and anything and that it’s actually way more important to put myself, my body and my health over everything else.
I’ve accepted the reality that I have the body of an eighty-something rather than a twenty-something, and that I need to know when to not have a slice of cake or booze and just stop and relax. And I’m getting there.
I don’t say yes to every invitation, I’m careful on work nights about what I do and I make sure I get some relaxation time in at the weekends, otherwise my body will lash out at me, resulting in a painful IBS episode, a banging headache and general tiredness. And for me, that’s not ok.
After much debating I decided to get a group of friends out for my birthday at the end of last year. We went to Big Easy where I transformed into a bottomless pit of an eating machine. It was gross. I ate a massive seafood bake, then polished off everyone else’s ribs, chicken and chips. I probably don’t eat that much in a week, let alone one sitting. Top that off with vodka, margaritas (my favourite) and umpteen bottles of prosecco, and a poorly Jojo emerges. One night of excess completely floored me until around 8pm the next evening when I emerged for my cousin’s birthday meal. I haven’t had more than one glass of wine since then. I can’t really face it.
These days, you’re more likely to find me snuggled up on the sofa in my floral pjs, sipping on a peppermint tea. I would usually add a hot water bottle to the mix but after sleeping with it for far too many evenings, I’m now nursing some burst blood vessels…. That’s a whole other issue.
Anyway, to live a healthy lifestyle I’ve started on the following:
- I’m cutting down on booze – it just messes with my IBS and hangovers wipe me out for far too long.
- I’m eating healthier – stockpiling veg and sticking by the FOPMAP diet seems to be working.
- I’m doing yoga and meditation – I can master the downward dog and am sleeping better.
- I’m stressing less – generally, trying to not give a shit.
Does this mean that I’m old before my time. Probably. But I now have an appreciation for the small things, like not leaving the house all weekend and staying on the sofa in my pyjamas, and do you know what, I’m genuinely ok with that. And, so it seems, is my body. That for me is the most important thing.