Studies show that about 70 to 80 percent of our immune system resides in our gut flora: good and bad bacteria that live inside our digestive tract. Not having an adequate number of enzymes (specific proteins), probiotics (beneficial bacteria and yeast), and stomach acid lead to maldigestion and symptoms of gas, bloat, acid reflux, and heartburn.
I struggled to lose weight since High School; I was overweight since I hit my teenage years. I formed unhealthy eating habits and never learned about proper nutrition. I tend to eat more and unhealthily when I am stressed.
I tried all those extreme fasting diets: the Hollywood detox diet, long-term juicing challenges, and plain water-fasting for two weeks! All that helped me develop mental discipline, but it always led to a yo-yo dieting effect. It is good to do a short-term detox now and then to cleanse the body from impurities, but by no means is it an effective diet in and of itself! Detoxing is just a way to restore the body and get back into Just Eating Real Foods (J.E.R.F.), or clean eating.
Are we built to consume massive amounts of sugar and unhealthy fats daily? Since 2011, I have been making lifestyle changes! I was having trouble digesting foods containing elevated levels of caffeine, hydrogenated oils, trans-unsaturated fatty acids, or deep-fried foods. By 2014, I began to experience hypoglycemia: low blood sugar. Reactive (non-diabetic) hypoglycemia happens within a few hours of eating a meal which can put you at risk of developing type-2 diabetes — if you ignore the symptoms and continue with the same bad eating habits.
I did not ignore the symptoms; however, I never sought professional help. I was fighting with my body to keep myself going and finish off the day! I felt like I only had two choices: make lifestyle changes or suffer the consequences! Hence, this is not solely about looking amazing to impress others; that way of thinking was never enough to motivate me.
Everything must be deep and meaningful to be worthy in my eyes. Healthy living means feeling independent, capable, strong, and confident; living healthy; my future; and becoming my best self! That is what motivates me!
I became more disciplined over the years! I stopped my consumption of soda, sweetened coffee, and energy drinks. On December 6, 2017, I watched a movie called, That Sugar Film! It completely changed my life!
I took things a step further. I made a grocery list, and I changed the way I ate. I began to cut processed and artificial sugars from my diet and ate low-fat meals. I started tracking my macros, primarily my protein intake, and spent time researching health-related topics. I went from knowing nothing about proper nutrition to now knowing more than I ever imagined. My weight started dropping! I was ready to turn flab into fabulousness, but physical fitness has always been my weakness; I lost my way.
I left my job and the field of education on May 28, 2021, to pursue my aspirations (with prospects of becoming a practicing artist and potentially a teaching artist- on the side, as opposed to an art teacher). And I did not realize that my health still needed professional attention. I packed on stress, ate poorly, did not exercise, had an anxiety attack, and landed in the emergency room.
I know my health and fitness journey is far from over! Forming healthy habits is a lifelong practice. Every year there will be new stressors and challenges that I will have to face.
For every hurdle in life, I have adapted and improvised! Right now, I am trying something different; I have subscribed to Freshly: Meal Delivery Service and Orgain: Clean Nutrition & Healthy Living to eat well and save time and money.
Life was once harmonious, but all that changed when my time and money became limited, and my goals were numerous. It ignited chaos: wars and competition and fast-paced everything. The labyrinth is reality!
Now, life is a game. You either play by the rules or lose! But I intend to find a way around it. It is time to think outside of the matrix box. I need to adapt to what is most suitable, thus playing the hand I am dealt with wisely!
As I have previously mentioned in HEALTH ≥ WEALTH (Hernandez, 2022.), having little or no money plays a fundamental role in developing poor dietary habits! “Happily, Ever After” is about acquiring healthy coping skills, creating a balanced life, pursuing my aspirations, and improving and supporting my well-being (e.g., physical, intellectual, emotional, social, vocational, financial, and environmental success). Contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction, and self-care/love is important too!
Hernandez, M. (2022, June 19). Health ≥ Wealth. Medium. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://medium.com/@smilesweetsunflower/health-wealth-1b6bf3e0be8f