NotBlueAtAll

I'm just a fat gal with a blog and an opinion. Well, lots of opinions.

Links & Thoughts About Health

June30

Hello, Darlings! How have you been feeling lately? It’s summer here in the San Francisco Bay Area and with that means unpredictable weather (at least this year). This crazy weather often leaves me feeling unsettled or a little confused or sometimes full-on giddy! I just never know what to expect. I live about an hour south of SF and it gets very hot in the summer months. But I also own a cafe near SFO where it is usually cold/gray/foggy. I’m always wondering what to wear and plan for the worst.

Today I want to talk about health! Because we should all do whatever we can to take care of our health, both physical and mental. I’ve found some links I’d like to share with you all and will also share my thoughts on the subjects and hopefully hear what you think or some suggestions/experiences you have or had. That would be rad! (sorry for rhyming.)

Depression: I know, this one’s a doozy! But hey, it hits all of us at some point in our lives and it’s important to discuss it so it doesn’t go unnoticed or untreated. I’m not implying that you need drugs to treat depression, on the contrary! I think it is important to be aware of your moods and feelings and general happiness (or not) in order to see what sets off a depressive phase and what helps.

Not everyone has an absolute daily routine and it is because of this that depression may go unnoticed, even by the person who is depressed, for long periods of time. It is in my experience that someone else will come up to me and simply say, “Is everything okay with you? You see down.” And I’m shocked every time! Ha! But seriously, this is just how depression works sometimes. Other times I’ll just feel the ickies and not wanna do anything I would normally want to do. The following link mentions common symptoms and behaviors exhibited by those with depression.

http://www.aolhealth.com/conditions/depression/symptoms?icid=main|main|dl9|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fconditions%2Fdepression%2Fsymptoms

I think above all though, it is so important to have someone, anyone, to talk to regularly. It could be a friend or relative or co-worker. Just someone with whom you feel completely comfortable confiding in and hopefully they will do so with you as well. Why? Because we don’t always see when something has changed because we’re the same person every day or we do the same things or our schedules are so stretched as it is that we don’t have time to sort of check-in with ourselves. Another person can usually spot signs before we do. No matter what though, you are worth the effort and energy and the love and the comforts that life has to offer. You are human and prone to mistakes, yet we are all gifted with incredible minds to learn and grow with.

Vitamin D Deficiency: My husband is always telling me to get some sun. This is problematic for me because I am a redhead and have very fair skin. To me 15 minutes in the sun seems like 3 hours! And I always burn. Yes, I use sunscreens and even my moisturizer has SPF 30, but I still burn! These things are not fool proof nor are they 100% effective and you can’t just rely on them solely. Yet, I get it! We get Vitamin D from the sun and so many of us are couped up in offices or schools or what have you and just don’t get enough of this wonderful stuff!

What can a lack of vitamin D do to you? Well, for starters it can worsen your asthma symptoms. And not being able to breathe is pretty damned scary! If getting a little sun each day means keeping your asthma in-check, why not do it?! It can also put you at a higher risk for certain cancers, type 1 diabetes and heart disease. Look, I’m no sun worshiper and I don’t tan, but I see the importance in this and shoot…IT’S COMPLETELY FREE! So get some sun already!

This link has more info on the subject: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/asthma/linked-to-vitamin-d-deficiency?icid=main|main|dl9|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fcondition-center%2Fasthma%2Flinked-to-vitamin-d-deficiency

Superfoods: I keep hearing that word “Super-food” and it’s usually associated with whatever trendy or exotic berry that’s suddenly being used and touted as a miracle cure for whatever ails ya. But there is something to this thing. We all know what antioxidants are or at least what they do: fight cancer causing free radicals! So we want to get as many of those antioxidants into our system as possible! But there are other “super-foods” that can give great health benefits and we should try to get some of those, too!

I know, I know, “Great! Another must-eat for my never ending list of must things.” I’m with ya. But the following link offers info and suggestions on what to focus on eating depending on your age range: http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/02/24/superfoods-by-decade/?icid=main|main|dl9|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010%2F02%2F24%2Fsuperfoods-by-decade%2F

I like this style of health article because it actually addresses the difference in dietary needs as we age. Doy! It’s genius! Just like your skin needs change, so do your dietary needs. Okay, the fact that the above link says I should get more cranberry and pomegranate juices just makes me happy! I mean, I’m just not terribly fond of yogurt, unless it’s frozen!  Ha-ha!  The health benefits are real and honestly, none of the suggestions seem so difficult or too spendy to be out of one’s grasp. With one exception: Wild Salmon?! Really?! I just don’t eat fish, never really have. I’ve tried several types and preparations, but it’s just not for me. I wish the article would have given a few options to get the same nutrients in order to get whatever heath benefit it has. Ugh! It’s not perfect, but I’m guessing that any Omega 3 fatty acid will be great for you regardless of where it was derived from.

Eye Sight: I cannot stress the importance of regular eye exams and following your eye doctors’ orders enough! I wear glasses and while I wasn’t so keen on the idea at first (although I love the fashion aspect of wearing them, too) the fact that I just plain see better makes it worth any/all trouble involved. I know for a lot of people the thought of needing glasses automatically brings to mind the whole “I don’t wanna get old” notion. UGH! STOP IT! I’ve been wearing glasses full-time since I was 23. It’s not a big deal. They don’t make me look older, just cooler & smarter!

You may not even need glasses or only for driving or reading or something. It’s not a big deal, but avoiding an eye exam is a big deal! You wouldn’t go years on end without seeing a dentist (I hope, but I’m guilty of this one only out of financial necessity), so why put off a simple and sometimes fun eye exam? I truly enjoyed my last exam, too! The doctor was at a Lens Crafters location and was funny and nice and just mega-cool! While my prescription hadn’t changed, I appreciated the check-up and the additional info the doctor gave me about my eyes, specifically. Hey, learning is cool, I don’t care what you say!

When I came across this link however, uhhh…I just don’t know what to think! http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/06/30/you-can-look-now-perfectsight-a-mobile-app-for-your-eyes/?icid=main%7cmain%7cdl3%7clink6%7chttp%253A%252F%252Fsmallbusiness.aol.com%252F2010%252F06%252F29%252Fyou-can-look-now-perfectsight-a-mobile-app-for-your-eyes%252F

It does seem a bit silly, but if it’s legit and you have the technology, why the hell not try it out? If it’s only $2 and you can do it yourself (I’m all for DIY projects) in the comfort of your home and it is accurate? Just Do It! And the whole concept of being able to do this in remote areas without access to health care? I’m sold!

Also, this link details other and more serious eye health issues like yellowing, hepitis and thyroid issues: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/eye-care/symptoms

Hand Health: We don’t often even think about our hands, but where would we be without them? Oh sure, you may throw on some lotion or get a manicure now and then, but only for general appearance and not for specific health concerns. Yet the hands can often show signs of illnesses that would otherwise go unchecked. For instance, have you noticed ridges on your nails? Vertical ridges (from cuticle to tip) are common and harmless. But horizontal ridges can be a sign of internal issues or even heavy metal poisoning!

Other hand health issues include tingling, numbness, cold hands, pain, cysts, aging spots, prominent veins and more! If you’re experiencing any out of the ordinary symptoms in/on your hands, be sure to have them checked out by a doctor sooner rather than later. The following link goes into great detail about hand health: http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/06/21/what-your-hands-say-about-you/?icid=main|main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010%2F06%2F21%2Fwhat-your-hands-say-about-you%2F

Feet: Oh c’mon, can’t talk about hands and not mention feet! Feet are super important, too! And can I just say that most people are terrible when it comes to identifying foot health issues. How many of us have worn bad shoes or ignored a foot problem only to grow ashamed of the fact that it’s getting worse yet still don’t see a doctor? The feet do so very much for us and it is crucial to your overall health to take care of them!

We all take our feet for granted, but you don’t have to! It’s important to pay attention to your feet and give them a once-over every day (say, when you get out of the shower) so you can identify any sudden changes that may be signs of a looming health issue. From the average Athlete’s Foot to nail fungus and arthritis, there are so many things your feet can tell you about your health. This link covers all of that and more: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/arthritis/foot-pain

Urine Health: The following link discusses urine health and common symptoms found in urine to more serious illnesses (sorry, I could not get the link to load, please let me know if you have the same issue): http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/bladder-conditions/urine-and-your-health

One thing you may find missing from my Health link list is anything to do with weight. Look, we are inundated with diet and weight loss stuff constantly! And it’s all COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSHIT! I believe in HAES (Health At Every Size). The basics of HAES are as follows (from this site: http://www.haescommunity.org):

Health at Every Size is based on the simple premise that the best way to improve health is to honor your body. It supports people in adopting health habits for the sake of health and well-being (rather than weight control). Health at Every Size encourages:

  • Accepting and respecting the natural diversity of body sizes and shapes.
  • Eating in a flexible manner that values pleasure and honors internal cues of hunger, satiety, and appetite.
  • Finding the joy in moving one’s body and becoming more physically vital.

Please be kind to yourself and your body! You are so very worth it!

2 Comments to

“Links & Thoughts About Health”

  1. On July 3rd, 2010 at 12:26 pm Atchka! Says:

    Hey, I saw your comment on silentbeep’s blog and wanted to invite you to FierceFatties.com, our group blog. We cover the three groups you think are missing from the discussion (I’m a guy, several of us are 300+, and we have quite a bit of diversity in our bloggers).

    We’re also not on the Fatosphere. We have our own feed with over 330 blogs, many which also aren’t on the Fatosphere. And allow me to offer you a free trial membership. If after 30 days you’re not satisfied with FierceFatties.com, just return the unused portion for a full refund.

    Peace,
    Shannon

  2. On July 4th, 2010 at 2:02 pm admin Says:

    Oh wow! Thanks. I will email you about this.

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