Cycles

Just read this article.

And while I can't relate at all to the severity to which she went through one thing rings true...  eating healthier made my cycles SO much better.

I used to live next door to a nutritionist who told me, when she had a client who just wanted the easiest thing he/she could do to help, she'd always say - give up dairy - give up oil.

I think everyone has to find out for themselves what works for their body and what doesn't.  But I do believe our bodies speak to us and our journey is learning to trust that and listen.  That being said one of the signals my body gave me for a LONG time was the signal to stop drinking coffee.

I started drinking coffee in college.  I'd come home and have a cup with my mom and chat.  I really disliked the taste... unless!  i put a whole lotta creamer in it.  I remember LOVING getting up in the morning as a newly married gal and just making the coffee and having some reading time each morning.  One of my favorite routines!  Then as a teacher... I couldn't not bring a tall coffee mug to school w/ me and I'd sip on it hot then cold all morning.  Coffee had definitely become an addiction for me - wouldn't have even come close to calling it that then... geez it was just coffee!  But I remember hearing my body say no, and my mind couldn't picture the morning without it.

In Jacksonville, the school I worked in had a Starbucks just up the road.  Bad news bears.  It was a costly habit in more ways than one.   My body sent signs all the time... small little ones at first.  How it cut my appetite to null or made me have to go to the bathroom, neither of which seemed like negatives at the time.   But then how I was SO jittery... and then ignoring this for years, 5 if we're counting - it got to the point where my body just wouldn't let me put another sip in.  I remember the day... I was working from an office that was above a Starbucks and after just one sip - I felt violently sick... it was the start of knowing I'd just depleted any last ounce of my bodies ability to cope with something that I'd forced on it for so long.  The pain outweighed any pleasure.

I don't know that coffee is the reason for the tumor I've had removed near my kidneys.  I don't know that it is the reason I've not been able to get pregnant.  Those thoughts have crossed my mind.  Because what I do know is that my body was speaking to me all along.

Shortly after this, I was at Borders over a lunch break and came across this book.  I couldn't put it down and had to buy it to read more.  It was the first time reading about food didn't overwhelm me... it seemed simplified and resonated strongly with me.  I remember sitting on our patio later that evening reading the book and just stopping to listen to my body and it scared me.  I hurt... my whole body just hurt... and I knew I had to change.

This post has popped in my head just a handful of times over the years.   I hope it helps any young girl who may have a body warning her about something she's putting in it to heed that voice. And maybe that will help prevent some kinda pain for her... now or later or both.  Our bodies are amazing!  And even if we think it a silly thing, and not an issue for the majority of others, we do ourselves great justice by letting it speak and following suit.

This last encounter with coffee was spring of 2010.  And I've not had any since.  Shortly after I gave up coke and even the caffeine in chocolate doesn't sit well with me now.  Probably never did but I'm aware now and I'm in process with getting rid of that.  All this is just that, a process.

Much love to you in yours.
xo