Just Do It!

My focus has always been on the “eating right” and “exercising” aspects of health. I have never really seen the big picture…until now.

When I learned that I had Candida, I sort of felt like, okay, I will do the Candida diet, get better and then go back to living my life. I have failed over and over again; the whole binging and fasting cycle. I have felt like I had hit rock bottom and that there was no hope for me, I have felt isolated and frustrated beyond measure. Thank God! Literally – I thank God because I could not be doing this without Him and the special people He’s placed in my life. I could never do this in my own strength and I am reminded of that daily.

In the past year I’ve been dealing with food issues – why do I eat? Why do I binge? Why am I so extreme?…and my self-esteem is a big one! I realized that if I want to live a healthy and fulfilling life, then I need to make some life changes. How much does that cheesecake or chocolate mean to me? I mean, it tastes like heaven ; ) BUT it brings out the worst in me. Eating that way makes me unhappy, it makes me do and say things that I regret – it makes me depressed. I’m not saying that I won’t ever be able to eat sugar, but at this time in my life, I am choosing LIFE. And simply making that decision makes everything else easier.

Eating right and staying away from many of the foods that I love is one huge factor in getting rid of Candida. In fact, it’s a must. Herbs, antifungals and probiotics have become a regular part of my Candida protocol as well. But did you ever think that STRESS or LACK OF SLEEP could contribute to our physical ailments? Absolutely!!!! I am a big worry wart. Seriously, I worry about everything and I hate that I’m like that. I am always thinking, and sometimes I even have trouble sleeping because I can’t stop thinking about everything. I go to bed really late and I’m up early; 5-6 hours of sleep every night doesn’t cut it for me. I admit that I have a hard time dealing with the stress in my life.

My personal goal over the past month has been to get to bed by 10:00 pm. I have not accomplished that goal – not even once! I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to just put myself to bed. As for the stress, like many people, I am a shallow breather, so I have recently been learning about deep breathing, which I've started doing. And another little tidbit of information…did you know that Candida (and other ailments) cannot survive in a highly oxygenated environment? So anything that increases the amount of oxygen in the body will help. This includes deep breathing and aerobic exercise. Exercise is not just to burn calories and work our hearts!!!!

So my challenge to you is this. How do you think you can move toward wellness? I challenge you to make a goal...just one goal and see where it takes you. Every little change makes a difference. Do you want to quit smoking, stop overeating, stay away from fast food, eat more fruit and vegetables, drink more water, get more sleep, laugh more, build a sense of purpose in your family or personal life, run a marathon!!!! Anything! There is only one thing stopping you from achieving your goals and becoming healthier in all three dimensions - and that is YOU! You need to make the decision. Sometimes we just have to put our foot down and say, NO! I'm not going to self-destruct - I can do this and I will!

This is a lifetime process, but now is the time to start! Remember, on the wellness continuum there is no standing still. Each day either you are moving toward wellness or toward illness.