Weighty Issues

[amyurban]

You guys are going to swell my head. Sheesh. I mean, thank you but I am just a "person" who has had a very full, crazy, interesting, and somewhat hectic life. When you get to MY age, believe me, you will have a lot of this kind of stuff to talk about, too. Believe me, I am nothing "special" just a person who likes Apolo like you and is just open and honest about things. I hate phoney, plastic people. UGH! *shudders*

[rose]

californiagrown said:

Rose and Amy you guys are great, your like the moms of this site always caring and interested i love it you guys are wonderful

Thanks, Cal, and everyone else. That is a really sweet thing to say. I think all of you younger girls are wonderful, too. I am really enjoying getting to know all of you. And, Amy, I love your openness and honesty. You are very genuine...nothing fake about you...and I find that very refreshing.

Edit: Amy, I forgot to thank you for the medical information. I will certainly do some thinking about this. I am so sorry that you had breast cancer but so glad you are okay now. My Mom is a breast cancer survivor.

[amyurban]

Good for your mom. I do the "Race For The Cure" every year but I do wish that MORE focus was put toward ALL cancer's and not just breast cancer...also, the #1 killer of women is HEART DISEASE. More needs to be done there!

I think this board is a good mix of diverse people. And I really like that! ;D

There is also some natural supplements that can help boost your thyroid and over-all immune system if you are at all interested in that, babe. Also, something a tradtional doctor will NEVER let you in on, but Naturopath's do....when you have thyroid disease, you are NOT supposed to eat raw broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower. Some enzyme in them causes you to have a more difficult time absorbing the iodine in your diet you need for your thyroid function. They need to be cooked before you eat them for this not to be an issue. Also, eat soy in limited quanity. The same reason.

Just a dietary FYI...ah, the things you learn when you have the RIGHT information. Knowledge is POWER!

[rose]

That is really interesting, Amy. I eat a huge salad every evening with my supper and it always has lots of raw brocoli and cauliflower in it!

But I have to be very honest here, I know I can't blame all my weight on my thyroid. I do struggle with over eating. I eat when I am stressed or nervous or even bored. And I don't always make wise, healthy choices in what I eat. I am doing a lot better and really working on it.

[amyurban]

So you eat to "comfort you"...that is very common. I think most people who have a weight problem do that too. We live in such a hustle and bustle, stressful society that those that do not smoke or drink too much usually eat too much. It's a down side to what we as a society are doing to ourselves.

And I hear ya on the bad choices. I do much better now, but it's even harder when you have kids around. And you having 5 of them? Sheesh, that would KILL me, I think. So I hand it to you for at least realizing what you do, and the patterns, etc. Most people don't see those things, let alone admit to them. That, my dear, is the first very important step...realizing the bad habits and then, doing something about them. Good for you. That is an important one.

See...you CAN do this. But hey, just because the thyroid is NOT your main reason for being overweight, I'm sure it is a very big contributing factor. If your endrocrine glands are not in sync with your body, you can be so messed up inside.

[californiagrown]

wow amy you realy noe your facts, the whole heart disease thing i thought i was the only person that knew that lol

o and crims your deffenatly not a mom your more like the big sister that noes everything or an aunt

[Krysten]

hi hehe
HI CG AND ROSE!!!!

[rose]

Yes, Amy, having kids around does make losing weight harder. And I agree that most people don't see their patterns and admit them but in my older years I have learned to be very honest about my self to myself. (I hope that makes sense!

You are so knowledgable about the whole thyroid thing. I don't even know where to begin to start to look for what I need. Is seeing an Endocrinolist the first step?

[amyurban]

Yeah, see I am not a registered doctor or anything but I do know alot about this stuff. You need to get to someone who specializes in this stuff, who knows it and the endocrine system inside and out. That person will take a blood test, maybe even a spit ( saliva ) test. My Naturopath did that, plus, she has me document every single day what my blood pressure is, my BPM, my weight, my temperature ( and you do all of this right when you get up in the morning ). You also keep a daily log and send the results to her weekly. I really like my Naturopath, Arcoma, because she feels like a really good friend who is also one heck of a good doctor. As I said, she is ALSO a hypothyroid person who was "shafted" by the "traditional" doctorial establishment but...I do believe that there ARE some good traditional doctors out there. I was about to go to an Endocrinologist, myself, before I got lucky and found my Naturopath, Arcoma Lambert.

Then, they can regulate you better and see if the levothyroxine is working, or if the dose needs to be upped, lowered or if you need to be on something else altogether. Believe me, I feel the BEST I have in 15 years. I wish I had done this SOONER, but then, as I said, my stupid insurance we had wouldn't LET ME! UGH! I hate the insurance industry in this country or should I say, the health system. For most people, it is seriously BROKEN and needs a good fixing!

[rose]

Okay. Thanks so much, Amy, for taking the time to respond to my questions. I will think about it and decide what to do. (You really should do this for a living. You give great explainations and have great compassion, too.)

[amyurban]

Thanks, I am seriously considering it. I just like to do so many things, is my problem. Hard to stay focused. I am an artist at heart and don't do NEAR as much of it as I used to. And it's a shame really. That IS who I REALLY am. It's a part of me, always has been. And when I DON'T do it much, I feel as if a part of me is dying somehow. Weird, huh?

[rose]

You are a woman of many talents! I can see why it would be hard to stay focused when you enjoy so many things. I am sorry you feel like you are losing part of yourself with not being able to pursue art like you would like to.

[amyurban]

It's because I am into too many of them...watercolor painting, photography, calligraphy, ceramics, stained-glass, jewelry making, singing ( do I miss singing in a band ), and dancing. ( I used to do lots of jazz dancing, too. )

I got into the arts so heavily as a child. I had a very hard and bad upbringing and the arts kept me from losing my mind, literally. I clung to them like a security blanket and well....they are so ingrained in me, know what I mean? It's a good outlet though, just not enough time to do it all. That's why my photography has taken so much of my time. It's the least expensive, time consuming and messy of them all. But my favorites are the Oriental watercoloring, ceramics and stained-glass.

It's okay, I may take art classes in between my health/science/nutritional studies when I go back to school, hopefully, in the Fall. I'd LOVE to go to Pacific University here in town but man oh man...it's a very SPENDY SCHOOL but they have such a GREAT art dept. I'd be like a kid in a candy store again! WHEE!!!!! ;D I had fun at Portland State University when I went there a long time ago. Put me in a LARGE art studio and I could just live there. Bring me food and let me have a stereo system in there ( because I NEED MUSIC, good music, to help me brainstorm and create ) and I'm set. I don't need ANYTHING else!

I know, I am a bit eccentric, no?

[californiagrown]

Amy iv had a hard and difficult childhood as well, i was never good at art but horses have always inspired me and thats what i gravatated to like you did art, i have clung to it and after my first horse (she was the only real friend i had for about three years, somehow she always seemed to understand where i was at, and i got her too because she had gone through hell herself. my friends say that we were the same person) died i was ready to quit because riding just became too painful, because i felt like i died with her, it wasnt until i met my horse now that i started to get back into it and now that i have its like im happy for the first time in i dont noe how long. I understand what you are coming from a little, and all i can say is dont let part of you die

[amyurban]

I'm so sorry about your horse Caligrown. That must of just killed you. I can only imagine....

Yeah, I know...I just have to get off my butt and as the Nike saying goes, JUST DO IT! I do have my daugther to think about, though and she DOES take up a lot of my time, but a good thing...she is really into art like I am. Yeah. And NO, I did not "force her to be", she just IS into it and loves to draw and paint and stuff. So, she's more like me than I care to admit. She wants to learn more stuff from me, so....I can play parent/teacher AND get my "ya-ya's out" so to speak! LOL! ;D Nothing wrong with killing two birds with one stone, I always say!