Health Journaling

I'm starting a health journal. I write about it because I probably need a bit of accountability with it. I'm great at journaling when it's non-required. Knowing that I have a health journal to feed regularly feels a bit like an assignment.

But it's a much-needed assignment. I have chosen to manage my asthma without the daily medicine prescribed when I was diagnosed last April. It has gone fairly well. For the most part, I've used the prescribed rescue inhaler only a few times in the year . . . until the past two weeks. Just like last year at this time, these last two weeks have been difficult. I've had a mild asthma attack every day for the last week and have relied on my inhaler more than I would like. I need this health journal to help me remember a few things:

Triggers. I've learned that certain foods trigger asthma attacks. I tried some Chick-fil-A fries the other day, and I was wheezing within 10 minutes. Not fair! Bread an butter do this, as well. So does mile 6 of my hula-hooping. I don't need anything except my tight chest and coughing to let me know what mile I'm on when I'm on the journey. So there are some definite triggers, and I want to record all of them.


Asthma plan. I need to carry an asthma plan on me at all times and let the people I am with the most know that it's on me and in this nifty little book. That way, in case I'm having a hard time communicating, they will know exactly what to do. I realize that choosing to do this medicine-free may have a few risks, so I need to carry the plan.

Water. Water is a life force. And I can definitely tell that it helps my asthma, and I just feel better in general when I drink it. So I could use the book to make sure I'm getting my daily allotment (because I certainly don't choose to drink water naturally).

Exercise. I need to make sure I'm getting my good workouts at least 5 days a week. I believe that it will help my immune system build stronger. And, let's face it, I'm getting older. No time like the present to really care for this body of mine!

And so let the journaling (and accountability) begin! I have this cute 60-70% recycled journal made by greenroom, so I hope it will motivate me. I'll take a photo of it and add it later.

peace.

250 Words About Body Image

At Home Depot today, I stood in line listening to my iPod (because that’s what I do when shopping now) waiting for the clerk to ring my items. When she got to my things she was chipper and focused. As I swiped my card, though, she stared at me and frowned.

“Oh, to be so skinny,” she said still holding the frown. “I was once as skinny as you but not any more. It’s a shame.”

A shame? What was I supposed to say? She was not incredibly overweight. But even if rolls of fat bulged from her body in such an unhealthy way that it was a shame, what would I say: “Yeah, you’re right. That is a shame”?

Of course, she had no idea if I had weight issues. I’ve known very small women who would give anything to have their weight back; they were thinning because of an illness. Or what if I had an eating disorder? Then wouldn’t that be the real shame?

The woman probably assumed her statement was complimentary to me. Her idea of complimenting me was to put down herself. Now that is a shame!

Why do we compare ourselves to each other? Why is our self-esteem so low that we publicly deprecate ourselves? Should we make comments about people’s weight at all? I can think of so many times I’ve heard people comment on some girl’s “big butt” or “fat rolls” or “tight abs” or “skinny legs.” Surely the world offers greater concerns to mention.