So guys. We’ve talked about getting older. We’ve raved about the benefits and boo-hooed about the bummers along the way. We have also discussed how we get tripped up in so many ways when it comes to preventing bad health because every doctor we go to just wants to treat it with Advil or Pepto Bismol or Tylenol instead. (Well not mine, because she’s awesome…get yourself a direct care physician, they cut out the middleman and provide one-on-one care by taking time to understand your full needs instead of shooing you in and out of an office). If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, check them out!) But anyway, I’m seriously tired of waiting around for an answer to my issues. I want to be able to do every single thing I can to start PREVENTING further complications when I’m 40, 50, or 60. So, who’s with me in learning all about our beings and making sure we can kick butt when we’re wrinkly.

Leggoooo.

 

 

Why Looking Healthy on the Outside Doesn’t Always Mean You Feel Good Inside

Listen, I’m no expert in the medical field so please don’t go all cray cray on me in the comments. I’m just a regular (kind of) oldish lady feeling the waters of the aging process. It’s annoying to say the least. But we’re not here to say the least, are we?

I’ve been in and out of doctor appointments for going on 2 years now regarding a pain in my side that has not gone away. At first I thought it was a pulled muscle, turns out it may actually be that (just a really, really deep one!), but alas, the nagging pain is still present, especially when I participate in the sports I love most. (Strength training, running, and BJJ).

Anytime I hit the mats on that side, it feels like I land on a whole ass stress ball. It’s not super severe, but I obviously avoid it as much as possible, (therefore hindering my game, which is UNCOOL).

It’s something I thought would have gone away by now, but it persists nonetheless. So I’ve gone through a handful of tests including blood draws, MRIs and ultrasounds. All of which to tell me that I’m *basically* completely normal and that I need not worry about my health since, on the surface, I’m a healthy, active, young woman.

AHEM.

Let me just bring back the old saying we all know and love.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Meaning simply, just because on the outside we look healthy and completely normal, does NOT mean internally we are doing “just fine.” And guess what? This goes for not only your internal organs and such, but also for anxiety, stress, depression, you name it. What you see is not always what you get.

Some people just come out of the womb 100% present and confident in themselves and fully authentic from the start. And others, like myself, and maybe you too, come out scrambling trying to realize their own story and put piece by piece together of what brings them the most joy.

I’m not saying it’s harder for us to find what makes us happy in life, but a lot of times, it really is that simple. So, don’t overthink it.

But when it comes to my health, my internals that make me alive and beating, I want to ensure I’m doing EVERYTHING I can to make full use of all my years and not be bummed out at 50 because I can’t move as well as I used to. I need to feel better than that. I need to keep running, keep playing, keep competing every single day to feel alive and healthy in my current skin.

 

 

A Safe and Confident Woman?

We talked before about fatty livers, and how much more common they are than not. We talked about cysts forming from birth control and how it’s deemed “normal” among women in their 20s/30s in their “child-bearing years.” Like, wtf?

No, sir or ma’am, that is not NORMAL. That is not cool, and not okay with me, and I’m sure to my fellow lady friends out there, probably not with you, either.

I don’t believe that ingesting a pill for years on end that creates permanent damage to another organ is okay. I thought by taking that, I was being a “safe and confident woman.” And here, all along, I was just adding another problem in my life in the form of never-ending cysts that continue to grow.

Whether or not that is the sole reason is unbeknownst to me at this time. However, I do know that it is chalked up to one of the “maybes” of why they are present right now on my liver. And it does not make me super pumped.

Not only that, but whatever the issue persisting is, it’s growing. My instructions when I asked what I could do to help reverse the fatty liver or decrease the size of the cyst were simply, “continue doing what you’re doing,” or “there’s nothing you can do for it, we’ll check back in a year.”

…To say I had fumes coming out of my ears was an understatement.

 

 

I Won’t Stand Idly By

I know there are likely medical professionals out there that know better, and by all means, I’d be more than happy to have one weigh in to drop some doc knowledge in the comments. But until then, I shall simply provide my two cents about why these statements cause me so much unrest.

Why can’t I “do anything?” Why do I have no other options than to “continue doing what I’m doing,” and why the hell do I need to wait a full year to make sure it hasn’t grown more in size?! Like, no thanks, I’d rather stop it where it’s at now, mmkay.

I try to stay a realist and understand that the medical field has bigger fish to fry and that since there is no urgency in my situation that there really is nothing wrong. And I don’t think there is, to be clear.

The part that bothers me the most is that we’re told left and right to “sit tight” and “hold on” and “not to worry” when its actually US that has to go through the said thing at hand. What if instead of sitting idle for the next year while I wait to hear back if my fatty liver is worse or my cyst has grown, I do something about it instead?

Sure, there’s not terribly much I can do without more knowledge. And I’m learning what I can of course along the way.

BUT What I Can Control:
*I CAN talk to more than one nutritionist about what does my liver best and how/when/why to implement it.
*I CAN reach others with this new knowledge and talk about it with others in my shoes.
*I CAN do more research and learn how to become more healthy in my everyday decisions, because my longevity LITERALLY depends on it.
*I CAN workout more often but also find balance on when to take it easy.
*I CAN eat better and drink less sugar by putting healthy choices in my way instead of choosing something that is easy and junk-filled.

Did you know?
People with NAFLD may live 2.8 years less than the general population. The age at which a person is diagnosed with NAFLD may affect how much of their life they lose.

DUDE. That’s definitely not okay with me. I’ll make better choices in my food, drinks, and lifestyle to ensure I’m claiming each second of those extra 2.8 years of my life. Why don’t we mention just a few things that can happen in a short 2.8 years that you may not have thought of previously, shall we?

• The birth until toddler years of your first grandchild (or great grandchild!)
• Your kids getting married, dancing with your loved ones at their wedding
• Grandkids going to prom, and them asking you to be present for their pictures
• Being there for your kids if they go through hard times and offering advice from your experiences
• Enjoying easy Sundays with your spouse walking during your retirement

 

 

 

Life is Just Too Short…Count Your Blessings

My point is simple. I don’t want to give up my future years to poor decisions at my current age. Sure, 2.8 doesn’t seem like much now, but I’m 100% sure it will feel like a lot when death comes knocking.

And did you see the last part of the text? “The age at which a person is diagnosed with NAFLD may affect how much of their life they lose.”

Nope, nope, andddd nope.

Meaning that, if I hadn’t started BJJ or training harder to push my own limits by my own determination to do so, if I hadn’t realized there was this annoying pain that was more prevalent during those workouts, if I hadn’t decided I’d had enough of it slumped over in a bathroom in the middle of my shift and gone to see a doctor then, I’d have never known accidentally that I also am developing a non-alcoholic fatty liver.

And do you know what else?

I wouldn’t have been able to share this new information with people I love. I wouldn’t have been able to think of life differently in that I want to embrace being healthy over indulging in junk food and sedentary activities. I wouldn’t have had more motivation to move on with my health journey or finally put my foot down on becoming better for my future self.

Here’s a few things I’m currently working toward:

1. Finding more balance in my workload and learning that “me time” is just as important as everyone else time.
2. Becoming more aware of what I’m putting on my body (lotions, nail polish, moisturizers) and what I’m ingesting (foods, drinks, no alcohol or carcinogens), so that I can rest assured I’ve done my best when I’m old and considering my life decisions.
3. Reading and learning about health, fitness, and understanding how to evolve into the lifestyle I want most to create more time for personal growth and family.

So, who’s with me on learning about our bodies more? About learning how to PREVENT future disruptions in our lives by taking the reins now to ensure we are doing the very best we can to help ourselves instead of relying on those around us to motivate us to do better.

Let’s start by saying no to things that don’t make us feel good and yes to things that create the uncomfies. We have nowhere to go but up, so let’s start taking our health into our own hands one step at a time.

Related: Learning to Gain Freedom in The Mind, Body, And Spirit

 

 

 

 

Thank You For Reading “You Say Fatty Liver, I Say Efff That”

Thank you to all my readers and supporters who have been part of my journey, including today’s post about Nonalcholic Fatty Liver Disease and it’s impact on me. I sincerely hope this post resonates with someone and offers a bit of encouragement. Have you had a similar experience? Share it with us!