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December 6, 2008
Health Insurance
I've been sick since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. That never used to happen.
For the three years that I was hardcore in my CR, I never got sick. Everyone in the office could have the flu and I wouldn't get it. I could share diet soda with people with bronchitis and I'd be fine. My immune system was invincible.
But I let it slip, and now I can get sick again. I never got sick under 108 pounds. Never.
I hate being sick. I've been miserable for almost two weeks, had to take time off work, had to work while sick, sat sniffling in meetings and ran around with a bright red nose. Woke up in the middle of the night unable to breathe through my nose and with my eyes watering and hot from a fever.
Distinct decrease in my quality of life.
Meanwhile, everyone else in the office has it too. And they're miserable too.
MR, however, is fine. He has cuddled up next to me in the night when I have a fever so I have chills and I think I'm freezing and need him to keep me warm. He's brought me tea and removed my snotty kleenexes. He is not sick. We don't even worry that he'll get sick. He hasn't gotten sick in ten years. He doesn't even remember using a kleenex.
Ugh. Do I need any more information?
This week was rough on my CR b/c we had out of town work guests and went out to dinner two nights. I didn't have any desserts and didn't drink much wine, but eating out always means more calories than eating in. I've also been too sick to work out and I feel like a slug. And I can't find my favorite pair of glasses but that has nothing to do with CR.
It's interesting that I've done hardcore CR and done moderate obesity avoidance, and as such I know the benefits of each. I am still thinner than I was in my entire pre-CR adult life. I am still a solid size 4, just not a size 0. I know I look great. It's not about that. It's about health, not just long term health but here and now.
I think I'm going to rename CR as an illness-avoidance diet. It fights illness, inflammation, allergies, psychological disorders (anecdotal evidence has it that CR kicks anxiety, depression, even bi-polar) and also does your dishes. Wait, a CR'd man does my dishes -- YMMV. I cook the dinners.
My work is going to heat up in a big way in the new year, and I need my immune system back. If I stay on my calorie goal (1400/day with two Christmas party events out planned in Dec) I think I'll get it back. I also have tons of yoga and Pilates, including a special workshop next week, planned.
Quality of life isn't all that complicated. Being sick definitely detracts from it. I know that my immune system was invincible on serious CR.
The good thing about work getting busy is that I won't have time to accept invitations to eat out. Eating out is the main obstacle to my CR, and I really can't do it more than twice a month or so and stay on my CR. A lot of experimentation has proven this.
In good news, my SAD fighting grow lite is working great. I meditate 30 minutes a day with it as soon as I get up and I love it. I am quite happy now, even though sick. Amazing what some good sunlight can do.
Today we went to my mother's house for a Thanksgiving dinner, the one we had planned for last weekend but I was too sick to go. She roasted a delicious turkey and we packed up ginger cranberry sauce, Jack Daniels sweet potato, mashed cauliflower, mashed turnip, and pumpkin flan. The entire feast was fabulous and then we snuggled in to watch WALL-E, which MR had not yet seen. It was a lovely family holiday -- my third Thanksgiving of the year!
Time to sit down to dinner: salad and leftovers!
Posted by april at December 6, 2008 3:38 PM
Comments
April,
Check your level of Vitamin D in your diet.
Use of vitmain D in clinical practice
http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/13/1/6.pdf
Figure 1 of the paper shows that 2000 IU per day of Vitamin D virtually wipes out the incidence of cold/influenza symptoms.
Tony
Posted by: Tony at December 9, 2008 10:29 AM
Thanks. You have no idea how much I needed that post. I was working on not being sick. Green smoothie/blended salad challenge everyday until X-Mas. It worked, I felt better, lost pounds fast, and felt nourished. I generally do not have an appetitie when ill. Then Sunday came, we ate out, I still was not hungry but ate stuff that just did not work for me and immediately went back to bed. Then I continued to eat gak, until today. I really, really needed your post to remind me why I should really wait until I am hungry and then start with nutrient-rich foods.
Cheers,
MGS
Posted by: MGS at December 9, 2008 8:54 PM
Maybe MR is from the future and has nanobots on standby. =/
Posted by: Matthew Lake at December 12, 2008 11:18 AM