What we are given

I read a story last night in Runner's World about a man who was born with severe asthma. He couldn't really exercise most of his life because of the state of his lungs. He didn't have a choice in this of course. But a few years ago ( when he was in his 50s I believe) he received a double lung transplant. The first time he was offered new lungs, they were from a 55 year old man who was a smoker. He declined them. I don't blame him. Why go from one problem to another when you have a choice about it? The second time he was offered lungs, they came from a healthy (I am assuming) 44 year old woman. Within a short time he started running. He takes many pills in a day to ensure that he doesn't reject the new organs, but he is happy to do so. His doctor told him, when he removed his asthmatic lungs that he was amazed at the state of them, that this man should have been dead long before this. Now he was able to live and to do things he never contemplated before. He has run marathons. He is living a full life without the debilitating problems severe asthma brings.

This story made me contemplate (again) on the blessings of health we are given. So many of us are BORN with healthy bodies, healthy lungs, healthy hearts and bodies that work. It behooves us to take care of them, to not abuse them, but to realise the blessing we have of being able to live full and productive lives. We don't HAVE to suffer most of the time. Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Sometimes illness or disease happen that could have been avoided. It is different for everyone and at different times. But when we have the ability to have optimal health, when we have normal working lungs and hearts and legs and arms and everything else these wonderful bodies offer, it is a responsibility to take care of them. To do everything we can to be as healthy as we can. The Word of Wisdom in the Doctrine promises us that if we do all we can, we will be blessed with strength, long life and good health.

Now, sometimes things happen that, as I mentioned, are beyond our control. In those cases we still do the best we can and know that we can face our Heavenly Father and be able to report that we did the best we can with the stewardship of these bodies of ours.

Good Health is a gift that takes work. It isn't a right. It isn't a privilege. It is a gift. We all need to take care of these most precious gifts and do the best we can.

I hope no one thinks I am preaching. I am not. Just want to remember this if I ever feel tempted to slack off again (though at this point I don't think I ever will because my attitude has changed so much, at least I HOPE I won't!).

September Update

Well I have my update. Still good! Things are going well, my energy is great and finally, my hormones are balanced!!! At least, better than they have been the last 2 years. Boy it has been a journey of learning.

So here is the update, less than my average of 12 lbs lost in a month, this is only 9 lbs lost this month, but a total of 97 lbs lost since January with 27 lbs to go to reach my goal. I have lost 7 inches and I am officially a size 14!!!! Yay!!! Next goal a size 12 :). Oh to dream. So a total of 67 inches lost since the beginning of January.

Looks like my weight loss is slowing down some, but that's alright, my eating and activity level is still good so it all works. Even so I can still reach my goals in the time alloted. The important thing isn't how fast or much I lose, but how my health improves and I am happy with that. My strength and cardio endurance is improving so much, my flexibility is so much improved and my energy is high. My body is beginning to respond to the changes positively for the sake of my hormone activity to and this is all good for PCOS. And I was expecting the actual poundage loss to slow down at some point. I was suprised it took this long. I don't intend to do anything to "speed" it up because the goal is balance and health, not losing weight (that's just a natural and terrific bonus to nourishing your body!).