I am going on a health journey. I have always been fit and healthy and I still am, however, late 2017/2018 have added a few pounds to my figure and some alarming symptoms seem to be flaring up with increased urgency now.  Not serious but urgent just the same. In the fall of 2017, my hypoglycemic issues really flared up. No matter what I ate, I could not seem to win. It’s like I never ate enough and I was always dizzy and sick. Yes, I have been the doctors and no I don’t have diabetes. This is and always has been 100% food related for me. Usually, it means more regular snacks and snacks with more substance.  Tried that and it didn’t work. By process of elimination, I determined with 100% accuracy that my protein shakes were the problem. I finally stopped taking my protein shakes. This did the trick. Little did I know that Anthony was actually having the same issue and when I quit my shake he followed along. It fixed both our hypoglycemic issues literally within a day and there has been no more massive blood sugar crashes for either of us. HALLEJUAH! He also ditched one of two other things that he determined were causing his crashes. We now eat meat for breakfast. Sausages or pork chops. Night and day difference.

I was happy to have this health concerned solved, however, the excess weight from this trial and error period still remained. It was during this time that I started eating rice noodles and a lot of potatoes to try and get some good substance in my body and stop the shakes. I gained weight. Frustrating. I have weighed myself daily and watch what I eat to make sure that I don’t gain weight. In case you are wondering, no, I have never had an eating issue. I just respect my body enough to have a process for monitoring and managing my weight. Since I have never really gained weight, I now found myself in a position with a bit of excess weight and no real experience on losing weight. It’s simple to not gain weight. Eat fewer calories than your daily calorie needs and monitor your weight. I don’t count calories, however, I know what I can eat in a day before I start to gain weight. This awareness has come from years and years of thoughtfully and respectfully managing my weight. Now here I am, I have to shed those extra pounds.

Weight aside, my top concern has become my increased allergy sensitives and allergic reactions. I have always been very sensitive to many things, however, now it’s progressed to a new level. I am reacting almost daily and getting large rashes with hives and feeling that heavy chest allergy feeling. Yes, I am going to the doctor. Mainly to get an epi-pen just in case. With how sensitive I have become, I don’t want to take any chances of not having one handy in case an allergy ever decides to become more severe. The real work is up to me. I know 100% that it’s food related and I need to clean up my diet. Pills will manage the symptoms. I need to get to the root cause and eliminate the problem.

The next line should be that my 2019 resolution is to lose weight. 10 lbs to be exact. Yes, however, that is not is not my top concern. I need to start respecting my body and only eating what makes me feel good again. My body is clearing expressing it’s anger and I need to listen before this get worst or starts triggering other health conditions.

I am happy to say that I am off to a good start. In the last day or so, I have started eating better and I have already noticed some pounds being shed and I have had less severe allergic reactions and not every day. Yes, the extra pounds bother me. What bothers me the most is the rashes and the fact that something is bothering my insides so much that the inflammation is now causing rashes. I have pushed my body to a new level of inflammation and I need to get this cleaned up. I don’t want to push my body any further down the path of unwellness and I really need to get to peak physical health again. Sorry body and mind. I will do better!

So my 2019 resolution is to clean up my diet, get active and let’s start feeling better than ever!

Your rashy friend,

Tracy