I am a mess. {literally}. I've gotten myself into the worst predicament ever. And in the process I am not the only one affected. I've never been so unhappy with who I am and where I'm at as I am now. It is not only due to the situation, but also the way I view myself. The way I feel on the inside.
Ok, I know, this is getting really gushy really quickly. I don't normally like to be open about the "real" me publicly, but I will be the first to admit I am NOT perfect. Far from it, actually. However, I have decided its about time I quit beating myself up. Its about time I take care of myself, and learn to love myself. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Since I have started nursing school, my life has been a literal roller coaster. . . daily. Its been quite the struggle, and for a while I had a setback, but am now well on my way again. Yet there is always trials. If I had to choose between fight, or flight. . . I naturally would be a "flight" type of person. At times that can be a good thing, but at times it can be cowardice. I need to push forward with a "fight" type of attitude. Committing myself to the goals I have made, and not letting anything get in the way or beating myself up along the path.
I've recently discovered two amazing friends. They never let me down, and are always there for me, the way I want to be. They don't sugar coat anything, and tell me when I need to try harder, and to never give up. They enlighten me, and help me to become a better Elena. They are called the gym, and the library. :)
Now onto the real reason I'm blogging today...
So, while at the library the other day I was looking at nursing school books when I passed by the health and fitness section. The first book I saw was called "The Water Secret". Nutrition in nursing school is a weakness of mine, I've never been great at determining which foods will help with what deficiency, etc. I also love water. And never seem to get enough of it. I thought it'd be an interesting read as I flipped through pages added it to my armful of books.
As I got home, I set the books in my designated "library book" spot on my bedroom floor. (I have way too much stuff I've acquired over the years). I picked up the book and started reading. I wanted to know the secret! Little did I know, I was opening up a book that could potentially effect the way I live my life and help redefine myself from the inside out. I haven't finished it completely, but I've read a LOT of it so far.
This book talks about our bodies from a cellular level. The ability of our cells to hold water, an essential part of our body's capacity to function. It teaches the importance of good lifestyle habits that can improve our cell's membranes to keep a hold of that water, which in turn helps our body to work like it should, keep our skin healthy, and increase the overall health INSIDE ourselves. What I like about this book is that it doesn't pinpoint only one common problem people face, or diagnose someone. What it does is help with the simple, mundane things in life that help us to "feel" better.
The body does not become hydrated by drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Of course, drinking water IS important. But if our cells aren't strong, nourished and taken care of, they will not hold the water we drink. They will absorb it, and leak it out- causing bloated bellies, swollen ankles, and puffy eyes. Leading us to really be dehydrated. This book talks about the importance of essential nutrients our bodies need, through EATING our water (read to book to find out more!) in a way that outlines what types of food will help, and why. This is NOT a "diet" book. It teaches you to eat healthy, by giving you the knowledge to make good choices on your own.
To start off they have a 15 question quiz to get an idea of where YOUR health lies. The lower the number, the more help you need. This involves diet, stress, sleep, worries, etc... (lemme tell ya, I scored pretty low). From there, it leads you to 10 very simple steps done over 10 weeks. Adding one new step at the beginning of every week. Today is my first day. This first step is "eat your water to fill up the cellular tanks". This is done simply by adding more fruit and veggies DAILY. That's all! Simple, but can have a huge effect. It also adds to avoid processed, fast and fried foods, and artificial ingredients (that one may be a little tougher).
I could go on and on and on... but I am very excited about this. I've started working out regularly, I am rediscovering my passion for reading good, uplifting books. I start up my new job on Monday, and a class that will help me through nursing school on Tuesday. I have SO much to be grateful for. I will be updating my progress on here. Whether or not anyone reads it, its more for my benefit anyway! :)
BABY STEPS. "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." -
Alma 37:6
