The Water Secret

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

A little update

This year has been so crazy thus far. Nursing school is simply amazing. I can't believe how much I've learned, and how much I have YET to learn! I now can safely give injections, medications, catheters, wound dressing changes... and other stuff I won't list on here :) Its been quite the experience and I've made some great friendships. Just over two weeks left, and Block 1 will be finished! I am so grateful to be in the best nursing program in Arizona. And no, I'm not biased at all. I never realized how much nursing school could change me, and its all only for the better. :)


I love to see the temple. This is my most favorite place to be. I need to make it more of a priority to get here often. I went to see the Easter Pageant this year with my family and absolutely LOVED it. It has been a few years since I've seen it from the audience side, and it was so nice. I cried almost the whole time. I don't remember ever being as emotional as I have been the past year or two. I have gained a new love for my Savior, and his sacrifice in my behalf, that has really helped me to be stronger and have more courage. I guess its part of aging and becoming a woman. :) Here's a pic from the last time I did it, in '08. I'm hoping I'll be able to participate in it at least one more time before I get too old to dance.

I also had an opportunity to attend a show put on by Tia's Royal Islanders with my sister Emily. They have a venue here in East Mesa, and do a lot of caterings and Polynesian shows around the valley. I've really been missing dance. It has always been my stress reliever and outlet from life's worries. I don't have that anymore, and I'm not feeling as good as I used to. I like exercising, but I hate doing it alone. Exercise is great, and I love it, but its not dance. So, this is an opportunity to perform again, and whenever I'm available. Also for a little bit of a cash inflow. Which is always nice :) We'll see!


I've also been getting into family history! Its been a slow start, considering Nursing school has taken the lead in my life. But, I actually have a really good head start thanks to my tia Emma. I'm very excited to get this rolling, because my dad's whole side of the family needs a LOT of work done. Its kind of a mess going a few generations back, and I hope that with the Lord's help I can find all my family. To me, its important to know my family history. I learn about those who went before me, and the family that has made it possible for me to be here today. There is so much we can learn from our ancestors. I can't wait to graduate, because one of my goals is to get my passport and head down to Mexico and do some sightseeing of places my family comes from. Here's a pic of my dad's parents, who's lines I am working on. I never met my Nana Emma, she passed away when my dad was 17. But isn't she beautiful?!


I'm now 22!!! Its insane to me how fast time flies. I had a nice birthday this year. Coty came out for my whole birthday week. We had a lot of fun, and it was so nice to see him even though I still had to go to school. He was so patient with all that I had to do, and I really miss the everyday things that we used to get to do together. He's a great guy, and I'm so grateful for all that he does for me. I'll make another post for that week, since this one is already getting long enough. I'll share one more thing, we got a new puppy! Her name is Zumba, and she is the CUTEST chihuahua I have ever seen. I'm not a fan of chihuahuas at all. They yap way too much and are so annoying, and I never thought they were cute dogs at all. Zumba is the only exception to this rule. She is small, black, energetic, and a great self-esteem booster. She loves to cuddle, and has these big floppy ears and the cutest puppy face ever. Her mom's ears are floppy too, so I'm hoping Zumba's don't go all pointy on us. I like her the way she is. Her major flaw: she bites my toes ALL the time. It's not that cute. But, I still love her. My dad is a closet puppy lover too. He won't admit it, but he is pretty selfish when it comes to cuddling with her. ;)

Sweet Nectar!!

Lisa bought me my first Dr Pepper in like 7 months. I am thoroughly overjoyed at the moment. 'Tis the season to be jolly! I thought I'd share my experience through photographs so everyone can experience the joy I felt at my first sip...


Mmm.... :)