Our New Normal

Fun fact!! Did you know up until 2023, the medical community were testing our tampons with just saline solution? Never really blood? 2023??? They never thought about actually testing them on blood. Hmmmmmm.

I thought that might get your attention!!!

This post may be long but its the intro what this spot is about!!

I honestly, I didn't know where to start in this post. I'm not a doctor, nor a psychologist or a fitness trainer. I've never been a size 2 and have struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 35. And if you know anything about PCOS, its a mess. Its insulin resistance, hormonal, you grow hair where your not suppose to, you gain weight even though you are doing everything everyone is tell you to.

Well I was about to throw in the towel again. I was exercising 6 days a week, lifting weights, cardio, walking the dog 2-3 miles a day. Tracking every drop I put in my mouth. I knew way more about my macros than a normal human should know. Weighing myself every morning and feeling defeat constantly. I felt like I was barely eating, I wasn't even enjoying life. I was borderline eating disorder. I wouldn't go out with friends because they wanted to eat at fun restaurants. I would regret it on the scale the next morning.

Around 46-48 years old, I started to notice my cholesterol started creeping. That too?? I now was struggling with hot flashes, night sweats, body aches, weight gain that was out of control. My doctor just kept saying, I was doing everything right. Wait what? How can that be? She said this is what happens. But I can't move my neck. I started picking up my reading groups at the wrong times. My son even noticed I couldn't multi-task like I used to. He even noticed my leg uncontrolably shaking and I had no clue it was happening. I brought this all to the doctor. "I was normal."

THIS IS NOT NORMAL!!!

So I got sick of going to my chiropractor every week and went above my doctor's head. I found this book, The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Clair Haver MD. It changed my life. I started listening to her podcasts. I finally felt lke I wasn't going crazy. I began making small adjustments with my diet. I added more fiber, a lot of fiber. Added some extra vitamins that Dr. Mary suggested and added even more protein. Slowly, the weight started to plateau. Hmmmm. Maybe she makes sense. Then I met with a nurse practitioner from Midi.com that is where things really changed. Now everyone's needs are different, but she put me on a low dosage of estrogen and progesterone. I met with her virtually and had constant contact through email if I needed to. Once I started with the estrogen and progesterone, I felt like it "deflated" me in a good way.

Over the next 9 months, I didn't change a thing in my activity or diet. In fact, I probably worked out less and was less strict in my diet. - and the weight just came off. But it didn't feel like weight. If felt like I was losing inflammation. I didn't feel so puffy. I was feeling healthy again. I was feeling like myself again.

My point to this post is if you don't feel normal don't take "that's normal" from your doctor and just carry on. You know your body!

The medical community is just learning about what we as women go through during perimenopause and menopause because of women like Dr. Mary Claire Haver. Women are getting loud. My doctor at Prevea in Green Bay, wouldn't touch estrogen. When I switched doctors to Bellin, that doctor was confused of why my Midi doctor prescribed progesterone with my estrogen. That is scary!!!

I'm not a doctor, but I feel like we have to educate our selves and definately know our own bodies. Our mothers had to suffer because they didn't know any better. We can learn from their mistakes and not suffer in silence. Our generation has never been silent about anything. Let's not be silent about our health.

I will be posting all sorts of goodies in this area!! Recipes, tricks, workouts, podcasts. articles. Anything I can pass on that can help us educate ourselves to help us stay on te up and up!!!