When was the last time you had a sip of your favorite childhood drink? It must've been chucked once your taste buds had grown more sophisticated and started to crave caffeine in place of sweet, chocolatey drinks. Ovaltine's a comfort food and drink . I used to eat it by it's own when am not drinking it. Old childhood habit I am now back on today as part of a focused effort to cure my iron-deficiency.
Part of getting into a hospital job is to complete the immunization record. Blood tests revealed which vaccines I have had and which I still need to get. There was only one from the list which I needed and one which isn't required but I opted to get anyway to better protect myself. While there at the doctor's office for my shots, I enumerated my health concerns -- frequent migraine attacks, thinning hair, puffy eyes, depression, fatigue, hole in my wallet (;-D), blah, blah. I was sent to the laboratory for another blood test. Five ml of blood lost again. Scribbled on the form in my hand was "suspected hypothyroidism".
Eight days later, the test result came in. Not as suspected but it's hypoferremia. Iron therapy started right away. I now watch what I eat, read the label of every processed food I purchase. Things I once enjoy immensely as coffee, green tea and red wine had to be given up since the caffeine, tannins and polyphenols in them inhibit iron-absorption. Just a small sacrifice for my health's sake. Although I don't completely deprive myself. I still treat myself to a large cup of Tim Horton's iced cappuccino once in a while.
Years of hard work and unconscious, unhealthy eating habits take its toll on our health. Only when we're forced to slow down do we find the time to listen to our body and start taking measures to take better care of ourselves. We choose healthy foods that we know will give us the best nourishment our body needs. We don't eat just to satisfy our hunger and satiate our cravings. We give it a second thought when foods that satisfy but later make us ill are in front of us. It takes sheer will-power to resist the temptation to eat every single food we so crave. There's a very high cost to pay when we give in...
This equate to choices, decisions, and people we choose to keep in our life. However tempting, however strong the urge to keep "one", we try our darnedest to resist it. If we give in, we're doomed. The price is high. It could cost us our own peace of mind and self-respect. So we stick to what we know is best.
I choose me. I love me more. I am not second best. So I am taking better care of mysef. ;-)
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