I am at the age where blood draws are a part of most annual check ups. Not to test if I'm pregnant, but to test for levels. Levels of cholesterol, thyroxin, glucose and now, added to list -- hormones. Yep, I'm that age.
Recently, I had my annual with my beloved Dr. Harden. (She delivered Chris and the girls. I love her. Really, I love her.) Along with telling me not to take Xanax (wait, who is this woman and why is she denying me peace) and to meditate more (uh, what?), she scheduled some blood work.
The recurring issues I've encountered, including my hyped up anxiety, are due to lack of estrogen. Yep, I'm that age.
Estrogen is a major player in our bodies. Lack of it impacts cognition, sleep and energy. Negatively impacts those. And, if you don't have enough, there is chance of weight gain. Bring on anything and everything that will provide estrogen. Maybe I've found the silver bullet of weight loss. Yep, I'm that age.
As she walked me through what I need to do to positively impact my estrogen, she also mentioned I need to go on a plant-based diet and cut processed sugar. (Hi. I used to love this woman now I'm wondering what has this relationship become.) I nodded, sure, I'll do that -- how hard can cutting sugar and swapping out all that is plant into my diet and leaving behind hamburgers, steak, sushi, shrimp.
OK, I can do this.
If this helps with weight loss and my skin looking better, I'm in. Remember, y'all, I'm all about the outside. Don't really care what's going on inside. Apparently, estrogen does.
I hit up Whole Foods and Trader Joe's like never before. I print out recipes from Gwyneth and Goop. My Healthy Eating Pinterest board is suddenly filled with lots of vegan recipes. I buy two jars of coconut oil. I'm in.
Then, Chris wants steak. He wants to learn how to grill the best steak so how can I say no to a bonding moment between father and son. Yeah, two days in and I'm eating steak. Monday is a new day.
Over the weeks that I've been plant-based, yes, I've had some shrimp, sausage and a bite or two (or three or four) of a burger. But, I've done pretty good. Oh, and I've had a brownie or two which are made with butter and eggs -- not plant based in case you are keeping track.
I've continued to cook meat for my family. Spaghetti one night had turkey meat sauce for the family and zucchini 'meat' balls for me. On an overnight work trip, I bought two snack trays from a take-out place that had hummus, tapenade and almond butter with fruit. Dinner and dessert. Oh, I also had two glasses of red wine -- grapes, praise God, grapes.
I'm eating more carbs (which is supposed to be bad), but eating less processed sugar (the brownies were just a couple of times and maybe there was ice cream in the mix, too at one point, but I'm eating less people).
Guess what? I'm sleeping better. I'm feeling as if I have more energy. Not seeing the dramatic weight loss for which I was hoping, but hey, I'll take two of the three.
Problem is -- it's now officially summer. In our house that means, easy breezy meals with cheese, crackers and prosciutto. It means ice cream and desserts. It means corn on the cob with butter and tortillas wrapped around cheese and meats. So the corn counts as plant based, but there's so much to be had outside of the fruits and veggies and nuts.
Sigh.
I can do this. Last night, we celebrated the last day of school -- yes, June 6. Gosh. This school year lasted for multiple years. We went to a great burger place. I watched my family eat and I had a single onion ring -- a plant with maybe some batter that included an egg. We then went to get our traditional last day of school celebratory dessert -- froyo at Orange Leaf. I mixed vanilla with coffee (made from two beans?!). It was a fun evening. All of us together. Enjoying the time-has-finally-come summer.
Today, we woke up when we wanted. I have a vacation day and the girls -- no school! I had a plant-based breakfast around 10 a.m. and have done just some light cleaning up around the house while washing clothes. Easy day.
As part of our entering summer, we always do backpack clean out. Nothing more joyous to my ears than hearing "I've been looking for this all year" come out of their rooms. Decisions to toss things, ideas on where to store leftover supplies and wiping down lunch boxes are all a part of the routine.
Caroline finished first. She decided to keep this year's lunch box, which was actually from the second grade, and her third grade backpack to use for next year. Camille decided to toss this year's lunch box and will keep her backpack -- it was her compulsory competition back pack -- for next year.
Fifth grade is next year. It is the last year in elementary school. Our last year in elementary school, too. Yep, they're that age.
Sigh.
Later, we'll clean out the two baskets of left-over school supplies, used spiral notebooks and workbooks (why would we keep those for even a minute??). The entryway space for the school gear will be empty and Gervais can fix the wall hook rack he's been wanting to get to for a few months. School days will disappear for a few months.
We will sleep later -- I still have work and Camille has practice -- but it won't be 6:15 a.m. wake ups. The projects will be of our own choosing. The same play clothes will be worn over and over and over again. Swimsuits will be put on most days.
My family will enjoy popsicles and Cheetos for dinner while I enjoy all the fruits of summer.
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