I haven't dropped off the face of the earth ...
but I am clinging on for dear life!
Or so it seems, some days.
I've been keeping really busy with work and volunteering, but the major reason for my recent lack of blogging is something which will take a little time to explain.
On our last full day in Stockholm, I woke up with a terrible headache - a headache so debilitating that no amount of ibuprofen or migraine medicine (that Michael thoughtfully brought back from the pharamacy) would help. Although I was absolutely crushed that my last full day in a city I had come to love was spent napping and lying on the couch in pain, I couldn't even muster the strength to go out and explore one last day. I resigned myself to the fact that I was coming down with an airplane-induced cold.
Back home, the headaches continued. I chalked it up to a sinus infection and went to ZoomCare for some antibiotics. I took the antibiotics as directed for 10 days, knowing that I would eventually feel better because that's how it always happened with me. Except it didn't this time. So, about a week after finishing the initial course of antibiotics I went back to ZoomCare and asked for a stronger drug, which they gave me. After 7 days of that I *still* didn't feel better and so I finally decided to make an appointment with a primary care doctor that had been recommended to me.
The new doctor was concerned that my headaches had lasted so long and affected my life so profoundly - they had completely zapped my energy and usual zest for life, and kept me from getting much of any exercise. She referred me for an MRI which freaked me out a little bit —- did I have a brain tumor? She also ordered some blood work and told me that I would have results early the following week. A few days later I hopped on a plane to Phoenix and buried myself in my work.
As promised, the doctor called me and left a voicemail with good news —- my brain was perfectly normal (although some who know me well may think otherwise - ha ha) but she was concerned about my low blood sugar. She wanted me to eat smaller meals with protein throughout the day and come back and see her in one month.
Low blood sugar?
It was not anything that had ever been on my radar before but I was relieved to learn that it was something that could apparently be controlled through diet. I started reading everything I could get my hands on and found lots of conflicting information. But the most consistently credible-sounding information I could find was that I needed to focus on eating low on the glycemic index and generally just de-crapify my diet.
I was a bit surprised - I love fruits and vegetables, try to eat organic whenver I can, and I don't drink soft drinks or eat fast food - surely my diet was better than that of the average American! But what I didn't realize was how very little protein I was getting on most days - although I am a girl who loves a good cheeseburger, I would much rather eat carbs. Lots and lots of carbs.
Almost immediately after I heard the news, I started to focus on eating little bits of protein throughout the day - I even tried the vanilla protein latte at Starbucks and liked it, although I later found out much to my dismay that a 12 ounce vanilla protein latte has 24 grams of sugar! Yikes! Once I returned home, I went shopping at New Seasons and loaded up on healthy, whole foods - foods where I could understand each and every ingredient on the label and believe me, that isn't an easy task. It seems that the many forms of refined sugar (some apparently more harmful than others) are hiding EVERYWHERE.
Although I haven't been perfect diet-wise these past few days (girl needs her ice cream) I have made considerable strides in getting more protein and you know what? While they haven't completely gone away, my headaches are about 90% less painful than they were just a couple of weeks ago. Nothing else in my life has changed, other than the composition of the food that I'm feeding my body.
I guess it really is true that you are what you eat.
Or so it seems, some days.
I've been keeping really busy with work and volunteering, but the major reason for my recent lack of blogging is something which will take a little time to explain.
On our last full day in Stockholm, I woke up with a terrible headache - a headache so debilitating that no amount of ibuprofen or migraine medicine (that Michael thoughtfully brought back from the pharamacy) would help. Although I was absolutely crushed that my last full day in a city I had come to love was spent napping and lying on the couch in pain, I couldn't even muster the strength to go out and explore one last day. I resigned myself to the fact that I was coming down with an airplane-induced cold.
Back home, the headaches continued. I chalked it up to a sinus infection and went to ZoomCare for some antibiotics. I took the antibiotics as directed for 10 days, knowing that I would eventually feel better because that's how it always happened with me. Except it didn't this time. So, about a week after finishing the initial course of antibiotics I went back to ZoomCare and asked for a stronger drug, which they gave me. After 7 days of that I *still* didn't feel better and so I finally decided to make an appointment with a primary care doctor that had been recommended to me.
The new doctor was concerned that my headaches had lasted so long and affected my life so profoundly - they had completely zapped my energy and usual zest for life, and kept me from getting much of any exercise. She referred me for an MRI which freaked me out a little bit —- did I have a brain tumor? She also ordered some blood work and told me that I would have results early the following week. A few days later I hopped on a plane to Phoenix and buried myself in my work.
As promised, the doctor called me and left a voicemail with good news —- my brain was perfectly normal (although some who know me well may think otherwise - ha ha) but she was concerned about my low blood sugar. She wanted me to eat smaller meals with protein throughout the day and come back and see her in one month.
Low blood sugar?
It was not anything that had ever been on my radar before but I was relieved to learn that it was something that could apparently be controlled through diet. I started reading everything I could get my hands on and found lots of conflicting information. But the most consistently credible-sounding information I could find was that I needed to focus on eating low on the glycemic index and generally just de-crapify my diet.
I was a bit surprised - I love fruits and vegetables, try to eat organic whenver I can, and I don't drink soft drinks or eat fast food - surely my diet was better than that of the average American! But what I didn't realize was how very little protein I was getting on most days - although I am a girl who loves a good cheeseburger, I would much rather eat carbs. Lots and lots of carbs.
Almost immediately after I heard the news, I started to focus on eating little bits of protein throughout the day - I even tried the vanilla protein latte at Starbucks and liked it, although I later found out much to my dismay that a 12 ounce vanilla protein latte has 24 grams of sugar! Yikes! Once I returned home, I went shopping at New Seasons and loaded up on healthy, whole foods - foods where I could understand each and every ingredient on the label and believe me, that isn't an easy task. It seems that the many forms of refined sugar (some apparently more harmful than others) are hiding EVERYWHERE.
Although I haven't been perfect diet-wise these past few days (girl needs her ice cream) I have made considerable strides in getting more protein and you know what? While they haven't completely gone away, my headaches are about 90% less painful than they were just a couple of weeks ago. Nothing else in my life has changed, other than the composition of the food that I'm feeding my body.
I guess it really is true that you are what you eat.
Glad to hear you're feeling better. I was wondering why there had been no posts lately.
We're off to Turkey on Monday night. Maybe we can get together around Halloween and share vacation photos!
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Wow, sorry to hear about your ongoing headache problems. I've heard of low blood sugar headaches but didn't know they could be so devestating. BTW I have a low GI cookbook you could borrow and get an idea of what/how to cook low GI. It has some tasty recipes.
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