Turkey Day Joy

Well here it is Thanksgiving Day, the weather is pleasant and the whole day is ahead. I have just learned of the news that me and my blog have been exposed - word on the street has reached and now people in my family know about this! Well, I would say that if this blog about my health doesn't bore you to tears or put you to sleep - then power to ya and read on! As I stated in my first blog, this is to maintain my mental focus towards reaching optimal health. I call it the cubicle health venturer because having worked in offices for all of my working career, I have seen bad habits and people actually wondering why they have all the ailments that they do. Well, I have read a "few" books, read a "few" online articles, ezines and columns and it actually takes no genius to see that our bodies are not fool proof. I am not an angel, nor would I ever claim to be. But the bottom line is that we feel fine a lot of the time, doesn't mean we can trash our bodies. After several years of "abuse" and organs are going to start giving way. Our bodies are amazing machines, constantly growing and changing and the whole time we have complete control over the decisions we make each and every day. One of my favorite quotes I have posted over my desk is by Peter Maher, a 2 time olympic marathoner: "Running is a big question mark that's there each and everyday. It asks you, 'are you going to be a wimp, or are you going to be strong today?'"

I think the same question could be applied to anything we face in any given day. Are you going to be responsible with your finances, good to your friends and family, are you going to treat your body with respect, be a part of your community, commit to your work with 100 percent, and so on and so forth. I don't think anyone ever wants to answer, "no" to the question, rather they probably just ignore the question sub consciously.

So with no further ado, it is Thanksgiving, a day to sit back and reflect on all that is good in life. It would be best if we took a good 15 minutes every single day and do the same. Life is really good. We all face challenges, hurdles, consequences and pain. No one person faces the same ones. I love the phrase that there are no problems, only opportunities. It is this line of thinking that reaps results. Being that this blog is of health purpose, I am so very grateful for my health. I might have small little discomforts but nothing close to things that other people suffer. I am grateful that I have no idea what a migrain headache feels like, that although I crushed my lumbar vertebrae 15 years ago, it has not prevented me from doing anything at all that I have wanted to do, that my daughter and I both can run, play and laugh without any physical problems. Health is a beautiful thing we take for granted; every day I am grateful that I walk, smell, see, touch the world. War heros are missing limbs. I have been through a number of car accidents with no permanent injury, I have had near fatal incidents when climbing and went through what was not anything but ADVANCED white water rafting in Idaho, and through it all, i come out with barely a scratch. I don't know if it is because there is some sort of angel shadowing me, or if my challenges in life lie elsewhere, but no matter what I appreciate my physical capabilites. That is one of the reasons I run. I feel that I am appreciating my abilities by using them and not taking them for granted.

I am grateful for all that I have including my awsome family, friends and acquaintences. There are people out there that are homeless, lonely or just amidst feuds or separations that can't be repaired. I am so glad that my daughter has lots of people to love her. Even though she is an only child, she will never know loneliness or neglect. I am grateful that although I have been through a sticky divorce, there are much much worse and I know I am lucky. I am grateful I have a car to drive! And I am thankful for my condo, and living in a safe neighborhood. I am grateful I still have my job in a time when so many people don't. There are so many things to be thankful for.

Okay, enough of the sappy stuff - but today is a day to recognize these things. Onward with health related discussions. So I told a co-worker on tuesday that I had made a deal with myself. I would allow myself to have the sugary sweet things that I am not supposed to have, only when they are completely free. I figured I wasn't really making a deal with the devil, because I wouldn't have junk in my house and if there happens to be an occasion where there is a free cookie or something, then I can indulge and carry on. Well, no sooner had the words left my mouth, there was an email that we were celebrating the monthly birthdays in my department where two large lucious cakes resided on the table. One vanilla with vanilla frosting, the other completely chocolate. I shouldn't have had any, but per my new agreement I could! So indulge, I did. The following day, a girl brought in 2 huge trays of cookies, one chocolate chip, the other sugar cookies with loads of frosting. All homemade. Perhaps this type of deal is not feasible when working in an office setting. If this type of thing continues I may have to revise the agreement with myself! But in the meantime, not a dime of my money is going to sugar and fat infused items, just the broccoli and non fat milk for this girl. My co-worker who I confided my agreement to said, "well if that is the deal, you are really going to go to town on the dessert table at thanksgiving and christmas!!" She might have a point, hmmmmm!

Well Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all wise proportion choosing at the dinner table!