Sunday Update: Bones, dem Bones

There’s a history of osteoarthritis in both sides of my family, and gout.  Throw in a little rheumatoid arthritis, lots of physical labor, obesity, heart problems and red meat and sugar addictions and the prognosis for a healthy body start to look bleak.  Sounds pretty scary doesn’t it?

Well, we really do have a say in our own future you know.  What we eat, how we move, the vitamins we take – these are things we have control over.  We can choose to look at life as a crap shoot and just pray for the best, or we can decide how we want our life to look.  I’ll be the first to tell you I lived life hard in my youth.  I was young and living in Chicago and had a ball.  Late nights, great friends, lots of dancing, drinking and playing – and I’m lucky I got out alive.  Lots of my friends didn’t.  Life goes on though, doesn’t it?  As fun as those days were, I would not want to be living that life today.

Today I’m in my 60’s and I relearning how to eat better, taking the best vitamins out there that actually work – and I believe have saved my life, and learning how to better care for my body.  I’ve stopped eating wheat and my stomach is better.  Not the best, but better.  I have slipped this month and was drinking energy drinks.  Not a good move – because they are awful for gout – they build up uric acid.  If you’ve never had gout, just imagine some little elf inside your foot trying to stab his way out with a knife, over and over.  On top of that, I have a stress fracture in my foot.  Bad shoes, or osteoarthritis or just bad luck – who knows.  Time will heal – and continued use of my good Melaleuca vitamins.

I’m eating better.  I’m using my fitboard.  I’m staying positive.  I’m talking to you guys.  I’m seeing a therapist when I need to.  I’m taking great supplements.  I’m making choices that work for me.  I’m living with these bones, accepting who I am, and not giving up.  I’m pretty freeking fabulous.  Those are my choices.