It’s a New Year and a New Decade. Therefore, there is something special about both. You know how we say “hindsight is 20/20?” Well, the idea is to make this year so good that when you look back your face will light up and you’ll feel warmness spread from your heart throughout your body! Let the story I’m about to share be an inspiration to you to pay really close attention to your health.
First of all, I want to share a story that I shared recently with my community. Here it is…….December 7, 2019—
Yes, this is a True Story
“You know the saying “God laughs when we make plans.” Well, as you know for a business, especially a small business like Edorai (sister company to The Women’s Inner Circle), this is a very important time of year. We had 3 very big events planned this week, and were very much looking forward to them.
Well, I’ve suspected for quite some time that something wasn’t quite right with my heart because well, I just wasn’t feeling my best. EKG’s and blood work have been coming out normal every time I would go to the doctor. Therefore, I continued on with living.
Life continues moving forward …
Next, I spent Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh with my daughter. We enjoy going out and taking exercise walks together. If you know anything about Pittsburgh, it is quite hilly in some neighborhoods and her’s is no exception. Normally, I get a little winded and hence have to stop and catch my breath. But, this time, I really felt extremely winded and tight pressure in my chest.
Finally, last Sunday when I was playing Pickleball, the minute I started playing I got really winded and the tightness in the chest appeared again. I rested in between plays but 20 minutes in, I knew if I played one more second, I would pass out. So I sat down and my friends surrounded me with care. In retrospect I probably should have gone to the hospital right then and there, but my stubborn brain kept thinking about all I had planned for the week.
Time to take this more seriously …
Monday morning I took stock and decided to go the the ER, and to make a very long, long story shorter, they admitted me. I had quite a few tests done, including a nuclear stress test, echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), and all the other blood tests and monitoring that they needed to do. Consequently, on Thursday I had a cardiac catheter and they found a 99% blockage in one of my arteries and inserted 3 stents. Shocking to everyone who knows me because I exercise, eat right, maintain a healthy weight, etc. etc. Genetics won out and I am feeling a bit fragile.
I am home today and very thankful to be alive! Life goes on but I will be living my life with extra gratefulness every single day. I’ll also be eating a more plant based diet*** but I’ll share more about that another time.” (As a result of this experience, I can see that there is room for improvement in my lifestyle).
What YOU can take away from this for some Inspiration
First of all, pay attention to your body and what it is telling you. If you’re hungry, eat. When you’re tired, rest. When you feel something unusual, go see your health care provider. Be sure to follow up if there is a problem.
I have tons of respect for the medical community and their knowledge and experience. However, Health Care practitioners are overly busy (especially the really good ones) and sometimes forget to follow up on things. They are human and we need to remember that. For this reason, I was brought up to “be my own advocate.” (I also love Eastern Medicine and and try to bridge the information between the East and West).
What I’d like to suggest is that YOU begin to think of yourself as being in charge of your own health. Think of it as being the CEO of your body! After all, who knows your body better than you? How’s that for some wellness inspiration?
More takeaways to give you some inspiration to begin becoming the CEO of your body—
- Go for regular checkups. I believe this is important. I make sure to calendar in appointments for all my checkups (primary doctor, gynecology, dental, …).
- Know your numbers (ie. cholesterol and components, glucose, blood pressure …). Start a binder and keep any information from your healthcare provider in your binder so that you can refer back to it.
Yes, tests are important …
- Make sure to have a yearly Mammogram, blood work, and a Colonoscopy when your doctor recommends it. It also may help you to create a spreadsheet with all the tests that are typically done and keep track of your results from year to year. {As to some of the current recommendations— I don’t care what “they” (whoever the h-ll, “they” are) say. Case in point, they may say you don’t need yearly pap tests (or other tests you feel are important). My opinion, and this is just my opinion, have one every year!}
- If you learn about a specialized test and you want it, ask if you can have it done. Your insurance may cover the entire test or part of it.
Even more …
- Ask questions and ask some more. If you aren’t comfortable with this, bring a relative or friend with you and have them ask.
- Research anything you aren’t sure about.
- Most noteworthy, YOU HAVE RIGHTS as a patient. Don’t be afraid to be persistent so you can get what you want and need. This includes getting the provider YOU want. It is a long story but when I heard I needed the cardiac catheterization, I did not give up until I got the physician I wanted!
To conclude
- Finally, make sure you get enough sleep. I feel sleep is extremely underrated and needs to be prioritized. Here’s an article to help you if you have trouble sleeping. This will give you some inspiration to work on important areas to help you sleep better,
- If you have any other advice you’d like to add, please feel free to email me—Holli@HolliRovenger.com
Inspiration for A New Year, A New YOU…
First, In order to make this year Magical and your best one ever, you will need to focus on prioritizing YOU! If you know anything at all about me, one of the first things I teach is to be ‘Nice to You’ each and every day! I even wrote a book about how to do this. If you haven’t heard about The Little Black Book of Sassy Suggestions and Guilty Pleasures, grab a copy and start making yourself a priority! This book will be a great inspiration for you to make yourself a priority each and every day. Remember, you can’t be good for anyone else if you aren’t at your best.
This is just the beginning …
To continue, being good to yourself on a daily basis is just the beginning. In order to make this your best year ever, and to start living YOUR BEST LIFE, you will need to start focusing on your total Wellness. Probably you are wondering what does that mean? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Often the beginning of the New Year is a starting point for creating new intentions to be eating healthier, losing weight, exercising more, stopping smoking … Sound familiar? (Don’t worry, if you missed starting on January 1, you can start right now. There is no better time than the present). This is great to do, but it really is only the tip of the iceberg. Physical wellness is often the focus of these intentions, and what most people think about. Likewise, there are other parts of your life to consider if you want to create a balanced healthy life.
Other Critical Areas of Wellness
There are actually 7 other areas that need to be aligned in your life for you to have a magical year and live your Happiest best life. From all my education, research and experience, I have come up with a total of 8 areas for Happiness and Wellness. They are, in no particular order—
- Physical
- Social
- Spiritual
- Environmental
- Emotional
- Intellectual
- Sexual
- Financial
And in summary …
Consequently, when you have a good understanding and have integrated from of each of the above pillars YOU are well on your way to live your Happiest best life. Remember life is a journey, not a destination and there is always room for growth and development. Want to learn more? Be sure to check this site frequently for information on helping you master your self care!
