Endo update & training with pain

I have just had a positive meeting with my doctor for my 6 monthly med review. Last time she saw me I was on 40mg citalopram, 40mg amatryptaline, 8-10 30mg cocodamol, and 6 gabapantin a day. Quite a cocktail.

Racer back love and Freya Active

 



Never one to make life easy for myself, I am currently training for Cyletta, a women's 40k bike ride in Brighton in 2 weeks time, and Run to the Beat, my second attempt at the half marathon debut I made last year with Team Bangs on the Run.

As an endo warrior exercise is a hugely important part of my health and well being regime, also one that needs to be balanced carefully (see my post on Spikes and Heels for more about training with a chronic illness).

Lipstick and tea

 

Today I have tickets for the Paralympics. It's a beautiful Autumn day and I have been excited for ages about going.

I am on the sofa, I haven't gone anywhere yet.

As is so often the case in an endo warrior world, the fact I buy a ticket means I spend money and never know if I can go, yet somehow I don't give up doing it. I miss out on so many things, (and the irony of missing out on the Paralympics due to chronic illness isn't lost on me). I refuse to give up planning things and hoping, however many times my hopes are crushed.

I have been doing SO much better recently with my health due to bringing lots of raw food into my regime and slugging green smoothies between yoga sessions like a demon, but I have been living in an ill body for a LONG time and this stuff takes a while.

So, I have been here, trying to get my pain under control with rest, painkillers and a cuppa. Then I decided to take some time and do my make up, try a new lipstick and just make myself feel nicer.

You know what? It has cheered me up a little.

Lipstick and tea may be tiny things,  but I now have a smile on my face.

Let's see if I make it out of the house.

 

Green smoothie infographic

I know I am all about the green smoothies these days, but I had to share this with you when I saw this fab infographic:

Hemp love ♥

As an endo warrior, I don't each a huge amount of meat. When I do, I try make sure it is organic and lovely, and not packed full of toxic hormones as, frankly, endometriosis is hormone enough in itself. Oestrogen dominance, the hormonal imbalance behind endo, can be made so much worse by intaking extra oestrogen in animal products that have bee "enhanced" with additional hormones to be fat and juicy on the BBQ.

I am moving towards a meat-free way of eating, and I suppose I am currently at a Paleo way of thinking with my food intake. I also eat a high protein diet, as my adrenally fatigued body needs a lot of protein to function and less starchy carbs, so I use a variety of ways to get protein into my system. We don't actually need to eat protein to have protein in our system, we just need to consume the building blocks of protein - think cows chewing the green grass as opposed to chunks of meat.

Eggs are great, and I tend to poach them and use a little coconut or Udos oil for flavour; quinoa is a great source of protein too, as are my beloved almonds which i have for breakfast and a handful during the day.



I recently discovered Shelled Hemp by Linwoods - I am already a fan of their ground flaxseed and cacao mix with goji berries (superfood fibre in a bag!), and love the texture of Shelled Hemp as an addition to my recipes. It looks a little bit like mini grains of quinoa, and is quite a neutral flavour to which additional seasoning and cold pressed ils can be added for extra punch and flavour.

Hemp is a complete Protein in itself with 10.5g of Protein per 30g/1oz serving.

A daily 30g serving, or 2 heaped dessert spoonsfuls provides:
10.5g of Protein per serving
2.4g of Omega 3
8.6g of Omega 6
1.7g of Omega 9
147mg Magnesium
3mg Iron

I use the shelled hemp on my soaked oats in apple juice alongside chia seeds for a power packed breakfast bircher, in my green smoothies, or in a quinoa dish for an added texture.

Have you tried hemp? Let me know your favourite recipe!