2020...Buh-Bye

2020, what more can I say? A hell of a lot more than I have chosen to, and I’ll spare you many details and keep this as short and concise as I possibly can. 

I’m still hanging on to my crown as the queen of positivity, because everyday, friends, I choose my attitude. I have no time for BS and negative energy, but I did shed some tears this year, limited association with friends (some not due to social distancing) as the world was struck by a pandemic, friends lost family members and jobs, and parents gave commencement speeches and homeschooled their children. This shit is all super sad. Working from home, watching the news, canceling flights...SMH.

Our lives literally changed. I’m still shook. I’d be lying if I said this had no impact on me. I left my partner, rediscovered a part of my inner self, increased my vitamin D levels (woot) and got a promotion. My life slowed completely down. Completely! For every negative there is a positive. People always have shared learnings from their toughest experiences and moments in life. Have you ever noticed that?

I started the year off in the Alps, followed by a business trip in Germany, with high hopes for the year overall. Plans were delayed and canceled once I returned home, things happened continually that were completely out of my control and comfort zone. So, I started focusing on what was urgent and important, then I flipped the script and pushed the reset button. It works when I’m focusing on my thyroid health regimen, so why not apply my principles to my life during a pandemic?! 

I read a lot of books! Oh, check out Mark Pilja’s, The Hashimoto’s Handbook. Mark reached out to me during this time. It really made my heart happy. His book is a great resource. He took the opportunity to provide a resource to all. He talks about our immune system, which everyone now is enthralled with, and discusses how it reacts to foreign pathogens. He dives in a little deeper to discuss chronic inflammation too. It is intriguing! He also covers, in brief for those of you thinking about new year’s resolutions, tackling weight from a sensitivities perspective! Love it! Food lists, ways to unwind and manage anxiety - he provides what we all can benefit from - thyroid health issues or not! Please read! He is @healthjuvenate on Instagram. Thank you, Mark!

Virtual Happy Hours continue to be had, books continue to be read, and masks continue to be worn, in my world. I am blessed, well and thankful for 2020. But I would be lying if I didn’t say, I’m beyond ready for 2021. I’m just keeping it real!

Be well!

Shemeka

21 Days of Mindful Eating with Healthline

It’s time to share a little health bite with you. Before my friend’s wedding, I did 21 Days of Mindful Eating with Healthline. It was a perfect way to press the reset button and focus on a new avenue of self-care. Sign up for a mindful and intentional start to your day for the next three weeks. Your body will thank you for it! 

If you want a shorter commitment, no worries, because Healthline’s got you covered! Check me out on Facebook to find out how!

https://m.facebook.com/shemekarsumrall/

Be well,

Shemeka 💛

And Then I Remembered

Time, it comes, it goes. It slows, it speeds up, it's up, it's down, it's big, it's small...it's a lot like me living with hypothyroidism! Sometimes my vitamins are like time - they get away from me!

When my vitamin regimen gets away from me, I hate to say, it's not something I notice until I'm in bed, in my dress pants and blouse, curled up with my iPhone and laptop nearby right after work. Sometimes it's when a friend or family member asks, "Why are you so tired?" and it's in the middle of the day, or my body aches and I haven't lifted weights, run a mile or gone for a deep tissue massage at my favorite spa.

As time gets away from me, combined with my forgetfulness regarding my vitamins, the following happens to me: sleepiness, achy bones, lethargy, brain fog, and sometimes irritability goes up! Recently, I remembered, when my second consecutive week of post work naps came to an end, that I hadn't been taking my Vitamin D. I hadn't been taking my B Vitamins, probiotics, biotin or chromium. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes like time, my vitamins get away from me.

Think about how you're feeling, and take inventory of your feelings. It might not be the flu. It might not be a cold, or even a virus. Something just might be missing. If you have thyroid disease, or another condition surgically induced, autoimmune or a birthright, do inventory of your feelings and make sure you add back what's missing in your life. Your body will love you for it! Consider also eating food sources that are rich in these great vitamins too!