Fatigue Be Gone!

This morning I woke up happy. I’m always happy when I wake up. I don’t always necessarily want to brave what the day has in store for me, but I’m literally happy for being blessed with another day in which I can choose my adventure. Today though, I was particularly happy because I snapped out of my extreme fatigue. 

Every September, since having hypothyroidism, I’ve been prone to an extended period of fatigue. It happens about twice a year, but in the fall it’s worse than in the spring. This year it lasted three weeks. If you suffer from a thyroid health condition, I KNOW you can relate. Pure exhaustion hits, brain fog stifles your speech and memories, and at times sleep doesn’t even feel like the answer. Usually I experience seasonal depression too. It just totally sucks.

This year was different, and I’ll tell you why. If you follow my blog, and you know me, I’m not about negativity. Regardless of how many shitty things that happen in life, no matter the endless battles many of us face with life in general, and chronic illnesses, we get to choose how we respond to our adventure. I love the Iowa State University (I’m an alumna) commercials, and each time I see them I smile because it’s a constant reminder that we have choices. In regards to our thyroid health, this means that we can control something in regards to our personal well-being. And if it’s regarding your career, do what you love and have a passion for, that’s living.

This year, instead of withdrawing completely from friends, activities, and just “resting” at home, I kept my commitments, and I made a commitment to myself. I did cardio four times a week, regardless of the day, regardless of how I was feeling; I powered thru it. If you have the right playlist, running happens, weight training happens, and you feel better. When you make personal commitments that impact your emotional, physical and mental health, you can go from feeling okay to good, good to better, and better to best.  

It’s Monday, TGIM! Smile and be blessed,

S

Beyond Thankful

It is with much joy that I share that healthline has recognized Let’s Share Dialogue for a second year in a row! It’s truly an honor to be on their list of best thyroid health blogs for the year 2017!! Their words of recognition, and acknowledgment of my blog, and positivity, make me feel included and understood.

May your days be inspired; may you continue to be encouraged, as I wish the same for myself, as we continue to share dialogue!

All smiles,

Shemeka

Fatigue, What Fatigue?

I have been enjoying my summer. I had the opportunity to spend some time in Disney World, which was truly magical. I clocked so many steps; you can’t help but to be active when playing at the Magic Kingdom and taking in all the lovely flower arrangements at Epcot Center. I went to the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. It was truly amazing. I’ve included some pictures below.

Since being diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, and I say since loosely, because it wasn’t until after I had my thyroid removed that I actually got a diagnosis, I experience bouts with fatigue. This past spring was rough. I kept wondering when I would snap out of it. Two things I was mindful of during this time that may be easily overlooked when fatigue sets in:

• Stick to a sleep schedule
• Vitamin D

If you’re like me, you’re tired, daily, and going to bed nightly is like taking a long nap. During my last visit with my endocrinologist, my lap results showed that my Vitamin D levels were extremely low, so my dosage was increased. Vitamin D helps me to feel better when it comes to:

• Achy bones
• Tiredness and a general sense of not feeling well
• And it helps with the absorption of calcium, which is really important to me as a woman with lactose intolerance

I hope these nuggets have been beneficial and magical for you. Enjoy your summer!

 

 

 

Cheers,

Shemeka

I Challenge You!

Happy Friday, y’all! April showers came earlier than expected, but hey, I had a mild winter. I can handle this. I hope you’re enjoying weather that is manageable and staying focused on being healthy, with a sound mind, beating heart and peak thyroid health.

Today, I’m wondering what you aren’t doing that you could be doing to promote optimum thyroid health. If you’re anything like me, intrigued and interested in reading as many articles as you can get your hands on as it relates to thyroid health, sometimes you get bogged down by all the tips, recommendations and tricks. Today I challenge you to pick one thing to focus on doing differently over the next 10 days. I think you’ll find that by day five, you may be inclined to do an additional thing differently.

Consider the following ideas:

• Drink Plenty of Water
• Take your vitamin D consistently
• Take an afternoon walk three times a week
• Cut carbs and dairy (trust me, your body will love you for this one!)
• Meal prep on Sunday (cook your protein, prepare veggies, and your lunch is set for the week!) 

You don’t have to do all of the above over the next 10 days, but you should consider starting with one of these. If one or two of the items on my list are already habits for you, go for the one you need to revive or the one that is completely new.

#TGIF,

Shemeka

Recognition

Recognition is a lovely expression. I received another award for my blog! Thank you #feedspot! @feedspotapp #justmeeks #letssharedialogue #livingwithhypothyroidism 💃🏾💙✌🏾💋

Thyroid Awareness Month

Thinking of everyone who endures thyroid health struggles on the daily.

Happy Thyroid Awareness Month!

S

And Just Like That...It's 2017

Greetings from Nashville!

Travel is one of my favorite things. Every year I go to new places. I had the pleasure of traveling to Nashville for the first time over the holiday weekend. It's quite lovely there. The music, energy and general affinity for up and coming artists there was quite fantastic.

Let's be sure we make time for ourselves in 2017 to travel to new places!

Cheers,
Shemeka