Inspired by the killer migraine I have right now, I’m going to touch on the subject of listening to your body.
Our bodies can tell us more than we realize, or perhaps more than we really want to acknowledge.
Our bodies communicate to us clearly and specifically, if we are willing to listen to them.
~~Shakti Gawain
Do you listen to your body?
Or, do you ignore the simple messages it sends you?
When you’re tired do you rest?
Do you get ample sleep?
Do you eat when you’re hungry?
Do you stop eating when you’re full?
Do you drink when you’re thirsty?
Do you drink enough to keep your body hydrated?
Do you over-train?
The body will tell you all you need, but you have to be able to listen!
Sometimes the messages will be subtle, other times there is no mistaking the fact that you did something your body doesn’t agree with!
Usually when someone gets a migraine, headache, stomach ache or any other ailment they run for some over the counter medicine to take to alleviate the issue.
I; however, don’t take meds so if something is bothering me I deal with it.
In doing so, it also gives me time to reflect on why my body is reacting the way it is.
Like today, I have a killer migraine…after some deduction I think I’ve narrowed it down to chocolate!
Yep…it’d appear I won’t be eating chocolate any time soon (the horror! but it’ll help keep my weight down).
The last few days I’ve had this lingering dull thud type of migraine.
Today it got worse…right after I ate homemade chocolate brownies!
That never happened before.
Thinking back on the last 72 hours or so, I also had double chocolate chocolate chip muffins.
Sooooooooooooo good–except for the headache!
Now, I’m not 100% certain the migraine is from all the chocolate; however, it makes sense.
I think I’ll give myself a break and get rid of the misery in my head for awhile and perhaps later down the road, I’ll try something chocolate just to make sure that’s what it was.
Studies have shown that phenylethylamine (PEA) may be the culprit in giving some chocolate consumers migraines & headaches.
It’s the chemical in chocolate that can cause the blood vessels to expand and contract.
But they also say that PEA is a natural mood enhancer, stress reliever and memory enhancer too.
So it could go either which way.
I’m definitely not in an enhanced mood, nor am I relaxed and hmmmm what was I going to say next? lol
But seriously, we need to stop and listen to our bodies.
You often hear of runners who over do it during a marathon who push even when they know their body is saying to stop, slow down, etc. and end up hurting something worse than if they’d slowed down.
How often have you eaten or drank something that you know doesn’t agree with you, yet it tastes so darn good that you don’t resist…only to suffer later!?
Next on the list for me to figure out…the crazy veins in my right leg.
hmmm this pic is 4 yrs old (really need to get more updated one) but I’m very much my father…
Including the whacky veins that I know I inherited partially from my father because they’re identical to his and oddly even in the same places, but mine have gotten worse over the last week.
But, I do know I haven’t been eating what I normally do the past week or so nor have I been as focused on my work outs as I normally am.
So, time to listen to my legs and get back on point and eat my normal diet and exercise like I was (actually I need to get even more serious and do some serious training opposed to my work outs).
Listening to your body and what it tells you can help you have a healthier life.
Have you been ignoring what your body is trying to tell you?
I struggled with migraines for years. It wasn’t until I stopped taking doctor prescribed medicine and taking care of myself that they stopped completely. Too often people eat just to eat not to actually give the body the nutrients it needs. Water helps with thirst better than any soda or juice. We have to listen to our bodies it gives us all the signs we need. Nice post.