But lately, that just isn't enough. I'm pretty sure that my body hates me. I'm more sleep deprived now than I have ever been (thanks to the evil tooth that refuses to appear), and my brain feels like it might explode. These days I find myself repeatedly skimping on meals. And when you mix a minimal diet with no sleep...you get one exhausted mama. Both physically and emotionally.
Since school started I find myself caring for all of my duties (kids, house, school) and really failing to care for the big picture.....me. My milk supply dropped substantially and that was a huge eye opener for me. I sometimes forget that I have a little person dependent on me for his nutrition, and my stress level and lack of good foods has compromised this. I felt, and still do feel, awful. How could I be so blind to what's right in front of me? Why am I not doing everything in my power to keep myself healthy? I'm studying to be a nurse for crying out loud. Health is in the forefront of my education and my own lifestyle. I'm taking Pathophysiology at the moment and its frightening to see how many diseases and disorders result from nutritional deficits. A deficit, or even excess, of one thing can cause so much disturbance in the body. I am constantly in awe.
This has got to change. I know I am busy but if I continue to neglect myself then there are going to be other consequences. Mothering and nursing school are difficult and stressful, but I can no longer ignore my own nutritional needs. It's time to focus on eating better, and eating more!
We buy organic and usually try our best to eat well, so I made a plan to start every morning off right. Levi and I have made delicious smoothies every single morning for an entire week straight. It's amazing how much better I feel after packing my tummy full of delicious and healthy foods. Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, spinach, carrots, yogurt, applesauce...and more! This is our new morning tradition and we plan to keep it up and experiment with flavors and vegetables. Thank goodness for delicious frozen fruits. If you think eating healthy in California is expensive, think again. Alaska sure tops the charts. The milk supply drop was a huge slap in the face. I've been able to help compensate with herbs and increasing my diet, but I plan to eat like a pig from now on. I literally bought around ten boxes of healthy snack items to take to school with me too. Yesterday I closed my eyes for a few seconds and actually fell asleep in class. AHH! This cannot happen! Time to focus on getting more sleep and nurturing my body a bit better. I can't take care of everything around me if I'm not taking care of myself first!
