Our company does a great job of providing us with the tools to live a healthy life. We have great insurance, even free insurance if you're willing to pay a little more out of pocket for your actual visits. They give us incentives to exercise by giving us money if we complete 6 weeks of physical activity, they give us money to quit smoking, or if you simply certify that you do not smoke. And every year, possibly twice a year, they bring in a bunch of medical people to the site cafeterias to take our blood pressure, measure our body fat, check our bone density, cholesterol, and blood sugar, coach us on what the results mean, and even give us a stress relieving chair massage. Who wouldn't want to work for this company?
Some days I'm really down on my job. I love my immediate team, and my development team is awesome, but I just hate all the extra bullshit that we have to do. Frequently these days I think about looking for a new job, possibly with another company, but when I weigh all the things this company does for us, in addition to very competitive pay, I realize just how good I really have it. I guess I can put up with a little bullshit if it means I get to live the way I want to when I'm not working. And besides, there's bullshit in every job... I know... it sounds like I'm trying to convince myself. Maybe I am. Whatever.
Anyway, at my wellness check, I discovered that my usually low blood pressure was rather high. High enough to be of concern. My good cholesterol was great, but the total cholesterol was way too high. High enough to be a risk factor. High enough that the wellness counselor told me to add more fiber to my diet. I checked my results from 3 years ago and discovered that my cholesterol has crept up by over 70 points! WTF?? So what's changed between then and now? I developed a sweet tooth during pregnancy... I'm sure the crap I eat is partially to blame. I also don't eat as much fish and vegetables as I'd like, so I'm sure that as some part in this. The good things I found out was that I have less body fat now than I did 3 years ago, though I weighed 2 lbs less back then. So obviously I've added some lean mass and given up some fat. The way my clothes fit confirms this, also. So it's not all bad. The blood pressure, well, I think the results are a little skewed because I had just mauled that huge breast pump bag from the south parking garage to my office along with my laptop bag and purse. I feel like a pack mule when I go into the office these days and it stresses me out. In addition to that, I'm having a hard time keeping up with the demands of breast feeding. That's stressing me out.
So what does all this mean? well, I need to take measures to correct the negatives, and use the positives as encouragement to not give up. So I'm going to add more vegetables to my diet, increase my fiber intake, and drink more water. That should help with the cholesterol. I'm not sure what to do about the stress. Deep breathing doesn't seem to do it. I exercise a lot so I can't add anything there. Massage? what I think I really need is the wisdom to know when to say "I've done my best" and just let go of something. I also need to learn to not handle my stress internally. I need to let it out. Explode. Get mad. I don't do that. I just deal.
So I guess even the negatives have a positive side... it's opened my eyes to a few minor adjustments I need to make.
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3 comments:
FYI - lots of people got cholesterol readings WAY out of wack at the wellness fair.
Amanda, if your results concern you, go get a real lipids profile done by your doctor. (You just need to fast, and then get your blood taken by a technician. Get results in the mail. Very easy.) Two years ago, my results from the IBM fair came in high for total cholesterol, reaching well into the high risk zone. I got a test at the doctor's taken, and it was actually in the healthy zone. This year, my results came in sky-high. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to get the profile done. Probably, since my sister suggested it, but I'm not going to worry over it. My sister (the doc) says cholesterol is usually relatively stable.
I hope this doesn't come across in a negative way, but I just wanted to say how proud I am of how long you've been breastfeeding (plus considering you have to work a regular job AND pump). I didn't think you'd be the kind of Momma to do that, but I'm quite happy that I was wrong. Keep it up, it's very inspiring!!
Thanks for the info! I think I will get a check done, just to be sure... and thanks for the encouragement on the breastfeeding. It's hard work, but the benefits far outweigh any inconvenience on my part. And I've learned that I'll do anything for my little guy. Who'd have thought it?
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