Clarity

Now I don’t usually write mega personal blogs so bare with me here……

For years I have felt rubbish, truly rubbish. My health has always been a bit hazy like the feeling in my head. I seem to suffer from so many health issues (niggly ones, not major ones) that I havent had a day where I can genuinely say I feel good.

My head always hurts. This is probably a result of a) too much caffeine, b) dodgy sinuses c) not eating enough and d) I never, ever  ….stop. I’m always rushing about doing “stuff”.

My body aches. After 2 difficult pregnancies my joints have become so sore, I feel like I’ve aged 10 years at least.

I can never breathe…back to the dodgy sinuses. The consultant says I’m allergic to something I come into contact with daily.

Then there’s the fatique..I’m always shattered even if I have had 10 hours sleep.

And also the stomach issues…some days I bloat so much I look 6 months pregnant!

The list goes on. (Bear with me…this isnt a woe is me tale! It does get better!)

On the day before New Years Eve my tummy started hurting more than usual. I took to my bed and basically didn’t come out until New Years Day. I missed the champagne and the fireworks. I was feeling sore and miserable. I knew already that I had a stomach ulcer as I have had one previously.

The doctor confirmed this on Jan 2nd. She gave me 8 months of drugs and told me to eat bland food. It’s quite rare to get a gastric ulcer…apparently its more common in alcoholics (which I’m not by the way). I thought for a moment…..er, that will be the 5 cans of diet coke I drink a day then, for the last 20 years, often replacing it for food. Its quicker, easier and gives you the energy you need.

So pills, a bland diet and no diet coke. Turns out the chemicals in it do this to you:

• rot your teeth
• rot your stomach
• deplete your iron levels (that will explain the tiredness)
• deplete your folic acid
• deplete your calcium (and that will be the joints issue)

Basically it’s shit. And it’s been my staple diet since I was 16 and this year I turn 40. Stupid huh? I even used to have 2 cans before I ate.

So, I get every side effect from the pills. I up my calcium levels – my sinuses get worse, I move onto soya milk – they get better. I havent drank diet coke or any caffeine this year. I have only had  a few glasses of wine at the weekend only. I am eating properly…although the list of what I’m allowed to eat is far smaller than the list of what I can eat (no yeast, no high fat dairy, loads of veg is off the list, no citrus, no tomato even). Right now I am drinking horlicks instead of chardonnay (this is written late at night I hasten to add)

So I decide to take it easy this January. To relax and take stock.

So here comes the clarity bit….for the first time in years I actually feel good. My head’s stopped feeling hazy. My stomach has gone down. I can actually think straight.

And I have had an amazing month. This clarity thing……is awesome (now I’m sounding like a born again christian!)

I have set targets for the year ahead, which I have met this month. I have listed stock like crazy and people are responding  really well. I have taken on some part-time staff…2 models and  someone to help with the online business. My stock will be featured in Homes and Antiques magazine at Easter. Both a channel 4 show and a BBC 2  production company have called me about work. I have reached 1000 followers on twitter (one day I got 100!) My blog stats have gone up, I have launched a new series of blogs called Fashion Friday and interviews with people about their favourite vintage era (with some amazing people agreeing to do it). I’m in the early stages of setting up a local vintage network group for Beds and Milton Keynes.  I have thought of some fabulous competitions for the year in association with another local business. I have a new trade plan for the year ahead including re doing the Clothes Show Live, Twinwood and some other exciting secret events. I have had an amazing meeting today for something that hopefully will mean achieving a lifelong dream…..

Isnt clarity grand? Your health is so important…it’s more important than all the stuff we fill our lives with. And for me….it’s given me not only a clear head/stomach/muscles..its given me probably my best month yet.

Bring on February!

(and if anyone right now has a can of diet coke in their hand while reading this…please put it down……now)

Posted by Kate Beavis on January 28, 2012

https://yourvintagelife.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/clarity/