There is something you likely don’t know about me. It is embarrassing, but I’m all about keeping it real and being vulnerable.
So here it goes. . . . . . . .
Flashback to 1996. It was a year of peak stress for me. I was a 1st-year medical student AND I was planning my wedding. Of course, it had to be perfect, because a.) I’m Libby and I’m a total perfectionist and b.) Little girls dream about the perfect wedding from the time they are born. During that time I learned that processed carbs were COMFORT.
I felt like I was barely hanging on and I learned that Oreos or sugary cereal provided me temporary comfort. My favorites are Golden Grahams, Cocoa Krispies, Fruit Loops and Cheerios with honey (just in case you are wondering). Mmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about these yummy treats now.
Luckily back then my metabolism was rock solid.
I look back at this year in my life as the most difficult one yet.
In time, I learned to cope. I learned not to compare myself to others. I decided to do the best I could do and to battle overwhelm by just doing the ONE next thing. Year two of medical school was MUCH easier for me with this mindset. As my new coping mechanisms kicked in, I didn’t need to rely so heavily on my sugary treats anymore. Praise the Lord.
Fast forward 20 years.
Turning 40 was hard for me. I didn’t mind 30, but 40 seemed old. I turned to my old friend, sugar, to comfort me during this transition. Unfortunately, the rock-solid metabolism was no longer there to back me up. I gained weight, got depressed, and felt tired.
Bone tired. I mustered up the energy to do the things I had to do and put on a smiling face to hide how I was feeling inside but I had nothing left for anything optional.
My friend, sugar, helped temporarily but only made things worse. I’d eat double-stuffed Oreos, get a temporary dopamine hit, self-loathe, need another dopamine hit, and on and on. I tried to stay off the scale, but I knew what it would say. I was on a vicious cycle in a negative direction.
I tried to use willpower to get through. It worked for a while, but then I’d eventually give in.
When I first found Functional Medicine, I tested my adrenals. I had been to my doctor for a physical shortly before and was told everything looked great and was advised to keep up the good work and come back in a year! Really? When I tested my adrenals I quickly realized I wasn’t fine. There was a reason I felt the way I did. Identifying and fixing my adrenals changed my life. After just one month on a supplement protocol, I felt so much better. Then I was able to make better choices. It was a snowball effect in a POSITIVE direction. The first month on the adrenal program I didn’t change my lifestyle at all. I just didn’t have it in me. I knew I should be doing better, but just couldn’t. The increase in energy and just overall well-being continued to get better month after month after month. As a result, the lifestyle changes got better month after month too. One year later I was a new person and didn’t even recognize the old me (both in the mirror and more importantly, the person I had become in the process).
To be honest, in times of high stress I find myself looking for my old friend Oreos. Old habits are hard to break. It seems like we are free of them, but when you ramp up stress, we default back to them.
One thing I LOVE about being older is that we have more life experiences to draw from. I now recognize what I’m doing. I ask myself why.
Am I stressed?
Am I tired?
Am I hungry?
Is there something else I can do that will better solve my problems than the Double Stuffed Oreos will?
Some days (like yesterday) the answer is no, but most days the answer is YES.
Most stressful times are temporary. You will get through it.
Truthfully not much changes until we hit roadblocks. I now look back at the difficult times in my life with gratitude. I’m so proud of myself for getting through them and learning new coping skills along the way.
Fixing my adrenals in my early 40s changed my life! When I test the adrenals of my clients they are rarely optimal and 97% of the time fixing them makes a dramatic difference in their energy and hormone levels.
How are your adrenals holding up? Take this free quiz to see if they may be a weak point for you. Fixing the adrenals not only helps you feel so much better it’s foundational for optimal health.
One day I’ll rent a billboard. My message will be “THERE ARE ANSWERS!” Starting with the adrenals is step one. Life is too short and you deserve to feel amazing.
