Detoxing with Kendra Payton

My space, is sacred to me. everything has its place and has a purpose. Everything is in order and I do not feel as if I have to deal with clutter or discord in any shape or fashion. I have achieved one goal already this year and I still have many more goals to reach. My home is in order, but, my body isn't. My home is sacred, but my body has been neglected and isn't feeling like it is a well kept temple.

Lurking in the back of the closet is my regalia. Honestly, I have not adorned the outfit since 2018. Back then, I could bike 10 to 20 miles a day and walk over 15,000 steps. Today, I am lucky to reach 5,000 steps and the bike rusted beyond repair. Today, there is no hope that I can wear my regalia.

The pandemic period began a series of body neglect. I became very content to stay inside my sacred space. I lingered in the deliciousness of alone time. I was safely cocooned within the walls of home and I could have cared less if my sweats were more comfortable attire to cover the largening frame. One would think, sweats equal exercises, but my mind did not go there. They were comfortable and allowed for weight gain to occur. By the time I returned to the office at the end of the pandemic, I had gained almost 50 lbs. I had neglected my body to a gross amount, neglect was an understatement.

One year had passed and walking began again. Hills I used to climb with little ease were tormentors and threatened my life half way through the climb. I would stop and catch my breath and let my heart settle back into a rhythm where I could continue. I was amazed at how one year made such an impact.

Year two, I was consumed with writing my book. My booty sat in a computer chair for work and then I would rush to my home computer chair to labor on the next chapter or editing. I didn't even notice how the stretch waistbands were beginning to strain of my weight gain. I was obsessed and the only thing I needed was my brain to create my story and my fingers to write it.

The third year, was riddled with emotional turmoil. Agent rejections was something I was not use to. Every "no" I received, sent me into a spiral of depression. Comfort foods lined my cupboards rather than nutritional foods. I indulged with each rejection I encountered and didn't care about the consequences of such deeds. The emotional turmoil was unexpected and it had a huge impact on my well-being.

Amazingly four years have passed and I continued to neglect my sacred temple. I worked by day and build my business by night. As one might guess, my health was put aside. I was taking care of business, but I wasn't taking care of me other than shuffling out my 5,000 steps during breaks and lunches. At the end of the fourth year, I stood in front of a mirror assessing how neglectful I was to myself.

The snow is raging outside and the promise of winter fun lingers in my ears. Sledding with my grandson is the first activity I look forward to this season. Would I fit into my snow pants? Are my snowshoes and skis going to support the magnitude of this frame? Would I fit on a sled and could I climb through the snow as I progressed up a hill. Shoot, would I make it through shoveling large amounts of snow or will I be found laying in the driveway? I glance out the window with uncertainty. I wonder if it is my last winter.

New Years Eve resolutions are popping up on Facebook. Lose weight by taking this pill. Lose weight by doing these exercises. I see gym exercises that I can implement at home skewed across the social media platform. Those are fine and all good, but weight loss, is only a part of my concern. My true concern is my health and I made a resolution to focus on health and the weight loss will be part or the byproduct of the effort I will make for myself.

I am not one to make new year resolutions. Yet, here I am making one for the first time in many many years. That resolution? "I am to be first priority in my daily routine". Self-care for emotional well-being was established during the pandemic and is now a daily habit. That habit is one that I depend on. That will stay into place. However, my body needs help. That needs to be carefully handled as I maneuver into whole body wellness. How does one sort out one's physical needs? How does one choose the path to take to well-ness? If I am going to make a resolution, I want to do it right.

I am so tired of Ads. "Drink mushroom coffee for a healthy gut!" "Add Shilajit herbal to water and drink it every morning for daily minerals." I am sure you dear reader can add more to the list to lure you into a healthier life style. In confusion, I look to friends who use alternative medicines to glean understanding or approval of each product. I chose to choose neither of those.

My cousin's daughter is a physician and her name is Kendra Payton. in frustration, I turned to her for an opinion on my health. After a lengthy consultation, a program has been put in place. I was surprised that weight loss was not her concern at this time. Her recommendation? A detox program was written and she would monitor me for five weeks as I progress through three different detoxes. She said, "The waste in your body will block any other remedy you put into your system. Until you clean your system, it will not be ready for any remedy we throw at it. You need to clean the body to ready it to accept other treatments." Okay, that made sense to me. I can give up the comfort foods and get back on track with the program. This is a huge step and to be monitored by my family physician will be a blessing.

No, I will not lose tons of weight, but I will lose the stored up gunk the body carries. We will clean and clear the slate and see how my body responds to the treatment and begin concentrating on rebuilding a healthier me. She stressed that wellness is the goal not weight loss. Once the organs are cleared, then the body will be free to let go of the weight too.

Before the storm began to rage, I went and surrendered to a blood draw. Baselines are taken and will provide evidence of well-being after the five weeks have passed. Once we progress through the program, bloodwork will show how my health is improving. Once that phase is done, the next health issue can be focused on. I sure hope my body won't rage too badly as I progress through the program.

No matter if it does, wellness is the goal. I have done damage to my system and now I have to consciously work to gain back health. All I can say is this, it is about time I took care of me. If I don't I will be unhealthy and unhappy for the rest of my life. I really don't want that. I want to be the sassy grandma running and playing with my grandbabies. Wellness is important and this goal is investing in me.

I am worried about this drastic step. I hear my girlfriend's detox stories and I just cringe with the thoughts that are running through my mind. Then I stopped to think, "This is another good reason to stay close at home on these cold snowy days," Mental and physical well-being will be in full partnership for February. Yes, this is drastic but I want to live life not just survive it.

The next year is devoted to wellness and growth. I have put so much work on other things that I too deserve to be worked on. Neglect can no longer be a word in my vocabulary. It serves me no longer. Neglect will only stop me from meeting my goals and that isn't acceptable. I have worked too hard to lose it all now so I am gonna make it a year of wellness and growth.