Find Your Motivation Now!

harrybeanbag666

For those who find it tough... Please find your motivation now.
If you don't, you may find it later and that might be too little, too late.

My story... Every couple years I would go in to my doctor for an annual physical. My last few lab tests came back with elevated liver counts. My doctor told me that this could turn into fatty liver. I said "look at me doc, I got a fatty everything"!
He told me that I need to "eat better and exercise". How vague I thought. So needless to say I procrastinated. I had a successful stint with the "Body for Life" system. Lost about 40 lbs. And then... you know, life happens. I put it all back on and then some.

This years annual physical went a little sideways. This time my lab work came back with a few issues. Enough to where I needed ultrasounds, CT scans and a liver biopsy. I got my results... 4th stage Liver Cirrhosis! Guess how many stages there are? You guessed it... 4.

This causes my spleen to also be enlarged which causes my blood platelet count to be low. I bruise easy and my blood doesn't clot easily. The day before my biopsy I had an endoscopy where they removed a stomach polyp. Two weeks later I got really sick, sweating profusely, looking really green. They rushed me to the emergency room where I got nauseous, I ended up filling the barf bag with blood. I was bleeding internally. It turns out that the polyp snip in my stomach never healed. I spent a week in the ICU. Because my liver and spleen is compromised it took a long time to build my blood back.

So my GI doctor sat me down and gave it to me straight.. She told me... "Harry if you don't change the way you eat and start exercising you best get your affairs in order cuz you only got 5 years left. Holy $#!+! I have a lovely wife and three awesome boys! I'm only 46 years old. Man did that go down quick. Elevated liver counts to fatty liver to cirrhosis in the blink of an eye.

I lost 30 pounds between August 1st and the 1st week of September! Albeit the wrong way (fasting for many tests, no appetite), but what a good jumpstart to the new diet, right. Since then I've lost an additional 7 pounds (the right way). Two weeks ago I finally felt strong enough to join a gym and I've been there 5 days a week. Three days ago my nutritionist suggested this website and I'm really glad I found all of you.

Needless to say finding the motivation for this lifestyle change is now easy. I just wish I would of got my $#!+ together a long time ago. Don't feel sorry for me, my doctor did tell me that I'm at the beginning stages of stage 4. If I make the right changes I might be able to keep it at bay. Cirrhosis cannot not be reversed but I can keep it from progressing with a good diet and exercise.

If anybody has some good recipes and exercises they recommend I'm all ears.

Please find your motivation today so you don't have the same motivation I do.

Take care

RodaRose

Your doc has probably already told you to avoid raw seafood and to be careful with over the counter drugs.

Antioxidants in foods that are good for you:
beta-carotene
Selenium
Vitamins A,C,E

Work it out if you can, that you start cooking more. (or perhaps buy better quality food -- shop the edges of the stores -- limit packaged stuff when you can. A good book is Cooking Basics for Dummies. The book starts with what staples are good to keep in the kitchen.
I am not great cook because I have concentration issues. I do essentially dump stuff (like lentils) into the crock put with some lightly sautéed onions and carrots and a bunch of water.

Here is a lentil recipe from Alton Brown that you could simplify /modify:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lentil-soup-recipe.html

Make an account on Pintrest.com to use search terms to collect more recipes.

harrybeanbag666

Thanks RodaRose,

I really appreciate tips and suggestions.