Spring Cleaning

I haven't been feeling much like myself lately. I've been in a funk and stressed out for some reason - probably due to increased stress at work and some small health issues (which seem to go hand-in-hand). I've been meaning to post, but haven't had the heart to write what's on my mind. I tried to work out a bit, but don't have the energy. I've been spending weekends in, mostly sleeping or just lounging, rather than going out with my girls. And you know what? I'm sort of sick of myself.

I realized today that I've been spending more time talking about my health and nutrition issues lately than, well, anything else. And I think it's driving my family and friends crazy. I need to get back to my normal, energetic and engaging self. But how?

Well, as most of you know, I'm not an unhealthy person. I usually eat plenty of veggies and fruits, try to eat "clean," or organic/unprocessed whenever I can, avoid sodas and too much sugar and work out regularly. This isn't the cheapest or easiest, but it's how I feel my best and has worked well for me. Despite my healthy ways, about two weeks ago, my digestive system staged a protest and I ended up at the doctor's office to get some advice.

Digestive issues are nothing new for me. I've had a sensitive stomach my whole life and regularly carry around a purse full of everything from antacids to Pepto to Immodium to chamomile tea to fiber to gas tablets (sorry for the TMI!). I've tried digestive enzymes, tried going vegan, tried avoiding dairy. How I'm processing foods really just depends on the mood of my tummy on any given day.

This time around, my doc advised me to be really restrictive about what's going in, and suggested I limit my fiber, uncooked vegetables and raw fruits until I get back on track. So I've been doing that for two weeks now and I hate it. Though my body seems to be back in order, I don't have the spring in my step that I usually do. So today I've gone back on veggies, fruit and fiber. Screw the brown-rice bread, bring on the whole grains! I'm scrapping the "sensitive stomach" diet and getting myself back into shape.

Here's how I'm going to get back to normal...

1) To start, I made an appointment with a GI doc. I like my doc just fine, but she's never tested me for what starts my issues in the first place. She recommends a high-fiber diet one day, and a low-fiber diet the next.

I have no idea what the GI doc will cost, but he's in my network so it should be reasonable. For those of you wondering, I don't want to delve to much into symptoms or history. We'll leave all that to the health and nutrition bloggers out there.

2) As I noted, I'm going back to my pre-protest diet... high-fiber, good fats, yummy fruits and veggies. If I weren't going out of town all week, I'd be at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's right now, buying $80 bags of groceries.

3) I'm going to keep taking the probiotics I started last week. The kind I'm using now is about $30/month.

4) I'm going to try to take a multivitamin every day.

Hopefully this strategy will keep me running right, with the energy levels and nutrients I need, until I see the GI doc at the end of the month. Until my appointment, I'm not going to complain or wallow one minute longer. I'm going to get off the couch and start exercising and cleaning my house.

Speaking of cleaning my house (how's that for a transition?)... My vacuum cleaner has also staged a protest this week, and has decided it is no longer cleaning up cat hairs. Unfortunately for the vacuum cleaner, this means we have reached an impasse and will no longer be working together.

That said, I now need to buy a vacuum cleaner. And not just any vacuum cleaner; one that will actually clean my floor. My 5-year-old $40 Hoover probably "lost suction" about a year ago; we've been fiddling with bags and cleaning brushes, but it's progressively getting worse. So in the name of spring cleaning, I'm going to splurge and actually buy an adult vacuum [read: expensive] this time. (My family had a top-of-the-line Rainbow growing up... I still remember when the sales lady came to my family's house in the mid-80's for a demonstration and all six of my family members sat in my living room in awe as she picked up a bowling ball with only one small attachment!)

So given how I'm partial to expensive vacuum cleaners because they actually, you know, work, I have narrowed down my search to two models: the Kenmore Progressive Model 35922, rated number one for pet owners by consumer reports and retailing for about $300, and the Dyson Animal, which retails for about $550 and is rated number one by my brother, who works with inventory for Best Buy. I have read glowing reviews for both. I'm guessing the Kenmore will be the winner based on price... after all, I am still the Budgeting Babe.

OK, so I think we've covered it all today: digestive ailments, probiotics and vacuuming. I have officially become the most boring blogger ever. Oh well. If it makes me sound any more glamorous, I also bought a plane ticket to visit a friend in Elko, Nevada. They have a cowboy museum there! Don't think I was going to let the opportunity to visit a cowboy-lovin', gold-mining western town pass me by. Spring cleaning season might suck, but I'm feeling an adventurous summer just around the corner.