1 Million Steps in 3 Months!

That number sounds like a lot right? Well, it turns out that I've in fact taken more than 1 million steps since January.  Early January I purchased the UP24 which I use daily to track my sleep and steps.  I received a notification saying that I walked over 1,000,000 steps and counting which is equivalent to walking from San Francisco to Mexico!

Does owning a fitness tracker really help?  In my opinion, yes.  Back in Texas I walked a lot and it was mostly due to work.  However, now that I'm on this...extended vacation it's really easy just to stay in pajamas and Netflix binge. So when I'm looking my iPad and my UP24 app is practically yelling at me it's a real encouragement. I also have fitness pals who I know sees my updates and when I see their updates and when their numbers are significantly higher than mine that when I get to steppin'!  I use my iPad to read the app but if you have an Android or iPhone you can literally track your steps constantly.  I found that it drove me a little crazy so I decided to take it off my phone and just periodically check my progress when I'm at home.

Do you know how many steps you have to take in order to have traveled a mile? They say it's about 2,000 steps it just depends on the measurement of your strides.  My ultimate goal is to be able to walk 20,000 steps/day.  I haven't been able to break that number yet but I think I will get there soon.  I just need to put the time into it.

Do you own a fitness tracker? What kind do you have? How often do you use it? If you don't have one, are you considering getting one?

Shawie's Feeling Blah....

I'm going to be turning in a little earlier tonight.  I am feeling sick.  Not so much like I want to throw up, it's not a headache... just that blah feeling.   Drank water, now some hot tea, and I'm going to go sleep early and see if that fixes me.  The hubby says that it might be the lentils we ate yesterday.  He says that he thinks he read somewhere that if lentils aren't cooked all the way it makes it really difficult for our digestive system to process.  I don't really feel like looking it up right now.  I am writing this entry because I am DEDICATED to this blog.  ...and I have a valid excuse to why this entry doesn't really contain anything useful or interesting. lol  Tomorrow I will research lentils and update this so it's not too useless. Goodnight!

Update:
So I feel much better today. I don't know maybe I was just really tired last night.  It may or may not have been due to lentils.  Lentils have a lot of beneficial nutrients e.g. fiber, protein, iron, etc... I read though that one can consume too much.  Lentil have phytic acids which isn't as dangerous as it sounds...it just means that lentils naturally keeps its nutrients in so your body tends to not absorb the nutrients in its entirety.  Just like nuts in moderations they have good fats but one should not eat a whole lot in one sitting as it is more beneficial when consumed in small amounts.

Are Naps Good For You?

There is a misconception going on that napping is just for children and the elderly.   I think for us who enjoy to take naps shouldn't be marked with the stigma that we are lazy, unambitious, and lethargic!  It's been scientifically proven by experts that short naps during the day is actually quite productive particularly in instances where one didn't get a full night's rest.

According to sleepfoundation.org a short nap of 20-30 minutes long is recommended for short term alertness.

There are Pros and Cons to napping as will most things in life.

Positive Effects of Napping

• Restores alertness
• Enhances performance
• Reduces stress
• Reduces mistakes/accidents
• Improves mood

Negative Effects of Napping

• Grogginess
• Disorientation
• Interrupts nighttime sleep

The negative effects typically happens when one take a nap longer than 30 minutes.  If you find yourself taking regular naps and still fall hard asleep at night there might be a chance that you are experiencing sleep apnea which is a medical term for when one's sleep is interrupted in the middle of the night because they stop breathing.  If you think you might be experiencing this you should definitely consult your doctor about it as there is a machine that can you breathe more consistently while you sleep.

Of course naps are good for you but avoid taking such long ones because that will ruin your nighttime sleep.  You know who knows a lot about napping? My cat Percy.  Yes sir Percy loves to take naps he takes them constantly.  *sighs* we're starting to get used to him scratching his scratch post at 3 in the morning.

Do you like to take naps?  What is your take on the matter?  Comment below, I would love to hear from you.

20/20 Vision - Part 2: Update on Large Optic Nerves Situation

Starting on a somewhat different topic though I have to ask: How early do you typically get to your appointments?

See, my appointment wasn't until 11AM today but I was in the parking lot by 10:45AM.  I decided to waste 5 minutes seeking advice from Google, and I asked this question.  Apparently 15 minutes is the majority of responses but one person made an interesting point when he said that he usually arrives promptly at the time that his appoint is set for.  He said that he has NEVER been called to a doctor's appointment earlier because of other people being late there is no point in coming in earlier than promptly.  For the record, I agree with him.  Yes, you want to make time just in case you hit traffic or anything but once you're in the parking lot there really is no rush to get signed in.

I wish I had something more exciting to report but my eyes are fine.  She said that although the optic nerves are larger than normal based on the optic fibers around the nerve and comparing it to others' who have done the same test - my eyes are just fine.  At this time there is no need to worry about Glaucoma or any eye problems.

Frameless 20/20 Vision - Contact Lenses

I finally got around to doing my eye exam the other day.  It's been three years since my last one.  My prescription went from -1.25 and -1.75 to -2.00 and -2.25, oh gosh I am getting more blind!  They were actually really nice at EYE MD at Ryan Ranch. Jennifer K. Sablad was very personable. I felt like she was genuinely willing to listened to me.  It made sense when she told me that she recommends I use daily contact lenses since I don't plan on wearing them so often.  In the long run I can save more money because a 30 day supply could possibly last me at least 60 days just depending on my usage.  She also mentioned that we probably need to look closer at my eyes because it appears that I have a larger than typical optic nerve.   She said that my insurance will probably cover it most likely, they just need to get permission first and she'll let me know when they get approval. It could be totally normal and something that I was born with or if it gets worse something that we really need to address because people with large optic nerves tend to develop Glaucoma

She gave me these free samples to try this weekend. I'm supposed to decide which one works better for me. There is about $1 difference between the two so price is really not a factor at this point. I've been using the 1-Day Acuvue Moist with Lacreon which I am finding extremely comfortable so far. I forgot what brand I used to have over a year ago but they were the type I could use for a week.  Compared to those these are really thin. I had a hard time at first getting them in because it's been so long.  Removing them though is an absolute breeze.  Next I will try the Dailies AquaComfort Plus - I will update this post after I try them for a couple of days and let you know what I decide to get.

Update:
I decided to get the 1-Day Acucue Moist with Lacreon.  There is not a huge difference between the two but I find that applying and removing these are better than the AquaComfort Plus.  They both felt good once they were on my eye - totally doesn't feel like they are there at all.

Wisdom Teeth Removed

I decided that when I have kids and I have the opportunity to let them have all of their wisdom teeth taken out I am going to approve it when they are younger - so they don't have to remember it.   I had two of mine removed, both on the right side.

Thursday evening was when I had it done. Probably the most painful part of the procedure was with the anesthetic dentist needle, which they had to do 7 times because apparently I am not supposed to feel any sharp pain while they are pulling the teeth.  After the 7th one I convinced myself that if it didn't work I am just going to lie because those needles were so painful, I was willing to risk feeling the actual extraction.  The 7th one worked thankfully and they were able to pull out the bottom and top wisdom teeth without a problem.  He stitched me up and told me to not have any solids during the next 24 hours and avoid all straws until I'm fully healed.

I was prescribed Norco but he told me to take ibuprofen if I can because it helps with the swelling too.  I found that the mornings was when it hurt the most and I found myself wanting to take the Norco.  The bad thing is when I take that stuff I get so incredibly sleepy and I am pretty much useless the rest of the day.

So far my diet has consisted of mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, yogurt, blueberry/banana smoothies, pudding, and today I treated myself to some pancakes.  Oh man, I am so ready for a REAL meal. My gums need to hurry and fully heal already.

Have you had any of your wisdom teeth removed?  What was your experience like?

Home Remedy: Stomach Ache

This morning after breakfast I had a stomach ache. I didn't know what caused it. Perhaps it was eating too fast. Maybe it was due to the icy cold water that I drank too fast.  It could be because of both - I couldn't tell you the cause.  However, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a home remedy that I learned from my mother.   Whenever you have a stomach ache or cramps you do not have to go straight to medication to relieve the pain especially if you're at home and you're in position to relax.  I took an empty water bottle and filled it with HOT water from the bathroom sink.  I then placed it directly where it hurt.  The bottle was hot but not enough to burn me.  It's important for you to protect yourself and gauge whether or not the bottle is too hot. If the bottle is too hot you can take a shirt or some kind of light linen to protect your skin from the heat.  I felt instant relief as I held the water bottle next to my stomach. Eventually I fell asleep and took a nap for about 30 minutes. When I woke up I felt better!