Fitness & Foodie Friday: Heartburn Grief & Relief

Let’s be honest: I DON’T want to lose weight.

As much as I like to maintain a decent physique, I’m not the same health nut who weighed under a buck (<100#) as a junior high athlete and college undergrad or even the full marathon runner/26.2-mi. club member with the strive and drive through long distance races and faithful fun runs. Nowadays, my energy is reserved mainly to channel on my dissertation.

However, my motivation to not shed pounds may somewhat have to do with vanity as some who wish to slim down. While I’ll still tone up and didn’t mind once upon a time when I may have been to-an-extent slim ‘n’ trim/light and tight (yet always curvy ~ even at size 0) ~ I prefer to glorify what GOD gave me, inside and out…

Now I’m not saying that I want to be identified with the likes of celeb beauties complete with their bodacious assets: 

• J-Lo‘s cola
• Kim Kardashian‘s south-west
• Beyoncé‘s bootylicious destiny
• Nicki Minaj‘s non-mini moneymaker

Yet I’m more about maximizing my physical fitness potential in what I have than investing efforts on minimizing it. Here are a handful of reasons why:

• I actually feel more happy and confident when I’m not going out of my way to limit my eating portions and excessively (once-referred-to-as religiously) exercising  ~ I’m not depriving myself, so I’m not moody or irritable
• I’m simply cool and comfy in my own skin ~ I’m not trying to be a sex symbol just because I refuse to reduce my blessings of endowment through an abundance of ♥cardio♥ (which simply relieves stress for me nowadays)
• I wish to stick with what makes me a woman ~ GOD created me this way, and I’ll take care of this temple to the best of my ability (an added boost from The Sweet Life also helped)
• I have another goal that supersedes fitness model/competitor status ~ to reach my PhD vision, as long as it’s also in GOD’s will
• I must take advantage of having this soft yet stocky build while I’m still younger ~ I’ve seen the effects that aging (such as osteoporosis) has had on all of my grandparents☼ and more recently my parents

Yes, I’m keeping it real. I’d much rather keep my T&A any day than give up my lovely lady lumps & rump bumps. #DISPObustAFlow

Now, onto the nitty gritty part of this segment that doesn’t make me happy but in hopes that it may help: I’m addressing heartburn’s

• symptoms
• solution attempts
• speculations of causes

Last Labor Day weekend, despite putting in a full time job’s week-worth of hours on my dissertation

Heartburn reared its ugly head in my tummy

For those of you who’ve experienced heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), I’m sure that you can empathize with me in terms of those unwanted abdominal aches and pains.

My Heartburn (and Similar Symptoms) History

• After visiting my paternal grandmother, my beloved ☼Mama Eufemia‘s death bed (during which I reached the utmost humility by bathing her once-healthy-turned scrawny body), only to return to the Bay to bury her a couple of weeks later, I went back home to wrap up my students’ first summer session and prepared myself to take my second round out of three written candidacy comprehensive examinations for my PhD (I already took my leadership test, had my management next, followed by my research then my oral/spoken exams to become a PhD candidate) ~ the night before test day, I felt sharp sensations along the left side of my chest, and upon consulting my sister, a RN-turned nurse practitioner, she wondered whether I was having a heart attack, so I checked into the ER and (eventually) was diagnosed with and treated for GERD … Since I had an overnight stay in the hospital, I didn’t make it to my exam and was able to make it up
• After a weekend getaway in Dallas for my Mavericks’ game against the LaAkers with my fellow former Germany Air Base brat, I struggled with sleeping due to a sense of burning around my back, chest and stomach
• Before and during most of my menstrual cycles these past couple of years, I tend to cramp way more considerably, coupled with dull crumminess between my breastbone and waist ~ double trouble unpleasant combination
• After Mami Aya cooked her special scrumptious southwest chili a week ago and took our family to Miguel’s Mex Tex for my Airman cousin’s birthday, I underwent the infamous inflammation that lasted several days and led to sleepless and vomit-induced= nights *yikes*

My Heartburn Attack

Chili Ziti: This hearty recipe combined with penne regate, boasts healthy goodness, including ~ wait for it … SQUASH! {YUM} I love the spice, but unfortunately, my tummy didn’t.

• Loosen my clothing* to prevent confinement when I already felt like I was going to burst (into flames) *ouch*
• Pop in those TUMS (I dig the Smoothie and Tropical Fruit flavors) ~ NO more than 6/day ~ I, of course, wouldn’t want to be chemically dependent on quick-fix pills
• Chew chicle**+ (gum *yum*)
• Consume calcium ~ like drink milk or eat yogurt (I’m partial to Dannon Activia)
• Consume aloe vera+ ~ I’m all about this (I personally love Alo-Drink)
• Drink lemon-infused water (I’ve done this yet wonder how it matches up with the next tip, as it has citric acid)
• Avoid heartburn triggers, such as: caffeine (there goes my coffee and tea); chocolate** (see y’all later, my Nutella, candy and cookies); fatty*** (e.g., fried) food (until next time, my smiley eggs, among other YOLOs); spicy*** food (adíos, my Mexican comida); tomatoes** (say it ain’t so, my Italian cuisine), other acidic content and alcohol** (so much for drinking to help me snooze smoothly)
• Stand or sit up straight* instead of slouch ~ so my stomach doesn’t slosh all of those acids
• Sleep in an elevated position*** ~ with my head and torso raised, possibly with wedge pillow(s) (laying down flat only leads to more pain)
• Sleep on my left side** to alleviate bowel movement in my intestines
• Last resort: =up-chuck/throw up/hurl/barf (most definitely not my favorite ~ especially since I’m not one to binge and purge ~ yet absolutely vital to relieve myself of toxins)
• Overall, adjust my lifestyle to only include some of my fave foods that trigger heartburn at a minimum level.

The Mini Ravioli & Breadstick are from Trader Joe’s!

My Heartburn (and Related) Causes’ Guesses

• I kept my stress bottled up and felt like I needed to explode ~ losing my last surviving grandparent with whom I was close while studying for the biggest test of my life at the time was a real low point; the events that followed all involved my new form of test anxiety: my dissertation
• With the exception of my time of the month, the other events ~ that ranged from moderate to severe levels ~ all involved me indulging in YOLOs (wild wings, battered [_fill-in-the-blank_] topped off full of spicy flavor, to be exact)
• Let’s face it: chowing down on crazy combinations doesn’t suit my bod very well ~ hence feeling bloated on the inside and like all of my clothes fit tightly on the outside

Sources (not of Heartburn ~ but about Heartburn)

• *Carey, Elea. “Quick Relief for Heartburn.” Healthline. Published on July 22, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.healthline.com/health/gerd/heartburn-relief#3
• **Griffin, R. Morgan. “Nighttime GERD, Heartburn and Sleep: Tips for Sleep Without Heartburn.” WebMD. Reviewed by Mohan, Venkat, MD, on Sept. 1, 2006. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/tips-for-sleep-without-heartburn
• +Murray, Caroline. “Five Home Remedies for Heartburn.” Health. Retrieved from 20527745,00 

♫†GOD† bless ♥America♥♪ on this *Patriot Day*  ✌