fatigue

exhaustion, getting

lost; giving up on the world.

sun will rise and set

#invokingdrala Day 1 SLEEP

radiation side

effect – fatigue.  need sleep but

excess rain floods roads

 

 

 

Latte, yes or no?

Same time every day between 2:30 and three I ask myself, “Should I drink a cup of coffee?”   Actually is goes more like this.  “Do I want to go to Starbucks and get a latte?”  Honestly, yes I do, but then I start to second guess myself.  Well it is late in the afternoon.  Will the caffeine keep me from going to sleep tonight?  Doubtful? Should I make some chai. Chai would be better for me.  Really?  I sometimes wonder why Chai is better.  Same caffeine content but with herbs that are suppose to counter the negative effects of the caffeine.  And then there is always green tea. Mmmmm.

Then deeper question arises.  What do I really want to do in this moment?  The answer is always WRITE.  Writing is my go to antidote to what ever seems to be ailing me.  When I am bored, I write.  When I am tired, I write.  When I am sad…well then I really write.  Funny writing does not change what is going on or even how I feel.  It does connect me more to myself and the moment.  Here in front of the computer, eyes on the screen, fingers on the key board, I am fully present.  I am here and in being here I am content with things as they are now.  Yes I am, but I think I will go get a latte.  Later.

Doesn’t that look yummy?

New Haikus

Amelia Cook

GiGi you are here.

I put on my hat and coat.

Go to GiGi’s house.

 

Winter Storm Warning

Blizzard, high winds.

Below freezing temperatures.

Where are my mittens?

 

Yoga

Stretch expand breath.

Icy air wrinkles my toes.

Play Beethoven please.

 

Exhale

I sit here alone

watching my breath, a

wave of depression.

 

Fatigue

Eye sockets clouded

with debris.  Lack of sleep numbs

my mind.  Get coal.

 

Shuttle Ride

Winter whispers at

dusk, watching vast mountains

reach for infinity.

Alcoholic Rebound Effect – Learning More Everyday

I am aware that when I do not drink, the desire, the need, the craving for alcohol arises about the same time every day, between 5:00 and 6:00 pm.  Having spent today observing the effects of last night’s alcohol consumption, I am keenly aware that, in my  body, alcohol produces anxiety.  The following is from the blog, The Healthy Drinker by James Maderios.

The chemical processes involved in a hangover are various and complex, but the culprit linked to post-party fatigue is a lack of glutamine.

 

Glutamine is an amino acid stored primarily in the muscles and lungs. It is an abundant stimulant in the body, used most often in aiding the immune system and purging excess amounts of ammonia in the body. When it comes to hangovers, though, it is the production of glutamine that wreaks havoc

.
Alcohol inhibits the production of glutamine once it enters the bloodstream. This in itself is not a bad thing; it is when the body tries to play catch-up that creates fatigue. Glutamine production revs up after the partying is done and the partier is in bed. The bonus glutamine stimulates the brain and keeps it from achieving a deep sleep.

The effect of being hopped up on glutamine upon waking is fatigue, often punctuated with tremors, anxiety and feelings of restlessness. This diabolical mix of tiredness and scratchy-eyed irritability is known as “glutamine rebound” and can also lead to increased blood pressure, nausea and a host of other ailments.

Ouch.
Since a glutamine rebound is the result of alcohol preventing the production of glutamine, the only real cure is not drinking alcohol, but let’s be realistic; just drinking a bit less than usual will help.

Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Because everyone is different, you should work with your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid =).

Small wonder the drinker who parties heavy one night wants a drink the next.  He is tired, anxious and restless.  A perfect storm.

I will not drink today.  Thy will be done.

Alcohol Zapped My Energy

Day 2 of sobriety.  I picked up my white chip this morning.  It felt good to stand in front of a group of other people and say, “I will not drink today.”

I enjoyed the morning with my grand baby, Amelia.  We played outside collecting pecans, swinging, working in the garden and walking the dog.  Then we hung Christmas lights around the house and Christmas stockings in front of the fireplace.  Finally we ran over to Pier One where I asked her to help me pick out some decorations for the house.

I drank heavily when my children were little and had very little interest in decorating for the holidays.  In fact, I was a real “Bah, Humbug” around holiday time.  But now with a grand child I want to be fully engaged in my life. So I decided to go all out and decorate BIG this Christmas.   I even bought candles for the menorah my husband’s mother gave us.

We lit five Hanukkah candles and said the blessing. “Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha’olam, Asher kid’shanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah.”  I know tradition requires we wait until sunset and that this is the 6th day of Hanukkah but we wanted Amelia to understand her rich spiritual heritage.  She sang along with us.  We will light all six candles this evening.

While we were fixing lunch, I “took tired.”

I could hardly hold my head up.  We ate a quick meal of dal and non-gluten toast after which I laid down and went right to sleep.  Jimmy played with Amelia.  When I woke up, I remembered that every time I quit drinking, which I have done repeatedly, I do feel incredibly tired the first few days.  I also suffer from insomnia.  I was just reading online that both of these conditions accompany alcohol withdrawal.  Makes perfect sense to me.

The National Institute of Health sites these as the effects of alcohol.

Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health.  Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:

Brain:
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.

Heart:
Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:

• Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle
• Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat
• Stroke
• High blood pressure

Research also shows that drinking moderates amount of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease.

Liver:
Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:

• Steatosis, or fatty liver
• Alcoholic hepatitis
• Fibrosis
• Cirrhosis

Pancreas:
Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion.

Cancer:
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the:

• Mouth
• Esophagus
• Throat
• Liver
• Breast

Immune System:
Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease.  Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much.  Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.

 All good reason for me not to drink today.