Hello, fam,
It's taken me wayyyyy longer to write this than had I originally planned, but today ended up being a fairly emotional one, so a late night version you get instead. I had ALSO intended to vlog about health, and working with whatever is best for you, your body, and your health, but I kept tearing up every time I tried, so I thought I'd put it all into words instead of going into hysterics on your ig/fb feeds.
Today, I admitted some of my social anxieties out loud, (as "stupid" as I perceive them to be), to my naturopath. When she saw my eyes welling upp, she looked me in the face and told me that "it's okay to cry" and when I apologized, she told me never to be sorry for crying. Add more crying. THIS is the type of response that you should get from your health professionals. And THEN she told me she was going to help me with those anxieties. She told me that the more obscure they are, the easier it will be to research what she can use to help me. Suddenly, my absolute panic of having to dial someone's phone number and then talk to a stranger could help solve my anxiety! Who would have thought?! If we had all night, I would list the times I didn't call to book an appointment for myself, for my car, for my business, to get my WINDOWS INSTALLED CORRECTLY... but, we don't. Just know that this anxiety has held me back. It's being worked on.
The moral of my story is that I want you to know how important it is that when you walk out of your doctor's, health practioner's, naturopath's (whoever's!) office, you should never walk out feeling worse, (especially if you live in Ontario where a lot of that shit is covered by OHIP!!). Flashbacks of an old doctor of mine telling me (and I'm dead serious) that I "was taking time away from people who actually needed it" and that I "was wasting tax payer dollars" when I asked for a referral from a specialist. Really? I guess she forgot that I was a tax payer too! I recently read that if you felt it in your body, IT WAS REAL because you FELT it. You deserve to have your worries reassured AND validated. So, if you aren't getting the care you want or deserve, go somewhere else. After that doctor said those things to me, I immediately revoked her privileges to MY life and went on EVERY SINGLE "Rate My MD" site to give her a "review". I then lived my life in and out of walk ins for 3 years before I found my next doctor.
TL;DR:
1) be your own advocate
2) if something feels off, it's valid
3) seek professional help, whichever form you like!
4) research the shit out of everything, question everything
5) repeat!
Have a super rest of your week! Stay healthy, be safe, and get some vitamin D!
xox,
M