Beginning Training - Mountain #1

I haven't written my weekly blog in a while because I was hit with my first obstacle. My training for the Canadian Death Race and the Ride to Conquer Cancer has been... extremely slow.

Since the beginning of January I've been noticing some tingling, burning, and 'pins and needles' all over my body... and felt incredibly dizzy and lightheaded at times - I felt like I was going to faint. I stuck it out, until it got really bad, and the tingling was very painful. Im studying holistic nutrition, and every kind of deficiency went through my mind: is this a B-12 deficiency? (No, I take sublingual B-12 every day), is this an iron deficiency (well, although ive been anemic for 3 years, no, my iron since my last blood test was 25 - its always been a 5 before that :S ), magnesium/potassium/calcium or electrolyte deficiency? (No, I take electrolytes!) .... maybe its adrenal fatigue? I have and had no clue.

I went to see my family doctor, who thought it could be anxiety. I called my specialist who thought it could be a side effect of the Crohn's medication I am on (Im not going to say what it is). So... needless to say, I am taking an anxiety medication now (I say this not to publicize it, but in the hopes to reach someone else that might have been through the same thing) and have been told to put my specific Crohns medication on hold until I have taken an MRI and the results come in. Ive seen an neurologist (everything went fine, waiting to get an MRI done to rule out Multiple Sclerosis) and my MRI is at the end of this month... will keep you updated...

SO! of course i've been doing lots of thinking... and I can definitely relate to Jennie's last post... it's challenging to be happy every minute of every day... but God knows I try :) . There are definitely times needed for crying and letting out your emotions. I too wish this wasn't immediately classified as 'clinical depression'. As for anxiety - is it me worrying too much about the future, what my health might be like, etc., or is it truly a chemical imbalance? Maybe a bit of both... I know Dr. Michael Gershon has a book about the gut being as a second brain, I read this book over and over again when doing my undergrad thesis in probiotics and the gut. Dr. Gershon talks about the huge nervous network in the gut, and that a HUGE amount of serotonin is produced in the gut.... and we know serotonin is the neurotransmitter involved in anxiety and depression... it makes sense that if the gut isn;t working at its best, that our entire nervous system can have implications. Anyways... I'm no doctor... I just wish I knew why I was feeling the way I am, and i can't help to keep dreaming of a cure....

But... I haven't given up my training. This last weekend I went cross country skiing 7km on the advanced level trails... my legs are still feeling it! The whole time i thought: its wonderful to be doing this - to have the health to do this.... so, Im soaking in that gratitude ;)

Hugs,
Ash