Health-care crisis in America

Disclaimer-- this is quite passionate. And if you don't want to hear/know my opinion, discontinue reading right now.

On to the subject...

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about our health-care in the U.S.

These are my two cents, take it or leave it. I won't be offended if you disagree =)

I honestly and truly believe our country would be in a much better position for health care if Americans actually took care of themselves. I feel like I am in position to talk about this because I make a conscience, daily effort to take care of myself. I run 6 days a week, lift weights 3 days a week and eat a daily caloric intake of about 1300 calories. I have also lived a completely sedentary lifestyle up until I was 20 years old. So this is why I am standing on my soapbox to proclaim to the world that junk food/laziness is NOT worth it! Life is so much better living HEALTHY!!

All you see on the news these days is talk about how terrible health care is in America. I am completely against socialized health care that Obama wants. I think one way we could cut back on health care costs is making health care more expensive for people who had higher BMIs. I think it should be more expensive for people who have higher blood pressure. More expensive for people who have high cholestorol... etc etc. That's right I said it. Is this discrimination? Maybe. BUT I do think that this would motivate people to work at taking care of their bodies, which would minimize health care costs.

Or maybe we shouldn't make it more expensive for the unhealthy but LESS expensive for those who have a lower BMI, etc. I know there are some extreme circumstances where weight issues are not preventable (I have family members where this is the case) but for most cases, it's just plain laziness. The number one crisis in America right now is type 2 diabetes (almost always preventable) and cardiovascular diseases (also almost always preventable). Both of these are weight related issues that can be controlled (for the most part) It has a HUGE affect on affordable health care and a huge reason why medicaid is practically bankrupt.

I think it is really sad how Americans just do not care and are lazy and so overweight. I know what kind of life that is... Like I have said... I lived it for a good portion of my life. I weighed 250 lbs just 5 years ago. My life now, weighing in at about 155-160 (which is by no means "skinny" but it is a healthy BMI)-- I can tell you... is SO SO SO much better! My asthma is practically gone and I have WAY more energy! Not to mention I can do things I never could have done before. It's amazing what our human bodies are capable of.

The point of this blog is to maybe motivate others to get up and be active and teach your kids and friends to take care of your bodies because honestly, these bodies we have are truly amazing and SUCH gift!!And then maybe health-care would be MUCH more affordable for the rest of us.

Just my thoughts. Hope I didn't offend someone. I am just really passionate about this because for most of my life I would wallow about my weight but NEVER do anything about it.. until finally I made a complete lifestyle change and I can tell you I will NEVER go back!

My parents & The Woodlands.

My parents have moved to the Woodlands, Texas (30 minutes north of downtown Houston) and built a beautiful new home there. My mom is finally getting her dream home after all the many years of sacrificing for her children... It's about time.

I can learn so much from my Mom. We had a nice house growing up and my dad made good money, but she never demanded her "dream home". She decided her children were more important and gave us a great upbringing because of that decision.

I am so happy for my Mom. She gets to close/move in to the house in 2 weeks! Homes are materialistic and clearly not the most important thing in the world, but I think it will bring my Mom great satisfaction to finally have a big island kitchen that she has always wanted to do all her baking/cooking. Here's to you, Mom. You deserve it!

(There will be stainless steel appliances put in, in the next couple of weeks)

Cedar City/24th of July

It has been a very busy past couple of weeks for Geoff and I. Last weekend we went down to Cedar City (Southern Utah) to visit Geoff's parents and to be at his best friend Jason's wedding. We had a wonderful visit and lots of great conversation with my in-laws, who I simply adore. We even got Geoff's dad TOTALLY hooked on the show "24". They stayed up til almost 1am watching the end of season 2 with us. We went to Yankee Lake to go fishing with them as well, and sadly we did not catch anything but we still had a great time.


Then this weekend we went to my grandparents house for a couple of days down in SLC to spend some much needed time with them and my extended family. We went out one night with my best friend Randi and her husband Alec to say goodbye, as they are leaving for law school in Oregon and we will be moving to Texas in a few months.

Every 24th of July, my grandparents have a big breakfast up Millcreek Canyon with all the trimmings. It was great to spend some time with cousins and Aunt and Uncles. After our food settled, we went on a 6 mile hike that overlooks the Salt Lake Valley. It was pretty strenuous and tough, but man it was SO worth it when you see the view at the top and to feel like I was in good enough shape to conquer such a tough hike (good thing cause next week we are hiking 12 miles up the Wellsville Mountains-- steepest mountains in the world, no joke) . I feel so blessed to have such a close knit family and will miss seeing them as often as I do when we move to Texas.

A follow-up for my Utah Hair blog...

Just saw this on TV and thought how amazing this must be for all the big-haired Utah/Idaho gals around here. ha ha. Enjoy!

Keep your fingers crossed...

This week I am beginning testing for fertility stuff. I just finished my physical this afternoon and the Doc said I am healthy as a horse and that my weight may seem more because I have much more muscle mass (VERY good news for me to hear! Because you know me... always trying to one up myself). He also said I am eating just the way any person should to try and get pregnant. So he was very positive. Calmed a lot of my fears.

Anyway, I will be seeing a nurse practitioner this week to talk about some fertility options. I am fasting tomorrow to hope something good comes from all of this-- at least an answer as to why I keep losing my babies.

Wish me luck!

What the Hair?!?

Okay, I don't mean to be rude, but please someone tell me... Why oh whyyyy do people do their hair like this in Utah/Idaho

I saw a girl at the store who had this same hair but twenty times bigger. It's everywhere here. It just isn't right...

Abbi Lynn Nelson...

... is going to be a big sister!!

yay! I am so happy for Tyler and Heather (My bro & sis-in-law). Baby tied for second cutest kid in the world is due January 14th.

p.s. Is Abbi not the cutest little cheerleader you have ever seen? Love her!

How my goals are going...

So remember how I made all those new years resolutions? We are now half way through the year so lets see how I am doing thus far.


PHYSICAL
-run a marathon (either the Ogden or St. George)--- This has been way too hard for me to train for working full time and going to school full time. I have only been able to run about 25 miles a week... But we shall see. There is still time for me to train for the Logan Marathon. It is tough with how busy I am.
-climb a mountain 5 times this summer--- So far on track. We have done this about 3 times this summer and we are going to climb the steepest mountains in the WORLD. The Wellsvilles, in like a month. Wish us luck!
-weigh my ideal weight +/- 5 lbs by 6/1/09--- Still not quite there, I have about 10 pounds to go, but I have made progress.

MENTAL
-learn 3 new words a week-- With school going full swing I have been learning lots of new words. But mostly they are related to my classes, but it still counts, right?
-Get a 4.0 each semester--- I must say, I did this last semester and I am on track for summer semester as well. It feels good!
-Read a book a month (other than school books)-- So far so good. I have read some really great books. I re-read my favorite book "the hiding place" this month. I highly recommend it if you haven't read it.

EMOTIONAL
-Never criticize my appearance-- I need to do MUCH better with this.
-Say "I love you" every day to Geoff--- ACED this, but he isn't hard to love.
-Write in my journal each week-- It has been more like every other week, but that is a mass improvement from last year's 3 entries.

SPIRITUAL
-Read the Book of Mormon by 6/1/09--- I finished it in April and I am re-reading it again!
-Pray 2x a day-- Been pretty good with this as well. Always could improve in quality though.
-Read scriptures daily (no exceptions)-- I could do better with quality here as well. A busy life is no excuse for slacking!
-Go to the temple twice a month-- We have done awesome with this for the most part. It feels wonderful to be in the house of the Lord with Geoff. Couldn't ask for more!


I definitely have not been perfect but I think overall I am doing pretty well working on my goals. I appreciate all the love and support we receive from friends and family to help us with these goals! It feels good to have made some progress and I feel like a better person because of these resolutions.

One of my greatest Heroes

This weekend I got to spend some time with one of my greatest heroes-- My aunt Denise.

(Denise & her daughter, my cousin, Hillary)

Let me tell you a little about her. As a young child she was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and was always in and out of the hospital. After she was married, she got pregnant and the baby was still born. Then soon after she found out she couldn't have kids at all. She later adopted a beautiful girl, my cute cousin Hillary. Some years ago she found out she had multiple sclerosis. MS and diabetes are hard to have by themselves, and when you put them together, it's unbelievably rough. She is now in a wheelchair almost all the time and is still frequently in the hospital for falls and what not.

You would think someone who had all these health problems and gone through so much in a lifetime would be upset all the time. Not this woman! Now I am around people with disabilities ALL the time... But you would never even know Denise has a disability. Denise is the MOST optimistic, funny, loving person in the world. She NEVER complains about her life. NEVER. She loves her family and would literally do anything for them, even her neices and nephews.

She came up this weekend because her husband Marv was riding in the MS bike race and we all went to support him as he rode 100 miles! Denise took Geoff, Brett and I out to lunch and then we had girl time and got pedicures together. Not once did she complain about her life-- she was SO concerned for me and my happiness. She knows about how Geoff and I are going through fertility problems and she can TOTALLY relate to my feelings and it was just so refreshing to be around her. It made me forget about how "hard" my life can be and just enjoy what I DO have! I have always looked up to Denise- Ever since I was a little girl. But it has really hit me as an adult how amazing Denise really is. She has taught me so much. She is my warrior aunt and I will be forever grateful for example.

Dad's day

Oh how I love my pops. I have always had a special place in my heart for my Father. I never went through one of those awkward times in my life where I didn't wanna hang out with my Dad. Maybe because he is so cool? I don't know. He has been the greatest example to me of what a man should be like. Always going above and beyond in his church service but ALWAYS having time for daddy-daughter talks/walks and making me feel like I am the most important person in his life. I will forever hold a very special place in my heart for my Dad. And today I honor him and his love for me and my siblings.