Thank you, SSS, again. My tablet died and it has taken 2 days to wrestle the computer from my son!
I have recently been reading up on longevity factors surrounding my bipolar disorder. Discouragingly, I found a study that indicated that those with bipolar disorder live about 9 (!) years less than those without it, but there was no indication that it was a direct correlation, in other words, it wasn't the bipolar disorder that was causing the shorter lifespan.
They rather thought it might be other health and lifestyle factors that get ignored when fighting the disease on a daily basis. For example, not getting screening and taking appropriate action on other preventable illnesses like diabetes, cancer, and maintaining general health and fitness since the psychiatric drugs are known to cause both weight gain and metabolism troubles.
Two things struck me about this. First, that statistic sucks! That would have me up and dying right about the time I retire. I want to be here for my son as long as possible.
Secondly, that those factors are within my ability to control, as least partially. I'm 44 years old and I need to start doing some preventive screening, like mammograms and blood sugar testing, both of which I've done, but not consistently.
Also, even if my medication makes me ravenous and can affect blood sugar levels, it's no excuse to not clean up my eating and eat healthily. I've gotten into bad habits. I've been monitoring what's been going into my mouth and it isn't healthful, by and large. My medicine makes me hungry, I know I shouldn't eat, but I eat something just to shut my stomach up and it's usually carbs. I've actually been monitoring my eating and asking myself why? and what I've come up with is that healthy food takes longer to eat and I need to eat more (of, say, salad) to fill up and it feels like I'm eating too much! My head is a scary place! This is a terrible, terrible cycle.
I need to get some common sense smacked into my head. I need to evaluate food on its nutrition merits. I need to start measuring portion sizes. I need to start counting calories. I need to exercise, even if it's just to get outside and take a walk on a sunny day.
I need to take action because I'm middle-aged and my joints are starting to hurt, I'm overweight and I don't feel like I'm aging well. I don't want to retire and drop dead the next day.
And I need to do all this while still fighting the bipolar disorder. Because that isn't going away.
Thanks, SSS, for this thread and all your knowledge and advice. This forum is wonderful because everyone shares of their talents so willingly. I believe I've just been inspired.