WEGO Health: I Learned the Hard Way

Prior to exploring a healthy journey, I was overweight (big surprise! /sarcasm). Not obese but definitely way out of shape. Huff n’ puff.

I didn’t suffer from many health problems as a result. I was lucky. However, I did have one ailment:  plantar fasciitis.

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I’d wake up each morning with one and eventually, both feet, aching until I was able to stretch them for awhile or put pressure on them, but even then they’d still be tender. I’d feel it in my heels all the time. I couldn’t figure it out until I mentioned it to my doctor. She thought plantar fasciitis but referred me to a specialist. The foot doctor confirmed her thought.

Now, a perfectly fit person, most often a runner, can develop plantar fasciitis because of the abuse their feet take. Well, we all know I was in no way running (ha!) or exercising much so that wasn’t the reason I was experiencing it. It was all due to weight and probably cheap flip flops. My poor aching feet!

It was worse in my right foot and less so with the left but it was well on its way to catching up. The foot doc worked with me and gave me a list of stretches and other suggestions for relieving pain. But I also had to be fitted for orthotics and a BOOT!

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Ugh, how embarrassing. Not that anyone would know I had orthotics unless I told them and the boot was to be worn at home or in bed (how romantic). I was embarrassed because I came face to face with my problem and had to admit it.

So I slept with the boot nightly. It did help alleviate the pain keeping my foot flexed and the orthotics took time to get used to but they helped as well. I had to wear my tennies a lot.

Sometime after though, we began eating raw foods and eliminating processed and inflammatory foods. Eventually, the pain lessened and I didn’t need the boot or orthotics anymore. I didn’t make the association right away but later it dawned on me that eating healthy, losing weight and being more active (so much easier to do when not overweight, huffin’ n’ puffin’) all helped in fully recovering from plantar fasciitis. Yippee!

That was a lesson learned the hard way that everything we do to our bodies, inside and out, can greatly affect how it performs. And the choices I made prior affected me in a painful way. I’m fortunate that this was the worst of my issues for being overweight. Some aren’t so lucky.

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Since the birth of YS2, I have gained weight but I’m hopeful that with my knowledge, past experience, and motivating factors I will get back to where I need/want to be and stay there. I don’t want a repeat performance of plantar fasciitis or worse. I keep reminding myself of this so I keep going and it’s one of the reasons why I’m back to exercising and eating whole foods. I’m not there yet but I am moving forward and less backwards. I’m also pain-free so I have no excuse to not keep moving.