Paleo is hard. Let me tell you, get the flu and the last thing you want to concern yourself with is what is Paleo or even healthy for that matter. I was one of the “lucky ones” this year and managed to catch the flu. I blame this guy from work, he had it first and then I got it. I knew something was up Friday morning when I woke up at 3 am with the worst aches in my life. I could barely stand my legs were throbbing so bad. At the time, I was sure it would just go away after a hot bath. So yes, at 3 am I decided to take a steaming hot bath with bubbles of course. After laying in agony for about 30 minutes, I gave up on the bath and just decided to get ready for work and try to suck it up. Fast forward a few hours, I am sitting at work completely miserable. The pain I felt in my lower back and legs was probably one of the worst pains I have personally ever felt. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t get comfortable, and sure as hell could not concentrate on anything else. By about 11, I was done, I couldn’t be at work anymore.
Now, here is where I made the first mistake of flu weekend. I decided to head to the minute clinic at Target. First of all, I did not do my research on the flu test which would have helped me avoid the whole issue. In case you are not aware, the flu test is only 50-90% accurate. That is a HUGE gap!! And if you have ever had to get tested for the flu, that is not even worth putting yourself through the misery of actually getting tested. For the lucky ones who have not been tested, I’ll fill you in. They take this long thin stick and shove about 6 to 8 inches of it straight up your nose and into your brain. It is impossible for your eyes not to water and you want to quit before it is even half way up your nose. Anyway, I got the test and it came back negative. The nice lady told me I just have a viral infection, aka a common cold. First of all, I have had a cold plenty of times and it has never resulted in me wanted to cut off my own limbs from being in so much pain. Secondly, I have never had a fever while having a cold. By the way, doctor standards a fever is 100.5 and my temperature was 100.4 so to them I was just fine. Either way, I took the misdiagnosis and drove my sick butt home.
Got home and life did not get any better. The aches in my legs were unreal. I hopped in the bath and popped a Midol. Don’t ask, Midol is my go to cure all for everything and by-golly it actually was the only thing that helped my legs quit aching enough so I could take a nap. I had to try to do everything I could to feel better because my boyfriend’s mom was coming into town later that day and I couldn’t be sick. Obviously my body had other plans. Long story short, the flu was terrible. I was throwing up sick, miserably achy, and too weak to do more than lay around.
The whole point of this post is about how hard it is to eat healthy when you are sick. Friday, I couldn’t eat anything. Everything I did it just came back up. By Saturday I was so week that I knew I had to eat something just to survive. At 8am I forced my boyfriend to go to the store and pick me up some organic tomato soup and some saltine crackers. I know, crackers are not Paleo but at the point I was at, if I could keep it down then it was perfect. My boyfriend was even sweet enough to get the whole-grain saltines since they are a little better for you. Needless to say, my tomato soup and a sleeve and a half of saltines were eaten by the end of the weekend. I am finally feeling much better. I still have a dreadful cough but my eating habits are pretty much back to normal. I have not gone to the gym since I have been sick. I can still tell I am recovering because my limbs are still a bit weak. I am hoping by tomorrow I can get back into the gym because after almost a week off I am craving a good work out.
So… Moral of the Story… Get your Flu Shot!!! Don’t be like me!!
The Queen of Quitting 