Day 8 - 14 of taking turmeric everyday

Week 2 of taking turmeric everyday: Hair fall, joints and skin - all looking good.

[For Day 7/Week 1, read here]

I've only just realised that the issue I have with my body is not the weight per se, it's the shape. I'm curvy and I love that, except there are places I wish were more firm - in particular, my waist. I'm shaped like a guitar, a classic hourglass that shows even when I was skinny. But only from the front and the back. When I turn to show my profile, it's a different story.

I'm classified obese and don't relate to it. I concede to being overweight but not obese, despite standards. However, the belly pouch annoys me because it feels out of place. It is a part of me that I have yet to accept, though I tolerate it, knowing that it is there by my own doing.

Like many people, weight is something that I struggle with, so understanding that it's more about the shape and tone rather than weight might help me to shift gears. It's not been helpful counting myself up or down the scale.

What I would prefer instead is to realise a solid connection with my body, a deep understanding and respect for what it needs and be of service to it so it may continue to help me create a meaningful and powerfully useful existence.

I've been saying no to sugar, although I ate two chocolate sandwiches for breakfast this morning. I'm getting signals to eat more protein even though I love pasta and ate a bowl of that for lunch yesterday (I sprinkled it with cheese, even though I'm trying to cut dairy from my diet).

I've introduced sleep gummies into my consumption, for fun. They include valerian root. I can say that I sleep deeply and don't remember any dreams when I wake up. I don't really have trouble sleeping so this is not a need but pure curiosity and enjoyment. Is it helpful? I can't tell. Hopefully they don't contain any sneaky sugars.

The spots on my fingers have hardened and reduced in size. I could still feel their roughness but they neither itch or come to mind. No more random red spots on my face that look like bug bites and as for hair, I see less hair fall on the white tiled floor. The last data point for me is the joints. I've been walking and exercising. To be fair, my exercise is mostly swimming so that's not so taxing on the joints. There's nothing I could say with definitiveness that turmeric has helped to ameliorate, but there's something to be said about consistently doing something to help yourself.

I just let out a small fart and it smells spicy. Not hugely. Maybe it's my imagination. This is not a data point, but I've been going to the toilet every morning, which, from someone who grew up with constipation, is more than welcome.

Turmeric won't help me with my current obsession with my excess body fat, but it will help in reminding me that I'm taking care of myself. I like the fact that I'm writing about it, right now through this project, and hopefully I will continue to note down my corporeal projects to keep the lines of communication open.

Today, I'll be busy finishing off my coaching certification assignments. One of the tasks is to complete a wellness journal for 30 days. Thankfully, they didn't have to be consecutive so, rereading what I've noted down so far, I realised that these crosshairs with my eating is too typical. It's time for a change of tact. How about I appreciate the good things that I do with my body, especially (for now, at least) what I consume? How about I celebrate those times I make healthy choices and say no to those things that are not necessary but I can choose to indulge in occasionally, and realising when a moment is not an occasion?

It's worth a try. Would you like to try with me?