It's Heck to Be Fat and Forty!

“It’s Heck to Be Fat and Forty.” This is something that my grandma used to say all the time, especially when trying to get out of a chair or walking long distances. Now that I’m over 50, I couldn’t agree with her more as I, too, am developing more aches and pains. In our culture, you see all the drug ads that just reinforce that belief. There’s a pill for everything, and for many things I never even heard of. What the heck’s Low T and Non-24? Then I look around and see that there are many people, including my 75-year-old mother, who don't have aches and pains. We’re all told that these are the natural and inevitable consequences of getting older.

I went in for a physical recently, and the doctor asked me 3 times what meds I was on and the importance of giving her a full medical history. She found it very hard to believe that I wasn’t on any medications. None. Vitamins, sure, the occasional OTC pain reliever, and that’s it. My labs showed that I didn’t need any either; in fact, my cholesterol level was on the low end. Then she was having her “talk” with me about my labs and how my health would continue to deteriorate if I didn’t get my weight under control, even though I had lost 15 pounds since the last time I saw her a couple of years earlier. Huh? All she saw was that I was overweight, and if you’re overweight, then you must have X, Y, and Z medical problems. It's as simple as that. This got me to thinking…

Sure, I’m considerably overweight, and I love baked goods as much as the next person, but I also eat well. I love fruits and veggies, and I easily consume the recommended 12-15 servings of them in a day. Meat is expensive, especially since I predominantly eat Organic, so meat tends to be more of a flavor enhancer rather than the primary focus. I also don’t eat a lot of processed foods. To me, food from scratch tastes much better, and my heart sings when making food. I keep reading about all the chemicals in our food, used to process or grow our food, and how the FDA and USDA don’t require food companies to test the safety of their ingredients before they are added to our food (GRAS), and only pull them if they find out they are unsafe. (That seems backward to me, but I digress!) This has led me to follow three simple rules based on Michael Pollan's Book, "Food Rules":

• If I can’t pronounce it (Tartrazine, Propyl Paraben, D-Panthothenyl alcohol, Monoisopropyl citrate)

• If it’s not something I would have in my kitchen cabinet (brominated vegetable oil, carrageen, cellulose, artificial sugar, or guar gum)

• If it’s something my grandma wouldn’t recognize as food (Yogurt in tubes, liquid or spray cheese, neon-colored foods and drinks)

• Then, don’t eat it.

  
  

I used to drink Mt. Dew like it was going out of style. It wasn’t unusual for me to have 4-6 cans a day, and when I was really stressed out, 8. (That’s like 1000 calories a day, just on caffeinated, sugar water.) Not only was I getting worried about the amount of sugar in them, 46 grams per can, but I was also getting worried because it wasn’t “real” sugar. It was High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), something the news was reporting concerns about nearly every day. Eating excess sugar triggers an inflammatory response, which can lead to aches and pains. I also found out, when I finally bothered to read the label, that it has brominated vegetable oil in it. (That doesn’t sound that bad, but oil in soda?) Yeah, well, California just banned it starting in 2027. For years, I had eczema and had to put special prescription creams on it to clear it up. A couple of months after I got off the Mt. Dew, I noticed that the eczema cleared up. Hmm…. Now that’s interesting…

Then I was reading about plastics (Yes, I read a lot) and how they leach into our food, especially when heated. Many of the chemicals in them are considered hormone disrupters (That doesn’t sound good at all.) Now I only use glass jars and containers (which are better for the environment). When I can’t find something in a glass at the store, once I open it, I transfer it to glass containers. Other things like mayo and salad dressings, once I found out how incredibly easy they are to make from scratch, it was a no-brainer.

So what does all of this have to do with “It’s heck to be fat and forty?” What I’ve learned is partly I don’t have to buy into the fact that as we age, our bodies break down. There are a lot of people who are defying that fact. Being fat doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be sick. I need to be mindful of what I put in MY body and check labels because that may be making me sick and leading to all these aches and pains (or worse). I loved my grandma dearly, and I took what she said and just took it as “The Truth.” Now I’m finding out that may have been her reality, but it doesn’t have to be mine.

Please share what has worked for you, supporting and cheering each other on. Note: The comments section is at the bottom of this page.

Anyone can do these things on their own, but sometimes we enjoy practicing with others like us.

Where you can find me:

Classes at Aims:

Meeting your Spirit Guide, September 06 and 13, 9-11 AM in Loveland.

**Note:  My friend Vickie will be doing a Learn Astrology: Birth Charts immediately following mine from Sept 6 - October 4 (skip Sept 20) from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM. She’s AMAZING!

Registration is open NOW!

Awakening Your Intuition through the Clairs: Level 1 at Aims in Greeley. 6 weeks, Wednesdays, Sept 24-Oct 29, from 6-8 PM.

Registration is open NOW!

How to Communicate with Loved Ones on the Other Side

Loveland | 4 weeks Feb 7- Feb 28, Saturdays, 9-11 AM in Loveland.

Fairs:

BMSE Denver Fall Fair from September 19-21, Fri 1 - 9, Sat 10 - 7, and Sun 10 - 6 at the National Western Complex Expo Hall. Booth 54.

The Art & Soul Events 2025 at Douglas County Fairgrounds, September 27-28, 2025, Saturday 10-5, Sunday 10-4.

Belu Olisa Fair from October 11 & 12, 2025, at The Ranch in Loveland. 10 - 5 (both days)

A Holiday & Magical Maker's Faire, Arapaho County Fairgrounds, November 8-9. Saturday 10-5, Sunday 10-4

Until next time,

Leanne Psychic Medium