Book A Smear Test Please

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

WARNING - I'm going to be really graphic in this blog post. If you are very young or very not OK with that kind of thing, I'd suggest finding a more delicately worded article about smear tests to read because I would be upset to cause any offence to anybody. Some of this content could be classed as, 'adult'.

I love my pussy. 

Last week I booked myself in for a smear test at my local doctors surgery and tweeted about it, as you do. There was such a big reaction from all of you that I thought I would write a blog post on the subject to answer some of the questions I've been having.

I had my first smear test just before I fell pregnant with Darcy and was nerrrrrvous! I'd never had anyone look at my VAGINA (yes, I just shouted VAGINA at you because I'm always such a wuss about it and say lame things like, 'downstairs area' or 'nether regions' but let's face it, it's called a vagina. I wouldn't call my leg my 'walking long part', or my ear my 'hearing hole', so I'm going to force myself to gussy up and say it. Vagina. Vag-in-a) in a medical way before and I felt weird. 

Before I went I fretted a LOT about the nurse seeing my vagina. Should I fully shave the whole thing? Should I do a style? Should I just tidy it up? Should I do nothing? Should I wear nice knickers? Should I care? I worried a lot. 

If I'm logical about it, I shouldn't have worried. I don't feel uncomfortable to take my knickers off in a sexual capacity so why would I feel nervous to do it for a person who only wants to do a helpful thing for me?

In the end, I went for a general tidy (nice mental image for you there), standard knickers (I'm not trying to seduce her after all) and I had a very thorough shower (if you see what I mean) about 40 minutes before I left for the appointment. I realise that's a lot to share but that's what I worried about the most so chances are you'll be worrying too. 

When I arrived (after an age in the waiting room thinking about a stranger poking around in me), I was ushered into her office, she asked a few questions about my general health and periods and such and then she said, 'OK, take you bottom halves off and pop yourself on the bed'. The horror. This was my least favourite part. It feels quite unnatural to undress your bottom half in the middle of the day in a little office. 

I did as I was told, she came round the curtain, told me to but my feet together and my knees apart and there it was- she could see my fully right there omg vagina. And it was fine. This woman looks at vaginas all day every day. She could not give a crap if one is more pink than the other or if one woman has hair and another doesn't or if one woman has big lips and another has tiny ones. She just wants to do your smear and see you on your way. Remember that. It's just a body part. It's not that special.

She lubed up (yeah, I said 'lube') this thing that, can I be blunt?, just felt like a large sex toy (please God don't ever let my Dad read this blog post), slid (sorry) it in and then because it's hollow, poked this little sort of mascara brush thing through it, swiped about, pulled it out and voila, you're done. 

She left the curtained off area, I put my knickers back on, she asked a couple more questions and I was on my way and she was ready to vagi-swab the next lady. No big deal. 

Here is what the NHS says in it's official blurb about it :

"The cervical screening test usually takes around five minutes to carry out. An instrument called a speculum will be gently inserted into your vagina to hold the walls of your vagina open so that your cervix is visible. A small soft brush will be used to take some cells from the surface of your cervix.

The sample of cervical cells will then be sent to a laboratory and examined under a microscope to see whether there are any abnormal cells.

Some women may find the procedure a bit uncomfortable or embarrassing, but for most women it is not painful.

If the test picks up abnormalities in the cells in your cervix, it may be recommended that you have treatment to remove them, or further tests in a few months to see if they return to normal on their own.

You shouldn't have a cervical screening test during your period, so try to arrange an appointment before or after your period is due. The middle of your cycle is the best time to have the test (usually 14 days from the start of your last period)."

None of the procedure hurt. This means a lot because I do not deal well with pain. I will cry at the slightest discomfort and I have a VERY low tolerance almost everything haha. I have a LOW pain threshold. If this didn't hurt me, it REALLY DOES NOT HURT. I didn't find it uncomfortable physically, I just felt a bit weird mentally. Throughout the whole experience I reminded myself that if I were to develop cervical cancer I would have to have a lot more procedures so just do this and be done with it. 

The nurse was nice to me, the whole thing was free on the NHS, by doing this I am helping to make sure I will live a full life with my little girl (something my own Mother did not get to do with me) and I am taking care of my health. 

It is so important. It could be a matter of life or death. It is also a privilege to have this available because so many women before us did not. Use it. 

If you are putting off or ignoring your smear test, please don't. I promise you it isn't horrible. I'd actually rather do that than things like go to the dentist or have a blood test! If you feel nervous, take a friend or relative, book it for first thing in the morning so that it's out of the way and plan a little treat for later that afternoon to have something fun to look forward to. You will be fine I promise!

To look at the NHS official page about smear tests (which are actually called 'cervical screening' tests), click HERE. 

Have you had positive experiences with smear tests? Share them in the comments.

Toodlepip!

xx

Planning Ahead For A Healthy Week

Good day ladies and gents! It's Monday... boooooo. Can anyone tell me how in the world Monday came around so fast? My weekend seemed to have gone by in a blur. Oh well, its here so we better make the most of it. Go hard or go home!

The best way for me to make sure I go hard is planning out my week. I try to plan out everything down to the finest detail, whether its doing laundry or writing a blog post. That way, hopefully, nothing gets missed and I ensure I give first place to the more important things.

I normally start my planning with determining what's on the menu for the week.

On Saturday night or Sunday morning, depending upon my schedule, I plan out all the meals and snacks for the week ahead. I used to use cookbooks and occasionally the internet for planning, but since Pinterest has taken over my life I use it almost exclusively. However, I will pull out my cookbooks for recipes that I've already tried.

The overall process takes about an hour to an hour and half. The longest part of the process being coming up with the dinners for the week. Since I do the majority of the cooking and we have different eating habits I try to simplify our menus as much as possible. During the week we enjoy the same meal for breakfast and snacks. For instance I know that I have a smoothie every morning for breakfast and my first snack will be fruit with trail mix. When it comes to lunch time, I also repeat the same meal for my lunch.

You maybe wondering at this point, "Well Iesha, don't you get bored having the same thing everyday?" Here's how I combat boredom: 1. My smoothies don't not have the same fruits in them everyday. 2. The fruit I use for my snacks vary greatly. 3. I change the ingredients in my lunch salad and the dressings I use every few days. Also, personally having a simple menu helps me to stay on track, I never wonder what I'm going to eat. It helps me say no to outside temptations as well.

However, Mr. UC gets bored easily and will not eat his lunch if he repeated too often. So for him, I have a list of 10 meals to choose from and he will "enjoy" three of them twice during the week. Now dinner time is where we both get to have some fun and have our palates tantalized. I love cooking and I "cook" for one of us each night of the week. When Mr. UC is having leftovers I make a raw dinner for myself and when I am having leftovers I make dinner for him.

Now that the meal plan is complete, I can compile my shopping list. I shop every Sunday for most if not all of our food. Occasionally, I will make another trip for fresh veggies during the week.

After I complete our meal plan I move on to planning my workout for the week.

On a day to day basis, I keep track of my health in my smaller planner that I carry with me.

I have a copy of my workout plan.

I also keep a written record of what I eat each day. Its easy to snack and lose track of how many little bites you have. This way if I get tempted I hold myself accountable by writing each little bite down. It also serves as a way to track how food affects my body. If one day my joints are particularly sore I can go back in my food log and pinpoint what may be the cause. I created this page with a water tracker, I have the hardest time drinking enough water during the day now I can mark off each cup I have.

Next I use my 2015 planner and fill in my appointments for the week and we're all set to go hard!

Here are the printables I use to organize my meals and workout for the week. Hopefully you'll find them useful as well.

{click here to download 8.5x11}

{click here to download 5.5x8.5}

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{click here to download 8.5x11}

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 {click here to download 8.5x11}

{click here to download 5.5x8.5}

Till next time...

Why I Started Uncluttered Eating In The First Place?

So here we are starting our first full week of 2015 and, from what I hear and read all over social media, people have two primary things on the brain right now... getting healthy and getting organized. I can't say that I don't have the same things on my mind, as well. Today I want to share how I started my uncluttered eating lifestyle.

I'm sure that a lot of you started out the first day of the year with a bang, maybe beginning the journey for a healthier lifestyle, possibly even hitting the gym. Maybe there are a few of you that waited for the first full week. But let's be honest, the most important thing is to get started. It could be the middle of the day, right after eating a huge slice... or five of New York pizza. (Pizza is my favorite food group, so I might be referring to myself. Don't judge me.) Just don't wait for the "perfect moment" because you probably will not find it. You know the ole Nike slogan... just (get your booty up and) do it.  Back in early 2013, I mentioned that I was diagnosed with a plethora of food allergies and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), receiving that information and a list of restrictions from my Rheumatologist was the catalyst for me to just do it.

I took the first step in March 2013 by eliminating wheat from my diet all together, it causes inflammation in my body. But I didn't... I couldn't stop there, I was on a quest to hopefully heal my body. So began the research into what exactly is RA, other than a potentially debilitating disorder with no cure. What causes it? Is it manageable without prescription medication? I did find out that it's an autoimmune disease and causes the body to have inflammation around the joints.  My turning point came when I stumbled upon the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch, you should make the time soon.

In the movie, Joe's journey just confirmed that I could potentially manage my RA with fresh fruits and veggies. Thus, began my life as a raw vegan. I thoroughly researched the pros and cons of living this way. I discovered that there will always be naysayers no matter what issue is being discussed. To me the possibility of living pain free was worth giving it a shot despite the naysayers. Thank goodness I did, it turned out to be the best decision I ever made for my mind and body. Right away, I found I had mental clarity and tons of energy. Then within a few months I noticed that the inflammation in my joints had all but disappeared and with each passing day I felt better and better.

Now to be honest with you, I never did a juice fast, that was not for me. I did juice at times, but my eating habits consisted mainly of green smoothies for breakfast, veggies and almonds for snacks, huge salads for lunch and dinner, along with the occasional gazpacho. This remained my routine for the majority of the spring and summer months.

Some may think that eating this way is more expensive, but if you are not buying meat, you are rarely eating out and you eventually save on doctor visits and medication... aren't you really saving money? During the spring and summer I took full advantage of the farmer's markets. This beautiful bounty was about 4 days worth of food for me alone. (The cheese was for the mister.)

Since I was restricted from working out in the beginning, other than taking the dog for walk, I focused so solely on getting my eating under control. I'm here to tell you, the weight literally melted off. The first picture was taken February 10, 2013 in Marshalls and I became a raw vegan two months later in April 2013. The second picture, with my goofy niece, was taken July 27, 2013 and I had lost about 30 lbs by then.

While the weightloss was a bonus, the most important aspect was my body being well enough to walk around the State Fair with my family for hours and not need a wheelchair because I couldn't use my knees the next day. It was an amazing feeling and felt as if I had gained my life back.

If you have considered trying a raw vegan way of life why not start slowly and replace one meal with a raw one. Such as, smoothies for breakfast or a huge salad for lunch. Its my desire to share the rest of my journey with you, if you choose to follow along.

Till next time...

Results of Uncluttered Eating

Can you believe we are a day away from the start of 2015?

With the start of a new year approaching and all the yummy comfort food we've all been eating during these cold months, many of us may be getting in gear to hit the gym and change our eating habits. (I hate the word diet.) Or maybe at one point you had previously adopted healthy eating habits but have since fallen back into your old routine and you're ready to get back on the ball.

Well, I'm going to sharing with you my journey and how I achieved these results. (Be sure to check out my Uncluttered Health page, after the first of the year, for details on how and why I started this journey in the first place.) The before picture was taken in October 2012 and the after picture was taken in July 2014. Sidenote: I started my uncluttered eating habits in April 2013. 

Each week I'll share my eating and workout plan with you. Please do not read this as my being any type of expert or that I feel this particular lifestyle will work for everyone, because I do not. I am simply desiring to share what worked for me and how I personally incorporate being "uncluttered" into all aspects of my life. If you would like to give it a try follow along. If you have questions please feel free to contact me.


Till next time... Iesha

Glitter Gets Fitter

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you follow me on YouTubes, Facebook, Instagram or Tumblr you may have noticed #GlitterGetsFitter being a THING. 

I say a 'THING' because I can't quite tell if it's a full on new lifestyle change or just a fad and not being one to love commitment (types the home owning married mother who has run her own business for the last couple of years, commitment much?) I'm reluctant to give it a title. 

(A collection of my GlitterGetsFitter instagram updates this month.)

I talked about it in a video this past Sunday and wanted to chat a little bit more about it over here so as to have all bases covered. I'm not going to bleat on about it too much after that, unless something worthwhile happens, but you can still follow the THING on my social platforms if you're a keen bean.

It all began when Weight Watchers approached me in Autumn 2013 and asked if I would work with them on a few videos they had in mind to promote their new plan, Simple Start. I had long being thinking that my physical fitness needed some help but initially said no because I thought Weight Watchers was all about dropping lbs and eating boring foods. 

After a few discussions back and forth with me saying I don't enjoy the idea of diets and extreme/fast weight loss and that my goal for 2014 was to fuel my body better and improve my health levels, I quickly realised that was what Weight Watchers is all about. It's not about bland foods and being hungry, it's about learning which foods love your body and which foods don't really give you much (sadly, my beloved macdonalds french fries are the latter *sob*).

I decided that if I was going to be in videos promoting the Simple Start plan (HERE and HERE) that it would only be right to actually give it a go (practise what you preach and all) and have now being doing it for two weeks. 

I won't lie, it's been a big shock to my body and lifestyle. This second week I have spent a lot less time craving takeout food but the first week was a real battle of wills. I win those little battles by thinking in short term chunks. I say, 'You can have a chinese takeout on Friday, just resist for 3 more days and it's all yours' and then of course by the time I reach Friday I feel accomplished and don't want to order the chinese. Basically, I have to treat my brain like a toddler and do sneaky mama tricks on it haha. 

On the plus side, I have now had 14 consecutive days getting my 5-a-day of fruit and veggies and my skin, alertness levels and mood are thanking me for it. I'm not 100% sure if this is linked but since putting cleaner foods into my body I have been a lot less up and down in mood. I'm a very passionate person so I'm quick to laugh heartily, cry hard or shout loud but this last fortnight I've felt a little more mellow, which has been quite the treat for my Husband!

As well as eating better I have been upping my exercise game. By 'upping', I mean, 'actually doing some'! I used to have not a jot of proper exercise, aside from pushing the pram about, taking Darcy to the swings or nipping to the shop but none of those were anything more than light. 

I now go on 30 minute brisk walks/runs every other day and I don't hate it. I haven't got that addicted to exercise bug yet but I'm hoping it hits fairly soon. My friend Mark says it takes 3 weeks to make something a habit so my fingers are firmly crossed. I used to walk the length (and back again) of a nearby park but after a scary encounter with some locals (think hooded group of young men making lude remarks), I quickly changed my walking root and it feels much safer, although rather hilly and slightly longer dagnamit! 

The first time I did one of the walks I came home and was shaking I was so unused to exercise! Now though, I bound home in my hot pink trainers, jump in the shower and feel really accomplished. There is a certain sense of power in knowing that you are taking control of a new area of your life. I feel physically and mentally stronger because of it. 

So far, I'm really enjoying making these changes. I want my insides to feel great, I want to be a fit and healthy Mama for my Little and I want to enjoy a much more active life. 

I don't know how long I will continue on this journey (commitment issues, remember?) or how accomplished I will be but for the last 3 weeks I have taken so much from Sprinklerino Support (official term there) and feel very blessed to have you all in my glittery life. 

Have you ever undertaken big life changes like this? How did you feel? Did they work? Do you feel like a sensual woman goddess?!?

Toodlepip!

Contributor - Louise

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