Saying No to the Culture of Death

There are many benefits that come from being able to knit and crochet. Amongst those benefits is the relaxation and the satisfaction that comes from finishing a project. I have discovered that knitting is also good for turning around depression and it also helps with cognition and brain fog issues. There is another less well known benefit because knitting and crochet are good for weight control. 

My recent surge and return to knitting came about because it is summer here in Australia.It has been too hot to do much in the way of housework. My husband had been nagging me about my stash of yarns. He wants me to get rid of my stash, and I am not going to throw it out so I have been knitting. However, I cannot knit or crochet for long periods at a time because of pain issues. So, I started to knit for a bit, whilst sitting on a chair under the pergola, and then I go for a walk around the pool. I am using a pedometer and I am making sure that I go for the 10,000 steps as often as possible. My pedometer also records aerobic activity and I have to walk for 10 minutes before the activity is recorded. This is added incentive to try and do at least the 10 minutes of aerobic activity during the day. As an added bonus I have brought the dog into the act, popped on her leash and walked her around the pool. She now demands her walk, but she is a slacker and she only goes a few rounds. 

Since November when I first began to walk around the pool, after getting my new orthotics, I have managed to begin the task of controlling my weight. It is not an easy task and when I see the way that my weight spikes I could easily become discouraged. However, I am not discouraged because there is a downward trend in the weight spikes, that is the highest weight that I reach in a week is tracking downwards. This is good news and it is proof that walking in a confined space is beneficial for my health.

Since I have some serious health issues, especially since my cholesterol levels have gone seriously out of whack and it is for this reason that my doctor is encouraging me to walk despite the other pain issues, such as enthesitis and bursitis that have arisen my legs and feet. I had some serious hip pain issues but the new x-rays were fine and showed no signs of the sacroiliitis. My doctor thinks that it is hip bursitis, but I am not sure. Either way, I am working through the pain and continuing to walk. The walking is paying dividends and the knitting is also paying dividends.

 I have been knitting baby booties because they are a self contained small project and to date I have knitted over 40 pair. I need some new shoes and my husband will not pay for them because they are worth more than $200 and he does not spend that much on his own shoes, but he does not have my foot problems. I have arthritis in my feet and in summer they tend to swell in the heat and the humidity. I have wide feet and that means that average shoes are out of the question. I am determined that I will purchase those shoes. I am selling my booties for $10.00 per pair.