💌 Notes from Natalie
It’s another Notes from Natalie: your weekly peek into what I’m testing, trying, craving, learning, doing, and laughing about in midlife.
Well… where do I even begin today with this update?
Let’s just say I unintentionally did something I haven’t done in years: I took an entire week off. No podcasts recordings. No meetings. No coaching. No 127 browser tabs open. Just rest. I had blocked the whole week off on my calendar but normally, the block off would not have mattered lol. I would have still scheduled things.
Why did I actually take it off? Because I finally had that disc replacement back surgery
I have been sharing about. You can see the fancy before and after picture below. I have a permanent Oreo looking thing in there now.
The not amazing part is they go through your stomach so they cut through my lower abs, and opened the space that did not exist between my vertebrae, and popped in a shiny new artificial disc. Sounds bionic and fabulous, right? I am officially 90% bionic. 🦾
And, well… let’s just say recovery has been a ride.
The back pain since the surgery? Kinda Intense until yesterday where I FINALLY turned a corner. But the first 5 days ugh…
The sciatica shooting down my left leg? Not a vibe. And the bloating? Not your standard post-op gas or “oops I ate too many veggies” bloat. No. This was “who snuck a balloon into my intestines?” kind of bloat.
Turns out when they go through your stomach to reach your spine, your abs don’t exactly throw a welcome party. I learned a NEW term… “postoperative ileus.” Google it if you do not know what it is and are curious. But long story short, it is not fun.
My surgeon is not worried about ANY of this. He said it is all totally normal and will absolutely calm down in the coming weeks.
I had my surgery in Los Angeles which meant two things:
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I got to walk in 70-degree weather instead of the 115-degree Phoenix inferno
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I learned real quick that LA is not playing when it comes to pain pills
Because of the past opiate crisis, doctors in LA are incredibly strict. I mean no narcotics strict. I was sent home with a super Tylenol, Celebrex, and a muscle relaxer. That’s it. 😅 So yes, I navigated some very real pain that first week, and no, I didn’t love it. But I survived. And I did it with a heating pad, long walks, and a whole lot of deep breathing. I wasn’t trying to be tough but that was what I was given.
Speaking of those walks, I made it a daily ritual to head to Erewhon. If you know, you know. That grocery store is like a wellness playground for adults. Erewhon was my carrot at the end of the recovery stick. And bonus… while I was there, I finally got to meet one of my longtime Instagram friends in person. We’ve collabed, she’s been on my podcast, and now we’ve officially hugged in real life. That was a fun, needed moment the night before surgery and soreness.
But the good news? I’m officially over a week out now, and they say around the two-week mark you really turn a massive corner. So fingers crossed I’ll be doing pull ups and jumps soon. OK maybe just squats. OK maybe just walking to the fridge with less grimacing. 😬 But still looking forward to the progress.
Now for the fun stuff…
📱On the GRAM:
If you are at all curious about my day to day healing and progress, I shared it ALL on my @nataliejillfit Instagram! I also shared an AB and CORE workout I did for the last 8 years to get myself out of flair ups! I filmed it two days before my surgery for you but posted it this week. You can view the workout HERE
🎥 On YouTube:
Before surgery, I filmed a quick 6-minute warm-up I’ve done religiously for the past 8 years…especially when my back was at its worst. This was my go-to routine to avoid flare-ups and protect my spine. It’s simple, it’s all bodyweight, and it’s magic.
If you deal with lower back issues or you’ve ever whispered “please don’t throw out your back today” before tying your shoes, watch this video. Click below to give it a go👇
🎙️ On the PODCAST:
This week I released a fascinating episode with Dr. Chris Motley, who blew my mind on all things Traditional Chinese Medicine and menopause. He covered things I never learned in hormone school (yes, that’s a thing in my world). If you’re curious about natural approaches to hormone health or want to hear me go “WAIT, WHAT?!” at least five times:
Or if you want to see our convo and catch all the facial expressions click below to watch it on YouTube 👇
Red Light Love (With a Breeze!)
I’ve been testing a new red light panel during recovery and so far, I’m impressed. It’s got infrared, it’s got red light, and wait for it… it has a built-in fan. No sweating like you’re mid-hot flash while trying to heal. I’ll share more once I’ve put it through a full test cycle, but just know that I might’ve found a winner 🏆
These Probiotic Gummies Are Not Just Cute
Now let’s talk bloating, because… yeah. That post-surgery puff had me feeling like a human balloon animal. It was MOSTLY swelling from the actual surgery (they went through my stomach and had to push things aside) and from postoperative ileus, BUT the gut biome also gets messed up during surgery. So a lot was from that as well.
What helped? Just Thrive spore-based probiotic gummies.
Here’s the deal: most probiotics don’t survive your body temp, especially if they need to be refrigerated. Soooo… how exactly are they gonna thrive in your very not refrigerated body?
Spore-based ones, like Just Thrive, actually make it through your gut alive and ready to work. The gummy version tastes like a treat yes, I look forward to it daily like a kid with a healthy version of a Flintstones vitamin. Highly recommend.
👉 Try the gummies here (and save 20% on your order)
Coming Soon: Muscle in Midlife and DNA 2.0
The next episodes dropping on Midlife Conversation are going to BLOW YOUR MIND. I am so excited to release these!
On the 22nd I have the most unbelievable transformation story with exactly how my friend went from “average middle-aged woman bod” to “she could be on the cover of magazines!” It is a WILD story and she shares the one thing she gave up that helped her transform everything!
Then, you’ve probably heard me rave about how DNA is like your health’s blueprint, and after a major response to my last deep-dive episode and webinar, I’ve got a brand new DNA podcast episode dropping TUESDAY the 29th and a new masterclass coming August 7th so make sure you are subscribed to my podcast so you do not miss this episode!
Save a soft space on your calendar for August 7th If you’ve ever felt like your body is working against you. This is your chance to decode the reasons why and get actual answers. I’ll drop the link in next week’s email. Don’t miss it.
That’s all for now! By next week I’m hoping for less bloating, less limping, and maybe even a mini dance party in my kitchen 💃 Maybe.
With a red light on my back and a gummy in hand,
xo
Natalie Jill
