My journey has been a long one. It starts back when my husband and I wanted to get pregnant. Attempting to get pregnant in your 40’s isn’t easy but when you’ve dreamed of being a mommy since you were a child that’s, not a dream you easily give up on. I remember sitting in a treatment room while waiting for my doctor to come in. My eyes filled with tears while fear filled my heart. When I walked out that day he gave me hope. Hope that my dream had a possibility. A low percentage but I left with hope. In my hand, I grasped a piece of paper with a protocol he recommended to increase my chances.
Several items on that list
1. acupuncture
2. yoga
3. nutrition changes.
I was all in. I worked hard and crossed each one of these three items off my list. With lots of prayers and a miracle(believe me a miracle), We heard the news I’d dreamed of…. We were pregnant. Somewhere in the beginning of the pregnancy, I found out I had gestational diabetes. I was devastated! How was this possible? Overnight my diet changed from what I felt was a good healthy diet(I was working hard not to gain too much weight) to an even stricter diet including monitoring my blood glucose several times a day. I was thrilled with being pregnant, of course, this is what I prayed for and waited for. No matter how off I felt I was determined to love every moment of being pregnant, I would chalk it up to pregnancy. I started to experience pain in my hands. I would wake up with my fingers feeling stiff, achy throughout the day. Joint pain, fatigue, and mental fogginess.
I would have gas, bloating, headaches, and bouts of constipation and diarrhea. After the birth of my healthy daughter, I complained to my doctor about some of the symptoms I was experiencing. I fully excepted him to tell me my body is still getting back to normal after pregnancy. I was wrong! I was surprised to find out I was suffering from an autoimmune disease, leaky gut, and sensitivities to a list of foods. Disappointed and heartbroken I sat in depression for a while. I was always a disciplined person, my husband would tell me he hadn’t met anyone more disciplined and determined. I didn’t feel either of those at that moment. Facing a life of gluten-free, dairy-free, eggless, lifestyle seemed insurmountable to me. I knew I didn’t want to take medication but healing my gut and working to reverse my autoimmune, well I didn’t want to do that either! By now my joint pain was worse, and I was experiencing symptoms that were new and were just a reminder to me that my life was broken somehow. Research shows that if you have an autoimmune disease you are at an increase of developing multiple autoimmune diseases. Somewhere in my depression, I started to do research. I had always lived a more natural, holistic lifestyle, My mother in law died of stomach cancer, my father in law had open heart surgery. Knowing that my family and my husband had a lineage of health conditions, I knew I needed to find a natural resource.
I waited a lifetime for this gift, I needed to heal myself.
Healing my body became my focus. Finding foods, supplements, making lifestyle changes to change my body. Rebuilding it literally from the inside out. 70% of our immune system is in our gut. Having a sick gut had been silent, all the little warning signs I experienced over the years I ignored and didn’t give them the attention I should have. Listening to our body is important. Being sick, tired, having constipation, diarrhea, headaches, joint pain, acid indigestion I realized isn’t normal!
Learning about foods. About anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, & healing foods. What we put into our body heals, gives us energy, rebuilds and supports OUR BODY. One meal at a time.
Not done yet
My journey of healing isn’t over yet. I still struggle with reversing my autoimmune. That is my ultimate goal. Life is a sprint, not a race and I m not done yet. I do know that changing my diet, going gluten-free, dairy-free, exercising, taking time to de-stress and working on healing has indeed changed my life and I am worth it. We get one opportunity in this LIFE, I plan to make it the BEST life I can. I have learned that fueling my body with real food, food that comes from the earth not processed is necessary for fueling and living a healthy lifestyle.
I have been writing and speaking to individuals, groups and blogging about integrating essential oils, reducing the toxic load creating a nontoxic home including beauty products, household products as well as detoxing your body. My passion and goals are to assist others in cultivating a lifestyle of freedom and health. As a nutrition & whole living teacher, my hope is to share my love of cooking, health, yoga and natural living tips that can transform even the busiest lives. Optimal Health is achievable! Questions email me at abundantlivingmommy@gmail.com
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