Lease a Healthy Life

Many of us are stressed, depressed, or struggling right now. This also leads to inflammation in our bodies that needs to be addressed as inflammation leads to weakened immune systems which then can lead to illness.

Do you know any foods that help with reducing inflammation?

Here’s a good starting list I found from an informative Instagram account plantbasedgutdoc 💜🌱 Including these in your diet will help immensely to heal you from the inside out!

Which ones do you already include? Which ones can you see yourself adding to your diet?

What have you been doing to keep healthy lately? How are you managing the current climate?

Here’s your reminder today to help you 💜 I find this really handy especially if I’m having a tough day—I reference it and choose a couple on the list to complete just to regroup and refocus.

Let me know if it helps you!

These days it’s easy to get caught up with fear and anxiety and the stress of not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

One thing I encourage you to do today is to focus on the here and now.

We can’t change tomorrow, nor do we have control over what happens tomorrow.

Be present today. Take control of the little things you can in the moment and your anxiety will be greatly reduced. 💕

And above all, be gentle with yourself!

Here are some great reminders from The Mind Geek 💕

I’ve been learning a lot about what my “current best” looks like.

I’m in a stage of healing from pain, trauma, grief, and physical illness. That means that my current best isn’t the same as it was a few weeks ago or months ago, and it’s not the same as it will be in the future—and that’s okay!

Each of us can only do our best in the moment, nothing else. It looks different for everyone and we need to extend grace to others and to OURSELVES.

We’re living through challenging times and anyone who tries to downplay isolation and uncertainty is lying to you and to themselves.

Do your best—whatever that looks like and trust that the work you’re doing is good enough in that moment—be gentle and kind to yourself 💕

Health isn’t just about your body—it’s about your mind and mindset too 🙏🏻

It’s important to note that your strength isn’t always big, flashy, or super apparent. Sometimes it’s literally just putting one foot in front of the other, taking deep breaths, and doing your best to get through another day.

Just remember you’re never alone 💕

Planning to go LIVE as soon as I can carve out space in our home and time!

In the interim, here's a brief story about what I've been up to and some products that have changed our family's health for the better.

***Disclaimer: I want you to know that I can never in good faith recommend any products unless I'm 100% sold on the fact that they work and are of high quality. I value my integrity far too much and relationships far too much to do something like that. Also, this is just our story.***

Back a year ago when Madison was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome and Ethan was diagnosed with autism, we ran into some issues with symptoms and some health concerns with them.

As the months cruised by, it was apparent that Madison especially was having difficulty with digestion and her bowels because of the fact she cannot walk and is not that mobile as a whole.

Late last summer, after trying many different things, the pediatrician prescribed Miralax. Now, if you know anything about this product, it has some bad side effects and on the bottle itself states it should never be used for children...

Desperate, we bought a bottle anyway, and tried it with Madison.

I shared this with a friend of mine who then mentioned she had a product maybe we should try that would help Madison. I was intrigued by skeptical.

Enter Bio Cleanse. Vitamin C and Magnesium are the chief ingredients and so I was relieved and purchased it. Within a few days we noticed a difference with her digestion, her belly bloat was beginning to normalize and she was a happier girl overall with being able to move her bowels more readily.

We've also started using this product for our oldest son who has anxiety problems and have noticed a big difference when we add it into his morning smoothie--his disposition is different, he's happier, calmer, and more controlled.

We've since expanded our use of the Plexus line and I joined the company as a way to share products that work for us and also to utilize the discount truth be told.

I felt compelled to share especially since there is a big promotion going on right now--and I would be remiss if I didn't share about products that are changing my family's health profile on a daily basis--maybe it can help you too?

Happy Sunday!! How is everyone coping with self-isolation and social distancing?

Anyone working on boosting their immune system in the interim?

If there’s one thing I’ve been learning is that your GUT is actually responsible for the MAJORITY of your immunity! Did you know that?

So, if your gut is unhealthy, your immune system is going to be weak. Let that sink in for a bit...

That being said, one of the biggest and also newest things in my toolbox to help me heal is PROBIOTICS.

You can buy all kinds at the store but I made the decision a few months ago to try out Plexus’ probiotics and I haven’t been disappointed. I have a long way to go for being considered healthy but I’ve noticed changes in my mood, anxiety levels, and also my immunity which has been BAD.

I have other items in my immunity boosting toolbox too but I want to hear yours! What’s in your toolbox? What are you doing to boost your immune system? Let me know if you need suggestions!

This meme came up in my memories from years ago and it still rings true today.

Why do we make it so complicated? Why do we still continue to eat crap?

Well, I know for myself I find myself addicted to the taste of the additives and I know that my tastebuds change when I haven’t eaten processed or chemically altered foods.

It’s a constant battle in our household—I’m sure it is for most—especially for parents who are simply exhausted and how easy it is to go through the nearest drive-thru to pick up dinner.

I’m definitely not perfect and with our youngest son on a limited diet of all processed foods (his autism causes extreme battles with food/eating) we find ourselves in drive-thrus more often than we’d like.

I think like anything else it’s important we don’t set up camp eating processed CRAP but also don’t beat ourselves up when we have an occasional food item that isn’t the healthiest option.

It’s all a process (pun intended 😉). Make better choices each day than yesterday—step by step to achieve health.

Been silent for awhile on here mainly because our life is a never-ending rollercoaster and most of the time I don’t have the brain power to creativity post 😉

That being said however, I believe it’s worth mentioning that I think I’ve had a breakthrough finally with a health professional I’ve been working with for the last 6-8 weeks.

I’m currently working with a brilliant homeopath who deduced based on my symptoms that my liver is sluggish and/or clogged and in need of support!

Of course! Makes sense with all my symptoms and problems with losing weight all these years!

So...drinking dandelion tea 2-3x a day to start, incorporating remedies in a week, and upped my “greens” intake. I also cut back on fats and added sugars in general as I was following more of a keto approach up until a few weeks ago after my second homeopath appointment—realized my liver can’t handle excess fats right now even the “good” fats I’m very conscious of ingesting.

The results? I’m definitely detoxing a lot right now but I can say that lowering my fat intake has helped a LOT and increasing greens and the tea are impacting my body and overall feelings of wellness overall!

I’ll keep you posted with progress but for now check out all the functions of your liver—some may surprise you!

Sometimes, it’s necessary to take the time to be pampered.

I really struggled and wrestled with spending money to get my makeup done for our big conference weekend.

I felt vain, or frivolous, or that I was being silly for wanting my makeup done.

Given my hormonal acne that I can’t rid myself of, my elementary makeup skills, and my waning confidence in general, I made the decision to use some money and get it done.

Now, don’t get me wrong—it doesn’t replace inner self-confidence and nor do I put stock in 100% superficial beauty but honestly, this gave me the confidence to face approximately 70 strangers without worrying if my foundation had gone cakey or flakey, or whether my eyeliner had smudged or if all people were seeing was my blemished face beneath a horribly executed makeup job—I felt confident and beautiful—and it was worth every penny.

Healthy living isn’t just about being fit and eating right—it’s also about self-image and feeling confident in your own skin. I had a bit of help to achieve that and to be able to allow my personality to shine through without feeling self-conscious—and for me, it was the little bit of help I needed this weekend.

Anyone else relate?!

Ironically today I’m feeling optimistic and hopeful—thank you everyone for your support, messages, and brainstorming with me regarding my last post.

Today, this just made me laugh and I think laughter is part of health and wellness just as much as eating well, taking vitamins, exercising, and self-care.

In fact, I’ve made a point to limit my dramatic book reading, movie/TV watching, and other inputs as a way of caring for my mental health because God knows my life is stressful enough as it is!

What makes you laugh? Do you purposely seek out things or inputs that make you joyful and spur on laughter?

Okay...so, this is a cry for help and a very vulnerable post— and a post for anyone who may have an inkling of an idea of what I may be suffering from.

Here’s a bit of background for y’all:

-struggled with my weight all my life
-tried every diet probably on the market
-diet/exercise sometimes helps but only temporarily
-joined U Weight Loss for 5 months and followed the diet to a tee, worked out 5-6x a week changing up my workouts, tried eliminating dairy, wheat/gluten, red meat, changed up calorie amounts, took the supplements and lost 5 pounds (I was toppling the scales at 300lbs at the time for reference)
-went vegan/gf for a month lost 3lbs while working out 3-4x/week
-lost 75lbs in 10 days following first baby’s birth then gained roughly 10 back
-lost 80+ after twin birth by 10 days after, gained all back within three months while pumping and didn’t change diet

I was my lowest in bible college and maintained it for a few years around the 200lb mark.

Now, even despite trying keto, intermittent fasting, extended fasting, eliminating sugar, changing my diet completely, working out 5x/week, taking specific supplements, etc over the last few years since the twins were born I’m at my heaviest weight ever (350+) and have NO clue what the cause is, how to stop it, how to lose the weight, or what my underlying condition is.

My Dr told me I needed to eat less and exercise more—I fired him. Next Dr told me to eliminate carbs altogether—tried that and lost maybe 3lbs in 3 months. Saw naturopath who suspects thyroid and did blood work—put me on a ton of supplements and recommended hcg diet (which ironically is the only thing that worked to lose weight before but I’m skeptics because I couldn’t keep it off afterwards—unless I didn’t carry out the proper protocol?).
——————————————-

That’s where I’m at. I have bad acne, my feet swell up like I’m 9 months pregnant every night, I’m tired almost all the time, joints hurt, doesn’t seem to matter if I’m eating salads all day long or pizza (believe me done both).

My body responds well to circuit training but I still don’t drop pounds. Muscle tone yes, but after 2 days of a rest I start losing the tone.

Need ideas, creative thinkers, researchers like me, thinking outside the box, suggestions and recommendations PLEASE.

Do I return to the newest GP and demand new bloodwork? Do I return to the naturopath and try hcg again? Do I pursue a different path altogether???

Need this to be my year not just for me solely but I need to be healthy and strong for my special needs’ kiddos, a burnt out husband, and to fend off developing an anxiety-laden firstborn.

No suggestion scoffed at ❤️