Working on #Wellness

It is not easy to change from a life of unwell to a life of wellness.

I have had signs for YEARS that my body was revolting against my lack of health-minded habits. I was diagnosed with arthritis at 16, 16! While there is arthritis in the family, it had always been late onset. At that time, we did not have any answers as to why I had developed arthritis. The diagnosis came after I had weeks of extreme cramping and pain in my hands.

When I was 22 I had to have my gallbladder removed after my second pregnancy. It was ugly and there was no saving it. The organ had been inflamed the entire pregnancy and sent me to the emergency room when the baby was only 6 weeks old. Two weeks later I had it removed and my digestive system has never recovered.

From the time I was about 14 I had an occasional migraine every couple months, after my gallbladder came out the migraines increased to 14-20 days a month with one.

Doctors were unsure of why, but gave me prescriptions. Some helped, some didn't, some gave me some really bad side effects. I stopped taking them after one gave me a bad reaction. I decided I would just deal with it, and I did until I went to college.

Functioning through day to day tasks aren't horrid when you know what is coming. Learning and thinking changes from day to day especially with the increased tasks. At this point, I started watching what caused the migraines. I noticed that sometimes the migraines and arthritic flares would coincide.

Migraine wise I have three different ones.

1. Triggered by hormones (Thank you, Aunt Flo)
2. Triggered by barometric pressure (Thank you mother earth)
3. Triggered by certain food additives (Thank you, Uncle Sam)

The first two I decided I would leave be while I focused on the third. Interesting thing is that when the third one started getting under control, the other two did too.

Food determines a lot of our health, it truly is garbage in, garbage out.  I have to work at keeping the bad stuff out of my system. I am not there yet. 

So what is it that my system has issues with? MonoSodium Glutamate, Dairy Products, Red 40 food color, Yellow 5 and 6 food color, Carmel Color, High Fructose Corn Syrup, ANY artificial/processed sweetener,  nightshade family (many spices, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, white potatoes, etc)

Every time I cheat it takes a while to get back on the train. Wellness is about a lifestyle, not just diet. While food is the foundation stone to your physical life, exercise is important. The sedentary lifestyle that many have picked up from their work schedules is not good. If nothing else on your break walk around the parking lot for 15 minutes. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

How do you work on your wellness?

• I am working on a recipe book for our family that is "safe" for all of us. (Our youngest has several food sensitivities too.) 
• Planning a few fall hikes for the family. We live in an area perfect for a nice hike.
• Teaching the kids how to cook also. This will not only help in the day to day but also prepare them for being an adult.

REVIEW: Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate

This product, Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate, I purchased after I was in a discussion about healthy joints. This brand and this exact product were recommended multiple times.

A little bit of my history. I fell on concrete (about a 2-foot drop) several years ago. Both of my knees were injured badly. As a mom, I did not feel that I had time to stop and get myself to the doctor so there was never a diagnosis. B3's physical therapist did look at the worse of the knees and questioned if I broke my knee cap. Again, I did not seek medical treatment. At the time I took glucosamine chondroitin. After about 2 weeks I seemed to be okay.

In the last 5 years, age has caught up and the aches and pains with it. I have also developed an allergy to some shellfish and glucosamine chondroitin is off the table to help my joints. This is why the healthy joints discussion caught my attention.

I have purchased three containers of the Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate in the last three months. That said, it is obvious I believe this product is helpful. I mix 2 tablespoons in my coffee in the morning along with Dr. Bronners Coconut Oil. The product helps my joints.

Some things to note. Drinking the appropriate amount of water for your body is essential for joint health. As well as eating a well-rounded diet. Avoid foods and beverages that increase inflammation.

Since using  Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate, I do no have as much joint pain. I have also noticed that my skin is not as dry and my hair is getting healthier. I do take other supplements so I am unable to say my skin and hair are from the Collagen. I have noticed the decreased joint inflammation since starting to use it. This really says a lot because the fall tends to be pain season.

An additional benefit is that this is protein. For me, this is a great advantage because my glucose levels are irregular in the morning since I have a hard time eating breakfast. By adding it to my coffee, it helps level out.

To also note, while I have used it in my coffee (religiously), it can also be dissolved in room temperature beverages too.

Disclaimer: This website uses affiliate links. We were not compensated for this review.

REVIEW: Wool Dryer Balls 6 Pack-XL.

In seeking healthier methods to take care of my family and also save money, I purchased Wool Dryer Balls 6 Pack-XL by Feeling Fluffy. I was not too sure how my family would  respond to having "fluffy balls" in their laundry.

The first person to adjust was Hubby. He wanted his dryer sheets. His argument was that the dryer sheets didn't really cost that much and added a nice fragrance to the laundry. The answer to cost is that while the dryer balls are an expense at the beginning, after a month or two (3-4 for average sized families), the balls are cheaper.

The next person to complain was G3, the college student. Her complaint was that the balls get stuck in her laundry, specifically her sheets and blankets. But, she did notice that the laundry dried quicker.

What I have noticed since purchasing in November 2015:

1. My dryer runs a lot less = lower electricity usage
2. Our clothes seem to be softer.
3. We now have fewer chemicals in our lives, I don't purchase fabric softener at all .

Tricks we learned to make everybody happy:

1. I put a drop or two of essential oil on each ball about once a week.
2. I don't over dry my clothes to prevent static.
3. I use at least 6 per load (we ended up buying another set)

The only true problem we have run into is that if the laundry sits, the balls get misplaced in the basket. So we have to stay on top of the laundry, which is good practice anyway with this brood.

As I am finishing this up, The bed set (comforter, mattress pad, fitted sheet, and flat sheet) that I put in the dryer 20 minutes ago is done. That used to take at least 45 minutes and rearranging to get dry before.

Disclaimer: This website uses affiliate links. We were not compensated for this review.

October Already? Fall, Autumn, Color, Crisp Air

It is hard to believe that time has brought us to the month of October already. The kids have completed the 1st 9 weeks of the 2016-2017 school year.

There have been a couple hiccups. B1 exploring being in the High School and joining Raiders with the JROTC. Learning that being responsible is not just a nice thing, but sort of required in life. He is doing well with his academics and is enjoying the competition.

B2 is enjoying being an "upperclassman" in the middle school. Good grades, enjoying choir and growing like a weed. He is looking to try out new things to find just who it is that he wants to be. Being the musically creative one, he also wants to see what other things spark his interest. He says singing isn't going to create video games so he has to find something that will.

It appears to be the one having the hardest time adjusting this year is B3. 6th grade is a hard adjustment. He has never adjusted to change easily,  With his special needs, anxiety is becoming a major issue. We are attempting to work with his teachers but it does take time. We are thankful that we have essential oils to support him while his issues are coming under control.

The amazing part of the season is that the air is turning crisp, the colors are vivid in the foliage and it is perfect chili weather. I can not wait until we have a bonfire and hot dog roast. (It is one thing the entire family loves.)

One of the must-haves when it comes to the change of seasons is our essential oils. The protective blend of essential oils is a must have. I love diffusing it in the diffusers at home to give the air a fresh fall scent. The blend has wild orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

Growth milestone!

I am so very proud of B1.

For years, when B1 would go to the dentist it was an absolute nightmare. He did not like going to the dentist and would fight every inch of the way.

See, B1's first dentist was all business and he was young with some dental issues. A simple dental cleaning was very painful for him and never ended well. About eight years ago we changed dentists. This was the best thing we could have done. The new dentist is a pediatric dentist, which I highly encourage parents to take their children to, that also is good with children with special needs.

B1 is not a special needs child, but from prior trauma at the dentist it would take a loving hand to convince him that everything would be okay. Our dentist has worked with B1 through cleanings, sealants, and cavities. It has not been an easy journey.

Typically, B1 would have to have the "loopy juice" for anything more than a cleaning. He even had a difficult time staying still for cleanings.

But now, this past week when B1 went to the dentist to have a cavity taken care of he only had to have the local anesthesia and he stayed still. This is a huge step for our soon to be teen boy.

We are not contributing this milestone to any one thing. B1 has matured quite a bit recently, especially since being in middle school. We also diffuse oils pretty much 24/7 in the house. (Balance, doTERRA's grounding blend) Plus we put God first and have made a few positive changes in regard to the kids putting God first too.

What have your kids done lately that you are proud of?

How do you teach your kids to put God first?

Wellness is a way of life

As we have ventured through many trials and tribulations in this life, we have regularly seen the best way to do things. (This usually happens after all hell breaks loose and we realize we should have done X to begin with.)

Since our youngest was born almost ten years ago, our eyes were opened about food and medications (OTC and prescription). Our youngest was born with medical issues, but to exasperate them he also was born with food allergies and sensitivities. One of our older kids had a dairy issue, so we weren't caught completely off guard when his allergies started showing up. Our first example was if I would have dairy products within an hour of nursing him, he would throw up. So I quit eating and drinking dairy. Not only did it help him, it also helped me.

For some people dairy products wreck the digestive track. I found out i was one of those people and started feeling amazing being dairy free. What we didn't know yet was that a lot of people with dairy issues also have a problem with soy. We found that out when we went on a family trip. Little man can't do soy either.

As this journey has progressed, we have research and learned that what we eat determines our health more than anything.

Processed food is killing us all. Cancer, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, etc.. are increased because of the adulteration of the food and the overuse of the soil the food is grown in.

Simply, our youngest can not have dairy, soy, artificial sweeteners including corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and the others, food coloring (red 40, yellow 5,6, blue 33, etc). These are what we know of, there are a couple other suspects.

Removing the crap from our diet enables our bodies to repair themselves. Then if you add pure supplements and exercise in addition to organic, natural, unprocessed food, you support your body to heal.

Our family avoids processed foods as much as possible. We limit our intake of meat and try to go with organic and natural foods. We also use essential oils to supplement our body's natural instinct to repair.

How do you promote a wellness lifestyle?