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.

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?