A Journey Back to Health: Part 5 - Moving Forward, Preserving Health

Intentionality. It's going to require intentionality.

Growing up, eating my grandpa's super foods, I hardly ever got sick, I had hair so thick that I could barely tame it, and I had so much energy that it seemed endless. He gave me a gift... good health through eating densely nutritious food. He was so intentional about how he kept his garden and fed his children. I reaped the benefits of his intentionality. But I am learning that he left us a legacy of knowledge so that we can also be intentional in caring for our health.

I know how it feels to have thriving health and I know how it feels to lose that health. I refuse to let my health slip through my fingers, voluntarily. But I have had to make some intentional changes in my life. Here are some of the changes that I made that have preserved my health...

1) I wear gloves when cleaning. I don't let chemicals absorb into my skin, even when using disinfectant wipes, and especially Sani-Cloths for my work. I always wear gloves.

2) I visit Dr. Kelley about once every 1-2 years for a physical. She oversees my health and advises the exact supplements I need to keep my health strong. 

3) A routine cleanse. Ivermectim with Mebendazole is a prescription option but please beware it does not kill Tapeworm.
Wormwood with Black Walnut is a natural supplement option but be sure that the quality is proven and effective. Please do your own in-depth research before starting a cleanse. As the parasites and worms die off, they release toxins which can make you temporarily sick. These products are not safe while pregnant or nursing.

4) I take supplements that are sourced from food. My favorite vitamin is Rainbow Light. They have options for men, women and children. I also take Shakeology. I love Shakeology because it is packed with the probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes and fibers that our digestive systems need on a daily basis. It is also packed with many other super foods. 

5) I try to limit stress as much as possible. This is harder said than done in our society today. There is so much pressure to get involved with as much as possible and keep our schedules packed. I intentionally try to build margin into our daily and weekly schedules. We also changed our careers to reduce stress. 

6) Focus on postpartum recovery. No matter how intentional we are in retaining our health, a pregnancy is going to set you back. That is why I hope to write more posts about postpartum recovery. 

7) Physical Therapy. After pregnancy it is good to have a physical therapist give you an exam. They can determine exactly where you need help and tailor a treatment plan that fits you. It is very important to be overseen by a professional because if we do not heal correctly or if we push ourselves too hard then we can get injured. I have tried to do it on my own in the past and was never able to successfully close my abdominal separation. But with the help of a professional... I have achieved great success! Check with your insurance to see how many sessions of PT they cover. For me, it took 10 sessions to achieve closure and abdominal healing. But even if you can only afford a few sessions, they can help give you the foundations you need to move forward in the right direction. 

8) We have a family plan to visit a local chiropractor 2 times per month for preventative maintenance. Some chiropractors offer family plans and will negotiate a price if you have lots of children. 

Other foods I eat to heal my digestive system...

Kombucha has billions of living probiotics that support gut health, immunity, and digestion. Anything that is fermented is good for gut health as it increases microbial diversity and balances microbiome.

(Synergy is my favorite brand.
Lemon Berry is my favorite flavor.)

Sauerkraut - we try to incorporate sauerkraut into our weekly meal menu. We tell the kids that we are having a "German Food Night" and they get excited! We like to eat it with kielbasa and bread with honey on it. It helps it settle in the stomach. 

Bone Broth has a high concentration of collagen and amino acids. It has many benefits but for digestion it reduces gut inflammation and strengthens the digestive lining. I switched to bone broth when making stews and soups. The kids didn't even notice the difference. Or you could mix 1/2 bone broth with 1/2 of your regular broths.

(I have been using this one from Walmart)

As a good father, my grandpa wanted his children and grandchildren to be healthy. In the same way, God, our Father in heaven, also wants his children to be healthy. God deeply cares about your health.

That is why I am sharing my story with you. I want you to thrive in life. I want you to have the strength to follow the Lord and live an adventurous life, accomplishing the desires the Lord has set on your heart.

Dear Lord,
I pray for the person reading my blog. I know that you are a good Father and you deeply care about their health. I pray that you would guide them towards better health. Please lead them to the right doctors, the right supplements and the right foods that will help their health thrive. Bring healing, wholeness and strength to their bodies.
In Jesus precious name I pray. Amen

A Journey Back to Health: Part 4 - How did I get here?

I am not an expert but I do read their books and online articles. I am not a doctor but I do like to pick the brains of my doctors with questions so that I can gain better understanding. I can't say for sure what the main reason was for why my health depleted but I do have some very strong guesses. But first, let's back up a little bit...

When I was very young my grandpa kept a garden, apple trees, plum trees and many blueberry bushes on his property. He also had his own chicken coup. There was a horse farm next door and he would get their old manure and use it in his garden. He would make his own compost pile with the scraps from the table and egg shells. He would also get oak leaves and make his own mulch. He would water his garden with water from his pond that was full of bass fish. 

I believe that the manure, homemade compost, oak leaf mulch, and possibly the pond water enriched the soil causing the garden to thrive! His garden was amazing, full of big, beautiful vegetables! His blueberry bushes were bursting with berries to the point that we could not pick them all. We needed to have "Blueberry Picking Parties" and by the end we hoped that we could make a dent in the picking. 

(Grandpa made his chicken coup out of scrap pieces of wood.)

Grandma and my mom took the food and made hearty, nutritious meals. The food we ate tasted so good and I ate it all up! I was a big eater! 

(Me on my grandpa's property, eating plums. I was always eating!)

I really attribute my good health, when I was growing up, to my grandpa's garden. The nutrition that was in his fruits, vegetables, and eggs made my health thrive! But when grandpa died when I was 18 years old, I moved out of state for internships/school and the property was eventually sold. From then on, I ate grocery store fruits and vegetables. I really think that is when I started to lose a lot of nutritional intake. I just don't think that our food holds the same nutritional value that it once did. 

Thank you grandpa for all those years of feeding us 
nutritionally dense food!

But what made everything spiral downward? I have some thoughts and theories...

1) When I was in middle school and high school I started cleaning houses for family friends and church members for money. I loved to clean and had a lot of energy to burn so that is what I mainly did for work throughout the years. Some days, I would work 10 hours and it was no big deal. Looking back, that was hours upon hours of my hands working with chemicals without wearing gloves. I felt like gloves slowed me down. I could clean better and more detailed without gloves. But those chemicals were soaking into my skin and into my body. I wonder if constant exposure over many years triggered the onset of PCOS.

2) PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that can cause significant digestive issues. When a woman goes through any hormonal change, it can cause digestion to slow. 

3) During my trips to Africa we were always aware of parasites. We would get tested every once in a while. I would always leave Africa with anti-parasite medication in-hand and would take the medicine on my way back home. But was that enough? Did something slip through? What about worms? Africa aside, America has parasites and worms also. Could I have picked something up while living in the dorms at school?

4) I was taking cheap vitamins and supplements. As much as I love holistic health and wellness, I really do think that there are many vitamins and supplements out there that are fake. At best, many of the vitamins and supplements are just not absorbing into our bodies as much as we think they are. Regulation by the FDA for vitamins and supplements is very lacks. The FDA does not test the vitamins and supplements for effectiveness and the manufacturer is responsible for labeling. Therefore, I don't automatically trust the vitamin and supplement industry.

5) Stress. I allowed myself to take on too much stress and obligation in my life as a mom with young kids. The stress took a toll on my health and created a viscous cycle. Stress increases cortisol levels in the body which significantly affects digestion.

6) Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the woman's intestines are scrunched up around her uterus as her baby grows and eventually takes up the majority of the space. The stomach is also pushed upward. It is amazing that the digestive system can even function while being under so much pressure. But, the body is amazing!

7) After pregnancy the organs go back into their places but this time the abdominal muscles are weakened and are not able to hold the organs in place as well. According to Google, "The transverse abdominis (TrA) is the deepest, horizontal-fiber abdominal muscle acting as a natural, protective "corset" or girdle that stabilizes the spine, supports the back, and compresses the abdominal organs. It is vital for core strength, reducing back pain, and supporting posture."

Also, about 60% of women have Diastasis Recti which is the separating of the abdominal (6 pack) muscle after pregnancy. Without strengthening her muscles, and closing both the width and the depth, she is at risk for hernias. Here is an article from the Cleveland Clinic about Diastasis Recti if you would like to learn more information. And Yes! Men can also have Diastasis Recti!

The separation in my abdominal muscles was getting worse with each pregnancy, both the width and the depth.

And of course, having and nursing my babies took a lot of nutrition from my body

Have you ever taken a vitamin or supplement and didn't feel like it made much of a difference? Have you ever traveled overseas? Have you ever done a cleanse? Have you ever had multiple pregnancies and felt your strength deplete?

I had a wise, elderly woman once tell me, "Half the battle is finding out the problem. After that, we can move forward in the right direction." This has been true for me in this situation. As I look back at my story of depleting health, I can now see all the problems that occurred and contributed. 

Now what am I going to do about it? How can I keep my health on track moving forward?

My Journey Back to Health: Part 3 - The Foundation of Health

As time went by, I found myself on a continual cycle. I would get to a certain level of health, I would have another baby, and then I would have to start all over trying to regain my health.

A few years, a few more doctors, a nutritionist, and a few more babies later and I finally feel like I am in a place of strong health. To sum it all up... I discovered that the digestive system is the foundation for good health and my digestive system was a mess! Let me explain...

We cannot be healthy without having a healthy digestive system. It is the system that converts our food to energy, absorbing nutrition into our bodies, and delivering it to every other organ system. There is even research connecting digestive health to mental health. 

So in my journey, I had found yet another doctor of chiropractic who also practiced holistic medicine and she was able to solve the majority of my health problems. I went to see Dr. Kelly at Emley Family Chiropractic. She found a plethora of other issues including PCOS (hormonal imbalance), adrenal glad depletion, and digestive problems. 

My digestive problems that were found throughout the years:
    1) I had a misaligned disc in my lower back that she put back into place

    2) I had an unbalanced gut microbiome 
    3) I had a weak intestinal valve
    4) I had a blockage
    5) I did not have enough digestive enzymes
    6) I possibly did not have enough stomach acid to digest my food

She gave me the exact supplements that my body needed to heal, and I started feeling results fast! Within weeks my health was taking a complete U-turn. I continued to research, read books and find my own products because I knew that once Dr. Kelly was able to get me to a place of good health then I was going to have to maintain my health daily through the busyness of life.

Digestive health is complex. We need a variety of nutrients to keep our digestive system healthy and fully functioning. I call it, "Feeding the Digestive System". When we take care of our digestive system then our digestive system will turn around and take care of us. 

In the process of healing my digestive system, I also found healing for my PCOS and adrenal glands.

But how did I get to this place of poor health in the first place?

A Journey Back to Health - Part 2: A Glimmer of Hope

My blood work came back normal and my MD told me there was nothing he could do to help me. 

But I wasn't giving up! After hours of research, reading books, googling, trying different products, and trying different types of doctors....I still came to dead ends and nothing was really helping.

My mom mentioned my health issues to one of her electrolysis clients (who was a chiropractor and also practiced holistic medicine) and the woman gave my mom her business card.

What did I have to lose? I had to try and see.

I brought my blood test results (from my Family Doctor) to her for our first appointment. She took a quick glance and said "Your iron is way too low!". But my MD doctor said it was within normal range and I was taking an iron supplement. How could that be? She said that the medical doctors have a much wider spectrum of "Normal" for blood test results. She gave me a natural iron supplement that is much easier to digest and it helped! It was called, "Ferrofood" from Standard Process!

But soon symptoms returned. I felt like I just couldn't get enough iron in my body to feel well. I went back to another doctor who had the same kind of practice and he discovered that my body was still not absorbing the iron well. So he focused on my digestive health. He got me to a certain point of healthy functioning but I never really got the full answers that I needed.

We were on the right track but the answers were not fully revealed yet.

Do you ever feel like the medical doctors are in the business of keeping us alive but not necessarily in the business of making us thrive?

Have you ever gone to multiple doctors and each of them gave you just a piece of the puzzle?

That has been my journey! Researching, discovering and trying what works for me.

I feel led to share some of those things that helped me gain back my health because maybe it will help someone else.

A Journey Back to Health - Part 1: My health depleting

I wrote this back in 2017 but never posted it. It just didn't feel like the right timing and the doctor I went to never did end up helping me. This is just a reminder of how long this journey has been and where it all started...

"If you have known me for any length of time then you would also know me as a very active, energetic and physically strong person. I enjoy eating healthy but I also like my sweets too.

As a child, I would run circles around other kids because of all the energy I had. You would find me spending most of my days swimming in a lake, wake boarding, riding bikes and keeping up with the boys in all their outdoor adventures.

As a young adult, most of my energy was geared towards doing mission work, travelling back and forth to Africa, and living overseas.

Once married, most of my energy was geared towards working hard and renovating our home.

Once I became a mom, I started to slow down. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. 

It didn't really hit me hard until after my second child was born and I found myself so exhausted at the end of the day that I literally felt like I could pass out on the couch. I started to feel weak, not just because I worked hard that day, but because I honestly just didn't have the physical strength to go throughout my day. I had trouble with by blood pressure during my pregnancy with Micah - an issue I have never dealt with before. After he was born I struggled with constipation, weakness, and feeling light-headed frequently.  

With almost a year after Micah's birth, I felt like my body never really recovered. 

Maybe it was because I had Jael to take of as well?

Maybe it is because I am almost 30 years old? 

Maybe it is because child bearing really is that hard on your body?

Or Maybe something deeper was going on?

Not only was I dealing with exhaustion but I also had many areas of stress in my life: relationships, being a new mom of 2 young kids, work, and all the stresses that just naturally come in life. There were times that I had to call Curtis home from work because I didn't think I could physically take care of the kids. Or I skipped church because I lacked the strength to pack up the kids in the car and drive 15 minutes down the road (Curtis is a pastor so I he has to be there early)

My health got so bad that there were a few nights Curtis literally had to help me get to bed. As I closed my eyes to sleep I literally had the thought... "I hope I wake up in the morning"

And then one day it dawned on me... In the past 2.5 years I have had 2 early miscarriages, birthed 2 babies and nursed for a combined total of 2 years. What if my body is just depleted of vital nutrients?

I went to see my Family Doctor for a general physical exam where he found me to be generally healthy and we devised a plan on how to move forward in investigating the root problem.

He ordered some blood tests, told me to exercise daily and eat healthy!"