365 days of change: New products we use for better health and less of a toxin load

Last year was a year of change - big time. Not only did our eating habits change but almost every other facet of our lives changed too. We changed everything from pots and pans to make-up and cleaners with the goal to get as many toxins out of our house and cleared from our bodies. We want to stay healthy as a family and we want to give our kids a fighting chance in this polluted world.

It has taken time for the changes due to research and financial constraints but overall we have made some pretty dramatic lifestyle changes.

This is a lengthy post but you can read it in sections if needed. I start with kitchen items then household items and some miscellaneous. After that I talk about toiletries and cosmetics. At the end there are links to all my pinterest boards in various categories.

I am not going to talk about food in this post but a quick note of change is that my family eats Paleo along with me now. The kids always eat gluten free and eat mostly Paleo. My husband eats mostly Paleo but is not fully GF. When there is that occasional pizza or cookie at work he partakes. Baby steps... He has seen many health improvements from eating about 95% Paleo though. I have seen positive health changes in my boys too and you all know my story. If you don't, search GAPS labels at the right side of my blog.

I will share the rest of the changes in random order. I pray that this post is a great resource for you if you would like to make some changes too. *Please note that we have not "arrived" or are not completely there. This is a journey like everything else in life. These are things that we use regularly but we are not perfect in lack of contaminants in our home. Personally I don't think anyone can ever be that way in their life on this earth in these days.

~1~ We no longer heat our food in plastic or serve heated food or drinks in plastic containers or serving dishes. When heat is applied to plastic it actually sends toxins that are harmful to our health into our foods or any item that comes in contact with it. Drinking hot drinks from a plastic straw is also a big no, no. We prefer to have the least possibilities of BPA contamination in our home. We use Snapware glass dishes for hot food storage now. I would like to get another set eventually. On my next Amazon order I will be ordering these stainless steel straws too. They also make glass ones but I think I will pass on those with my boys. I'd prefer they didn't drink broken glass after they broke their straws!

~2~ We all used to drink out of plastic water bottles too. We ditched those and use Life Factory Glass Water bottles now. We love them so much! They are nice too because you can use essential oils in your drinks (which I will talk about it a bit) and they wont react since they react with plastic (actually breaking it down) because of their potency.

~3~ We purchased a new set of stainless steel pots and pans this year. I have to be honest and say I have not gotten rid of every single piece of my nonstick set, I have two left because I like their size. When I find stainless steel ones that compares I will get rid of my nonstick ones. Anyway, we got an amazing deal at Kohl's on this Cuisinart Pot and Pan set and we had been looking for a while to make the switch. We did add two pieces to this set - a big deep dish dutch oven and a bigger saute pan than comes in the set. Also, we received a free set of stainless steel bowls. It has been nice because I rarely use my plastic mixing bowls now and of course I never use them with hot foods. Stainless is wonderful. I had to get used to using them a bit but low heat and good cooking fats are your friends with stainless.

~4~ Something else we have implemented is juicing. While most of my family still really gravitates towards the really sweet juices like apple, carrot I have noticed that Cody really likes my juices. I make my juices with one or two carrots but the rest greens and cucumber so it is generally less sweet and more on the bitter side. Once in a while I will add a small piece of fruit to mine but I tend to stay away too much from the overly sweet because the blood sugar spikes for me are terrible for my immunity. I love our juicer because it extracts the juices full of vitamins and minerals and gives my family a way to absorb these vital nutrients very easily. I would like to experiment more this year with different kinds of fruits and vegetables for making juice. There are many options to try! I also love our juicer because it makes nut butter and baby food too! A VERY generous good friend just gave me this juicer because she was not using it! Praise God. If you want a juicer I highly recommend the Champion 2000. It is wonderful and the juice is excellent.

~5~ The last kitchen item I wanted to mention that has aided in some changes we have made is my yogurt maker. Each week I make a quart of homemade 24 fermented raw milk yogurt from cow's milk we get from our farmer. GAPS side note * when you ferment yogurt for 24 hours the good bacteria eats up all the lactose which is what a lot of people can't digest and have an intolerance too. Any less time and there will still be milk protein (lactose) present in the yogurt. * My family eats this served with nuts, fruit and raw local honey. Sometimes we put homemade Paleo Granola on it (which is grain free.) Sometimes I allow my kiddos to put GF granola on it too but I hate doing that because I know grains give them adverse reactions. I always serve yogurt with a protein and a fat. Yogurt spikes your blood sugar because it has a lot of sugar naturally occurring and then you add fruit and honey and the sugar levels rise. Protein and fat help the body to metabolize the sugars slower and not spike your blood sugar levels. An example would be a piece of sausage and/or bacon or side of avocado with the yogurt.

This yogurt is so easy to make and the yogurt maker makes it even easier. All I do is put a quart of milk in a ball canning jar then add 1-2 TLBS of Nancy's Organic Plain yogurt (for a starter.) I whisk it up and put it in the yogurt maker. It turns out great. The Yolife yogurt maker is great because it comes with a high lid to be able to make big amounts of yogurt. It also comes with 7 glass yogurt sized jars to use. We love this because it is such a good way to get natural probiotics into our bodies and it tastes good too! For natural probiotics I have also started making my own sauerkraut this year. I have enjoyed the end result with that.

~6~ Our household cleaners have changed too. Although I still own some of the nasty ones with terrible and harmful chemicals in them I very rarely use them now. To clean our kitchen and counters I use a mixture of vinegar and water along with some doTerra Lemon and doTerra Onguard essential oils. It smells good, cleans well and sanitizes all at the same time.

Anything I purchase as a household item like dishwashing detergent, hand soap, dish soap as well as cosmetics and toiletries (which I will get into later) has to clear the EWG site first. Environmental Working Group is a site that rates thousands upon thousands of products for their toxicity. It defines what is toxic in the product and why. It then rates them from A-F and some of the items get a number rating with 0 being the best. I swear by this site and am so thankful for it. Nothing new comes into our house that does not have a low rating like between 0-2 and A or B. They also have pocket guides for the clean fifteen and dirty dozen foods and many other resources. I love, love, love this tool.

For our dish detergent I use Ecover
For our dish soap I use the Ecover brand too.
For our laundry detergent I use Ecover as well.
For our hand soap I use Dr. Bronners. I get the big containers and fill our soap dispensers all over the house.

I feel like every little bit counts. As we continue to purge our house of toxins the load lessens and lessens and gives our bodies a fighting chance. It we are always trying to detox big loads of chemicals from our bodies, sometimes more than our bodies can handle, then our immune systems will continually be compromised and we will get sicker more often. Obviously we don't want this!

~7~ Last year I also started to take a look into my thyroid medication as well as the supplements that I take. It was imperative to me to get any and all potential products, ingredients and chemicals out of my body, off my body and out of our house. My medication and supplements were a hidden source of contamination.

I now have my T4 and T3 created specifically for me at a compounding pharmacy. I didn't know until I researched that Synthroid which is what I was taking contains SUGAR, CORNSTARCH AND FOOD DYES. Different colors for different dosages! All those ingredients go directly against GAPS and Paleo diets and would have been a detriment to my healing. Cytomel which is another one I was taking (T3) has starch in it. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says in her GAPS book that you don't want to hinder your progress by taking a pill and I wholeheartedly agree with her. That is when I started having my prescriptions made for me. The only ingredients in mine are the levothyroxine and/or liothyronine and microcrystaline cellulose. Much better than all those other additives! The goal is that I will eventually be off these but I am glad I have an alternative with ingredients that wont hinder healing in the mean time.

This discovery in my medicine made me take a better look at the supplements I was taking as well. A lot of them had dairy, starches like rice bran filler or cornstarches as well. Usually I would see maltodexterin which could be gluten too. There were also a lot of ingredients that I couldn't pronounce which was a red flag to me as well. I have revamped my supplements and only take safe ones now. I wont post these individually because we all take different supplements but if you have a question or want to know something I take, or the brand please comment and I will let you know. Please take a look at ALL labels of products that come into your house - supplements and medications being two broad areas!

~8~ Here I will be talking about our toiletries that have changed. Really each one of these could be a whole post in and of itself but I will keep it brief by just sharing what I use. I unknowingly was using preservative filled, chemical laden toiletries and cosmetics on mine and my families skin daily. This was so unhealthy. Here is what we changed over the coarse of a year...

Toothpaste The ones we were using had triclosan in them (among many other harmful ingredients.) Tricolosan is used as a pesticide and an antibacterial and can cause skin irritation, endocrine disruption, and antibiotic resistance. Also, another harmful ingredient was sodium lauryl sulfate which was one of the things causing my kiddos to get frequent canker sores. It is also an ingredient that is harmful to us. We use Nature's Gate toothpaste now. (Not everything this company makes is safe but overall this toothpaste is. If I had my druthers it wouldn't have carrageenan in it either though.)

Hand Lotion The previous lotion I was using from a well known direct selling company touting safe skin products you can even eat. Well, among other bad ingredients they put dimethicone in their body lotion. Dimethicone can cause skin irritation and allergic reaction. Kind of ironic for a "safe" skin product, huh? There were other ingredients too but for the sake of time I wont go into them. I discovered a company called Salon Naturals and they offer quite a few products that are safe and have health promoting ingredients in them. They also have a section on their site highlighting Gluten Free Products they make. One of the lotions we use is their Organic Rooibos tea Hand and Body Lotion. It works well and I feel good about putting it on my skin. We mainly use if for our hands. If you would like to get some comment to me because I can get you a discount. I am not affiliated with them though.

Face Lotion I also had a hard time finding a moisturizer that actually worked and didn't have unhealthy ingredients in it. As of right now I use pure Shea Butter and Pure Cocoa Butter with jojoba oil. I plan in the future to make my own using those ingredients along with some essential oils. For now though I use these. They are probably not for everyone because the shea butter especially tends to be a bit greasy. It soaks in quickly and works for me though. I love the cocoa butter because it smells like I am putting chocolate on my face!

Face Soap For a long time I could only wash my face with a wash cloth and water. Anything would irritate it. As soon as I started healing internally (search GAPS label on this site for more info) I was able to start using a mild soap on my body. Finding the right one took a while. This was actually recommended by a friend and it has proven to work well and clean well. I use Tilvee Shea Butter Beauty Bar for my face. It has all clean, wholesome ingredients in it. I also use the mandarin remedy balm stick (not on my face but any dry patches like lips or neck. It is soothing.

Body Wash In this category my family was using products that were so harmful to our health as well. My husbands body wash was the worst. Every single ingredient was bad in his body wash! He now uses Dr. Bronners Citrus liquid soap and the boys do too. Sometimes I use Salon Naturals, the company I mentioned above and mostly I use a bar soap made by One with Nature. I like the lavender kind but they have a variety of choices.

The other thing I implemented last year (at first by force and now by preference) is Epsom Salt Baths. I really have never been a bath person but these are wonderful. I put epsom salt and certified pure therapeutic grade Lavender Essential oil in to my bath. It is so relaxing and a great way to get magnesium which is a mineral that almost everyone if deficient in. The epsom salt and lavender oil take away aches and pains as well as headaches and general tensions in our bodies. I have grown to enjoy these baths especially when my kids aren't knocking at the door!

~9~ Since my face was one of the parts of my body with the worst symptoms the first thing I had to change was my makeup. Actually, for a while I didn't even where any. I wasn't going out of the house anyway.  I was previously using products that had many harmful ingredients in them although they were marketed to be "all natural." I found Ava Anderson Non Toxic make-up for my foundation, blush, lip gloss and mascara. They sell other things too but I haven't tried them yet. I use Gabriel Cosmetics ZuZu for my eyeliner and lipstick. I can't say ZuZu is all pure though. It still has titanium dioxide in it but compared to what I was using this is a breathe of fresh air!  The mascara from Ava Anderson has titanium dioxide in it as well.

Cosmetics are a really big area to be sure you are checking your labels. If you are putting something on your skin essentially you should be able to eat it. It is the largest organ we have and a barrier to our insides. If we are putting toxins on it that absorb inside (which they all do) then we are increasing our toxic levels.  Be very careful with what you choose to put on your skin, especially your face.  I have a pinterest board linked below that has many different companies that sell safe cosmetics. I hope you check it out and start following. I update it each time I find a new company that is truly pure.

One thing I did want to say about Ava Anderson Non Toxic is the foundation is a sheer coverage which is fine for me now but before when my skin was horrible I couldn't have used it. Also, they need to add more foundation color choices. I hear that is in the works though.

~10~ The last item I want to highlight other than my pinterest board links is our usage of essential oils. My husband, kids and I just started using these this year and absolutely love them. We use them in cooking, cleaning, topically on all of our bodies, internally and in a diffuser for aromatics and to get the benefits of them by breathing them in. The possibilities are endless with them and they are powerful. They have the ability to do thousands upon thousands of things in our bodies for our overall wellness. They can relieve headaches, help you breathe better, help with allergies, stave off colds, disinfect, help with arthritis and asthma, kill parasites, make you sleep better, detox you, reduce and eliminate tumors and I could literally go on and on. The best part is that they are 100% pure! Not all oils out there are pure. A lot of them have filler oils in them mixed with some essential oil. Those are not safe for your body. The ones we use are all safe enough to eat and safe enough for our skin. That being said though, you need to know how to use them because they are so powerful. Some of them have to be diluted a certain way before applying topically or used on kids. It is really like an art to use Essential Oils properly. However, we are learning so much about them and how to use them. It is so much fun. In fact, I just used them on my little one who was coming down with a sickness and he was better the next day! Please comment if you have any questions or would like to get some or find out more about them.

We use doTerra Essential Oils and swear by them. I highly recommend them. They can literally replace EVERYTHING in your medicine cabinet. Wow! One of them that we use often during sick season (as well as in our household cleaners is OnGuard. It is amazing. Not even MRSA can withstand this oil blend.

For now that sums up my post on changes we have made over the past year. It truly has taken time and please don't think any of this happened quickly. It has been worth it though because we have seen less sickness and better health overall due to these changes. Plus I feel good and not guilty about the products we use and what my kiddos are going to grow up with. If at all I can help it I don't want them to have to fight autoimmunity like I have had too.

Below you will find links to all my pinterest boards. I would love it if you followed me on Pinterest or became a follower on my blog. I know I have readers because my stats say so I just don't know who most of you are. Please feel free to say "Hi" in the comments!

Pinterest Boards:
Safe Cosmetics and Skincare
GAPS, Ai Paleo and Paleo
Fermented Foods
Clean, Whole Food Facts and Info
Canning With Honey
Healing with Herbs and Spices
Homemade Toiletries and Household Products
Safe Gluten Free/Paleo Whole Food Resources
Excellent Articles and sites on Thyroid Issues and Gut Health
Book I Want to Read
Essential Oil Info and Ideas

I pray you are able to make some changes this year to help yourself with better overall health! Remember it takes baby steps. None of this happens overnight.

~Blessings~

**Except for doTerra, I am not affiliated with any of these companies and do not make money for promoting any of these products. I just like them and use them.

One year since my rock bottom: GAPS update and a summary of my healing

Today marks 365 days since I was as sickest I had ever been in my life. This time last year I was not functioning at all. I was literally in bed (after my pointless visit to the ER that day), able to do nothing and almost without hope. My face was swollen beyond recognition, red, burning and itchy. My arms were covered in itchy, bloody scabs. I had lymph nodes popping out all over the place, some of which were the size of eggs. They were very tender and painful. I had been diagnosed with Mono (EBV Virus) and was also dealing with adrenal fatigue, low progesterone and the autoimmune condition I had had essentially untreated for six years - Hypothyroidism with Hashimotos. There were a lot more symptoms too. To see more of an extensive list you can scroll down to the blue card with bullet points of all my symptoms and diagnosis before GAPS. That list isn't exhaustive either.

I was reading through my GAPS posts and it brought back so many not so distant memories of where I was at and how I was feeling. It also made me grateful for where I am now just one year later. Praise God!

If you want to read about my journey click on the following links:

60 Days on the GAPS Diet: Reflections including a progress report
90 Day GAPS Summary: A piece to the puzzle (part one of three)
90 Day GAPS Summary: A piece to the puzzle (part two of three)
90 Day GAPS Summary: A piece to the puzzle (part three of three)

I found and implemented the GAPS diet about a week after I hit the bottom. I ended up having to stick with GAPS very strictly for 7 months. I had to stay on the intro (stage 1-2) GAPS for almost 3 months! Hard is an understatement. I kept searching the web and seeing people only on intro for a couple of weeks. My body was just not handling that. It was frustrating. I got through it though and have seen amazing healing. I have also learned SO much over the past year. I have probably learned more about our bodies, health and nutrition this past year than I have my entire life combined.

Since this post is a look forward, let me tell you where I am at now. I am grateful, in hindsight, that I only had to be on GAPS for 7 months. Some people have to do it for years. My goal was to finish out GAPS and transition to eating Paleo or AI (Autoimmune) Paleo. Within 7 months of GAPS I was able to start transitioning to eating more Paleo foods. I eat full Paleo now and weave in some GAPS basics like 24 hour fermented raw milk yogurt and bone broths everyday. I am able to tolerate more of a variety of foods and it is such a wonderful feeling. I went from being so sensitive to any foods and not being able to eat things like onions or garlic because of the sulphur content, antioxidants and detox affects to being able to bake with coconut flour and eat all vegetables - even sweet potatoes! It is truly glorious. That transition didn't happen overnight though. I still had to trial each food to make sure I didn't react. Sometimes I was more diligent than others about only doing one thing at a time so I could pinpoint where the reaction came from. That was one of the hardest parts though. Cheating was not really an option ever for me because it would cause such sever symptoms that would affect my entire family because I couldn't function again. I would feel like I was on my death bed again. I really didn't cheat. Now I do occasionally have too much honey or Paleo treats and regret that but my symptoms are nothing like they used to be.

Even though GAPS allows lentils, I still have never had those. They would be too hard on my digestion because I am still not fully healed. I also do not eat nuts. Through trial I realized that nuts were certainly a food that caused my immune system to attack itself. I would get cracked, bloody and itchy knuckles. I pray this is temporary because I do hope to enjoy some nut butter again someday. The Paleo Mom has a good article about nuts and the components that can be good and bad for autoimmune conditions. To read it click here. I can eat 24 fermented GAPS Raw Milk Yogurt and seem to tolerate that well. It is not something I can have everyday though or I start to get symptoms. Once in a while I have a piece of Raw Milk cheese but it doesn't sit well with me so it is not something that I would continue to eat. I have been able to have two small cups (total) of organic decaf coffee in the past two months. I use coconut milk and honey in it and it satisfies me. I would like to try a little ghee in it since having it with coffee is beneficial in certain ways.

Since I have been able to transition into full Paleo now it has been freeing. When I feel symptoms rising up a bit I get a bit more strict and eat the Autoimmune Protocol for Paleo and I still do not incorporate tapioca starch in my diet because of it's gut irritability. I do love to eat this way though. I feel satiated and healthy. I don't feel deprived at all. I did have to go back on intro GAPS for two weeks around the holidays. I thought I was going to be back in the same boat as last year at that time because some wacky symptoms were coming back but it turns out I was having a reaction to Cod Liver Oil after reintroducing it for four days. My body rejects it and I cannot have it. I have tried Blue Ice Fermented, Carlson and other brands and it doesn't work for me.

I am able to socialize and not feel left out with food now. I can have food to eat (that I bring) and I get to introduce people to new foods and ways of cooking. It is so much fun. I also get chances to indulge in Paleo treats that are nut free. There are so many wonderful recipes out there. Here is a link to my Pinterest Board for GAPS/ AI Paleo and Paleo. I will do a post sharing some other recipes in the future.

Quality, clean, whole food has literally saved my life. If you clicked on any of my "journey" links above you will know that food is only a piece to the puzzle BUT it is a very big piece.

Personal Suggestions for those looking into or starting GAPS: GAPS is a diet you have to be wholly committed to. You have to be determined to heal and have the willpower to stick it out often when it is unbearably hard. You have to be your own advocate and do your own research. First and foremost rely on God and His Power to heal you because he certainly can. He is bigger than our health issues. Be sure to form a support system of those that are knowledgeable in GAPS and will encourage you to stick with it, not cheat. God puts people in our lives for many reasons and he does not want us to be alone in the things we deal with. There are a lot of people out there going through the same thing and can relate. There is a lot of support on the net and I have many websites linked up at the right side under "GAPS/SCD and Grain Free websites." Check them out. In this endeavor you MUST be assertive NOT passive if you want to heal. The choices YOU make will either affect you positively or negatively. It is up to you.

This Friday I will have a post highlighting other things that have changed in our lives. We have literally revamped almost every area of our lives. From pots and pans to cleaners and even make-up. I will be sharing what I use and why we changed to certain products as well as all my pinterest boards with some very resourceful links.

Stay Tuned....

~Blessings~

Reflections

It is the last day of the year and it is inevitable that we take inventory of the year past. What worked and what didn't. What was hard and what was easy. What we learned and what we did or didn't accomplish. Then, usually, we make plans or goals for next year. This year, instead of sharing my goals and plans I am going to share with you my reflections of 2013. At the end of this post I am going to highlight four books that I read this year that were perspective changers for me.

Here are six words that describe my 2013~
Healing
Trust
Growth
Discipline
Determination
Grace

The following are things that in no way have I mastered. These are convictions, challenges, motivators and good things that have come from my past 365 days.

********************************************
Keeping a Thankfulness journal is therapeutic. There were so many days in 2013 that I woke up feeling awful. Feeling like I didn't want to get out of bed. Physically in pain not wanting to move. Depressed at my life's circumstances. Wanting to give up at times. Getting up and coming down to read my bible, do a devotional and write in my thankfulness journal almost always changed my perspective. There were always things to be thankful for. In fact, I live quite a blessed life in spite of autoimmunity and health problems. Those mornings it was challenging to make the choice to be thankful but when I did it forced me to think on the good things.
Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
There is a reason why God tells us to "Think on these things." They have power to change your mind and thoughts. I really recommend keeping a Thankfulness journal. Record a few thoughts or sentences each day of the things you are blessed by, what you are thankful for, or what you are grateful for. You can also record answered prayers which is a faith builder in and of itself!

********************************************
My family eats 100% different from the way we did at this time last year. What we eat (or don't) is radically different. This was not by choice, but in hindsight and presently I am grateful for the change. It has been a very long, hard journey (really that started almost three years ago) and there were many days when I didn't want to eat this so different. It can be inconvenient, time consuming, expensive, frustrating and require a lot of self-control. However, rewarding times in our life are never easy. They are always hard. We have seen major rewards from this change of eating an organic diet without grains, legumes, dairy, processed foods and refined sugar. I always eat full Paleo (and started on Intro Gaps early January) and my boys almost always eat Paleo and occasionally have Gluten free items (which include GF grains.) My husband eats Paleo except at various social times. The rewards have been major weight loss, lower blood pressure (in a family history of high blood pressure), great cholesterol labs, spinal inflammation in my husbands back is gone, healing in myself so that I can function daily with a above average energy level most days, & a lot less sicknesses from flu's and colds in our house. These things have made it all worth it. The rewards far outweigh the hardships and inconveniences.

*********************************************
Daily time spent in God's word (The Bible) is vital to my life. This year I have developed a deep hunger and thirst for The Word and for God. I desire to know Him better, to learn from Him, to learn about Him, to trust in Him, to follow Him and to wait in Him and on Him. My desire has deepened - dark valleys do that. The valleys of the past 6 years have been dark, lonely (at times) and depressing but over time, through refinement by God, I desire to earnestly seek Him. I certainly fail still at times but my heart has started to become molded and crafted by His hands. This will take a lifetime and is painful but necessary. Through seeking Him daily, by spending uninterrupted time in His word and praying, I have deepened my relationship and understanding of my best friend- My Lord Jesus.

*********************************************
I learned (once again) not to put anyone pedestal. Family, friends, celebrities, anyone that is a h.u.m.a.n. If we do this, we will always be let down. Always disappointed. We are human. Fallible humans. Not one is better than another. Acts 10:34 says God is not a respecter of persons. Status or worldly success or talents don't matter to Him. Galatians 3:28 says- There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. In other words, we are all equal in God's eyes. God created us equal and sees us that way so why should we hold up and create various "levels" for the human race?

It is not wrong to look up to someone or admire someone but know they are fallible and check your heart as to where you place them in your life. The only person infallible, trustworthy, worthy to be idolized and placed "above" is Jesus. Live for Him. Let Him be what motivates and guides you - not h.u.m.a.n.s.

**********************************************
Don't miss relationship and special moments because of being sucked into a screen. Email, Facebook, blogs, pinterest, surfing the net and time spent with technology which is always ALL around us can be a HUGE distraction and opportunity killer. Balance must be found. Our families lives can fly by (unnoticed) while we are enveloped in technology. Relationship becomes void. Actual time spent is priceless and where relationships are built. Virtual time is so empty and ultimately SO lonely.

**********************************************
Following mainstream societal ways can be a big detriment to our well being (in many ways, but I will be focusing on health here.) Following God's path as opposed to the worlds is what God calls us to do. That means we have to be different. Romans 12:2 says - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

If I followed my full Western Medicine MD Doctor and her advice (or lack thereof) I would be dead this year. Literally. Either that, or I would be on ten different drugs that would be a mask to the cause of my health issues. These drugs would eventually give me other symptoms that if they didn't kill me then, they would later. A slow death. A life of unnecessary suffering. God did not make our bodies to be pumped full of daily drugs, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. God made our bodies to heal naturally with the good things He has created and given us. So how do we not "conform?" We ask God for direction. Just because it is easy to go to the doctor and get a pill doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. Just because we can call up a friend for advice and it is easy doesn' tmean that is what God wants us to follow. Ask God what His will is for your life, for your health? Ask Him in what direction you should go to feel better? He will make it clear. If I didn't do this I would never have found GAPS. This is what God used to get me on the path to life and vitality rather than a life of merely surviving and going from one ignorant, greedy doctor to the next all the while medical bills piling up higher and higher. (Sorry if you are a doctor but this is my personal experience.) I do have two doctors (who are investigative and functional medicine doctors) that I highly respect and do help out. Anyway, follow God's ways rather than what society or mainstream media or your friends say to do. Pray, Pray, Pray. God has the ultimate wisdom and knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our past, present AND future. What better person is there to seek wisdom from? Please don't get me wrong here. I am not saying that since I use natural healing I am more holy or "better." I am merely saying don't just do something or follow a certain way because someone else is. Our actions in our lives should reflect the beauty of the Lord and His good and perfect will for our individual lives. Seek. HIM. Daily. That is what it means to be "different."

***********************************************
Memorizing Scripture and storing it in our hearts (especially as parents raising children) is imperative. There are so many reasons that memorizing scripture is important. This is how the Holy Spirit can speak to us. Since the Word is truth we can speak truth to our children when needed like in times of discipline or encouragement. We can share the Truth with others. We can help bring unbelievers to the sweet Grace of God. (Hebrews 4:12) The Word is active, it is sharper than any double edged sword. It pierces our hearts. When we store up the scriptures in our hearts, it challenges, convicts, encourages us and give us hope. What if someday we don't have the luxury of having a bible? What verses will you have stored up in your heart?

***********************************************
This last one is the deepest reflection of them all! Always, always, always have bacon and bacon grease on hand! They are the building blocks of life. They are joy. They are love. They are tasty. Bacon makes everything better!

************************************************
Here are four books that changed my perspective this year and I wholeheartedly recommend to you to read:

This book is written by a former shepherd named Phillip Keller. He has an amazing, eye-opening look at the relationship between a sheep an their shepherd and how it parallels our relationship with Christ (since we are His sheep.) He walks you through Psalm 23 in ways that I have never even understood or considered before. It is a small book and relatively quick read but there are many places you will want to stop and ponder and think on the the thoughts and insights he shares.

This book is written by Phillip Keller as well and is an even smaller book than the first. I literally read it in a few hours. Phillip talks about his relationship in training this wretched outcast of a dog to be an amazing sheepdog. He parallels the training and discipline Christ gives us in our lives and the refinement it brings as well as the discovery of what our true purpose is here on earth. When my oldest gets a little older it is a book we will be reading together. It truly helps the reader to see their relationship with Christ in a different light, through different glasses - through the lens of love.

We read this book by Sam Wellman together as a family this year. It was a life changer for me. I literally found myself thinking about Corrie's life and her faith for weeks and months after we finished reading the book. Corrie's faith in the worst possible conditions of World War II Nazi concentration camps is astounding. You will learn about her family growing up, her sister Betsy who is also an amazing hero of faith, and their victories and trials in their walk with the Lord. Once you have finished the book, I recommend watching the movie The Hiding Place. In the movie you actually get to see her in real life and hear her faithful words. Don't watch the movie first though! The book has way more detail. Corrie's understanding of the Lord will challenge you and at times bring you to your knees. Her endurance and courage are incredible. She is certainly someone to admire and glean from.

This last book by Pam Forster is really more of a devotional or a checklist. It is only about 20 pages long. It is meant to be a continual resource to come too and get back on track with the biblical and Godly way of parenting. There are six areas of focus: Love, Prayer, Instruction, Protection, Provision, and Example. In each section there is a bible verse describing the topic, and a checklist of questions followed by verses to evaluate how you are doing in this area of parenting.  I took a verse each day and read it in the Bible in context, journaled about it and wrote my thoughts and convictions on it. It was a very fruitful time. It is a book I have come back to time and time again for the gentle reminders through scripture of my calling and the Biblical guidance of "how-to" when it comes to my ministry as a parent.

I pray you have a blessed new year and that you might be able to think back on your year personally and reflect on the triumphs, valleys, victories and challenges that came along!  Cheers is too many more reflections to come for the next 365 days!

~Blessings~

Fresh, Wild Caught Salmon Salad with a Creamy Dairy-Free Carrot Avocado Dressing

(Paleo friendly and potentially OK for GAPS in later stages when tolerating raw veggies)

2-4 servings

1 small fresh, wild caught salmon fillet per serving, poached and flaked

2 cups per serving of any mixture of organic lettuces or greens. (I used a mixture from our garden of kale, romaine, butter lettuce, purple cabbage and mixed green lettuce.) Chop into bite size pieces and combine them together.

1 small organic carrot per serving, julienned cut

¼ of an organic cucumber per serving, diced

½ of an avocado per serving, peeled and chopped

2 tlbs. raw almond slivers per serving (optional) (I like to roast these myself at home)

1 recipe of Creamy Dairy-Free Salad Dressing from She Let Them Eat Cake 

** Combine all salad ingredients in a big bowl. Top with flaked salmon and toss with Creamy Dairy-Free Salad Dressing


Creamy Dairy-Free Salad Dressing
Recipe from She Let Them Eat Cake 

2-3 chopped carrots (you could also use sweet potatoes)
half an avocado
1 medjool date, soaked and pitted
3/4 cup water
2 tlbs. flax oil
1 clove chopped garlic
1 1/2 tlbs. dijon mustard (we use grainy Dijon)
a shake of dulse (optional)
1/2 tsp. Herbamare or sea salt
1 quarter of a lime, juice only

Place all of the ingredients in your blender (you might want to chop your veggies first – depending on the strength of your Blender. If you have a Vitamix there is no need to chop the veggies.) Blend until creamy. If you find it too thick, add a bit more water.

*This dressing will taste even better the next day.

Enjoy this refreshing salad on a hot summer day.  It is full of omega 3's, antioxidants, good fats and will make you feel energized!

~Blessings~

90 Day GAPS Summary: A Piece To the Puzzle (Part three of three)

This is the third post in my three part series on my GAPS journey.  If you would like to read post one about what my GAPS day looks like, click here.  If you would like to read post two about what symptoms and issues I used to have and how I have healed after 90 days click here.

In this post I will address a few big pieces to my puzzle, my Hypothyroidism, Hashimotos Thyroiditis and getting enough sleep and how they affect my progress in healing.

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos almost 7 years ago. Having the autoimmune condition Hashimotos has negatively affected my health for a number of years.  It didn't have to be this way but I was deceived into thinking it was nothing to be dealt with and that the thyroid hormone T4 could make it all better. It is just "no big deal," as my old Endocrinologist used to say.  That was SO far from the truth.

Fast forward to the present. I now know that Hashi's is definitely something to be dealt with.  In fact, 80-90% of people with Hypothyroidism have Hashi's and don't know it.  That is crazy! It is crazy because treating Hashimotos Thyroiditis is different than just treating a Hypo-thyroid. Having a thyroid dysfunction impairs every other part of your body on a cellular level. That is because God designed our bodies to run synergistically.  All together.  Everybody works together as a team to make a working, functioning and thriving body.  When one part is off, other parts will be too.  If one part is off for a LONG time (in my case) all other parts get worse and worse along with the main dysfunction. This in turn can cause more infections, more autoimmune conditions and in my case leaky gut. 

It wasn't until recently that I learned that I could actually cause my Hashimotos Thyroiditis to go into remission and that my thyroid could actually heal itself through proper nutrition (whole, non-processed, unrefined foods, rest, and exercise.)  Wow!  This makes sense because God did design our bodies to heal themselves if in the proper balance.

What does all this have to do with GAPS you ask? Well, in my opinion, even though I wholeheartedly believe in GAPS and it's healing abilities there is more we have to address in healing our bodies than just a diet change - especially if you have an autoimmune disease.  Autoimmunity of any type stems from gut dysbiosis and bad pathogens and significant diet changes are a big percentage that can lead to healing but there are other factors to consider.

For instance, I am healing on GAPS but notice that when my thyroid hormones are off I can have some of the same symptoms I have when I am detoxing or have eaten a food I am sensitive too. It is a tangled web to figure out sometimes and that is when I am thankful for my faith in the Lord.  I can't figure it out all the time.

Here is an example: during the first quarter of this year I found out that my Reverse T3 was extremely high.  Have you ever been tested for that?  I can almost assume the answer is no.  Most conventional docs only test TSH.  That cannot, I repeat, CANNOT properly diagnose a thyroid problem OR Hashimotos.  In doing a little experiment with my Naturopath (once we found out about my high Reverse T3) we realized that part of my rashes were occurring because of the high level of this hormone!  I thought all along it was solely from food sensitivities.  Once we remedied the RT3 a big amount of my (rashy) inflammation subsided.  Once the RT3 was low again my TSH shot up though (we knew this could happen) and because of that my Hashimoto's antibodies also shot up.  This rise caused inflammation as well and has affected me in other areas (fatigue, extreme dry skin, hair loss, etc.)  As you can see thyroid balance is delicate.  It is tough to get the right medication dosage while healing through your diet.  The right medication AND right dosage can make all the difference in the world in how you feel though.  For me, maintaining a proper thyroid hormone balance ALONG with sticking to the GAPS diet is crucial in how I feel day in and day out.

I don't just take T4 (like I did for 6 years, making myself sicker unknowingly.)  I take T3 and T4 AND they are compounded. Compounded means that I get them specially made so that there are no dyes or fillers in them.  Did you know that commercial Synthroid has dyes in the tablets in all but one dosage? Yep, it's true. Dyes can affect your healing and health as well. Some of our medications also have gluten in them.  Gluten is very bad for someone who has Hashimotos Thyroiditis. (Notice I didn't call it Hashimotos "Disease?"  It can be healed therefore in my book it is NOT a disease.)

Thyroid is a enormous topic in and of itself and I don't intend to get too deep into the subject here. I just wanted to paint a picture for you that our health is multi-faceted.  Usually, we have to address many different areas of our lives for ultimate healing.  Right now as I heal my gut through the GAPS diet I also have to take thyroid medication (hopefully temporarily) and work closely with my doctor to maintain the proper hormone balance so that my hormones work synergistically with all other parts of my body.  I have to ensure balance so that the gut healing I am doing is not hindered by an imbalance in my thyroid hormones. Make sense?

For me the other facet is sleep.  I am a type A personality.  All or nothing.  Dive in with all I've got.  This can be a blessing and a curse.  I just don't do things half way.  So rest for me is something I am learning.  I like to be "doing," creating, thinking, and contributing.  Down time is new.  I notice that when this aspect of my life is off balance I also start feeling bad. When I stay up late and don't get enough sleep my lymph nodes in the back of my head get swollen and tender again (due to the wonderful Epstein Barr Virus I have that gave me Mono at the beginning of the year and my autoimmune issue.) When I get too little sleep my body starts getting so fatigued that I ache.  I get moody and irritable.  It affects my family and more.  Again, as long as I am addressing my gut health with GAPS, I need to be sure to be getting adequate sleep (9-10 hours a night for someone with an autoimmune disease) otherwise I am hindering the healing that is possible. 

Did you know that between 10pm-4am is when our body does the most clean-up and repair?  It is when we are rested enough (or we should be) that the cells in our bodies start the detox process and fix all the damage so that we can get up and function the next day.  If we don't give our bodies ample time for this restoration then we impede the healing process and we keep feeling worse and worse.  It is another piece to the puzzle. 

This is specifically my puzzle.  Everybodies puzzle pieces are different. It does take a lot of trial and error to figure out how our individual bodies work the best and what we need but I will tell you from personal experience that it is well worth it to commit to figuring it out.  Feeling better and thriving in life is much better than just surviving (as I was doing for quite some time.) It also takes a lot of patience.  The waiting game with labs, finding the right doctor, challenging sensitive foods are all what require this virtue of patience.  For me it has taken great faith in My Lord Jesus to heal me.  I could not be going through this without him as my refuge because there are tough times and discouraging times. He comforts me and is my Shepherd who guides me where I need to go.

I hope I have helped you to understand that we need to address our health issues from many levels.  This is where "Functional and Integrative Medicine" comes in.  This kind of medical practice addresses your WHOLE body as well as your WHOLE health history, not just ONE symptom with a quick pill fix. Our bodies are intricately designed and need a holistic approach to heal. Our puzzles are each unique because we are all specially made and different.

In a future post I will address one other piece to the puzzle and that is what we put ON our bodies.  Make-up, lotions, soaps, shampoos and more. It can affect our healing as well.

For those of you with Hypothyroidism and/or Hashimoto's Thyroiditis I wanted to leave you with some incredible websites that address this topic (way better than I ever could.)  Please see below for links.  For those of you on GAPS or with any health issues that you think I may be able to help with please feel free to comment with any questions or concerns and I hope I can address your needs.

Excellent links for learning about Hashimotos and Hypothyroidism:

Hope for Hashimotos I HIGHLY recommend reading Dr. Haskell's ebook it was THE BEST Thyroid book that I have ever read. It educated me SO  much. I still refer to it to this day.

8 Series audio about Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos A great way to educate yourself on Hashi's by Dr. Alexander Haskell. There are also several other videos on you tube with him as the educator.  Just search his name.

The Paleo Mom This site is a wealth of info. Literally you could read it for hours  If you click on the link search "thyroid," "Hashimotos," or "Autoimmunity" and you will find some amazing facts and information from this Ph.D stay at home mom. She has a book coming out in October 2013 that I literally cannot wait for!  It will address autoimmune conditions as well as eating the Autoimmune Paleo way (AIP.)

Chris Kresser He uses many facts as well as the latest research to help guide you through Hypothyroidism and Hashi's.  I highly recommend spending some time reading the posts on this site.

Dr. Datis Kharrazian Dr. K. wrote an excellent book called Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Tests are Normal You can search around his site and learn a lot as well.  He is a very knowledgeable doctor in this arena. You can also find a practitioner on his site (for your area) that is well versed in thyroid conditions.

Stop Thyroid Madness This site addresses a lot of the commonly occuring problems with thyroid that aren't addressed by conventional doctors and has recommend lab work that you need to have if you have a thyroid condition. This is also a site worth spending some time on.

Hashimotos 411 There are so many resources on this website from book recommendations to how to avoid gluten, what supplements to take and more. Please take time to check it out! There are also forums on this site that allow you to chat with other people going through a similar trial.

I hope somehow you are encouraged or find some help through this post.  Please remember that our bodies literally are puzzles and all the pieces fit intricately together. Through much research, trial and error, and support you can and will get better and could potentially heal your thyroid!

~Blessings~

Please note - I am not a medical doctor.  What I say on this blog is based on my own research along with my own personal experiences.  I assume no liability and my advice, ideas or suggestions should not replace those of your own practitioner.

Dying to Read More!

My goodness the past month has been a WHIRLWIND.  It is a blur.  It has been TOO busy for my taste but things are winding down now.  Yay!  I am not one who likes to be TOO busy.  We finished co-op with our final presentation night which was such a blessing.  Corbin got a free ticket to our local waterpark for reading over 600 minutes in a couple months.  Cody received his preschool binder that he worked so hard on all year and I wrapped up teaching my first preschool co-op class.  Our homeschool here at home is winding down too.  Between those things, sickness, doctors appointments, GAPS diet (which takes a lot of prep), planning meetings, Sunday school teaching, bible studies, fellowship with friends and family, starting our garden, and more, things have been downright crazy.

One thing I have been really missing is sitting down with a good book. I have several that I am reading right now and several on the list too read. I look forward to starting summer with some lazy days curling up with a good book and a glass of carrot, celery juice (yeah, you read that right, carrot, celery juice. That is what I can have right now. Actually I really love it. Heheheh!)

Here are some books on my reading list:

The Fruitful Wife

I haven't started reading this one yet but have heard and read really good reviews on it.  I can't wait to start this.

Parenting Collection: The New Dare to Discipline, The New Strong-Willed Child, and Parenting isn't for Cowards all in one book.

I have read the Dare To Discipline book in this 3 in 1 book and it was great!  I am now in the middle of the strong willed child section.  It is also very informative and motivating.  I was (and still am) a strong willed child and happen to have one just like me. Dr. Dobson helps so much in figuring out how to live life with one!  Fortunately, because I am one I have an inside scoop on what makes a strong willed child (or person) tick! I have always loved Dr. Dobson.

Why America is Free

I have started reading this book. I really, really love it.  I wish I had books like this when I was in school.  I have learned more (truth) from this book than anything I read in school when I was a child.  I also love the way it is written.  It is not merely just facts but instead an actual story with characters.  Interspersed throughout the book are factual tidbits and information. Michael Farris of HSLDA recommended this book at our last homeschool conference.  I am so glad we purchased it.  I can't wait to read it with Corbin and Cody. How important it is for them to know and understand why America IS free!

Educating the WholeHearted Child (3rd. edition) by Clay and Sally Clarkson

I have started reading this book and consider it to be a go to resource for me throughout most of my homeschooling.  Clay and Sally have a lot of wisdom to pass down and I am so appreciative of such a great resource. This is their description on the book from their website:

You’ll find 384 help-filled pages packed with useful information, insights and encouragement:

■Ideas: Hundreds of practical ideas, teaching methods, lifestyle suggestions, and product recommendations

■Insights: Dozens of scriptures, personal anecdotes, quotes, notes, and comments

■Anecdotes: Dozens of "In Our Home" snapshots of Clarkson family living

■Books: A recommended "Family Favorites" reading list of whole and living books

■Helps: A section of reproducible forms for planning and record-keeping

Paleo Slow Cooking by Chrissy Gower

Yes, I read cookbooks.  Actually, I devour cookbooks.  While I don't identify myself as "Paleo" because of some of the things the lifestyle supports that I don't agree with, I do think that for a lot of people eating Paleo makes complete sense.  After I am done with the GAPS diet I will probably be following the Auto-Immune Protocol for Paleo eating.  You can read about that here and here. If you have an autoimmune disorder I highly recommend looking into this way of eating. I love this cook book.  It has some great ideas and also wonderful information at the beginning of the book before the recipes.  It makes eating Paleo style look simple (which it really is.)

Paleo Indulgences by Tammy Credicott

I am happy to say that I finished reading this one!  I am a baker at heart.  I have been baking since I was a little girl. I always asked for baking stuff for my birthdays!  Even when I had to go Gluten Free two years ago I continued baking.  It is not until now that I don't do much baking (for myself at least.) However, I pray that one day soon I will be able to get back to indulging and baking once in a while with almond flour and coconut flour which is what this book uses a lot of.  The recipes are decadent!

Here are some other books I have finished or are in the middle of but don't have pictures....

Keeping Bees and Making Honey

I intend to read this and many other beekeeping books over the summer. I want to have a few bee hives in the next few years.  Bees are getting scarce and raw local honey is getting expensive. I think it would be so much fun to have a few hives and harvest our own honey.

Oswald Chambers: The Man and Message behind My Utmost For His Highest

I did read this whole book and learned so much about Oswald Chambers.  It was a quick read and gave a good glimpse into his life.  It also made me think a lot about my perspective on life and my world view.  Mr. Chambers was a great man of God who was dedicated to his work.  It is amazing that his wife put together all of his works in so many different books after his young, untimely death.  Thankfully she did that so we could glean from his teachings.

The Problem of Pain by C.S Lewis

I am greatly anticipating this book about why pain and suffering occur.  I love C.S. Lewis and his writings and I am sure he will paint great light on this subject.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

I am in the middle of this book and want to just inhale it.  I have to take it slow though because it is a "thinker."  I love Phillip's verse for verse explanation and view of Psalm 23.  Since he was a shepherd he has a inside look at what God really means when he calls us his "sheep."  It is such an interesting book. I highly recommend it!

Corrie Ten Boom: Heroine of Harlem by Sam Wellman

We are reading this together as a family right now and what a woman Corrie was.  She suffered so much in Nazi Germany yet never lost sight of God. Her story is encouraging and she is a wonderful example to all of us on how to live out our faith.  We love reading Christian Missionary or Christian American Hero stories together as a family.

Holy War by John Bunyan

This book is on my summer reading list.  I can't wait to read it.  I also want to read The Pilgrim's Progress by the same author this summer. We have the audio book and it was excellent.

The Search For Significance: Seeing your True Worth Through God's eyes by Robert S. McGee

I haven't started this book yet but as soon as school is out I intend to.  It has a workbook with it and I hope to make it part of my bible study when I start it.  I hear it is a life changer.  I am greatly anticipating reading this one.

This goes without saying but the number one book on my list for the summer and every day is my Bible.  I am learning so much in my quiet times lately and love having my Strong's Concordance by my side to help me understand and dissect verses more.  It has been so fruitful. I have also taken to journaling more lately and it is so therapeutic.  It is also wonderful because I can look back and see God's faithfulness through my joys and trials.

I am sure on the book list above there are a few I am missing. I truly enjoy reading and am making and effort this summer to have a bit less screen time and a bit more reading time.  I think it will be much healthier for me. Books are truly a blessing and I don't take them for granted.

What is on your reading list for the summer?

~Blessings~