Thursday, January 2, 2014

New Year, New Health



The new year always has me reflecting.
Thinking about the events from the past year,
be they happy, unexpected or downright unpleasant,
I know that they all serve a purpose in my life.
They are blessings because I choose to see them in that light.




Having had several health issues in the last year,
I decided that the focus for the beginning of 2014 needs to be my well-being.
Healthy habits have been a part of my life for a while now.
Regular exercise, scratch cooking and taking time for pleasurable pursuits
all help me to maintain a sense of balance.
It seemed as though my efforts were on track.



However, something's amiss in this world of hardiness.
Last year I suffered from two bouts of sinusitis,
a horrendous skin condition and most recently, a back injury.
Sometimes God has to get your attention in the worst way.

Even though I was participating in healthful measures,
it wasn't enough to keep me free from infirmity.
It feels like a change is in order.




I'm not the kind of person who runs to the doctor when things go awry.
Most times, they just want to push the meds,
but that doesn't solve the problem.
I tend to try to figure it out on my own
through research and experimentation.
I want to know why something is wrong
and what I can do to prevent it from recurring.
Only when I am stumped will I seek out medical intervention.
I'm stubborn that way.



I've been reading these two books over the past week,
trying to figure out what is causing my symptoms.


Digestive Wellness Fourth Edition   Gutbliss by Dr Robynn Chutkan

They're both filled with lots of great information.
I've known for years that what goes on in the gut
affects every other system in the body.
Lil' Guy has chronic issues that still have not been fully resolved,
despite many doctors, books and treatments.
When his gut is healthy, he is a totally different boy.
It's keeping it there that is the challenge.




So far, I've taken myself off of anything with white flour,
chocolate, sugar, even sucanat.
I noticed a difference in my skin after about a week of not eating bread.
The inflammation in my hands decreased.
I'm not sure I should share the pictures of just how bad they were.

Here's my plan for unraveling this mystery:
*Keep a food diary for at least a week.
*Avoid the possible suspects.
*Use homemade vegetable broth to aid in healing the gut.
(Look for the recipe tomorrow.)
*Introduce Bragg apple cider vinegar to my morning routine. 




I want to document the process here on the blog,
so that someone else may benefit
if they're having similar issues.
It's all a learning process.
If I don't care for myself, I can't help another soul.
I'll keep you posted!




Homestead Barn Hop

Backyard Farming Connection






14 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Daisy

    I think all diseases are somehow linked to the foods we eat.
    When one looks back to in history to those who lived the longest, you can see how (and what) they ate had a tremendous affect on their health.
    That batch of oldsters in their 90's and 100's (wow!!) had simple diets with foods that weren't genetically altered, sprayed to death with a boatload of chemicals, or processed into unrecognizable forms.
    Since switching to all organics , I'm off all my meds. I feel a thousand times better. Hard to imagine how badly I felt just over a year ago compared to how I feel now.
    I wish you luck in your continued efforts to feel better.......and a New Year filled with peace and joy.

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    1. I couldn't agree with you more, Sue. When food was simpler, people lived a healthier life. So glad that you are feeling better!
      Happiest of new years, my friend.

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  2. I agree with you 100%! Our cells need quality fuel to energize them and help them do their jobs properly and completely, and we need to avoid the things that interrupt and stall their work. Sometimes that's easier said than done. (I'm thinking about your comment on giving up chocolate here.) lol :-) I hope you are able to get to the bottom of what is troubling you and find your way to good health. A food journal is a very good idea to that end. Most people forget what they ate this morning for breakfast let alone what they ate a week ago. A food journal will give you true data to work with. I'll be following your journey with interest, Daisy. Good luck!

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    1. Thanks for your encouragement! It's not been easy so far, especially with chocolate in the house. I know it will all be worth it.
      ;0D

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  3. I do hope you will document your process because I am like you and take charge of my own health. I feel like doctors do just want to give medicine and never ask about my diet and think about how that might affect my health. I love to research everything, especially when it comes to my own health. I'm going to try to be better this year because I fell off the wellness bandwagon really hard last year. I made green juice for the first time this morning in a long time and I hope to keep it up!

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    1. It really is up to us to create our own health. Green juice sounds mighty healthy!

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  4. I swear gluten is the root of all evil. I've been diligent for about 3 years now and am MUCH better. Now if only I could find the magic cure of hotflashes. Other than time. I'm SO impatient!

    @;)

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    1. I didn't realize you had a gluten problem. Isn't it interesting though, that folks who live here with a gluten intolerance and visit Europe can eat bread with no problem. We are contaminating our food system, but most people aren't even aware of it.
      Glad you're feeling better. At least it's winter, so you can step outside for the flashes! ;0)

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  5. I think Bragg's makes an amazing product!! I'm happy you're sharing your experience - I think we can all learn something from it. Have you ever tried Rosemary Gladstar's Fire Cider for sinusitis? I'm going to share it on the blog this week or next week. I suffer from allergy issues all year, partly because I'm allergic to dogs, cats, and the mold found in chicken litter, but also because I suspect there are food allergies I'm not aware of. When my sinuses start acting up I do have to take over the counter products but I also, as I've mentioned, drink Cider vinegar and the Fire Cider has cider vinegar in it. It's unfortunate the physicians aren't taught to look at nutritional areas to both help their patients as well as to look for possible clues to health issues, so it's up to us to try and identify it on our own. I hope you can identify what's going on with you. :)

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    1. I haven't tried that cider, but I'm looking forward to your post on it. Good to know the cider vinegar helps you.

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  6. Hi Daisy,
    I'm glad I came to this post after reading your most recent one. I did break down and go to my PA to have him look at the lump that's been on the base of my skull since before Christmas, and to see if we could figure out why I have been coughing every night when I lie down. He says the lump is a lymph node that became swollen while fighting a virus. The cough, he thinks, is from acid reflux, even though I don't have other symptoms. He wants me to take the generic form of Prilosec for 6 weeks. I told him I'd look it up and decide if I'm going to take it. I said I hoped to find other remedies for it. He knows I don't like taking meds, either. Chocolate is one of the triggers for the kind of cough I have. I don't know if I can give it up, but I am going to cut back and see if that helps. I hope you are able to heal from what ails you, and your son is helped by the broth.

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    1. It's not easy to give up what you love, but that's usually what's not good for you either. I hope I will be able to add dark chocolate back into my daily diet because I sure miss it. The book "Digestive Wellness" has a lot of good information about reflux and why it happens. Maybe you can find it at your local library. Knowledge is power! Hope you are feeling better soon.

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  7. I am betting your health will be 100x better this year wtih your commitment!

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Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts!