Want your kids to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables? Don’t just tell them real food is healthy. Instead teach your kids about nutrition!
I’ve had my kids in the kitchen with me since my oldest was a baby. It has been such a blessing for for all of us!
I love the special time together. I love teaching them life skills. But one thing that has really amazed me is how much of what I teach impacts their willingness to eat nourishing foods.
I can tell my five year old, “Eat your spinach. It’s good for you.” Or I can say, “Try your spinach. It will help you run really fast and help your muscles grow big and strong.”
I bet you can guess which method works better. For what it’s worth, my son is not a fan of spinach. But we’re getting there. And every time he has to try it the information about its health benefits gets reinforced!
A New Resource On Nutrition
Needless to say my kids already know quite a bit about nourishing food. It’s a way of life for us. I talk to them about the importance of eating real food all the time.
The pages are filled with bright colors, beautiful produce and a wealth of information on the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables. It was even educational for me!
Now when I make a smoothie and add squash and spinach, instead of trying to hide that fact I excitedly tell my kids, “We have orange and green in here!” I then add cherries and blueberries and tell them, “We have FOUR different colors in one smoothie. What a nutritional punch to start the day.” They really do get excited.
Teach your kids about nutrition at a young age to help ensure a lifetime of good health. While they are young mom and dad get to make food choices. But as they grow they take over the decision making. Equipping them with knowledge will go a long way.
Do you struggle to get your kids to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables?
I highly recommend reading Give It A Go, Eat A Rainbow with them. You might be surprised with how much they understand and the great choices they make.
If you’re still struggling with picky eaters after teaching your kids about nutrition check out my book Why Won’t My Child Eat?!. There could be a deeper issue.
I was compensated for my time to review this book; however I was not paid to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
When you’re caring for little ones it’s hard to make time to care for yourself. Here are some simple health tips for sleep-deprived moms to keep you going.
The early days of motherhood are filled with joy, wonder and lots of snuggles. But they are also filled with sleepless nights, round-the-clock feedings, gassy tummies and lots of diaper changes.
Could you say that again? I was nodding off.
Being a mother of young children is exhausting to say the least. They require all of your attention and energy.
But that doesn’t mean you have to put your health and well-being on the back burner. Whether you just gave birth or you’re still nursing an energetic toddler there are some simple strategies any mom can use to stay healthy during this tiring phase.
You don’t need to add to your to-do list, buy special equipment or see an assortment of doctors. Follow these five simple health tips to keep yourself healthy and better able to care for your precious child. Plus I’ve got a bonus tip for those with older kids!
1. Do not diet.
It’s tempting. You want to fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes. You want to get back in shape. But dieting is not the way to maintain your health. In fact, quite the opposite is true. When you have an infant or toddler, especially if you are breastfeeding, it is critical that you consume sufficient calories every day.
Your body needs energy to recover from pregnancy and birth (calories = energy!). You also need all around nourishment, including a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. There is no way to get what you need if you are cutting calories.
Dieting will also slow your metabolism, making you feel even more tired. Make sure you are eating plenty of food to meet your body’s needs. There is no set number of calories, but most women should consume a minimum of 2,000 calories a day just to maintain normal bodily functions. Increase that if you are breastfeeding or even mildly active.
2. Move your body gently.
Exercise is good. There’s no doubt about it. But what is better is movement. And during the infant stage your body does not need extra stress in the form of strenuous exercise. Instead try gentle movement throughout your day.
This can mean taking baby for an easy walk outside, doing a short yoga session or simply playing with your kids.
The goal postpartum is to allow your body time to recover. Recovery does not happen during periods of stress, which includes hard workouts. Save the marathon training and ab sculpting for when your kids are older.
One exercise routine you should include is core strengthening that is safe for diastasis recti to support your back and internal organs.
3. Get some sleep.
You may be laughing at this suggestion. It sounds simple yet impossible when you have a little one. But it is often overlooked. Make sleep a priority. During sleep is when the body works on reparation and healing.
Nap when the baby naps. Go to bed by 10:00 pm. Ask for help so you can rest.
You will feel better and recover faster.
4. Make your food count.
A calorie is not a calorie. You need to make your food count with a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Most moms in this phase are dealing with poor adrenal health. This means adequate carbohydrates and starch are essential. Carbohydrates can be anything from bananas and sweet potatoes to white rice and sourdough bread. Whatever works for your body. But no low carb diets.
Most of your food should be nutrient dense and give your body important vitamins and minerals. Some easy power packed additions to your diet include:
Your vitamin and mineral stores will be replenished by eating enough nutrient-dense calories every day. This will also help with milk supply and energy.
5. Stay home.
One of the biggest mistakes moms make is trying to get back to their normal routine as soon as baby arrives. This does not allow your body enough time to recover.
It’s ok to stay home and decline invites or even say no to visitors. Focus on your kids and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. Don’t jump back into the rushed pace of life. It doesn’t matter if your neighbor has five kids and a new activity planned every day. Take the time to enjoy this short phase of life and not add extra stress.
Simplify meals, schedules and to-do lists. You and your children will be happier. When you are rested and recovered you’ll have fun being out and about. But when you are exhausted and undernourished it’s ok to just stay home and rest.
The infant and toddler stages are hard and tiring. Take care of yourself. Nourish yourself. Remove stress. Enjoy your little ones before you blink and they are not so little.
Let the kids help!
If you have more than one child a great way to not feel so stressed is to get everyone involved in the day-to-day duties. That includes cooking!
The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse has open enrollment next week. My kids LOVE the course. They have learned so much (and so have I!!). You can get a little taste of it with these FREE knife skills videos. A sleep deprived mom can improve her health with simple changes that will have a positive impact on the whole family. Make the time to take care of yourself and invest in your kids by teaching them responsibilities too.
Winter, spring, summer or fall this squash cherry smoothie packs a nutritional punch and is bursting with flavor. Plus it’s safe for those with allergies.
Smoothies are pretty popular these days. For good reason. You can add a lot of healthy stuff to them without kids complaining.
Smoothies are tough with allergies.
But when you have a lot of allergies the list of typical smoothie ingredients dwindles quickly.
I had to get creative to make smoothies for my youngest two. No dairy or dairy substitutes. No avacodo, banana, nuts or seeds. No eggs. Not too many options.
Instead of writing off smoothies I used what foods we can eat to create a delicious breakfast beverage that is full of nourishing ingredients.
Secret ingredients.
This squash cherry smoothie contains fruit, vegetables, grassfed collagen (I love this brand) and probiotics (I use Megaspore). I also sometimes add desiccated liver (this is what I use) and broth!
One of the best parts about this smoothie is that you prepare it the night before. In the morning just blend and pour! So simple.
This is a great way to use some of the cherries that we freeze in the summer.
Great for kids and adults.
My four year old LOVES this squash cherry smoothie. And he can be picky! You don’t taste all of the “extra” ingredients. You just taste cherries.
I serve squash cherry smoothie in a cup with a straw for my big kids. For my youngest I put it in a straw sippy cup. Then I can take it with us when we are running errands or driving to and from school. It is a great way to add calories and nutrients for her.
Don’t get caught up in the January frenzy of diets and grand resolutions. I’m sharing some New Year’s goals everyone should have that won’t leave you stressed and burned out by February.
I’ve been making goals for myself every year for quite some time. At first they were so lengthy and detailed because my life was a mess and there was so much to work on.
Every year I scale back as I get healthier and can take more time to just enjoy life.
This year I decided to change things up again and create goals not just for myself. Instead I came up with new year’s goals everyone should have!
My goals do not include dieting, reaching a number on the scale or trying to be more crafty. Those are fine if that is what you like to do.
But for most people they just leave you burned out and feeling defeated and stressed by February.
Here are my New Year’s goals everyone should have.
Get more rest.
This can mean sleep or just down time. Either way, we are all overworked and overstressed. Take a day off each week or aim to get to bed earlier a few nights a week. Rest and sleep are so critical for good health.
No restrictions or diets.
Make this the year to stop following the latest food trend (i.e. paleo, primal, GAPS, Whole30, HTM, low carb, high fiber, low fat, Atkins, etc.) and start listening to your body. Nobody can tell you what to eat to feel your best. Only you can figure that out.
Really pay attention to hunger signals and nutritional needs. This changes with each season of your life and even day to day. No prescribed diet can tell you if your body needs some extra protein or starch today.
Listen to your body and make choices each day based on how you are feeling and what your body needs. Restricting (whether particular foods or calories) whether it’s for a few months or just a few weeks or even days will have an impact on your metabolic health. Each time you restrict you are creating more work for yourself down the road to get your metabolism back to full strength.
Notice that I did not say exercise. Try to move your body more each day. Movement incorporated throughout the day is more effective than sitting all day and then jogging for thirty minutes.
If you have a desk job get up every hour and take a little walk. Or keep pedals at your desk and pedal while you work. If it works for your job a treadmill desk is very effective for moving while you work (and is on my wish list!).
Strenuous exercise is just that – stress. And any stress on your body will have an impact. So don’t strain yourself and force yourself to work out. Just add movement to your whole day. A moving body is a healthy body.
Also move according to your health and ability. If you are nursing a little one or recovering from adrenal fatigue now is not the time to push yourself. Simply working around your house and taking a slow walk is sufficient movement without burdening your body.
I tend to sit a lot during the day whether I’m writing or playing on the floor with the kids or driving kids here and there. But I notice that on days where I put away laundry or grocery shop and have more movement all morning I feel so much better. I am not forcing myself to jog five miles. Just moving.
Yoga, walking and weight lifting are all great ways to move your body.
Strive to nourish your body every day.
Pick one thing you can do each day to add nourishment to your body. Try adding one food like liver, egg yolks, probiotics, sardines, gelatin or broth each day.
Make sure you are getting a good balance of protein, carbohydrates (including starch, not just sugar) and fat that works for your body and your current health status. Figure out your metabolic type and pay attention to how different ratios of macronutrients make you feel. Then aim to get the right balance each day.
For me, that means a lot of carb/starch right now. Being a sleep deprived mom that is still nursing a 16 month old full time and being a slow oxidizer I need a LOT of starch in my diet. So my meal may look unbalanced to you since I’ll have two or three big slices of sourdough bread that make up half my meal. But if I don’t eat that way I feel rotten and cold all day and have no energy. I do balance that with lots of vegetables, pastured meats and healthy fats for all of my vitamins and minerals.
Give your body the balance and the nourishment it needs each day.
Make time for yourself and for others.
This year make people a priority. Whether that means self care or setting aside the to-do list to play with your kids or making time to connect with your spouse. People are what matter. Build relationships. Cherish them.
Extend grace to yourself and others.
We live in a very critical society. We judge others. We are bombarded with ideas of what you should or shouldn’t look like in the media. Pinterest images make us feel like we should be whipping up a new craft each day.
Let’s stop the criticism and instead show love. We all want to feel accepted and loved. So start by loving yourself and extending that grace to those around you. You can’t control how other people behave but you can be a light to others.
This also means being vulnerable. Stop hiding behind masks. Be real. Nobody is perfect. We all have flaws. And we’d all be a lot happier if we let those flaws show, accepted help where we are lacking and helped others with our strengths.
Take time for reading God’s Word, prayer and listening.
I go in phases with making devotional time a priority. But every time I do I am amazed at how I see God at work and feel so much more at peace.
But the thing I haven’t always done is taken the time to really listen. Read your Bible and pray. Then just be silent. You can’t hear God if you don’t listen! I encourage you to slow down and keep eyes and ears open to hear God throughout the day.
Make time for fun.
There is so much pain and trouble in the world. It is important to take time to do fun things and see the good and beauty around. Go on dates with your kids. Have a family game night. Go for a walk in the woods with your spouse. Read a good book. Try something you’ve never done before. Life is often very serious. Make time for fun.
Take joy in the little things each day.
Don’t get so busy that you miss out on the little things each day – your child’s smile, a special note from your child, a beautiful sunrise, a refrigerator filled with food, drawers full of clean laundry, running water. There are so many things to be thankful for.
This year we could all complain less and find more joy each day.
Put down the phone!
I try my best to keep my use of electronics to a minimum when I’m not working. But I’m sure I could do even better. Put down the phone or tablet or whatever is in your hand to be able to follow through on the other goals – making relationships a priority, finding joy, having fun, listening to God.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want my kids’ memory of me to be with a phone in my hand staring at a screen instead of playing with them.
Let’s put that phone down and talk to people face to face.
It’s all about balance.
After writing all of these goals I realized I made quite a list! Which is kind of the opposite of my intention. But they are all great. Pick the ones you like or maybe just one and see if it helps you feel better in 2016.
It all boils down to balance in all areas of life. Slow down, focus on gentle movement, take time for rest, eat balanced meals without extremes or restrictions, enjoy life, pursue passions, take time for others and for God.
Pick your word.
In addition to goals, every year I choose a word to focus on. Something God lays on my heart. Last year was GRATITUDE. The year before was LOVE. And before that ACCEPTANCE.
This year I am choosing to focus on PATIENCE. There are so many things I want to do and accomplish. There are so many things to try to squeeze in each day. I usually feel so overwhelmed by all of the need-to-dos and want-to-dos in my head.
I am working on patience and trusting in God’s plans and timing. I pray he will develop my passion for his purpose. And that I will be more patient with my children. I don’t usually enjoy a season of waiting. But I feel like that’s where I’m at right now in so many aspects of my life. So I’m going to be patient. I know God has big things planned for me when this time of waiting is over. But he has work to do on me yet while I wait.
Try picking your own word this year. What would it be?
Personal goals.
I do have a few personal goals this year. I am writing my first book and my goal is to finish it. It is something I’ve wanted to do for YEARS. But wasn’t sure exactly what to focus on. Now I know. And I’m excited (be on the lookout!).
I also want to focus on healing for my kids. They each have a ways to go to be at full health.
Finally, I want to work on my character. I want this to be the year with no more shouting and being vulnerable and letting people see the real me.
There it is. My list of New Year’s goals everyone should have. Plus a few personal goals (notice that I kept that list short so I can actually do it!).
What are your goals this year? I’d love to hear them!
In need of a warm drink that not only tastes good but is packed with essential minerals? Molasses tonic is the perfect warm up and pick-me-up drink for cold weather.
I like warm drinks. Do you?
Even on the hottest summer days I still start the day with a warm drink. It has a calming effect on my mind and body. In fact I’m sipping on one right now while I write this post!
I’ve never been a coffee drinker. I usually go for tea.
But these days I pretty much drink one of two things. Either healing hot chocolate or molasses tonic. Both provide minerals in a great tasting, soothing beverage.
You may be wondering, what’s so great about molasses? Isn’t that just sugar?
Molasses is actually packed with vitamins and minerals.
It contains:
potassium
magnesium
calcium
iron
vitamin B6
niacin
pantothenic acid
choline
phosphorus
zinc
copper
selenium
chromium
cobalt
sodium
It has also been shown to be helpful with a variety of health issues from PMS, headaches and acne to bone health and constipation.
What’s not to love?
Well, maybe the flavor.
Molasses is an acquired taste.
At least for me. If you are not a fan just start with a small amount and work your way up to a full tablespoon.
You can even do half molasses and half maple syrup to start. Maple syrup has minerals too!
As you can see molasses is very nutritious. You could just take a big spoonful once or twice a day.
I like to combine it with some other nutrients in a hot drink to really give my body a boost.
So you can add any or all of the following to create a molasses tonic:
maple syrup (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus sodium, potassium, zinc)
butter and/or coconut oil (healthy saturated fat, helps balance the protein and carbohydrates)
When you put all of these together molasses tonic can practically be a meal replacement! And if you have a super busy morning here and there it could be. I drink it after a meal. Though it is best to wait an hour after eating to let your food settle/start digesting first.
If you don’t have time or all of the ingredients to make the full molasses tonic you can simply add molasses and sea salt to hot water. You’ll still get a big nutritional boost and feel hydrated.
The next time you need a hot beverage skip the coffee. Instead whip up a power packed molasses tonic.
This is great for kids too. Add some whole milk or coconut milk to their molasses tonic for a creamy drink.
Do you consume molasses regularly? What is your favorite way to use it?
If using nettle leaf, use a tea strainer or cheesecloth to steep nettle leaves in 1/2 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the leaves.
Add the remaining boiling water and ingredients.
Stir to combine.
Allow to cool enough to drink or add ice cubes or milk.
Notes
This can be served warm or cold (iced molasses tonic).
This can be placed in a water bottle and packed for school lunch.
By Mary - Just Take A Bite
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/
In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. It will not change the cost of any products or services for you.
Get the school morning started right with a brain booster milkshake. Full of protein, vitamins and minerals it will keep your kids going all day.
School mornings can be hard. Get breakfast on the table. Feed the baby. Brush everyone’s teeth. Find shoes and backpacks.
You do your best to prepare and have things go smoothly. But even with good planning it is tough to always give your kids the nourishment they need before heading out the door.
Especially if you have a child like mine that eats very slowly and ends up often only managing a few bites of breakfast.
To make sure she starts her day the right way I created my brain booster milkshake.
Are Milkshakes Healthy?
This milkshake is packed with some nutritional powerhouses.
raw milk – easy to digest protein, calcium and vitamins
raw pastured egg yolks – B vitamins that are critical for brain function and concentration
probiotics – for gut health and boosting the immune system
maple syrup – carbohydrates for energy and trace minerals
unrefined sea salt – trace minerals
I usually serve the milkshake with something else like a homemade granola bar or even dinner leftovers! But even if she doesn’t take a single bite of her breakfast I know she’s going to be fueled for the morning as long as she drinks her brain booster milkshake.
This is a really good option for kids with oral SPD and chewing problems. A milkshake goes down pretty quickly. It is also easy on the digestive system. The nutrients are very easy to absorb and utilize.
One of the key components is the raw, pastured egg yolk. Have you ever read about them? Though often deemed as unhealthy or bad for your heart the opposite is actually true. And eaten raw (as long as they are pastured) the nutrients are not damaged and are easy to absorb.
Egg yolks areamazing little packages of nutrients, specifically B vitamins that are essential for your child’s brain development and ability to focus. They contain other nutrients such as choline (necessary for methylation), selenium (great for the thyroid) and biotin (helps with blood sugar regulation – perfect for breakfast!).
Milkshake for Breakfast or Lunch
I sometimes put milkshakes in my daughter’s lunch too. She struggles to eat much lunch at school. There just isn’t enough time for her, and she’s busy talking. But she usually comes home with an empty cup!
This is also great for kids going through orthodontic work. The day after adjustments their mouth can be very sore and chewing can be a challenge. A milkshake is always in my daughter’s lunch the day after her expander gets adjusted. I tell her that even if she can’t eat anything she should be sure to drink her brain booster milkshake.
Healthy Chocolate Milkshake
The base milkshake recipe is vanilla. But you can create other flavors too. My kids love when I add a bit of cocoa powder or carob powder for a chocolate shake.
Add some strawberries from your freezer stash for a strawberry shake. Any berry or even cherries will work.
Sometimes we really get creative and add mint extract. It tastes like mint ice cream (my kids’ favorite!).
If you can’t have dairy, coconut milk is a great substitute! Any milk alternative will work.
Serve it in a fun cup with a straw or in a sealed cup to pack in a lunch box.
Whether you serve it for breakfast, lunch or both you’ll know your child is getting essential nutrients with a brain booster milkshake. All they have to know is they get something delicious to drink!
Get your kids excited about breakfast. What flavor do you think they’ll like best?
Brain Booster Milkshake
2015-08-24 19:30:14
Serves 1
A delicious shake perfect for breakfast or lunch that will give your kids the nutrients they need to perform their best.
optional: 2 tsp. carob powder or cocoa powder OR 1/4 cup berries or cherries
optional: 1/2 tsp. organic vanilla OR 1/4 tsp. organic mint extract
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or a cup with a lid.
Blend or shake until well combined.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
By Mary - homemadedutchapplepie.com
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/
In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.
One of my goals this year is to get back on track with properly preparing my grains. I’ve been doing it for years now, but got off track with pregnancy and a new baby.
Some may say to just avoid grains. But I tried that and learned that my body needs them! The most unhealthy I’ve ever been was when I went grain free. Grains can be a very healthy part of a real food, traditional diet. Even Nourishing Traditions and GAPS mention the benefit of properly prepared grains.
So to help us all get to where we need to be I’m sharing some information about why you need to treat your grains in a special way if you are going to consume them and how it’s done. I actually wrote most of this a couple years ago! But never shared it here. It’s a good reminder for myself. Hopefully it’s a great starting point or reminder for you as well.
In the weeks following this introduction I’ve got some basics and some fun recipes coming that all involve properly prepared grains. I hope you enjoy!
One of the oddest and most confusing aspects of real food is the idea of soaking grains. Switching to butter instead of margarine? No problem. Drinking raw milk instead of pasteurized? You bet. Using honey instead of corn syrup? Done. Get your flour wet before using it? Say that again? Wet flour? How could that work? And why would you want to? But if you understand why you might find yourself turning your favorite baked goods into healthier soaked versions.
It turns out there is actually a good reason to soak grains. Little things called phytates. Grains contain anti-nutrients as a protective mechanism. This protects them from weather and animals. But it also makes them difficult to digest. Your digestive juices are enemies of the grains just like any external enemy. Grains also have compounds that prevent active enzyme activity in your digestive system. This puts stress on your pancreas.
In the unsoaked state grains contain phytates, which makes the minerals in the grains unavailable to you. This can lead to mineral deficiencies and poor bone density (one more thing I learned the hard way when I found out I have seven cavities!). Both enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid can be mostly neutralized by soaking the grains. This makes them easier to digest and makes the nutrients available to your body. This process also begins to pre-digest the grains, breaking down complex starches and tannins that can irritate your stomach, as well as beginning to break down proteins like gluten.
So without soaking the grains they are very difficult to digest and are actually harmful to your body. This holds true for gluten-containing grains like wheat and rye but also for alternative grains like oats, amaranth and teff. In fact oats, such a dietary staple for so many, has the highest phytate content of any grains!
Grains that are not properly prepared are harmful. So how do you make them healthy? It’s not as hard as you might think. And, honestly, soaking often makes baking easier! It breaks up the process into very short steps that only take a few minutes here and there. The main thing you have to be willing to do is plan ahead. Soaking does take time. So if you want soaked pancakes in the morning, you have to plan and get them started the day before.
The basic idea is that you use cultured dairy or another acid medium like lemon juice to soak the grains for at least 7 hours (ideally 24 hours) before using them. The length of time required will depend on the grain.
The easiest way to start is by using recipes that give exact instructions on what ingredients to use, how much and how long. Once you get the hang of it you can start experimenting. Simply replace the liquid in the recipe with a cultured/acidic medium (kefir, buttermilk, yogurt or warm water mixed with lemon juice), mix it with the grains, cover the bowl and let it sit. Then proceed with the recipe after the grains have soaked. You can also add the fat/oil during the soaking step.
Soaking can be used on all kinds of grains…wheat, oats, rice, etc. It is also used for lentils, beans and nuts. There are a few exceptions to the rule. Coconut flour, white rice, millet and flax seed are relatively low in phytic acid. Although soaking them will still be beneficial it is not as critical.
Although millet is low in phytic acid, it is goitrogenic. So limit your millet intake if you have thyroid problems.
So what do you do if you don’t have time to soak your flour before baking, or what if you forgot to plan ahead? An alternative is to sprout the grains. This is helpful for those times you have to do some last minute baking. Simply sprout the grains, dry them and grind them into flour. Then the phytates are already neutralized and you don’t have to soak it. You can buy sprouted grains if you do not want to make your own.
A third option for dealing with phytates is sourdough. Sourdough also breaks down the phytates and makes the grains easier to digest. Sourdough can be used for all kinds of baked goods. If you want bread, sourdough is the way to go.
Soaking grains is a critical step in the baking process if you are not using sprouted grains or a sourdough starter. It is important for aiding digestion for everyone. It is especially crucial for anyone with a leaky gut, food allergies or food intolerances. Even if you avoid some of the common grains like wheat and corn, you still have to properly prepare your food. If you have cut gluten out of your diet but have not noticed any improvement, try soaking the gluten free grains you eat.
Some alternative grains and flours are teff, amaranth, tapicoa, millet, rice (white and brown), quinoa, coconut, hemp and garbanzo bean. These can be prepared in the same manner as their traditional counterparts.
The next time you start baking ask yourself one question: “Is my flour wet?” If it is you’re on your way to a tasty treat that will be easier on your gut and provide your body with important vitamins and minerals.
Do you consume grains? What is your favorite way to prepare them?
“Do you have a picky eater? Are meal times a battle? Before you get frustrated and assume your child is just strong-willed, take a closer look at what is really going on.
Yes, some kids truly do like to feel in control and may assert this behavior at meal times. In that case it is just a phase. But for many it is not a choice. There is a big difference.
Refusing to eat broccoli for a period of time is not a big deal. Being distracted one day by a new toy during lunch is no cause for concern. But if feeding your child is causing frustration at every single meal he or she may have oral sensitivities related to sensory processing disorder (SPD).”
Now that March is underway it is time to think about my 2014 goals! It only took 2 1/2 months. This year I’m focusing on simplifying life and getting back to the basics. I want to make room and time for people and relationships.
One thing that stood out as I was making my goals was that I didn’t even really think about food or diet in terms of my own health. That is a big sign of healing. I don’t have a special diet. I eat nutrient-rich food. I eat what my body likes/what makes me feel good. I eat enough to support my body and my baby. It’s nice to not have a laundry list of diet do’s and don’ts as part of my goals this year.
~~~~~~~~~~~2014 GOALS~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Get back to the basics with nutrition.
I first learned about real food about four years ago. I took the time to really understand what nutrition meant and how to feed my family. Over the years with my own health struggles, dietary restrictions for my kids (for allergies) and times of doing what you can just to get by (during things like miscarriage and early pregnancy) I have lost sight of that a little bit.
Sometimes I’m even amazed when I look back through my old posts. I posted a lot of good information! So it’s time to get back to the basics of nutrition. I never strayed too far. But I know I can do better with getting some of the junk out of our house. As I get my energy back I also hope to get my passion and drive back for making real, homemade food that is nourishing for my family.
This will include simple steps like adding egg yolks, coconut oil, gelatin and bone broth to foods whenever I can. I may also re-post some old articles to help myself get back on track.
I’m not going to be extreme. I know there has to be balance. I also know I’m human and can only do so much. But I’m also ready to put in the effort to make sure my family is nourished.
As part of this I may start re-reading Nourishing Traditions. It has such a wealth of knowledge.
Once I am feeling better I will also do a one week challenge with my kids to see how they do with absolutely no packaged food. They don’t eat much as it is. But over the last few months we’ve had to go with convenience sometimes because it was all I could manage. We need to break the habit and get back to real food.
This is not about restriction. This is not about a special diet. This does not mean we can’t enjoy other food when we are out or with friends. This is about sticking to real, nourishing foods the majority of the time and especially at home. It’s easy to lose sight of that in our culture. I want to be sure my kids know what true health means.
2. Simplify and de-clutter my house and my life.
One of the biggest sources of stress for our whole family is the clutter and mess in the house. With me being only able to do the minimum around the house for the last three months it has gotten even worse. It’s time to finally do something about it.
When I used to think about cleaning what came to mind was organizing and making things look neat. I didn’t care about dust bunnies in the corner or mold spots on the ceiling as long as things were in order.
But now that my daughter has been diagnosed with severe dust and mold allergies, cleaning has a whole new meaning. I’m starting to notice every little spec of dirt in our house. I’m realizing just how dirty it is!
So my cleaning goal is two-fold. I want to get things organized and get rid of things we don’t use/don’t need. I also want to do a thorough cleaning of the whole house. I want my daughter and my husband to be able to breathe better and feel better at home.
The cleaning will be better for our health. The neatness will make everyone happier. It will create more peace. There will also be a place for everything…which means clean up will be much easier.
This will also free up a lot of time (especially mine!). Instead of spending half of my day just trying to stay on top of the mess, I’ll have more time for my family and for doing other things. By bed time everyone will be much happier and calmer.
3. Make relationships a priority.
I probably want this or even write it as a goal every year. It is one of my biggest struggles. I am an introvert by nature (extreme introvert and painfully shy). So making friends is very difficult. Add to that severe OCD, feelings of isolation from infertility, anxiety…you get the picture. For most of my life I’ve just gone the easy route. I avoid deep friendships. I keep everything surface level. I don’t let anyone in. I try to hide all the things I don’t like about myself. But it’t not a good way to live. It’s also not a good example for my children.
I did have some very close friends when I was younger. But life changes as you get older. I’ve also had deep friendships that have caused a lot of hurt. After that it was hard to open up to anyone again.
Over the years I have realized that having close friends is one of the biggest things missing in my life. I have a wonderful husband and a great family (both my family and my in-laws). I am thankful for a couple friends that I keep in touch with regularly via email.
But this year I want to build lasting friendships. I want to put in the effort, let others into my life and drop my guard. It will not be easy. But I think it’s worth the effort.
In addition to making friends, I wan to make sure that my relationship with my husband is a priority. This is especially critical before baby #3 arrives. Since our children are almost six and three, now is a good time to go on dates and spend time together.
I also want to make sure my kids get plenty of attention before the baby comes. I will try to continue our monthly mommy/daughter dates. I will also try to do special things for my son. Finally we will make the most of our summer and do lots of fun things, like going to the beach, playgrounds, etc.
Life will be very different in September with a new baby and my big girl in school all day. So we are going to enjoy our family of four for the summer.
4. Work on myself.
This year I want to really think about how my actions impact my children (and others around me). I want to be a good example to my kids. This includes things like facing my fears, making friends and trusting God.
My daughter already struggles with anxiety, just like I did when I was little. I need to teach her how to handle anxiety and how to let it go. I have to do this through the way I handle my own anxiety.
I will have two big adjustments later this year. I will be adjusting to life with three children. I will also be adjusting to my daughter being in school all day. I plan to prepare myself mentally for these changes.
My yearly goals would not be complete without talking about my health. Thankfully this year there isn’t too much to think about. My main focus is to keep my thyroid levels and medication well-monitored, both during and after pregnancy.
I need to focus on eating enough quality food, getting moderate exercise and getting plenty of sleep. Yes, good health really is that simple.
Finally, I want to take more time to read. I don’t do it very often these days. But I have a lot of books that have been sitting on my desk for a long time. I also have a lot of Kindle books. So I am going to read more and watch TV less. I just got a few new books last week as an early birthday present. I’ve already finished one of them!
5. Focus on my writing.
My writing has taken a back seat for the last few months. After my miscarriage I lost my focus and energy. I had to really concentrate on my health. Then when I had bad morning sickness I simply could not sit at the computer to write.
Now that I’m starting to feel better I’m finally getting my desire to write back! It feels great. Although my kids don’t like to give me time to do it.
I switched my site from Blogger to WordPress earlier this year. But being so sick I didn’t have time to do anything else with it. I want to learn more about WP and update the look of my site.
I want to write about a variety of topics. I will still post recipes. I will also be writing about health issues.
I will continue to learn about photography and work on my skills.
I am also hoping to start doing some giveaways this year!
6. Word for the year – LOVE.
Last year I started focusing on a word for the year. It was acceptance. Last year was definitely a year of acceptance. It took a while to figure out a word for this year. But it turns out I didn’t really have to figure it out. During the first two months of this year God has bombarded me with the word LOVE.
My daily email devotions started in January with “40 Days of Love.” At church we did a series called “How’s It Growing” where we talked about spiritual disciplines…the final and most important being love.
For Valentine’s Day this year my daughter made all of her cards. We found a pack of cheap bracelets for her to use for the girls in her class. They each got two. At the end there were two bracelets left that I told her she could keep for herself. Instead she kept one and gave one to me in my card. Like a good mother I put it on…and it’s been on ever since! It’s just a little, plastic red bracelet. But it reminds me daily to love.
There have been plenty of other signs of love as well.
So this year I am focusing on love. I want to give love. I want to be loved.
I have been reminded constantly this year already about how much God loves me. It’s incomprehensible. But it is so comforting. Even when I’m worried or anxious or not so happy with myself…God still loves me unconditionally.
I want to show this same love to others. I want to show my husband and my kids unconditional love.
This year I hope to work hard to make life simpler and make room for building relationships and setting a good example to my children. It all comes down to simplify and love. I’m excited to see what God has in store for us this year.
Every time I think about writing what I learned in 2013 my mind goes in a million directions. I learned so much. I learned it all the hard way – through first hand experience.
I know I’m not alone. I know I’m not the only one struggling with these problems. So I want to share my journey with others in the hopes that someone else doesn’t have to go through the struggles like I did.
So here is my attempt at sharing some of these lessons. I hope to go into more detail on some of the topics in separate posts later. For now, here is some of what I learned in 2013 (and over the last ten years).
1. Eat enough food.
I fell into this trap for many years. And I see it in so many well-meaning sites and books. Time and time again it is suggested that women should eat 1200 – 1500 calories a day to loose weight and be healthy. This is far too little to sustain your health.
Unless you are on complete bedrest and can barely move your body most women should eat a minimum of 2,000 calories a day. You should consume even more than that if you are active and exercise. If you starve your body it will not function well. If you feed your body you’ll feel great. Combining enough quality food with moderate exercise is a great way to maintain your health in the long term.
2. Eat what works for your body.
Don’t follow a prescribed diet (GAPS, Paleo, low carb, etc.) just because someone else says it’s great.
This is another lesson I had to learn the (very) hard way. I’ve been on every diet you can think of to try to feel good. For me it was never about losing weight. I just wanted to feel good and heal my body. So I tried the IBS diet, low fat, high fiber, dairy free, egg free, wheat free, red meat free, grain free, GAPS, low carb,…I’ve tried them all.
Where did that get me? Feeling worse than when I started. Over the last 10 years I have learned to eat what works for my body. And that is what makes me feel good.
Just because your friend tried eating paleo and feels great doesn’t mean it’s the perfect diet for you. Just because someone says grains are evil doesn’t mean they don’t work for you.
I have read over and over about how things like potatoes, bananas and root vegetables are “safe” starches and much better for you than grains. I am living proof that this is not true for everyone. If I eat potatoes and bananas I will be in so much pain. But I MUST eat gluten free grains daily to feel good.
All this boils down to – don’t restrict your diet just because someone else says it’s good. Eat a variety of real food that makes you feel good and gives you the energy you need. Don’t cut foods (real food) out of your diet if they aren’t causing you problems. You won’t find your “perfect” diet in any book. You have to figure out what works for you.
3. Real food is great! But sometimes it can be beneficial to stray away from it.
I know this sounds contradictory to what my site is all about. But it’s true. I still firmly believe in fueling your body with healthy, homemade real food…most of the time.
But depending on the state of your health, there are times when you can benefit from some less than ideal foods. For someone that has been on a strict diet (like paleo or GAPS) and is underfed and unhealthy, processed foods can be a great jumpstart to getting back to full health. Processed foods are easy to digest (yes, frozen pizza is often easier to digest than a big plate of vegetables). It is also easy to quickly increase your calorie intake with processed foods.
I am not recommending this as a permanent solution to health by any means. But it can be beneficial if you are recovering from undereating or a condition called orthorexia. Once your body is not starving anymore you can go back to eating real, quality food. You just have to be sure to eat plenty of it.
Having bad morning sickness was a good way to break me of my orthorexia. I do love to fuel my body properly with quality food. But sometimes I can be too strict about it…and it fuels my OCD and anxiety. I had to just learn to eat whatever I could manage for the last couple months. I am really looking forward to getting back to eating mostly healthy food. My body is ready for it. But it was nice to have a break and just eat whatever I wanted. It was a great way to change my mindset and figure out how to find balance.
4. Don’t drink too much water.
One of the best things I did for my health in 2013 was to stop drinking so much water. There really is no science behind the 8 glasses a day rule. And if you really think about it, it doesn’t make sense to force yourself to drink water. If your body needs fluids it will let you know.
Drinking too much water is a great way to slow down your metabolism, lower your body temperature and feel cold all the time. It will also flush the vitamins and minerals out of your body.
5. Get plenty of sleep.
This sounds like common sense. But there are probably very few people that actually get enough sleep. For a healthy individual seven hours of uninterrupted sleep is the minimum needed. Most people need at last eight. And for someone that has been sleep-deprived for a while nine or ten hours is ideal.
Quality sleep with no problems falling or staying asleep is a sign of good health. While you sleep is also the time when your body repairs itself. So if you’re trying to heal and you’re not getting enough sleep you’re setting yourself up for failure.
I went for years and years getting very poor sleep. I had too much to get done in a day to spend my time sleeping. But at some point I just had no energy and could barely function. It has been great over the last couple months to get nine or ten hours of sleep a day (night time + a nap). My body really needed it. Hopefully soon I can stop taking a nap every day and just stick with my eight hours a night and have it be sufficient.
Even if every other part of your lifestyle is ideal, if you’re not getting enough sleep you won’t feel your best.
6. Exercise is great…if you are eating and sleeping enough.
If you are not eating or sleeping enough, it can be beneficial to take a break from exercise. When you do exercise it’s good to do a variety of things like weight lifting, yoga and walking. You don’t have to push yourself to extremes to be healthy and fit. Too much aerobic exercise may be harmful.
I used to run every single day. And do nothing else. Now I still enjoy running. But I don’t do it every day. Actually I haven’t done any running in a long time because my body was not healthy enough. When I was healing I stuck to short walks and bikes. I also did gentle yoga. I got new weights for Christmas…but haven’t been able to use them. Maybe by next Christmas I’ll be able to start lifting weights 🙂
Move your body doing what you enjoy. Make sure to do a variety of things to work all parts of your body. And combine it with enough food and enough sleep. That is the way to stay healthy.
7. Basal body temperature can tell you a lot about your health.
Basal body temperature is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning. Another great thing I did for my health in 2013 was to check my temperature every single morning and keep a spreadsheet of it.
Your bbt can tell you if your metabolism is working well or not. For women it can also tell you when you ovulate/how your hormones are functioning. So it is a good indicator of health (since metabolism is a key factor in health). It is also great for understanding fertility and either getting pregnant or preventing pregnancy.
A healthy individual with a well-functioning metabolism should have a bbt of at least 97.8 F in the morning. Higher is even better. You can also check your temperature throughout the day to get an idea of how your food and activity level impacts your body temperature. It will help you see what keeps you warm (boosting metabolism) or makes you cold (suppressing metabolism). Then you can adjust your lifestyle accordingly.
For women, bbt is lower (but still usually around the 97.8 range for a healthy individual) in the first half of your cycle when estrogen is dominant and progesterone is low. When you ovulate there is often a temperature drop for one day. Then after ovulation progesterone increases, raising your temperature.
It will take a few months of charting your temperature to get an idea of how your body works and to see if there are any patterns. For example, as I was healing and charting my bbt there wasn’t really a pattern that I noticed at first. My cycles were not regular. But after a while I noticed that if my bbt dropped into the 96’s (or below) even for one day my body was way off and was struggling to get my hormone levels up. And it would be at least two weeks before ovulation. A bbt below 97 meant a restart for me. If my bbt stayed in the 97’s for two weeks I knew ovulation was coming. And after ovulation my bbt was always at least in the 98’s and sometimes 99’s. Once my bbt started dropping that meant the start of a new cycle.
Charting my bbt was the easiest change I made the whole year. But it told me more about my health than just about anything else I did.
8. Focus on health, not looks.
I think I’ve been saying this for years. So it’s not completely new. But deep down I don’t think I fully believed it. I did shift my mindset to focus on health a long time ago. But I didn’t ever drop the focus on looks and size. I still wanted to be thin.
In 2013 my control over my size was taken away. With my thyroid totally out of whack my weight kept going up and up. There was nothing I could do about it. For the first time I truly had to focus 100% on my health.
Did I always like how I looked? No. Did I want to loose some weight? Yes. But that was completely secondary. My health was front and center. And it always will be now, no matter what size I am.
When I look to the future I think about how I want to impact my children. I would much rather teach them to take care of themselves and be healthy. I don’t want to teach them to be obsessed with looks and size. So I am done with that.
Don’t try to be a certain size or weight. Treat your body well. And give your body what it needs to be healthy. You’ll be so much happier. Love yourself and take care of yourself.
9. Change is a very gradual process.
Change does not happen over night. No matter what the next fad diet or workout video tells you. If you want to make changes that are sustainable long term it will be a very gradual process.
Do you want to loose weight? That’s fine. But know that it will take a while. Do you want to eat healthier? That’s a wonderful thing to do. But don’t go crazy trying to do everything at once.
Small, consistent steps each day will get you where you want to be. Don’t get upset because two weeks into making changes you haven’t noticed any big improvements. Give it time.
Healing takes time. Weight gain or loss takes time. A healthy diet takes time. Don’t rush it and set yourself up for failure. I’ve been working on getting healthy for about 15 years now. And I’m finally getting there. One step at a time.
10. Your thyroid can have a big impact on your health.
I was diagnosed as hypothyroid in 2006. I was put on a synthetic thyroid hormone and had my TSH checked about once a year. I really knew nothing about thyroid. I figured the doctor knew what he was doing. I didn’t have any hypothyroid symptoms that I knew of. So I didn’t bother to learn about it. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.
Seven years later I finally had to learn more about it. I wish I would have researched it sooner. I didn’t realize just how much your thyroid could impact your health. I think there are about 200 symptoms that can be attributed to thyroid dysfunction.
Last year I learned so much about the thyroid. I learned what blood work you need to get done and how to interpret the results. Just because your levels are in the “normal” range does not mean you are on the right dose of medication. You have to look at the symptoms more than the numbers.
I learned about the different kinds of medications, how to take them and how to get correct dosage.
I learned how other hormones can impact your thyroid and vice versa.
I learned that iron levels and adrenal problems can mimic thyroid problems. And they need to be addressed first.
I can’t say that I have my thyroid problem 100% figured out yet. It is the last piece of the puzzle that I’m still working on. And I will be writing more on this topic in the future. I will be getting my thyroid hormones levels rechecked in a week and go from there to see if adjustments need to be made.
11. Manage stress.
Stress can be as bad for your health as lack of sleep, a poor diet and lack of exercise. Stress can suppress your metabolism. It can alter your hormones. It can come in many forms too.
Find a way to manage your stress to stay healthy. Take time to do things you enjoy – reading, writing, visiting with friends. It’s also important to find techniques to relax such as walking, yoga or reading the Bible. Figure out what works for you and make it a priority.
12. Adrenal health is very important.
Your adrenal glands play a huge role in your health. If you are not getting enough sleep, aren’t eating enough, are exercising too much or are too stressed, your adrenal glands have to work overtime to compensate.
This works for a while. That is what they are for. They raise your cortisol levels to compensate. But if you do it for too long you stress the adrenals and eventually it leads to adrenal fatigue. Then your cortisol bottoms out and it takes a lot of work to get it back up.
If you think you are suffering from adrenal problems it’s great to do a 24-hour saliva test to check your cortisol levels. I had it done early last year. I’m thankful that my levels were just slightly raised. Which means I was doing ok, but starting to make them work a little too hard. By altering my sleep, diet and exercise I was able to get my cortisol levels back to normal.
13. Birth control is not for everyone…and probably not good for most women.
This is another less I had to learn the very hard way. But it wasn’t until years after I stopped birth control that I realized how much it had harmed me.
A few months before I got married I started birth control. That’s what you do, right? I knew nothing about what it was or what it actually does to your body. But had I not made that one decision I probably never would have struggled with infertility for so many years.
When I was in college I got my health under control. Things weren’t perfect, but I was eating enough, sleeping enough and exercising regularly. I had found a good balance. And for the first time in my life I had regular cycles every single month. This lasted a few years…until I started birth control.
Once on birth control things started to change. The changes were gradual. And I never attributed them to the birth control. But now that I have done a lot of research I can see the big picture. I started to gain weight. Five pounds or so. Nothing major. My anxiety started to get worse. My OCD started to get worse. Eventually I started having panic attacks. My gut got so messed up that I started restrictive diets to try to help. My weight went way down from restriction. I was a big mess. I even had to switch to a new form of birth control because I was starting to puke every month from the hormones. In case you haven’t noticed by now my body is extremely sensitive to any hormone fluctuations.
After stopping birth control three years later it was too late. My hormones were non-existent. I was underweight. I was hypothyroid. My OCD was so out of control that I could barely function. My anxiety was so bad. I had to start seeing a psychologist. My digestive system was so messed up that I had to have major colon surgery. Eventually we started fertility treatments.
I think almost all of this could have been avoided had I not taken birth control. It messed up both my mind and my body.
I know not everyone reacts the same way to hormones. And I’m sure there are cases where it can be helpful. But please do your research before considering any type of birth control. I know that it is something I will never take again. It has taken me many years to get my life back. I’m not going down that road ever again.
14. Be your own advocate.
One big lesson I have learned over the last ten years is that you have to stand up for yourself. Don’t let doctors brush you off or tell you you’re fine when you know you’re not. If something doesn’t feel right, find a doctor that will help.
I had GI problems for years. I finally was brave enough to talk to my doctor about it. He referred me to a gastroenterologist. Great. I thought I’d finally get the help I needed. He asked a few questions, felt my stomach and told me I was healthy and fine. Eventually I got him to run a few tests. But he still said I was fine. I knew I was not. I had to research and research and finally diagnose myself. Even then when I told the nurse at my doctor’s office what I thought was the problem she said “you don’t have that. You’re too young” without missing a beat…over the phone…without asking me a single question. I’m so thankful I was persistent and didn’t just say ok. I finally got referred to a colon surgeon who confirmed my diagnosis and immediately scheduled surgery.
This has happened time and time again to me. I go to a doctor, even specialists, trying to get help. And they tell me I’m fine. Even though I know I’m not. I have had to figure out all of my problems on my own…and just use doctors to get medications and treatments.
15. PCOS is a confusing topic.
When I had my first appointment with an endocrinologist he asked some questions and made an assumption about my health. He assumed I had PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). He ran some tests and did an ultrasound. His conclusion? I had what he called polyfollicular ovaries.
Great. What does that mean? I never really did find out from him or anyone. I tried to research it for years. Nobody else used that term. I have come to some of my own conclusions (as usual). But it’s still confusing.
Many women with PCOS are overweight or have trouble maintaining their weight. Many women with PCOS have irregular cycles and heavy, painful periods. Many women with PCOS struggle with facial hair. Did that sound like me? Not really. I just had no periods.
The common solutions for PCOS are losing weight, eating low carb and taking Metformin to help with insulin resistance. Did I need any of that. No. In fact, eating low carb made my situation worse.
Where did that leave me? Basically my body would try to grow some follicles/eggs each month. But my hormone levels weren’t high enough to mature the eggs. So instead of having one dominant follicle that released an egg (ovulation) I’d have lots of small follicles that did nothing but sit there. Which on ultrasound looks like little cysts. They are really just lots of follicles…polyfollicular.
Even when doing IVF I would have tons of follicles start growing. But very few actually matured enough for the egg to be good (hence our seven rounds of IVF and two good eggs out of almost forty that were retrieved and fertilized). That is also why I would have a condition called hyperstimulation every time. There were too many follicles.
I still don’t have a full answer about what this means. One endo said it’s from bad communication between the brain and the ovaries. Could I technically be classified as having PCOS? I don’t know. I don’t really have the symptoms. My condition is helped by being a healthy weight and taking care of myself. Finding balance with sleep, exercise and food. I also think it is related to my thyroid problem.
All this to say that if you have been diagnosed with PCOS please do your research to figure out where you fit into the criteria and what treatment is best for you.
15 weeks
16. Let God have control.
I’ve known my whole life that ultimately God is in control. But I also know I can make choices. For most of my life I’ve tried to be in control. I ask God for things I want. I ask for things to go my way. If things are good I say it’s God’s plan. But when things aren’t going so well it’s hard to believe it’s still true.
I have such a strong desire to be in control that I could not let go on my own. In 2013 God took the control out of my hands. And it was wonderful. It doesn’t mean that my life was great. Actually it was very hard. But it gave me such freedom to not have to hold every little detail of my life in perfect balance. It was terrifying and wonderful at the same time.
It is so good to know and have proof that God really does have things in his control. He knows what I need. His plans may be different than mine. His timing may be different than mine. But I don’t have to worry about it.
On my own, trying to keep control, I probably would not have had any more children. I would not have made the necessary changes on my own. But with God in control we are expecting baby #3. And the door is open for more. That is something we can decide as a couple down the road. But just to know the door is open, even if we decide not to have more kids, is amazing.
17. OCD does not have to control my life.
It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with pretty severe obsessive compulsive disorder for many years now. I was finally diagnosed/finally realized that I had it about five years ago. And I’ve been working on treating it ever since.
It has been a long and difficult journey. No matter how much I told myself my compulsions were silly and illogical I couldn’t stop. I went through a lot of exposure therapy and have made progress over the years.
Over the last seven months once again God has allowed me to change. When He takes the control, my OCD does not have to control me.
Especially during the first trimester of this pregnancy I had to just let everything go. I just had to do what I could to get through each day. If that meant laying on the couch most of the day, then that’s what I did. If that meant eating less than ideal food, then that’s what I did. If that meant my digestion was so messed up that I was in pain, I didn’t let it bother me or make me anxious. I just kept on going.
I’m so happy to be able to continue this process of eliminating my OCD. My fear does not have to take control. I can give it to God. And I’m never going back to where I was.
It’s hard to think back to when I was first married. It’s hard to think about all the time I wasted being consumed by my thoughts and compulsions. I am very blessed to have such a loving husband that never judged or got upset with me. He helped me through it. And with each child I’ve let more of it go. I’m a type A person. So I will never be 100% cured from OCD. It’s part of my nature. But it will no longer control my life. It will only be an asset and be used for good things. It is what fuels the drive and determination I’ve always had. But if it hinders my relationships or my life it has to go.
Final Thoughts
It feels so good to share all of this information in hopes of helping even one other person. But even more than that it feels good to write it out and be done with the things that have burdened me for so many years. I know how to be healthy and happy. I’m ready to move on to 2014 now.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post I’ll be digging deeper into some of these topics later. For now if you’d like to do some research on your own, here are some great resources I’ve come across.
One of 
“Do you have a picky eater? Are meal times a battle? Before you get frustrated and assume your child is just strong-willed, take a closer look at what is really going on.
