It all started when we moved. The move was hard. It was really, really hard. But looking back at all of the events that happened, all the mountains and valleys the Lord took us through because of the move, I am now able to say that I wouldn’t change it if I had the chance. I will still choose to be where we are.
There are a massive amount of spiritual lessons our family has learned over the last 5 years as a result of that one decision. However, my intention to write this particular post isn’t for that. It’s for health. Both mentally and physically. I will try my best to be quick and to the point. So here we go.
I guess I need to back up a few years before the move to say that I had an extremely difficult delivery with my first child. That deliver led to poor mental health. The poor mental health led to, well you could guess… a lot. The poor mental health could have also been attributed to the fact that I was depriving myself of nutrients. I didn’t mean to do it. I was trying to help my infant son who was spitting up constantly and dealing with blood in his stool. All of this happened before a lot of the delicious dairy-free alternatives came on the market. And dairy-free mama facebook groups. And Pinterest. And, you get the point. We had coconut milk.
But I was so mentally and physically exhausted that I just couldn’t think of what to feed myself. Looking back, I personally believe that was the start of all my health issues.
So for the sake of time and not having to write an entire novel on the matter, I will give a breakdown of events. I dropped over 65 pounds after having my first child. I lost much of my hair. My mental health was poor. I had high anxiety, mood swings, and mild depression. Then I had my second child. Her gut symptoms were significantly worse and she had respiratory issues. This continued to send me down a spiral of health issues that would not fully manifest themselves until a year postpartum.
The move, as I said, opened up a can of worms for my health due to the significant stress. My second child was 1 1/2 years old when we moved. My body began to give me signals of distress. I was having unexplained dizziness and pain, headaches, severe mood swings, continued hair loss hair, poor mental health, monthly cycle changes, issues with my skin and so I tried finding reasons.
I tried using essential oils, getting tests from doctors such as ultrasounds and mammograms, changing my diet (again), and doing lots and lots of google searching.
After all that I’ve been through I will say that a great lesson I’ve learned is to be your own advocate. If you feel like something is wrong with your body, press in (and pray!) for the answers.
It has been 5 years now and the Lord is helping me find the answers that I need for healing. It has been like peeling layers of an onion but it is exciting to finally see progress.
Discoveries that I’ve made are that:
1) Severe gut issues
Steps I’ve taken for healing: Remove gluten, dairy, grain, soy, and sugar
I take an intense probiotic by Garden of Life called Critical Care 80 billion CFU. I was taking 100 billion but have been able to cut down. I also take an herbal product called Gut Healing Oil which I also give to my kids for their gut issues and food intolerances.
2) Yeast Overgrowth/ Candida
This is something that manifested itself after my third csection 2 years ago. I had been put on 3 rounds of antibiotics for it including Fluconazole and what they call “triple nipple cream”. I was told Candida does not exist and was sent for a mammogram.
I removed all gluten, dairy, grain, soy, and sugar (including fruits). I went on an extremely low carb (basically keto without the dairy) diet. I followed the protocols of Dr. Meyers program and Dr. Axe. I was desperate. I was taking garlic, milk thistle, caprylic acid, vitamin C, probiotics, and nothing was helping. I changed my clothes often, washing them in hot water with vinegar. I drank apple cider vinegar with lemon throughout the day. I mean, I tried everything I could think of. Nothing helped. Then I used Candida Cleanse and it worked. I’m still in shock over it. It is not a quick fix though. I need to take it every day with my Gut Healing Oil to bring my gut healing and restoration. I also give it to my second child as there are signs of candida there. So I’m definitely shouting on the rooftops over that product.
3) Thyroid and hormone imbalance
This is an issue that I am still uncovering and exploring. I was having symptoms of hypothyroidism including the hair loss, fatigue, mood swings, irregular menstrual cycles, cracked skin and brittle nails, etc. It took years to get a doctor to put me on Synthroid. I didn’t want to be on any medication but I did want answers to these issues! Once I was put on a very low dose of the medication, most of the symptoms disappeared. But I struggled with being on a medication for the rest of my life. I discussed my concern with my doctor and she suggested I explore natural remedies for my issues. I am currently maintaining my diet as stated above which is generally considered to help balance thyroid and hormone but I am also taking an herbal supplement which I pray will help (but haven’t seen consistent results so I’m not going to link it yet). A few days ago, I realized I could try out some essential oils to help. I’m not sure if they’re a placebo but whatever works! I have noticed a great increase in energy from using my blend of Myrrh, Lemongrass, Clove, and Frankincense. And it smells like a lime-flavored Lifesaver so I’m okay with it!
As I’ve began resolving the gut issues and Candida issues, sort of clearing the path, the last issue of the hormone imbalance been made very clear! I am about to start taking a tincture for hormone balance which I’m very excited about but I’ve also included a magnesium lotion daily, epsom salt bath once a week, Vitamin B-complex, and added Rosemary essential oil to my shampoo! I have already noticed regrowth at my hairline which hasn’t happened in over a year.
I hope this helps someone! It’s been a tough journey but through the Lord’s guidance, I am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully some day I can eat a piece of real wheat homemade bread lathered with delicious butter in celebration to healing- haha!