MY STORY
If you knew my high school self, you’d laugh that I’m doing a blog on embracing a healthy lifestyle. I used to come home from school and whip up brownie mix for a snack or eat up most of the cookies at birthday parties. My grandparents told my mom I had a sugar problem. Yikes, those taddle tales! Now, I hardly eat refined sugar and I’m always seeking healthier alternatives to favorite desserts…and they truly taste better to me at this point! I used to say I didn’t understand how people enjoyed working out. Now, I get excited to do strength training and Tabata styled workouts!
I didn’t have your typical senior year of high school. The week before school started, I began passing out. A lot. I got to the point I was mostly bedridden (couch ridden) and my mom would help me to the bathroom in case I passed out. The headaches and abdominal pains were intense. I was nauseous and began to have shooting pains, numbness, and sporadic paralysis in my extremities. Eventually I was diagnosed with an extreme case of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). I completed my senior year through home bound instruction and the next six years were an absolute roller coaster ride. I’d start improving and then have a major setback. I had to take multiple semesters of medical leave in college. Despite being an avid learner and very invested in receiving my bachelors in biology with minors in nutrition and chemistry, I frequently questioned if my health would cooperate enough to get a degree.
I married my high school sweetheart who I met one week after my symptoms started. I’m grateful he’s walked through these highs and lows with me as a steady, loyal rock. Also, probably a good thing so I don’t have to explain all the random health hacks I try! Joel knew he wasn’t marrying a “normal” wife when he said I do!
Doctors didn’t know what to do with me. I don’t say that as a criticism. Rather, I was a strange medical case and then sought help elsewhere. I began chiropractic care and chelation therapy, radically changed my diet, and was physically active when able. Later into my recovery, I did homeopathic treatments and received routine IV infusions.
Six years of crazy. Six years of questioning if I’d become a wife and mother. I had medical setbacks after getting engaged which made me question if my fiancé was committing to a defective wife. But through the measures I took, my setbacks were getting fewer and less extreme. I finished up the treatments I was doing only three months before getting married.
Six weeks into marriage, I got PREGNANT! What an unexpected surprise! I believe my daughter is the icing on top to my healing journey. Since getting pregnant in 2018, I haven’t passed out once. No numbness, shooting pains or sporadic paralysis. No extreme abdominal pains. I’m living life whole!
Here’s the thing, though. I was still in school. I had one more year left of college due to the medical leaves I took. My husband had graduated from college two months before we got married. He was working landscaping until he could start training for his official job. Finances were TIGHT. Each year has brought raises that have helped our family budget. That doesn’t change the fact I’m a stay at home mom and we’re also still growing our family. Three kids in (and not done), we see how fast money can be spent. Inflation isn’t helping either…
One of the roles I have in my marriage is to set our monthly budget and track our expenses. Yes, the nerd in me enjoys that. I quickly realized how easy it is for me to spend on groceries, health products, and supplements. So I gave those categories their own monthly allotment. I found myself discouraged by how expensive all the products are out there… I want to support those companies but that doesn’t mean it fits in our budget.
Let’s be honest, there’s a lot of wonderful nutrition and lifestyle advice out there (and naturally a lot of heated arguments)… but a lot of the advice can be too expensive for the average person. My goal is to bridge the gap. Provide different price points for embracing a healthy lifestyle and minimize the overwhelm of where to start. I strive to make embracing a healthy lifestyle as straightforward as possible. These tips will apply to all walks of life but I’m especially passionate about pregnancy, postpartum, and young motherhood. Let’s start these little kiddos off strong!
I dabble in some DIY products. Although, I’ll be the first to admit that’s not my speciality. I can promise I’ll have some “Pinterest fails” to share. Given my background in biology, I’m a research nerd. Yes, I enjoy reading through PubMed articles. I’ll make it clear if a health tip is anecdotal or backed by research. You can expect references for the health information I share.
There’s something else you should know about me: I used to avoid spending money at all costs. After years of illness, I began to question why I was hoarding all my money? After all, I’m not taking it to heaven with me. That season set me up to have a more balanced appreciation of money. I began to realize life is transactional and that’s actually a good thing! I can use my money to be a blessing to others. I can buy products I believe in and support someone else’s dream that involved a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. That said, there’s still a balance in order to spend within our means.
I believe embracing a healthy lifestyle doesn’t stop at the food you put in your body. This is an entire commitment to also being physically active, mentally strong, and minimizing exposure to toxins. But let’s be real, food is what gets me giddy! I spent too many years barely able to eat without getting sick. As far as I’m concerned, I have years to redeem. The recipes I share won’t be bland. Food deserves to be fresh and flavorful!
After having my first child one day after my last college final, I became a stay at home mom and now have three children. While at home, I began writing my first memoir about overcoming my health crisis which is in the publishing works to be released in 2025. I plan to continue formal nutrition training in the near future. I believe not a minute has been wasted pausing my education to soak up the time at home while my children are young.
Through the highs and lows, I’ve learned God’s goodness is to be celebrated and your physical body is to be cherished and respected!
Let’s journey together to an abundant life in spirit, soul, and body!
