Rebooting with the Whole 30

Well friends, it has been a while since I have written about my wellness adventures.  I got off track in May when I started consuming sugar and small amounts of dairy in Jamaica...and did not stop when I returned to the states.  The headaches, brain fog, and fatigue have returned with a vengeance, and I gained back 10 of the 15 lbs I lost.

Today I start the Whole 30 with Wes and a friend from work to get myself back on track.  I am so thankful for Wildtree.  This week I prepped 10 dinners.  I made plans for breakfasts for the first week and we will eat leftovers for lunch.  I am actually really excited.  I have attempted the Whole 30 before but never completed all 30 days.  Wes asked me recently what would be different this time.  I know how much better I felt in January through April when I eliminated gluten, dairy, and sugar from my diet, and I am motivated to return to that.

I highly recommend the Whole 30 to anyone, but especially those dealing with pain, inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, GI issues, skin problems, poor immune system, food addiction, sugar addiction, sleep disturbances, or cravings.  The Whole 30 also works well as an elimination diet and has a system for food group reintroduction.  If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey!

https://whole30.com/

A New Chapter

Recently I have posted about dreaming again and freeing up my time.  I did not mean to be so cryptic; I simply wanted to be intentional about what I wrote.

In January I began to focus on self-care.  In the beginning, this meant the food I consumed and my exercise routine (and trying to get more sleep, which did not really happen).  While these changes certainly helped, much more needed to change in my life.

A dear friend confronted me in early March to express her concern about the pace I have kept the last three years (with work and otherwise).  I had been unraveling at the seams for a while, but the effects were becoming more apparent to all those who crossed my path.  She expressed her concern in love, but of course it was hard to hear.  I spent 24 hours crying bed, and then decided to start fervently praying about my future, especially pertaining to my career.  During this time, I clung to music worship.  Honestly too exhausted to articulate my own prayer, I prayed "I Have This Hope" by Tenth Avenue North and "Trust in You" by Lauren Daigle.

For the last three years I have juggled two careers (nursing and Wildtree) and several volunteer roles.  Over the course of six weeks, I prayed that God would shed light on which career path I should pursue and which volunteer positions I should let go.

Day by day it became clear that I needed to step back from my leadership role at Wildtree (DO NOT PANIC CUSTOMERS: I AM STILL STAYING ACTIVE AS A REP!).  I LOVED my three years (almost exactly) of leadership with Wildtree: the income, the flexibility, the friendships, the free vacations, the personal development.  Wildtree truly shaped the second half of my 20's for the better.  I also decided to relinquish ALL of my formal volunteer roles to focus on my family.

Stepping back from my leadership role at Wildtree meant taking a full time position at Lutheran (split between Mom/Baby and Lactation).  Nearly a month has passed since I transitioned to my full time role, and I am LOVING it.  When I am at work, I give 110%.  When I am at home, I am FULLY PRESENT.  The flexibility with Wildtree turned out to be a double edged sword for me.  I have seen it work so well for many of my peers, but I never figured out how to have good boundaries.  I did not know how to put the work down and be present with my family.

During those six weeks of prayer, the desire to go back to school grew in me.  More specifically, I want to be an integrative family nurse practitioner in the direct primary care movement.  I plan to start around the same time James goes to kindergarten and go to school part time (I will likely take five years to do a 2-3 year program).

BUT FOR NOW, I PLAN TO SPEND 2017 FOCUSING ON MY FAMILY, specifically Wes, James, and my parents.  We covet your prayers for sweet James during this transition.  I worked from home so much before.  It has not clicked for him that even though I am away from home more, we have more time together without distractions.

Thanks for all the love and support :).

PCOS and Adrenal Fatigue

So it has been over a month since I had my appointment with Dr. Brie at Direct Osteopathic Primary Care.  I love the direct primary care model.  We pay a montly membership to be a part of the practice ($70/person).  We have direct access to Dr. Brie at any time via e-mail or phone.  Direct Primary Care takes out the insurance "middle man" and facilitates a direct connection between doctor and patient...and I love that!

The cost deterred us originally, but once I crunched the numbers, we will actually save money...what?!  Dr. Brie gives us her wholesale cost for prescription, supplements, and labs, so we actually pay much less than with insurance.

It has taken me about a month to process what we covered in our hour-long appointment.  We talked extensively about my health history, medications, supplements, diet, and concerns.  Due to our upcoming move, I decided to wait on the labs until after April 15, but Dr. Brie had a pretty good idea about what is going on in my body.

So here it goes:

At age 20, a doctor diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) due my irregular cycle and hormone levels (androgen excess).  That doctor told me to "have kids now" or that I may never have kids.  Wow.  I remember being with my dear friend Allegra in the days following that appointment and I grieved and grieved.  Over the following years, I "never met the criteria again".  Dr. Brie informed me that the experts in the field do not agree on the criteria, so diagnosis can be subjective.  Thankfully I easily got pregnant with James and breastfeed without trouble (other than my early return to work and James' desire to breastfeed every one to hour hours for the first seven and a half months).

As a Mom/Baby nurse and lactation consultant, I know that PCOS typically has a specific physical profile, which I have never met.  Many doctors would tell you that the ovaries drive PCOS, but PCOS can be powered by the adrenals (which sit on your kidneys).  Without the labs, we cannot know which "powers" mine.  However, based on my symptoms, my adrenals stand out as the cause.

"One of the most pronouncedly unique expressions of PCOS involves women who have high levels of a hormone known as DHEA-S.  This androgen is only produced by the adrenal glands, and it’s been found that women with high DHEA-S have rather different characteristics than other women with PCOS.

Up to 50% of women with PCOS have high levels of the adrenal hormone DHEA-S in their blood. This can easily fly under the radar because the DHEA-S reference ranges on standard blood tests are very large and don’t reflect the natural drop of this hormone which occurs with age. 

In a woman with adrenal androgen excess PCOS, [the] normal [DHEA-S] pattern ends up disrupted. Often, DHEA-S levels are above the reference range when compared to other women without PCOS of the same age.  DHEA-S levels can also fluctuate greatly in women with this type of PCOS, whereas in other women they tend to steadily decline with age." | Read more on PCOS Diva

So why would the adrenals malfunction like this? STRESS.  Without going into the pathphysiology of it all, stress causes your adrenals to excrete more cortisol, which directly and indirectly turns into testosterone (the primary androgen).  Excess androgens (testosterone) equal PCOS.

Many women with PCOS get treated for symptoms, but to improve adrenal driven PCOS, the root cause must be addressed: the adrenals and stress!

The adrenals control the fight or flight response.  Biologically our stress response relates to survival. In a life or death situation, the adrenals flood the body with cortisol.  Our adrenals were not designed for continuous day to day stress.  When faced with this day to day stress, the adrenals become fatigued.  Reading the signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue feels like reading about myself, which really validates my experience (and make me feel a little less crazy).  Not only that, but identifying the root cause brings hope for improvement!

THE PLAN:
1. Reduce stress by increasing self care
2. Diet changes -

"Things like BPA’s in the plastics that we consume, act as estrogen disruptors. Genetic modified organisms (GMO’s) in the foods you eat every day, like gluten (wheat), soy, corn, and other grains, are not only estrogen disruptors, but they are hidden sources of inflammation production, and therefore stress, in your body."        | Read more on Adrenal Fatigue Society

3. Supplements:
           - Ashwaghanda: Supports adrenals to manage a healthy stress response
           and anxiety, helps curb carbohydrate cravings and stress eating
           - Saw Palmetto: Helps process and eliminate androgens causing PCOS
          - Inositol: Mood and cycle regulation related to PCOS
          - B Complex: Supports adrenals to regulate stress response and energy level

I must emphasize that my labs must be done to confirm all of the above.  All of this is presumed based on my symptoms.  I share here on this blog because the more I share, the more women I meet with similar struggles who have not sought out help, have been told "it is all in your head", or have only had their symptoms addressed (not the root cause).  We need to band together, get the help we need, and THRIVE again!




(Many of you know I needed high levels of glucocorticoids (steroids) to keep me out of respiratory failure.  Additionally, I used a steroid inhaler from age 3 through midde school; topical steriods from age 3 to present; and I have needed oral or intramuscular steroids once or twice a year for eczema and asthma exacerbation most of my life.  That has played a major role, but I do not understand it well enough at this time to share about it.)

Self Care or the Lack Thereof

Self care - most of my mom friends would say, "What is that?!"  I certainly did.  I did not "have time" for that..until it caught up with me.

Last fall slowly but surely I could not keep up with life's demands.  Really it began years ago, but it became markedly more apparent then.  Being a Wife, a Mom, a Wildtree Director, a Lactation Consultant, I could not keep up.  One day I felt like I could not even get out of bed.  I had neglected myself for so long that I could no longer serve others: my husband, my son, my family, my Wildtree team/customers, my co-workers, my patients.

I had to make a change.

I had tried to make a change so many times before.  But as I have talked about with my friends Brenda and Jessica, it is hard to make a change when you are still getting by.  When you feel mediocre but can still get the job done, it is difficult to summon the motivation.  At least it was for me.

I finally hit a wall right before Christmas.  I decided to wait until after Christmas, my birthday, and my birthday getaway to get rolling (procrastination or wisdom, I am not sure which).

1. Anti-inflammatory diet (see previous posts).

I saw so many positive effects: decreased fatigue, headaches, brain fog, GI issues, body aches.  I thought this alone would be enough over the long haul.  It certainly helped, but it was just the tip of the iceberg.

A friend boldly reached out to me to tell me she worried what would happen to me physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically.  So I shed quite a few tears, slept for 24 hours, and then got to work.

2. I gave up all my volunteer positions.  I have always wanted to be the room mom, serve on parent council, etc.  Maybe in a different season, but not right now.

3. I set up a morning routine - a short Bible reading and exercise. (I typically do not even give myself enough time to shower, get dressed, and get out the door on time.)

4. I made a counseling appointment.  I cannot count on my fingers and toes how many times I have told others that everyone should see a counselor.  About time I took my own advice.

5. I delegated some tasks to Wes that I had been holding onto.

I am a work in progress.  I know this is just the beginning.  But nonetheless, it is a break through.  And I feel hopeful.  It is the first time I have taken action to back up my belief that you cannot serve those around you without taking care of yourself.  I share because I am not alone.  I have to summon the courage to share each blog post.  But each time others gals reach back, we connect over our shared experiences, and we move forward together.  And for that, I am thankful.

The Egg that Broke the Camel's Back

One month into our anti-inflammatory lifestyle.  Big decreases in headaches, GI upset, brain fog, and fatigue.  I am a little disappointed that I am only two pounds down, but I know I need to up my water and exercise.

My word for 2017 is REVIVE...and I feel like my body is being revived!  I took a photo of myself for Wes and James while at work recently. For the first time in a long time, I saw a THRIVING woman in the photo.

Now back to the subject line...

Before I embarked on this anti-inflammatory lifestyle, inflammation wrecked havoc on my body.  After eliminating gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, and limiting corn, much of that inflammation disapated.  This allowed me to see what other foods caused an inflammatory response in my body.  After eliminating so many things, eggs became a huge part of my diet: scrambled eggs for breakfast, hard boiled eggs on my salads, hard boiled eggs for a snack...you get the idea.  I started to notice that my eczema flared each time I had eggs, which is actually pretty common.  I have just been in denial!

Eliminating gluten, dairy, soy, and sugar (and limiting corn) did not phase me as much as I expected due Wildtree's menu planning resources (see bottom of post).  But I CRIED and CRIED when I eliminated eggs.  It was the egg (straw) that broke the camel's back.

I have come up with some solutions/ideas, but at the time I kept thinking, "What the heck am I going to eat for breakfast?!"  I have many friends on a similar journey and their support has helped me immensely.

All of these inflammatory issues began after my pregnancy with James.  I experienced MAJOR respiratory issues during my pregnancy and was on oral steroids for 31 weeks.  I have always know I would experience long term effects from this, but I am finally digging in to learn more.  About 3 years ago I reached out to our family practice doctor and requested a thyroid panel.  Everything came back normal.  At the time, she worked in a large family practice clinic and did not have the capacity to apply her passion and knowledge for Integrative Medicine to connect the dots with my symptoms (fatigue, brain fog, GI upset, weight gain, headaches).  However, she just started her own Integrative Medicine practice.  We will be locking arms to tackle my symptoms.  I will be asking her to further explore thyroid and adrenal issues, as well as Cushing's Syndrome (all can be linked to long term steroid use).  I am hopeful to learn from her on this journey.

Thanks for being a part of my journey.  Let me know how I can help and encourage you on your journey to health!

(We follow a Paleo-ish eating plan.  For more information about the benefits, click here.)

Day 14 and going strong!

Day 14 of my anti-inflammatory lifestyle!!!

Overall things have been going very well.  It has actually be a lot easier than I anticipated because I am finally READY.  I had a couple hiccups while I traveled to St. Louis and back (had, a couple drinks one night, accidentally had some soy and sugar in a salad dressing, and had some pesto on chicken, which contained has parmesan cheese).

Within a couple of days, I noticed:

- significant decrease in my eczema

- decrease in headaches (I have also gone back to the chiropractor)

My brain fog and fatigue have not changed, but I know that I am experiencing "die-off" from the candida, among other things.

I have never made it to the two week mark before, so I am very encouraged.  I do not have any thoughts of "quitting".  I know the benefits will be significant, I just need to be patient.  The one thing that has been discouraging is that I have not seen any weight change.  I am only weighing in once a week, so we will see if anything has changed when I weigh in this weekend.  I also fear that I may have to eliminate more foods if I do not get my desired results (eggs, legumes, corn, nightshades).

Many have reached out to ask what I have been doing and what tools I am using to plan and prepare my/our food:

1. BREAKFAST: eggs, bacon, avocados and/or roasted tomatoes; coffee with almond milk (New Barn or Malk brand) and a tsp. of raw honey

2. LUNCH: At work, salad bar (with dressing from home); at home, raw veggies, minimal fresh fruit, nuts, avocados, boiled eggs, hummus;  starting Wildtree's "Salad-In-A-Jar" concept this week!

3.  DINNER: Wildtree freezer meals (easily made without gluten, dairy, soy, and sugar)!

4. INSTANT POT: I can cook anything in that thing!

5. SNACKS while out and about: almonds, cashews, beef jerky (watch out for sugar), fresh veggies, hummus, WATER with essential oils

I dream (literally) about wine and chai tea, cheese and vanilla yogurt, croissants and donuts.  But I have hope that I can see incredible change in my health, and that is worth saying "good-bye" to those things forever.

GOALS FOR THIS WEEK: drink more water and establish an exercise routine!

I will be doing food prep this weekend so I will take pictures and post them.  Thanks for supporting my journey!  I would love to support any of you in an anti-inflammatory lifestyle too!

Starting the Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle...Again

Many of you know that from the moment I got pregnant with James, my body lost all balance.  After I delivered, all my respiratory issues quickly resolved, but my body did not bounce back overall.  Many women experience this.  In the beginning I blamed the post partum period, but the extreme fatigue, brain fog, headaches, insomnia, weight gain, forgetfulness, moodiness/irritability, and sugar addiction did not fade with time, but rather worsened.

In late 2013/early 2014 I learned about how all of these symptoms relate to inflammation from my friend Stephanie (Louden) Townsend.  On the blog "Mind. Body. Green.",  Shelley Malone explains inflammation:

"Simply put, inflammation is the immune system’s response to a stimulus that is viewed as foreign or toxic to your body (aka an antigen). 

Your immune system constantly monitors for anything that appears as a foreign intruder (like an infectious bacteria or other material) that shouldn’t be in the body and is always at the ready to signal its highly specialized troops of cells and molecules to attack and dispose of the foreign material. 

It is an essential part of healing in acute conditions (e.g., a fever fighting an infection). However, when your immune system is disrupted, it puts itself unnecessarily on constant defense, sending inflammation continually rippling throughout your body. In this state, it’s working against you, instead of for you, by switching focus from the antigen it’s supposed to attack and instead launching a targeted strike on your own cells, tissues, or other harmless material."

Here's the bottom line: 60-80% of your immune system is determined by the health of your gut. The food you eat impacts your gut, and your gut impacts your immune system.  A consistent diet of inflammatory foods triggers the immune system into chronic inflammation (which causes unpleasant symptoms and ultimately disease).  Conversely, a diet of anti-inflammatory foods protects the immune system so it can do its job only when needed.  This is not new news!  Hippocrates said that "all disease starts in the gut" back in 460-370 BC!  Stephanie encouraged me to do the Whole 30 and gave me some suggestions to ease back into an exercise routine.  She mentioned that my asthma, eczema, and allergies would all likely be helped as well.  Inflammation fuels that triad (as it is called in the healthcare world) as well.

I cannot tell you how many times I started the Whole 30...and never finished it.  Or how many times I started a 10-week exercise program only to make it two weeks.  I have honestly lost count.  I ask myself time and time again why I continued to live this way instead of doing what I knew my body needed.  But I can't live looking in the rear view mirror anymore.  So here I go again...

So what is different this time?  While I have been slender to average build for most of my life, I just hit my highest weight ever, bringing me a BMI of 31, taking me from the overweight to the obese category.  I am now 40 pounds away from a healthy BMI.  And I am SO TIRED.  I am thinking about taking a nap 100% of the time.  I used to have periods of energy...now I have none.  However, that does not stop the insomnia.  I lay there at night unable to sleep, but so so exhausted.  The headaches are getting more frequent.  And the brain fog and forgetfulness affect every facet of my life.  The mood swings...not fair to my family!  I want to be really clear: this is not an "oh poor me blog".  I want to be descriptive because I know so many of you experience the same things.  And I want to share this journey with you.  IT IS TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE.

Thankfully I have some tools in my tool belt already:
- Wildtree:  Freezer Meal Workshops have helped us to eat healthy dinners for over three years.  However, my problems have been breakfast on the run, sugary coffee drinks, and snacks, snacks, snacks.  Lucky for me, Wildtree has solutions for these too...and I am finally going to start utilizing them.
- Breakthrough Health and Wellness "Boot Camp Hub": These 20-30 minute living room workouts have worked well for me in the past...just need to get rolling again.
- Friends!!!: Many have gone on this journey before me - Wes, Stephanie, Jennifer, Hannah, Ashley, Christen, Danelle, Teegan, Julia, Whitney (click here to read about her journey), Heather, Jessica, Brenda...and so many more.  I need to lean on them.

So what exactly am I going to do this time around?
- Eliminate gluten, dairy, soy, and sugar
- Limit corn (pretty much only going to consume it if it is in a Wildtree product)
- Start exercising three days a week
- Drink lots and lots and lots of water
- Keep up with my multi-strain refridgerated pro-biotic
- Click here for other great Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle tips from Shelley Malone

I will do my best to chronical my journey here.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME.  January 2 will be Day 1 for me (I would be setting myself up for failure if I committed before my 30th birthday this week).

READY. SET. GO.