One of my last lines in my post read, “C” also stands for courage. Today mine is back. Thank you Big Girl Panties.”

My courage has been back all week. My energy has increased tenfold. My clarity, focus, drive and excitement about officially opening my business on October 1 has been spot on.  ”C” also stands for cathartic. Writing that blog post allowed me to just get everything that was in my head and living in my cells, out. Gone. It cleared the deck and gave me a clean slate. A place to start fresh.

This felt like it was overnight, but it really wasn’t. Spirit has been working on me for several weeks now. I was brought into the dark night of the soul in order to get to the other side. In the month of August, it seemed that every day just kept darker and heavier. God was putting the weight on my shoulders to bring me to my knees. I do a lot of praying and a lot of talking to God, but I am not very good at letting go and surrendering. I pray, release and take it back. That blog post brought me to the point of surrender. It was incredibly cathartic and just what I needed to move forward.

Back to Courage…this is a word that has gotten me through so much especially since 2010. In November 2010, my friend Sally and I went to Stanford Cancer Center for a second opinion. While there, we went into a gift shop where I found a black leather bracelet with a sterling silver plate that said courage. It resonated to my cells when I picked it up. I had to have it. I knew that to get through what was ahead of me – chemotherapy – I was going to need to muster up a lot of courage because I was so scared. Scared of dying, scared of leaving my husband alone, scared period.

I wore this bracelet EVERY day without fail. I even wore it to bed. I only took it off to take a shower.

In August of last year, I lost it. Although I was sad, I knew in my heart that whoever found it needed it more than I did at that point. I was through the worst.

Yet, I have never stopped looking for a new courage bracelet. It was a quiet reminder to stay strong no matter what came my way.

I have even considered getting a small tattoo on the back side of my wrist with the word “courage,” but I can’t muster up enough courage to let someone put needles in my arm with ink in them.

A few months back, my husband called the Stanford gift shop to ask if they had more. They had ones with “believe” on it, but no “courage.” I was so touched by his gesture. He told me that I mention it every time we go into a gift shop.

I decided to go on Etsy to see what I could find. I found a couple bracelets for practically nothing. They were so inexpensive I bought them. One has a cross on it and it is even more special than my original one. It reminds me that God has this under control.

Then when my husband and I were in Ocean City, NJ a few weeks ago, we spied a henna tattoo shop.

Yup, you guessed it. I got a “courage” tattoo on my wrist. I LOVE IT! It is much bigger than I would really want, but it is such a great reminder. Even though the Henna tattoo will fade and my courage may come and go, I know that with the help of my family and friends lifting me up, it will return.

Jeff and I always ask each other at the end of an outing what was our favorite moment of the day. Jeff replied, ” Standing outside the henna tattoo shop watching you in the window getting your tattoo with the biggest smile on your face and a line of kids behind you waiting for their Spongebob and Superman tattoos.” I laughed and asked why would this be his favorite moment. He said, “Because you were the happiest I have seen you in a very long time.”

When he asked my favorite moment, I replied, “Hearing yours and remembering just how much I love you. Thank you for another great day together.”

Here’s my tattoo and one of my bracelets:

The post The Good “C” word. appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

Thank God for new beginnings.

Pity Party. Over.

Crying and sadness. Over. (Maybe not forever, but today definitely.)

I woke up this morning and I did exactly what I said I was going to do…

Pulled up my BIG GIRL PANTIES!!! 

Turned on my Happy Day Dance Playlist.

And Danced! Yes, in my big girl panties!

Around my house. Curtains closed.

Screaming Kelly Clarkson’s “What doesn’t kill you, makes you STRONGER!” at the top of my lungs in my really out-of-tune voice.

And Joshua Radin’s Brand New Day. My newest favorite. The lyrics are at the bottom of this post. 

If you have ever heard me speak, my first secret to survivorship is to allow yourself to be sad. Don’t hold it in. Express your fears. Your sadness. Throw yourself a pity party. Holding it in only makes things worse. If you let it out. It is gone. It may come back. When it does. Throw another pity party. Just don’t let them last too long. I give myself a day to cry it out.

Let it go physically.

Let it go spiritually. Let Go, Let God. Surrender.

I have ZERO control in this situation. ZERO! That is a really hard place for any human to be. In any situation. We LOVE the illusion of control. And if you are disagreeing with me…you’re kidding yourself.

Today, I sing. Dance. Smile. Laugh. Eat my organic veggies and focus on wellness. Have fun with my husband. Play with my dogs. Juice my greens.

Today, I am reminded of how grateful I am for the almost 18 years I have lived with cancer, the experiences I have lived, the friends I have made, and the unconditional love I have felt. Plus, the statistic said “on average” which means someone had to live longer than 20 years, right? I am that someone for the next round of statistics! Watch me!

Yes, this is a complete shift from yesterday. I chose that shift. Consciously. It was NOT easy. Yet, I did choose to be in a better place today. To fill my head with healthy, healing thoughts instead of doom, gloom and worry. It may come back. Who am I kidding? It will come back. And we will go through this cycle again. As Joshua Radin states, “You gotta fall in order to mend.”

I may or may not get my wish of being without any cancer, any doctors appointments or hospitals for a year, but that’s okay.

C also stands for courage. Today mine is back. Thank you BIG GIRL PANTIES! YOU ROCK!

 MY NEW THEME SONG!

Joshua Radin – “Brand New Day” lyrics (I really wanted to post a video, but I can’t make it work and the official video is terrible, kinda funny in a terrible sort of way. Search on YouTube if you want to see it.)

“Brand New Day”
Some kind of magic
Happens late at night

The post Big Girl Panties appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

Just One Week. No.

Just One Month. No.

Just One Year. Yes. That would be good. Great actually.

To have just one year where I never had to think about cancer. Ever. No worry that it is back, that it has changed into a new cancer, that it is threatening my life. No doctors appointment necessary. No trips to the hospital – unless I break my leg rock climbing.

Just one year. Free. Worry free. Appointment free. Doctor free.

I am fully aware that worry takes away the joy in today. How do I not worry? How do I stop being afraid?

My last scan came back with activity, but the biopsy showed abnormal, non-cancerous cells. Yay, right?

No. My hemoglobin is extremely low. My iron is extremely low. (Hence no energy.) Yet, my iron stores are double what they should be.

What could that point to? Cancer in the bone marrow. Again.

Or maybe I have internal bleeding. Why?

The doctors are running more tests. Most likely, a bone marrow biopsy.

Considering it hasn’t been that long since chemo, this is very disturbing. It doesn’t help that the Internet provided me with a piece of knowledge I really didn’t need to know. Most people with indolent lymphoma live 20 years. In December, I will be at 18. That definitely adds to my stress level. I really didn’t need to know that bit of info. Then I remember the doc told me I would be dead in 12 weeks in 2001. Hmmm. Shot that to hell. Right?

Now I know that I am not the only one who deals with cancer every day or other struggles. This may seem like a pity party. It is. I am sharing one of my weakest moments with you, my readers. Call me a whiner. It doesn’t matter what you call me. I call it vulnerability, being real, being raw.

I have reached out for help for the first time in a very, very long time. Today I joined the Cancer Support Community group here in Northern Delaware. I also hired a therapist. As positive as I am, this journey is breaking my spirit. Living life with a time bomb inside me sucks some days. Other days, the good days, it reminds to be grateful for everything I have: my husband, family, friends, and my doggies. Tomorrow I will wake up, pull up my big girl panties, and develop a plan to get back my mojo, spirit, and kick cancer to curb. Again.

But. If I could just have one wish upon a star that would come true this is what it would be.

For one year. No cancer. No doctors. No health issues at all. Just living life, running a smashing successful nutrition business, speaking to groups, having fun, enjoying family, friends, life and spreading the love.

Please.

The post Just One Day. appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

So back to educating you about lymphoma. We all have these cells called lymphocytes or white blood cells. With lymphoma they begin to turn into abnormal cells. These can multiply faster than a kid who just learned the times table in middle school!

Where  do lymphocytes live?

In our lymphatic system – which is our toxic waste removal system – and our lymph nodes,spleen, bone marrow,  and blood.

Is there more than one kind of lymphoma? 

Yes. There’s two main types: Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins. Under each of these categories there are are several sub-types of lymphoma. For instance, I have Hodgkins Lympoma, Lymphocyte Predominant. A rare form of lymphoma. Only 5% of lymphoma cases are lymphocyte predominant and only 2% of those cases are females.

What causes lymphoma? 

There are no known causes for lymphoma, however several environmental risk factors have been identified. Solvents such as acetone, alcohol, toulene, xylene, turpentine, and benzene. Herbicides and Pesticides used for pest control and defoliation have been linked to lymphoma and are a significant risk factor. (NOW THAT WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MAKE ME EAT 100% ORGANIC!) This makes total sense because pesticides are fat soluble and processed through your lymphatic system. Therefore all pesticides on fruits and veggies have to go through your lymphatic system – your immune system to be processed out. Agent Orange.  Hair Dye before 1980 is associated with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma and follicular lymphoma.

Why did I decide to call your attention to blood cancer awareness month? 

Next month, the world will be covered in pink. Now, I am not dissing breast cancer awareness, however, I think we should all get equal awareness. The color for lymphoma awareness is lime green. (Side note: I have been attracted to lime green for as long as I can remember and I didn’t know until recently that it is the color for lymphoma awareness. Cool, eh?)

THE CHALLENGE

Wear something LIME GREEN for lymphoma awareness this month. Or where ORANGE for leukemia awareness. Both of these are blood cancers. It doesn’t matter to me, which you choose. Just choose and go for it! It may not be as big a statement as stores being painted with pink next month, but it will mean one more person (you) is aware of blood cancers. If you are interested in purchasing a lymphoma awareness t-shirt, check out www.thelymphomashop.com

Post your photo online or go to my FB page- 365 Days of Health and post it. Tell the world you support those who have and/or have survived blood cancers!

References: www.lymphoma.org

The post Lymphoma Awareness Month appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

Since my last post…

• I have completed my certificate in Holistic Nutrition. YAY ME!
• Coached 5 clients using the principles of holistic nutrition and wellness.
• Shared the message of holistic nutrition and wellness with anyone who would listen, anywhere anyone would listen.
• Received PET scan results in April that came back questionable – some activity showing in the spleen, a node next to it and my hip bones and spine.
• Taken a trip to Arizona to spend time with great friends, visit my natural doctors and other care providers, and check on our rental house.
• Had the honor of speaking at Seneca County’s Relay for Life event in Waterloo, NY and reconnecting with several high school friends.
• Done extensive testing for heavy metals with a new-to-me AZ doctor, Dr. Henele E’ale, which showed that I have extremely high levels of lead in my blood stream. As well as moderate levels of cadmium and nickel.
• Began the chelation process with my new-to-me Delaware doctor. I am on Round 2 right now. The first round was relatively easy. Round 2 – not so much.
• Started exercising 3 times a week at 5:30 AM with my friend Jenny.
• Stopped exercising 3 times a week at 5:30 AM with my friend Jenny. Big Sad Face. I promised to share the tough stuff so here’s one…I am not a fan of exercising. I really wish I could love it naturally and get that high everyone talks about. I need to work on adjusting my attitude around it.
• Saw the Yankees play the Orioles in Baltimore…in the pouring rain.
• Ordered noscapine – an alternative drug for lymphoma. I get it Tuesday. I will keep you posted.
• Began working with a coach and had a rock-your-world kind of breakthrough related to the emotional connection to cancer. I feel much lighter now.
• Recently began weekly meal planning on Tuesday. We moved our CSA share (fruits and veggies from the local farm) pick up to Tuesdays, so I plan our menu based on the contents.
• Began creating sacred space in our back yard where I can enjoy the sound of a fountain, listen and watch nature, as well as commune with God. The peace is wonderful.

My husband and I are still doing great with eating a whole foods, organic diet. Sometimes I cheat. I ALWAYS pay when I do. Dairy is my weakness. Usually cheese. On pizza. Triple whammy: Dairy. White flour. Sugar. Followed by: Headache. Stomach ache. Swelling. It isn’t pretty. I do add veggies on it for what little that counts! The good news is I rarely cheat anymore. I find I don’t crave those things often. The more nutrient-rich food I eat, the better I feel and the more I crave them.

The PET scan results in April slowed me down. I stopped the world and got off to regroup, go within and quiet myself. I put myself under a lot of stress with school and although it was worth it, the stress was more difficult to manage then I expected. To think, my entire career was stress. I was in marketing from the time I graduated college until 2008 when I quit my full-time job due to my health. Deadlines were my motivation every single day.

This is the Luminaria that my great nephew Braeden and my sister Connie did for me at the Seneca County Relay for Life. Yes, he calls me “Hey Dude.” It makes my heart sing.

Tomorrow is my follow up PET scan. My hope is things are stable or better. Better would be nice. Wish me luck on Friday the 13th!

So yes, I am still a work-in-progress. I am incredibly grateful to still be a work-in-progress because it means I am here, living life.

The post Still a Work-In-Progress. Thank God. appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

Like most overnight successes, it was years in the making.

In 1995, I was diagnosed with cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation and no diet changes. I did however I take supplements to support myself during treatmeant.

In 2001,  I was diagnosed the second time with cancer. I chose naturopathic medicine. My naturopathic doctor changed my diet drastically. No sugar, no beef, no dairy. Limited meat. I couldn’t remember when I felt so good. A year and a half later and I was back to eating the standard American diet (S.A.D. – telling right?!).

Two and a half years after I began eating my SAD diet again (2005), cancer recurrence. Rituxin – immunotherapy. I didn’t change my diet. I believed I couldn’t afford it.

Three years later. (April 2008) Cancer again. I began to change my diet. I was about 95 pounds heavier than I am now. Gerson therapy in September 2009 taught me about juicing and making healthier food choices. I lost 60 pounds from feeding my body correctly, detoxing my liver, which helped my lymph flow better.

By March 2010, I was back to eating the SAD. September 2010, the cancer became aggressive and spread to my bone marrow – stage 4. October 2010, I could barely walk. November 2010, I was thrown into chemotherapy. My friends were cooking for me and provided me with much healthier food options. Chemotherapy made me lose another 30 pounds.

By March 2011, chemotherapy was over. The move-to-Delaware stress began. My diet was better as it always is when I go through a kick in the can from cancer. If I went out, I chose healthier options. I didn’t go all fast food on my body. For the most part, I craved the good stuff. (Except the bag of PB cups I ate every week).  Then I went on a cruise and ate so much junk. One slice of pizza every single day. Dessert at dinner most days. Soda. Why don’t I just shut down my immune system right now and put a welcome mat out for Mr. Cancer to come back in?! I felt so yucky and low energy for weeks after the cruise, but I attributed it to jet lag. Jet lag does not last a month. My hip hurt as well, which was similar to the feeling I had when the cancer became aggressive.

This drove me to booking a PET scan to make sure the cancer hadn’t resurfaced. It came back clear.  Whew! I narrowly escaped that one. I had to ask myself some hard questions. Do I want to live? Do I want to give myself the best chances at remaining healthy? Do I want to play Russian roulette any longer? Yes, Yes, and No.

I can look back at my history and clearly see the connection to food as my activator. (I say “my” because this is about me. Not everyone has the same activators.) My NDs have been lecturing me for YEARS – 11 to be exact – on what I needed to take out of my diet so that cancer wouldn’t get the upperhand on me again. I listened for a while, but without understanding the reasons why I needed to eat this way, it never became a long-term lifestyle change.

After four times with cancer and the last one almost taking me down, I decided it was time. Time to become fully immersed in this thing called “holistic nutrition.” Time to take the next step into empowerment while living with cancer.

Picking up a book was like giving me a list of things I “SHOULD” do. I probably wouldn’t finish the first book without some sort of accountability. Instead, I enrolled in a Holistic Nutrition Specialist program at the Southwest Institute of the Healing Arts in late August 2011.

For the first time in 17 years with cancer, I took full control of my diet and lifestyle changes with a complete understanding of why I am making the choices I am making and how they will benefit my health. Tune in for my next post as I list out what exactly has been done to ensure a successful long-term lifestyle change.

The post My 11 Year Overnight Success with an Organic, Holistic Diet. Part 1. appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

Heilee and I toasting my last chemo with sparkling apple juice.

Yesterday was a SUPER HUGE day in my little world. SUPER HUGE! Did I mention SUPER HUGE! It was the anniversary of my last chemotherapy. March 8, 2011 I was unplugged from chemotherapy. The cool thing about the date is that it was 2 chemotherapy sessions sooner than was originally planned. The oncologist recommended 8 treatments, but I responded so fast, he felt no need to do the additional 2. Woo Hoo!

What a difference a year makes. When chemotherapy started in November 2010 I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. It took an attitude adjustment and lots of love and prayers from friends, family and perfect strangers to keep me going. By January, my spirit had returned and I was going to beat this cancer thing…again. And now it is a year later and so much has changed. I am living for the first time in a really long time. In 12 months I have:

• Survived cancer again.
• Witnessed a baby born. (The single best moment of my life.)
• Got my gallbladder removed.
• Connected with my sisters and brother more than we have been since our parents passed away.
• Driven across country with Kristine and my two dogs.
• Saw some beautiful places coming across country and met interesting people.
• Moved to Delaware with my husband.
• Went on a once-in-a-lifetime Mediterranean cruise to Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia with my husband to witness a beautiful wedding between two friends.
• Swam in crystal clear blue waters.
• Felt the sand between my toes in cool new countries.
• Visited NYC twice and DC once.
• Volunteered with a great organization.
• Did two speaking engagements.
• Booked a speaking engagement for June 2012.
• Spent time with my family.
• Played in the snow with our snow-virgin dogs.
• Enrolled (and almost completed) in a holistic nutrition program to help myself heal and found my purpose in life.
• Learned how to cook healthy.
• Started working out.
• Learned to like brussel sprouts, kale and chia seeds.
• Started a blog.

Whew! It has been quite a fulfilling year!

In December 2010, my  friend Beverly gave me the best advice. She said that sometimes we have to just be in the present moment, get through that moment, then the next and so on. Instead of setting goals for 2011, be present in each day. At the end of the year, look back at all you accomplished because if the only thing on that list is “beating cancer” it was bigger than most accomplishments in life. She was right and that is what I did. I stayed present and tried not to get ahead of myself. It helped me maintain my sanity in the midst of the most stress I have ever had. Thank you Bev for being the compass I needed at that given moment. And thank you God for giving me opportunity to do and be more than just beating cancer.

I encourage each of you to sit down and write what you have accomplished in the last 12 months. Give yourself credit even for the little things like learning to like brussel sprouts.

The post What a Difference a Year Makes! appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

Yeah, whatever. I know it’s corny. Apparently, you don’t know how much I LOVE kale.

Before November, I didn’t like kale. Then along comes Meghan O’Hara, Registered Dietician,  holistic nutrition extraordinaire and health coach. She taught me how to make kale chips and I never looked back. (Click on her name to check out her Web site. She’s awesome and I highly recommend her.)

Meghan and I with the first kale chips I ever ate!

Now I am going to teach you Meghan’s awesome recipe. But first, you need to understand why kale rocks!

Kale is green, leafy and exploding with nutrients and flavor!

• It is considered an anti-cancer vegetable because it is so high in flavonoids and carotenoids.
• It is also an anti-inflammatory and an immune system builder thanks to the high level of vitamin K.
• It is uber high in chlorophyll, which helps alkalize your body’s pH. What?! pH – I will be teaching you soon about pH. Alkaline is where it is at.
• It helps your liver detox!
• It is low in calories: only 36 per cup.

How to prepare the YUMMIEST EVER KALE CHIPS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash kale and rip into 1 – 1/2 pieces.

3. Drizzle with approximately 1 TBSP avocado oil (or olive oil), the juice of 1 lemon and then sprinkle with garlic salt to taste. (If you use olive oil, drop the temp down to 320 and bake longer. Otherwise olive oil will convert to a trans fatty acid).

4. Lay out the pieces flat on a baking sheet (put down parchment paper first, so clean up is easy.)

5. Bake. (The baking time varies. My oven is 7 minutes, but the recipe calls for longer.) Keep an eye on them. They go from crisp to burnt quickly.If your chips aren’t crisping up, that probably means your kale is old.

     Bowl O’ Kale Chips – crispy, yummy, nutritious kale chips.

1. Wash the kale well and cut the stem out (the stem is edible, but I find it too crunchy for me.)

2. Rip it or cut it up into bite size pieces and dry in a salad spinner then place in bowl.

3. Chop up a clove of garlic, let it sit for 5 minutes. This allows the powerful allicin to activate in the garlic.

4. Squeeze the juice of a lemon (or use balsamic vinegar) over the bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over the top.

5. Add whatever other veggies, nuts, and seeds you would like, toss in the garlic and eat up!

How to steam kale:

1. Wash kale and cut into 1/2 inch slices and the stems a little smaller. Let them sit for 5 minutes

2. Bring water to a boil with a steamer basket on top. (I use my stock pot with the top steamer basket.)

3. Steam for 5 minutes and then top with a mixture of garlic, olive oil and lemon.

I have made both the chips and salad for many people. All of which, were surprised they liked it. I was too and now I can’t go more than a couple of days without kale.

Source: www.whfoods.org and www.truenourishment.me 

The post Day 111-113: For the Love of Kale appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

During my “funk” last month, I did a lot of thinking and processing. It has been a long adulthood and I have experienced my share of adversity: Losing both my parents by the time I was 30, learning about some family secrets that rattled me to my core for a while, and having cancer four times. And none of which, I would trade because I have learned from these experiences.

However, from 2008-2011 the cancer was active and living with it really began to tear down my spirit. Those of you who know me, know I have LOTS of spunk and spirit, but I had NO energy behind it. And when I did have energy it faded fast; it was fleeting.

I quit my full-time job because I couldn’t keep up anymore. My husband and I made the decision for me to quit work and build my coaching business, but I found that I didn’t have the energy for that either. It faded. And the same thing happened when I started a non-profit. With each failure, it whittled away at my spirit without me even knowing it. It wasn’t until recently that I realized my spirit was secretly being stolen.

Things are changing thanks to this awareness!

I have spent many years gathering life experiences. And more years than I can count just surviving and enduring what life was throwing at me, Yes, I did it with an optimistic attitude, but I found it hard to actively plan and participate in life in between doctors appointments and therapies. It is time! With energy from holistic nutrition and even more knowledge from school, I am seriously excited about 2012. I have deemed this year the year of the harvest!

Yes, that sums it nicely. I looked up the definition of harvest before I chose that word. One definition of harvest is “to receive the benefits from.” Another is “the result or consequence of an activity.” 2012 and beyond is the time to reap the harvest. It is time to put all the knowledge about living with cancer, cancer survivorship and healthy lifestyle choices into good use by helping others.

Soil has been prepped, seeds have been planted, the crops have weathered all sorts of storms, the sun is shining and now it is ready for harvesting! As I go through these classes I am beginning to make tools and tip sheets for my clients and for seminars. I am seeing things in my head that can be developed to help people make healthier choices. Sure, I might experience more rain and maybe even a storm or two, but just like rain helps crops grow, it will continue to make me grow as well. This year I am stepping into whatever God’s plans are for my life and I commit to seeing them through with a renewed sense of self, spirit and health.

The post Days 100-110: It’s All Good Even When It Rains appeared first on 365 Days of Health.

We didn’t. I worried. The results were never delayed.

With intrepidation, I sat at my doctor’s office waiting to talk to him without an appointment. He came out with a smile on his face, handed me my scan results and said that after only three treatments the cancer was almost gone even in my bone marrow! He said they were exceptional and unexpected results. I remember him telling me to continue doing integrative therapies because they were making a major difference in the success of the protocol. [Insert happy dance here.]

The last 34 days:
First, thank you for being patient with me as I figure out how to fit blogging into my schedule.

It has been over a month since I have blogged, but I have wanted to blog. HONEST. Even thought about what a great blog topic something would be. Yet, I didn’t. Why? I was tied up. My fingers were… My…

I was in a funk. A miserable, cranky, saddy pants funk.

Part regular every year funk (except last year because I had bigger things on my plate) and part detoxing funk.

What is every year funk? It revolves around a few things…1. Unaccomplished hopes and dreams in the previous year. 2. The death of my mom (Jan. 7, 2000) 3. Trying to figure out where I want to go. Sometimes I am not finished with the last year yet. This was especially the case with 2011. You would think I would be over it and ready to move on considering it was a huge year of transition – surviving cancer AGAIN, moving to DE from AZ, enrolling in school and putting my brain to work.

Yet, I wasn’t done with it. I missed out on a few months and still had things to check off my to do list. I don’t like to carry anything into the next year.

Then the second funk started taking place – The Detox Funk. In December, I found out that I am experiencing delayed food allergies to cane sugar and all things cow and goat dairy. Now, I know what you are all thinking. She shouldn’t be eating sugar, dairy or beef anyway. Yes, you are right. But any change that starts with what I should or shouldn’t be doing isn’t going to last long if it even starts. I did give up sugar and dairy several times and went back to it. I know it impacts cancer and the immune system effectiveness. Then add the fact that I am allergic to it and WHAMO – it impairs my immune system and creates inflammation.

New Year’s Day I went cold turkey. All dairy and sugar products were removed from the house. Do you know how many names sugar has and where it is hidden?

It was awesome easy hard as hell. Death by chocolate is real, my friends, but it is death for chocolate. I even went as far as ordering 5 sugar free chocolate bars for $22! What?! I found myself trying to find something, anything buried deep in my cupboards that had sugar in it. When I did, I would stare it down. Jeff would come home to find some random thing on the counter and just shake his head. Oddly enough, two cookie containers were sitting in the garage full of peanut butter balls and cranberry, white chocolate chip cookies. I didn’t eat them. I still have eaten them. They sit there. I look at them every day on my way to the car. It’s like giving someone the silent treatment and waiting to see who cracks first. Senseless, right?! I know. Welcome to the world of detox.

A world that rears its ugly head in a lot of ways. Headaches, extreme fatigue, crabbiness, negative thoughts, low energy, inability to focus, judgement, severe ezcema patches and some not so pretty bowel movements. Oh yes, I did just say it. As Heilee says, “poop, there it is!”

This is why I haven’t been blogging as of late. Nothing I had to say was nice and it probably wouldn’t make much sense. My wires were crossing with all the sugar and dairy coming out. I barely had enough synapses firing to get my school work completed. Ironically though, a lot of profound thinking went on during this down time, which will be shared over the coming weeks.

Good news! I am on the other side of it now. My energy has increased, my headaches are gone, sugar and dairy are no longer missed, my synapses are firing, and I am back in the game.  By eating more nutrient-rich foods, my body began to feel better;  positive thinking is natural again; I am more connected spiritually with this level of extreme faith that it is all happening as it should; my pH is becoming more alkaline; and I feel more grounded and centered. My “light” feels like it is turned back on after four years of being extremely dimmed. WOW! What I eat really does influence how I feel and how I “see” the world and myself in the world.

Sometimes I wish I knew this nutrition information sooner and then I remember it comes when the subject is ready for it and can hear it. My NDs have been telling me this stuff in different ways for years. It just took me until now to hear it. I am incredibly grateful to still be “here” to hear it. I am ready to welcome 2012 with open arms and let go of what didn’t get done in 2011. Most likely, it didn’t serve my best and highest good anyway.

Happy New Year, my friends!

The post Day 66-100: Hibernating and Healing appeared first on 365 Days of Health.