Going Natural

I began learning about using all-natural products about a year ago, I'd say. First, of course, you hear all the bad things about everything from toothpaste and laundry detergent to Robitussin. Just the tip of the "non-food" iceberg.

I found myself interested, and convicted enough to begin making small changes--all in hopes that larger changes would come automatically and have a dramatic impact on my family. Specifically, the impact I was looking for involved health, health, health. Don't get me wrong. We are not un-healthy. We are not sickly, or disease-ridden. We are probably very average. There's just these issues. Issues which a lot of people probably have.

Issue #1: Husband's entire family is riddled with every kind of horrible cancer imaginable. Being from a family that has never had one person suffer cancer, this has had a huge impact on my thinking. Especially where it concerns the safety and health of my husband and children. Whether or not anything can be done to prevent them, of even me, from ever getting it, I don't know. Only the Lord knows, but if food and environment really do make a difference, why risk it. Why wait till it's too late to make the change.

Issue #2: I suffer from an under-active thyroid. Hypothyroidism does run in my family. I've had it for over 20 years which is a long time for someone relatively young. I've watched my dad deal with side effects and some dibilitation from it and he's only had it a couple of years longer than me. Of course, he is in his 70's too.

Issue #3: Allergies. I've shared before that my son has a peanut allergy. This allergy is one thing in itself to deal with, but the seasonal allergies that he is more suseptible to because of it, are horrible--and (were) getting worse all the time.

Issue #4: Weight. My husband has had a hard time controlling his weight. Like most americans, his lifestyle is usually somewhat sedentary. He doesn't over-eat, though he has. He does like sweets--don't we all! But again, his family members all struggle with this--way more than my family, and even myself.

These things have been my motivating factors. First and foremost, last fall we were forced to take drastic action for my son so that he could breath. Dragging him to a bunch of doctors for shots, enhalers and nubulizer treatments did not seem the answer. Mostly his symptoms are manageable, though uncomfortable, and he's only really required intervention when he's developed cold-induced asthma--which has given us a glimpse into that horrible world that many suffer.

So we began reading and learning. First thing we discovered--dust mites. Their favorite place to live in a bedroom? Down comforters and pillows. Son had both. We removed those and IMMEDIATELY he began to be able to breath again! Score one for the good guys! We also have attempted to remove refined sugar from his diet. This is specifically to boost his immune system (and every other system imaginable!)

This gave me the confidence to continue learning. The next thing to tackle was my thyroid. I began reading about the benefits of coconut oil and spirilina. The spirilina--a sea weed component (or in my circles more commonly thought of as pond scum--mmmm, yummy!) is in many natural vitamin supplements. I found a good one (that's a whole other story) and began taking it. I added coconut oil (also a great story) to our diets and what do you know?! My thyroid med dosage dropped for the 1st time in 20 years! Within 3 months!

So, as you can imagine, I feel like we are on the right track. Still learning and adjusting. We have a long way to go. I will share each milestone--the good, bad, and the ugly--throughout the year.