My Lifestyle Journey

Yes- I need to update my blog.  I know.  I actually really want to but somewhere along the line I got stuck waiting for pictures from other people and when they didn't come. . .I lost my umph.

I really want to write about the journey I have been on tho so let me shimmy my way in here and tell you about it.  Stick with me.

The last couple years what have I been focused on (other than raising 5 kids :)?  My garden!  I felt like I spent my childbearing years in a fog and when that finally lifted my brain was a sponge and the liquid that was filling it was books about gardening.  There were many books on vegetables that led way to my love for perennial gardening books.  All along there were many books on composting and improving my soil with microbes and such.  The first, middle, and last one I read was "Teaming with Microbes" and it was a doozy. The second half I could wrap my brain around but the first half was too big for my brain talking about all the bacteria, fungi, and such in the ground and the effect they have on a plant taking up nutrients.  I finally decided to work my brain and read through it and it was very informative about how things are able to absorb nutrients.

About the same time I was reading that, my sister's came in town for Simeon's baptism.  Although they were extremely kind, I could sense they were searching for more healthy food in my home.  Sure, I had veggies at every meal and on the counter for snacking but there was a lot of crap going on too and I started to look around my kitchen too.  Holy Crap!  There was a ton of processed foods and red meat going on with sugar on top. It was right after Christmas and there was still plenty of sugar cookies going on.  Rory requested some for her half bday, Simeon requested them for his after baptism treats, and I made more for a Relief Society night. 

 Somewhere, sometime sugar and crap had crept back in our home and had made a Big Bird size nest in our kitchen and I felt like crap.  Our family was getting infections left and right.  I weighed more then I ever have other than pregnant.  We would work out but moving our bodies wasn't even close to making up for our bad eating.  I was tired and grumpy, on hormone and allergy meds and having bad headaches.

All in one day I decided to start using coconut oil,

detox baths, 

(because of pinterest and asking about it on facebook) and refound Green Smoothie Girl.

 I have posted on here for years about drinking green smoothies but I was intrigued by her 12 Steps to Whole Foods.  

I broke my cookie dough beaters that day and had to make more cookies for something else so I took off to Food2Store to get some more.  

The guy owns the store was helping someone else to I looked around.  He  had pressure canners, food dehydrators, wheat grinders, bosch stuff, freeze dried food, much more stuff, and sprouting supplies.  What's that?  Sprouting supplies?  I had seen something about that on Green Smoothie Girl (GSG).  I decided to get a sprouter and seeds.  

While talking to Kyle the owner he started to talk to me about enzymes, and good bacteria in our guts and I was blown away. All the things I had been learning about gardening and my soil and all the things I had been doing to help my soil applied to my belly too! Blown away.  I cared more for my garden then for my family.

I went home and decided to dive in the GSG website.  I couldn't just buy her 12 Steps so I found out what the topics are and I read all over the internet.  I put books on hold from the library about green smoothies, sprouting, coconut oil, fermenting food, natural and sourdough yeast, microgreens, and more.   And I read them all.  I have been reading her blog and watching her videos.  EVERYTHING I have read from her blog and the books has resonated true to my soul. 

She talks a lot about overcoming cancer and diseases and prevention.  I was hit with my role in keeping my kids from having so many of the prevalent problems in the world.  I was hit with keeping Roger and I around long enough to enjoy this family we have created with energy and vitality.  I needed to do this!

The next day, I got a UTI.  No kidding.  Another dumb infection in the house.  I started on Cranberry pills and decided I did NOT want antibiotics.  My parents, sisters and friends use doTERRA so I decided to try it.  I found someone local so I could try some samples fast but then I hmmed and hawed about oils working for a couple days.  Looking on this awesome gals facebook page I saw Green Smoothie Girl making comments. What?  The same GSG I had pouring myself over?  This doTERRA gal Amanda Olsen is one of GSG's right hand gal and lives here in Boise.  Call me more intrigued.

I looked more on GSG and found that she has partnered up with doTERRA.  I was so emotionally invested in GSG by this point I felt a pull towards doTERRA.  I contacted Amanda and she is so sweet and so helpful.

She did not have everything that I needed but I started the regimen and I felt almost better.  This was the worst I had ever had and right when I about called myself well, the infection hit my kidney and I was to pass out.  I got a dang antibiotic.  I felt sad but hoped that if my body was in better shape and if I had started earlier it would have worked.

Then I got a yeast infection and to save a little dignity I won't go into too much detail but I was able to beat that with oils. Yeah!

Then the kids got pink eye.  I tried oils again but felt this dang sense of urgency to get them back to school so used drops too.

I tell you these non success stories to say oils isn't an end all be all either.  Our diet is important in protecting our bodies too.  I REALLY want to be done with all thing synthetic and/or abusive to my body.  I REALLY want to have a clean plant based diet 

GSG came to town and I felt like I was going to a rock concert!  

Call me silly right?  I took my MIL and Rory.  Because I read so much I didn't learn anything new:)  but I loved it.  I wanted to become a part of the GSG team.  The way to do it is selling doTERRA too.  Hmmmm.  I can tell you individually why that is if you are curious.

doTERRA.   Multi-level marketing.  Do you know that I am so ANTI anything multi-level marketing?  Big time.  BIG TIME.  Somehow or another I decided that working with GSG was more important than my loath and I am now a part of the Green Smoothie Girl Team and I have my own doTERRA spot

What does this mean?  I will likely talk to you about nutrition in general when we talk because I like to.  I won't bug you about doTERRA- promise. I will be helping teach classes with/under Amanda.  We taught a Medicine Cabinet Makeover class night and have many more to come in the next few weeks and   other classes like Healing with Essential Smoothies and such.  There is a Idaho Green Smoothie Girl Facebook page that lists the upcoming events if you are interested

My sister's that we just had here less than 2 months ago will probably wonder what the heck happened to my home.  I feel so blessed to be on the path that I am to clean up my body and mind.  Yes, I have lost at least 10 lbs, my stretch marks are disappearing with the coconut oil, but I am also off hormones and allergy meds and feel great!