When my daughter Anna was sick - nearly 20 years ago - I didn't know what to do. So, like any mom would do, I sought out the best advice and doctors I could. And, that meant the Cleveland Clinic. It also meant a functional medicine doctor - we didn't call him that at the time - in Indiana.
We traveled to the "big city" of Cleveland where they put a tube down her throat and into her stomach so that they could monitor her digestion.
She was sooo thin...and it was a scary time for us all.
Then, traveled several times to Indiana, where I met the kindest doctor ever. He actually LISTENED to our concerns, whereas many other doctors dismissed my daughter's pains. "She's making it up and you're a crazy mom."
We learned that she had a peptic ulcer as well as severe food allergies, as well as allergens to dyes, fluoride and even the permanent markers they used at school.
This is what helped propel my family and I into the world of natural, and then eventually, organic living. Shortly around the same time, I discovered high levels of mercury in my body, which caused all sorts of issues. I also was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease about a decade later.
I learned that Anna and I couldn't easily detox. I learned that our bodies can only take so many toxins and chemicals, until they can't anymore. This is where organic comes in to play. Organic products and food help our bodies by giving them a "break" and allowing our bodies to do what it naturally does - DETOX. We certainly don't want to add MORE toxins in!
AND, what can I control? The stuff I use each and every single day. Skin & Body care.
Now, all these years later, I'm still not "perfect." I'm still on the road to better health and wellness, and so is my daughter. She recently learned that she actually loves to work-out and hike in nature. I still have not discovered a love for the gym, but I do enjoy walking and gardening. We both limit our alcohol intake (I don't even drink anymore at all) and try our best to keep our minds calmer with good therapy. I'm so grateful I had access to alternative, as well as traditional medicine, to help Anna.
On this Summer Solstice I'm going to reignite my organic lifestyle by doing better. I've been eating my way through the city of Cleveland since moving to the mainland almost a year ago. While this experience has been fun, we all know that we can't control what they put into our food at a traditional restaurant. So, I'm going to focus on eating better. This means less wheat. This also means more water. Lastly, it means more organic food.
Happy Summer Solstice 2023! I'll check back in at the next solstice in December and let you know how my reigniting has been going.