Sometimes you don’t know how far you’ve gone until you come back . . .

As you may remember, the past year and half have been difficult for me.

Right before I discovered my thyroid condition and autoimmune disease, I hit the bottom of the pit.

It was miserable.

Not just for me. My family struggled as well.

Mommy was not the same anymore.

I wasn't the woman my husband married either. Just a shadow, really.

A shadow that kept having to put herself to bed early and wanted to cry at the thought of leaving the house.

Everything was too much.

Everything.

I felt a lot of guilt and shame.

I did the best I could. But most of the time, it didn't feel like enough.

Not even close.

But then. . .

THEN!

Things started turning around.

Little by little.

I haven't arrived at a place of full health or remission yet, but I'm inching closer by the day.

A few weeks ago I noticed it.

I hosted a gift-making night for the ladies at church in which I taught them how to make lotion bars, lip balm, bath tea, and sugar scrubs.

A year ago I could not have done it.

In the middle of the evening, it hit me:

I felt like me again!

It was as if I wanted to say, “Oh hello. There you are! I'm so glad you're back!”

I also felt like making an announcement that stated: If you've met me in the past two years, you may not know the real me. 

I snapped this pic during the week of the gift-making night:

I'm feeling more like myself again. Happy, excited, and goofy! (And needing a hair cut!)

So how did I improve my health?

Like I said, I have not “arrived” (do we ever?), but these are the things I believe have helped the most:

1. Sleep

I've been sleeping a while lot more. It's a top priority now. Before it was somewhat optional! <– don't treat sleep that way. It will get you into all sorts of trouble!

2. Eating LOTS more vegetables

So many diets claim to be the “healthiest,” yet they are drastically different from one another. However, I've noticed that a common theme among all healthful diets is vegetables!

Vegetables are key to vibrant health.

They've made a huge difference in my life!

More on this soon.

3. Eliminating allergens

You may remember that I discovered a whole host of food allergies (including coffee – Waah!). It's been difficult to eliminate them all, and sometimes I still eat things I shouldn't, but the greatest improvement seemed to come when I got rid of all the stuff that my body was reacting to. (I know, it's kind of a duh, but what can I say. Food is tasty.)

4. Fresh air, Sunshine, and Movement

I try to get fresh air and sunshine every day. If it's while I'm taking a walk, that's even better. (Walks are not easy to come by around here, but they do make a big impact when I can get them.)

Fresh air, sunshine, and movement lift my mood and seem to infuse me with energy. Consistently getting all three is like a healing balm!

As you can see, none of the above is earth-shattering. It's common sense, but putting it into practice is not always easy. I've had a lot of help from friends and family and that has made all the difference.

My heart breaks for those who are suffering with poor health.

Poor health can rob you of joy, if you let it.

I feel like I've lost some good years. Ones I'll never get back.

I don't want to lose any more (if I can help it). Which is why I've bumped my health to a higher rung on the priority ladder.

If you are struggling, please don't give up!

Sending love and healthy wishes, 

Stacy

 P.S. One thing that helped me get myself sorted out (and actually discover my thyroid condition) was enrolling the the Precision Nutrition Coaching program. I'll tell you more about that soon. But for now, you should check out their Free STOP Dieting Starter Kit for Women.

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