The Sun: Energy

Since it's winter, my depression has been raging. I have had lower energy levels and none of my normal foods have sounded appetizing at all. Panther (my adorable black kitty) is the one who enlightened me on what I needed. My body usually tells me through cravings what I need to eat, what supplement I need to take etc. but being depressed can make me numb and not as receptive to my body.

As soon as winter came around, Panther started walking around meowing until I would open all of the windows in the room he was in. He would just sit in the sunlight looking so pleased and I noticed him having more energy. I finally started paying attention to him and I took my blanket off of my window and started looking for foods that gave me energy. I stopped trying to force my body to eat foods that it didn't need and I started adding more energy-rich foods. Some really good winter foods that I've been eating are brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, kale, cabbage, kiwi, lemons (really good for weight loss) and onions. The past two days I have been giving my body a break from food, however, so that it can focus on healing this cold. Instead, I have been drinking orange juice mixed with cranberry (for bladder health) and nettle and chamomile teas. My body is so happy! I haven't been hungry at all and I have been healing much more quickly than usual.

Panther enjoying the sun

Dates are another huge great, natural source of energy. I have been frustrated with granola bars from stores. Even if they advertise as healthy, often times there are still preservatives to give it a longer shelf life. Usually there is also nuts, which my stomach struggles with. I was frustrated because granola bars are easy to grab on the go for a quick energy boost. Luckily I found this recipe for energy date bars! I got the recipe from the Collective Evolution website. They are so fantastic. After trying these bars, I think that my roommate, Amanda, is finally believing me when I say healthy eating can be so delicious! They are super easy to make too. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

– 2 cups pitted dates
– ¾ cup raw cacao powder
– 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips
– 1 tbsp honey
– 1 tsp sea salt

Directions:

No oven preheating needed! Line an 8×8 baking tray with parchment paper. Process dates, cacao powder, ¾ cup coconut, honey, salt, and 2 tbsp. water in a food processor until smooth (you’ll have to scrape down the sides a few times). Press mixture firmly into prepared pan.

Process the remaining coconut in a food processor or coffee grinder until fine. Scatter the coconut over the top of the bars and press it in until it’s adhered. Chill in the fridge until firm. This recipe makes 12 bars and can be stored for 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Recently I ordered this book off of Amazon called The Herbal Alchemist's Handbook. It is so incredible. The very first chapter of the book is about the sun, which felt heaven sent since that is exactly what has been on my mind lately. It discusses the herbs that are associated with the sun. Those include: angelica, ash, bay, calendula, chamomile, celandine, eyebright, frankincense, juniper, mistletoe, rosemary, saffron, safflower, Saint-John's-wort, sunflower, tormentilla and walnuts. The book states "Solar herbs restore equilibrium to the entire physical system, often serving as tonics to the heart and promoting the free flow of vital energy." I have been defusing rosemary essential oil in my room and have drinking chamomile tea and the difference is tremendous. Both give me energy radiant energy that is nothing like a sugar high. This energy is empowering and strengthening in every part of my body. The herb I haven't tried yet that I will get today and try out is Saint-John's-wort. The book claims that it leads "to more confidence and the ability to take action toward personal and professional goals and responsibilities." So next time you're reaching for that energy drink filled with toxins remember that you can experience more fulfilling energy and way of life through diet and herb use.

A Better Life: My Story

Hello and welcome to my health blog!

I want to begin by telling my story to give a little bit of context and background for future posts. 

My entire life I have had pretty major health concerns. By the time I turned 21 years old I had already had two hip surgeries, ankle surgery for arthritis, shingles, chronic UTIs, chronic stomach pain, excess weight, chronic depression, ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, and many other health problems. 

Spring 2013 I was working in a group home for disabled adults. I had a traumatic event happen and weeks later woke at 3am wetting the bed and my kidney, bladder and stomach were in excruciating pain. I went into the ER and they gave me the same antibiotics I always got for UTIs and got no answer whatsoever about what was going on with my stomach. My condition worsened over the next few weeks and eventually I was experiencing psychosis, consciousness blanks, constant stomach pain, constant UTI symptoms, and constant headaches. Every doctor I went to couldn't tell me what was going on. One doctor gave me a medication that subdued my stomach pain but I knew there was still problems. I had stopped eating completely and eventually quit my job, which I loved, and couldn't get out of bed for weeks. 

Finally, I came across a link to a cleanse put together by holistic health coach, Anita Keetch. It was more than just a cleanse though. The program included a detailed workbook that included tons of enriching recipes, tips and suggestions on how to change my lifestyle. She listed symptoms that the cleanse would heal, and I found that all of my symptoms were on the list. I was so excited to get started! I also communicated personally with Anita and we were able to talk about my personal issues and solutions for them. My wonderful mother helped me get all of the food and supplies I needed to do the cleanse. 

Fast forward to two months ago. I had lost a total of 30lbs and had more energy than I had every felt in my life. I had stopped taking my stomach medication completely and had no health concerns whatsoever. I was the happiest I had ever been in my life. Before the cleanse I had zero energy almost constantly. Because my digestive system was so damaged, my body would struggle to extract nutrients from food and provide me the energy I needed just for my day to day life. I thought I was just extremely lazy but realistically my energy was so low that I couldn't even function on some days. 

Since then I have been slacking on my diet and positive lifestyle. Which is why I wanted to start this blog! I want to be able to share and communicate with people who want and seek after a similar way of living. I will be posting recipes, stories and inspirational/educational material for everyone to benefit from. 

Even though I lost a lot of weight I never wanted to do one of those before and after photos of my body. I always felt like the real progress was shown in my life and my face. I don't hide things well, you can always tell when I'm upset. It's usually a curse, but I now love looking back through my pictures and see the difference in my face. So here is a before and an after picture that I feel truly reflects my progress and change.

Before

After

I haven't been eating as well as I would like and I have been living in a way that isn't harmonious to my beliefs, but I am much closer than I was 8 months ago. At the peak of my health I had almost zero symptoms of mental or physical illness. I'm not in horrible health currently but my goal is zero health problems including mental health. Eventually I would like to be off of both mood stabilizers and my sleeping medication. I believe this is possible through diet and awareness.

I named my blog Healthy Living: Here and Now because that is the lifestyle I strive for every day. I try to live in the here and now in everything that I do, which is a huge contribution to my changes. I want this blog to help me be more aware and accountable of my decisions with food and life. I believe that awareness is the first step to any great life change. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my health ramblings!