Natural Health - Pt. 1 - Food Journal

Living Natural/Natural Health - Part 1

I have asked those on my Facebook page to give suggestions of what they would like to learn, or see in a blog for Natural Health/Natural Living. As I am waiting to hear ideas, I am so excited to share what I have learned. Much of what I have learned, has been through trial and error. With 2 kids that are sensitive to so much and myself who has allergies to about everything....there has been many trials, many errors, and many successful ventures in making our life more natural!

Many people are unaware of the trials we have gone through with not only my allergy problems, but also with the allergies/sensitivities of both kids, and the on going issues with hubby's Psoriasis. So, we have had many reasons to make the changes we've made, and many doctor visits have been avoided due to the change in our diets and life. I hope each of you reading will find some use in the information I plan to share over the coming months! JUST A QUICK REMINDER! I AM NOT A DOCTOR! I AM NATURAL HEALTH CONSULTANT. I recommend speaking to your doctor about any massive changes, but be sure your doctor understands nutrition, not just how to prescribe drugs!

After several emails and a few suggestions; I am going to just touch on a few subjects that are pretty popular. The issues are similar to those we have faced, and a few I have done consulting work on in the past. Allergies, sinuses, colds, flu, ADHD/ADD, skin issues, stomach troubles, and a few major health concerns such as diabetes, and MS.

First and fore most, the first thing natural medicine looks at is the underlying problem. An illness or disease is merely a symptom and not the problem. Symptoms are simply your body's way of telling you that there is a problem and you need to fix it. Treating only the symptoms does not fix the problem. So, anytime your body is having symptoms, you need to look for the root of the problem. A great example of this is cold/flu/sinus issues. Since most people do not realize that 90% of your immune system is in your gut, they treat the symptoms in the ear/nose/throat. If your immune system is suppressed and not running at 100% it's going to give you symptoms. Your immune system requires nutrition, not drugs.

Whenever you have any symptoms of any disease, you need to first look at your diet. If you are eating fast food, drinking soda, buying processed foods....your immune system is deficient in its required nutrition. Processed/fast food, and sodas contain chemical compounds that deplete the vitamins and minerals your body needs to fight off infection and disease. The studies through the last 20-40 years have proven this over and over again. So, to get a grasp on your health issues, I recommend a food journal. For 1 week, track everything you eat and drink. This includes everything....meals, snacks, drinks, etc. Also keep track of illnesses, your emotions, and your overall health. At the end of that week, take a look at your journal. Evaluate your week. Ask yourself a few questions. How do you feel when you have eaten ???, and did it change the way you feel/emotions? During the last week, what was your schedule like? Were you busy, tired, no energy, or using caffeine to keep you going? By watching your food/beverage intake for a week, can you see areas that could be causing your immune system to act up?

Once you have done a food journal, the next step I recommend is to cut out processed foods and soda for one week. I know some have complained about this, but you need to detox your body so it can heal itself. During this week, drink plenty of water. Since I am not a water fan, this was difficult for me. I had to add lemon, lime, or fruit of some sort to get through it. Your body can heal itself with proper nutrition...keep this in mind. During this week, eat natural/organic foods, raw foods that aren't processed, knock out white flour and white sugar, corn syrup of all kinds, food colorings, and any ingredient that you can't pronounce or know what it is. This is a difficult week for most. Organic foods are a little pricier than the processed foods, but will save you a lot more in medical bills! You can not heal your body if you aren't willing to make diet changes that will help it. To get food that is natural, look for local farmers markets, small/hometown grocers, meat lockers, or grow your own foods and learn to preserve them(this will actually save you the most!). Not all foods that are natural or organic will be marketed that way. You need to read labels. I have found natural foods at Aldi, of all places, and they are not marketed as organic/natural...that is just how the company makes them. When you purchase fruit or vegetables at the store, WASH THEM! The best wash is to fill your sink with water to cover the produce and add vinegar. Vinegar will cut through any chemicals on the produce and after about 15 minutes in this wash, your water will be dirty/cloudy. Your produce will also last a little longer by getting the stuff off it.

Keeping a journal is the best way to find repeat patterns of health issues, environmental issues, and even your food consumptions. Once you begin your journal, you can track your eating habits, and your body responses to what you are eating. As this is a series of blogs, the biggest step is to start your journal. Don't change what you are doing first....first, start your journal and track everything for 1 week.

On Friday, I will touch on the next steps after your week of food journals, and your detox week. I will offer tips/tricks that have helped our family through some common ailments and a few that we count on to keep illness at bay in our home.

~S