It starts with baby steps, making changes that will help your body function better. If you missed the first post in this two-part series, you can catch it here.

If you are looking to live with more energy, vibrancy, and emotional stability, read on. These are the changes I have made to create space for these things.

Movement

You must move your body. Find an activity that you enjoy—and do not think it has to be intense to make a difference. I used to be a hard-core runner, training for half marathons because I truly enjoyed the challenge. Now I find myself taking walks, doing some stretching, pilates, or some simple weight exercises. Fit in 20-30 minutes of activity at least five times a week; your body will thank you.

Sugar

Remove sugar from your daily life. Sugar feeds illness—period. You can Google and find research all over that will testify to this fact. Sugar is in EVERYTHING; begin to read your labels. Sugar is addictive and the only way for you to reset your body is to cut it out, cold turkey. Two years ago I did my first 21-day sugar detox with a large Facebook group. It taught me a lot about my body, truly how addicted I was, and how sugar is in everything. You’ll find it in ketchup, salad dressing, salsa, and canned goods. Do not forget that pasta, potatoes, and fruit contain sugar, even though it’s not “added” sugar, even the natural sugar can affect your body. Do a bit more research on this and at least determine to remove the added sugar to items that are unnecessary as a first step.

Sleep

Your body heals itself during your sleep, so when you aren’t getting enough sleep or entering into a deep enough sleep, your body struggles.

I shoot to get at least eight hours of sleep a night. I am an early-to-bed person, usually in bed by 9:30 p.m. This allows me enough sleep to still rise around 6 a.m. and feel refreshed. By getting enough sleep you will reduce stress and improve your mood; this was a key area I wanted to improve. My emotions were all over the place. When you get enough sleep, you will also tend to get sick less. It’s important—for you, for you kids, for your spouse.

Eat Less Animal Products

Oh yes, I am going there. I just read Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman and it truly opened my eyes. The book not only gave great information on eating a more plant-based diet, but gave countless study after study of research on the benefits. It is a must-read. You can easily begin eating less meat and dairy items. To be honest, for most people, typical cow dairy items cause inflammation in the body. So substituting items and removing most cheese is a beneficial change. If you are still drinking cow’s milk and giving pasteurized milk to your kiddos, I encourage you to read this article to perhaps shed some light on why this may not be the best decision.

No Microwave

I wrote previously on the blog about this change, so instead of going into details, you can easily click over to read it here. Using a microwave KILLS your food, period. I am in the corner with microwaves that it zaps the nutrients out of food—literally. In my opinion, the risk is just not worth the small convenience of reheating items using a microwave. In fact, in our new home, we are not even installing a microwave. We just do not use it.

Water

Drinking real, pure, GOOD water is the way your body removes toxins and flushes your systems. Two years ago we began filtering all our drinking and cooking water with a BERKEY water system that removed pathogens as well as fluoride. It was a game-changer for us. We also try our best to not drink from PLASTIC water bottles. So when we are headed out of the house, all family members fill up their own personal glass water bottle. Not only does this save us money, it is a much healthier alternative. When you drink water from plastic water bottles, store bought, or ones you personally fill, the plastic leaches into the water. I am not interested to drink leached plastic.

I hope you consider making one or two changes for the new year from my list of tips. These are things I have successfully implemented and have made a huge difference in my life.

Just over seven years ago, I really didn’t think much about the food I ate, what I drank, or even what I applied to my body. I really didn’t have much interest in “living healthier,” but I was hit with a sucker punch that changed my mind.

Just over seven years ago I was diagnosed with Cutaneous Lupus, as well as Systemic Lupus. My life felt like I was on a downward spiral.

As I journeyed through this diagnosis, I slowly became empowered. I began to learn that ALL THE THINGS we put IN and ON our body matter. It accumulates and it piles up.

I get questions all the time about how I have managed to put my Lupus into remission, and it’s time to share the steps I took—real, practical steps—to see if they may help you. But first, let me say, these changes won’t just help you if you have Lupus; they will help you prevent disease, care for your body like the temple it is, and be the best mom you can be for your family. You deserve to feel amazing. You deserve to care for yourself in ways that will allow your body to function at its optimal level.

When we poison our body with bad choices, those choices add up. Do not be a victim. Fight for your health, the health of your kids; it is important.

This will be part ONE of a TWO-part series on this topic. There is a lot to share.

Ditched Creamer

I love coffee…truly love coffee! In fact, I have a favorite French press, grinder, and brand of coffee. However, one of the things I loved about my coffee was the artificial vanilla-flavored coffee creamer I added to it. I was truly addicted. But, once I began truly looking at the ingredients on the package, I became quite aware it had to go. I switched to grass-fed raw milk to add to my coffee with some vanilla stevia drops, and eventually I switched to nondairy. I now use a coconut and almond milk creamer and it does the trick…all by itself. My taste buds are not craving the sugary taste first thing in the morning, and my body does so much better without the artificial ingredients. And eliminating dairy is another great step on my health journey.

I encourage you…if you say “there’s no way I can give up my creamer,” I hear you. That was me. But here’s the deal…start making small changes; pick one thing to change and then slowly add that in, like using RAW cream and REAL sugar. Then switch to the next step. It all helps.

Ditched Gluten

Shortly after I was diagnosed with Lupus, a friend with Lupus shared that she found incredible relief by eliminating gluten. I had no idea what gluten even was! I told her I could never not have French fries; she sweetly laughed at me and assured me I could always eat fries.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat that causes inflammation and distress to the intestinal tract. Most people find that it doesn’t bother them to the extent of others, but for me, it’s bad news. The wheat we eat today, here in the U.S., has been modified over the years, making it troublesome for many. So I chose to remove any wheat from my diet. Did it help? Yes, it did! And, honestly, I didn’t replace a bunch of items with gluten-free versions. I rarely eat sandwiches now, but instead wrap with lettuce or make a salad. I occasionally will indulge in gluten-free cookies or a cupcake, but really have decided that those should be occasional treats anyhow.

I’ve also been using Einkorn products, which I have found to be a good fit for me. You can read more about Einkorn and if it might be good for you here. If you have joint pain, feel bloated often, or have digestive trouble, I encourage you to eliminate gluten and see how you feel.

Went Chemical Free

Seven years ago I began to look at products I was using on my skin as well as in my home, like cleaning products and personal care items. It was eye-opening. Something that happens when we apply synthetic, laboratory-made products to our skin is bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation is real; it’s the accumulation of toxins in our bodies, where we absorb more toxins than our body can effectively eliminate, which  leaves our poor bodies struggling to function the way they were created to. The body is overloaded and we begin to suffer from other symptoms, like skin rashes, brain fog, sleeplessness, agitation, mood issues, and more.

I began using ALL-NATURAL cleaners—my favorite being Thieves Household Cleaner. It’s so safe, I can feel great about anyone using it. I love that even at my son’s school they use this cleaner so that all the kids can safely clean and wipe down tables and bathroom sinks. There are even more products in the line, including toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, laundry detergent, and more—all natural and plant based. You can check this out for more info on the entire Thieves product line.

Make Small Changes

I encourage you to begin replacing items in your home with all-natural products. A lot of these synthetic ingredients made in laboratories are endocrine disruptors. They are chemicals that can interfere with endocrine (or hormone) systems at certain doses. These disruptions can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects and other developmental disorders, and more. Why take that risk when you have a better option?

I will cover more on my steps; the next post will be other diet changes, lifestyle changes, and more. You can find it here.