MY CURRENT FAVORITE WINTER BEAUTY PRODUCTS...

Well, the cold weather is definitely here! Did any of you get snow this weekend? We got a little snow, but enough ice to warrant a cozy day inside, so I was happy with that! Anyway, my skin has taken certainly taken notice of this colder and dryer air. If I had to think of two words that describe my body and skin this winter, those words would be CHANGE and DRY. I'm getting older and my body is changing, which means I'm taking more time to hone in on what my body needs to maintain and be fresh. I've also noticed that my skin requires a lot more moisture these days. So this winter I have had to beef up my beauty routine to address and accommodate the changes. Here are few things that are really working for me this winter... 

Sunday Riley JUNO Face Oil, also here

This face oil is probably the most effective beauty product that I've ever purchased. That is huge statement I know, but it is so true. Once the weather was consistently cooler and dryer, I started to notice that my nighttime moisturizer just wasn't cutting it. I felt like my face was dry again a few minutes after application. It would also be super dry in the mornings. I took that as a sign that my face needed more. I'd heard so many good things about face oils, but shied away from them because the thought of putting any type of oil on my face just kinda scared me. But I did some research and decided to try this oil by Sunday Riley. I read tons of good reviews on it and was comfortable about the all-natural ingredients, so I felt good about purchasing it. The first night I used it, I massaged 4-5 drops of it on my face before applying my moisturizer. It absorbed quickly, so my face didn't feel oily at all - it just felt fresh and moisturized. I woke up the next day with the SOFTEST skin! It wasn't dry either! It just felt so good and it was cool to see benefits after just one use. I haven't experienced any breakouts either. For now I am only using the oil at night, when my face tends to be dryer. Yes, the oil is pricey, but a little goes a really long way, so this bottle should last quite some time. I'm also making an investment in my skin. Thinking of it that way helps justify the cost, too.

Actually Organic Pure Argan Oil , c/o (also here)

Argan oil is not new to me, but using it is. I have always heard that it works really well on dry skin, hair and nails - all of which I had once the weather was cooler. Luckily, the sweet people at Actually Organic sent me a bottle of their oil to try out. I am SO glad they did!! I had a small eczema flair on my hand that had been lingering for a while. I started putting a little dab of this oil on the area at night - and within about a week, it had completely cleared up. The skin on that area of my hand was noticeably softer, too. Even though my battles with eczema are thankfully small these days, it's always amazing to find an all-natural product that helps- and helps quickly! I've also been using it to condition my fingernails and toenails, which had become quite dry as well. It takes a little time for the oil to absorb, so I apply it mostly at night when I'm done with my day. It's worked like a charm...

Whole Foods Essential Oil Diffuser (similar here and here), Young Living Peppermint Oil, NOW Lavender Oil

Good sleep equals beauty and these next products have helped tons with achieving relaxation and good sleep. Many people, including my naturopath, have told me about the benefits of using essential oils. I've always believed them, but never used them - up until about two months ago. And now I'm hooked. I was in Whole Foods a few months ago when I saw one of their diffusers. I honestly just loved the way it looked. It was ceramic and looked like more like an accessory as opposed to a diffuser. Most diffusers I'd seen just looked plastic-y and kind of cheap looking, so I just wasn't inspired. But the diffuser in Whole Foods ($50) got my attention. So I bought it along with a decently priced, but good-quality bottle of lavender oil. I already had a bottle of peppermint oil that a friend gave to me that I had never used. So I put it on my bedroom nightstand, loaded it up with a mix of lavender (2 drops) and peppermint oil (3 drops), and my sleep hasn't been the same since. The mix of those oils for me makes me so relaxed - and sleepy!! I typically just turn it on at night when I start my bedtime routine. Once I turn out the lights for bed, I set it to automatically turn off in an hour. I'm usually fast asleep in 10 minutes tops. The scent - and honestly the light sound of the diffuser - gets me more relaxed and in turn I feel like my sleep is deeper and more quality. So I get the hype now. Diffusers and essential oils are obviously effective and worth it. I'll never be without them again - especially if they help me sleep better! I look forward to learning more about them and how they help other issues...

Aura Cacia Vanilla Oil

Speaking of oils, I started using a new oil to alleviate some of the dryness of the skin on my body. I've always moisturized with coconut oil mixed with a small amount of natural body lotion. But on some days, especially really cold days, I felt like a needed a little more moisture. So I scoped out the essential oil section of Whole Foods and ran across this vanilla oil and it is AMAZING. It's pure vanilla oil mixed with jojoba oil, which means it smells fabulous and is really moisturizing. After my showers on really cold days, I mix about a tablespoon and a half of coconut oil with one drop of this oil (just one!), and it does the trick! And I don't have to apply my perfume oil since the delicious smell of the vanilla oil pretty much covers that. It's good stuff...

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Toothpaste, Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Electric Toothbrush

These last few products aren't so much "winter" beauty products, but effective new-to-me products that I just need to tell you about... So I've always been obsessive about brushing my teeth and flossing, but since I've gotten older and have been diagnosed with my autoimmune disease, dental health has become even more important. Changing my toothpaste has been on my agenda since my diagnosis. Most regular toothpastes contain fluoride. Fluoride is known to hinder the operations of the thyroid and it can disrupt hormones. Ugh... So I recently switched Dr. Bronner's Peppermint toothpaste and I really like it! It honestly took some getting used to at first. While it doesn't produce a nice sud-sy lather in your mouth as you brush, my teeth feel much, much cleaner after I use it as opposed to a regular toothpaste. I'll take that...

I've also noticed that I produce more plaque as I get older - regardless of the fact that I brush and floss twice a day. To address that issue, my dentist suggested I use an electric toothbrush. Oh my gosh! Where has this thing been all my life??!! This toothbrush has five different modes that specifically address things like deep cleaning, gums, plaque, and whitening. It has a timer on it that reminds you when to brush the sides, fronts, and backs of the teeth (sort of like the Clarisonic does for your face). I thought I was thorough when I used a regular toothbrush, but this thing quickly reminded me that I was not. Each cleaning is only 2-3 minutes and I can tell you that it gets the job done in just that short period of time. Totally worth it!

HOW I'M TACKLING DARK CIRCLES & DRY LIPS...

Soooo... I'm definitely at the point where I have to put just a tad more thought into my beauty regimen - which is why you have seen the topic of beauty here a bit more often. I remember the days when I would skip over the beauty section of magazines or websites because I didn't wear makeup or didn't really have an interest in skincare products outside cleansers and moisturizers. But oh how things change with age!! I still don't care for shopping for beauty products, wearing lots of makeup, or spending lots of time and money on trying different things. But my skin is aging and I'm at the point where I need to invest a little more time- when necessary - on finding good products for my skin. 

Notice I said "when necessary." My normal cleansers and moisturizers are still working great (I use the cleansers in this post and the moisturizer in this post), but I've noticed that I've needed a little more help lately when it comes to my eyes and lips. The dark circles and the fine lines are more visible - especially when I don't get enough sleep. I've also had a life-long issue with dry lips. So I took some time to find and try some new products that I want to tell you about in case you are having the same issues... :)

Even though I drink tons of water, have a really clean diet (two of the BEST beauty products in my opinion), and use an eye cream twice a day,  I noticed that the skin under my eyes would still get dry and puffy at times - especially after a few nights of less than stellar sleep. So I set out to find a better eye cream that was more hydrating, helpful with the puffiness, free of harmful ingredients, and not super expensive. I settled on this Rose Hydrating Eye Gel Cream by Fresh and I LOVE it! I have been using it in the morning and at night. Just a tiny bit goes a long way, so this little container should last a while. It's definitely hydrating, smells amazing (like roses!!), is cooling, has brightened the area underneath my eyes, and is helpful with the puffiness. It's also light, which makes it perfect under the new concealer that I'm using needing lately. Let's talk about concealer for a second... 

So outside of lipstick, I don't like to wear makeup - at all. But I have accepted it and only wear it for photo shoots, nights out, and special occasions. Even then, I only like to wear products that enhance my natural look. That's it. I have yet to find a magical eye cream that completely eliminates dark circles. I wear glasses on most days (seen here), which are great at concealing dark circles. But I've had to enlist a good concealer to help with the eye situation on the occasions I listed above. The concealer I was using (which was just ok), got a little old, so I wanted to try something new. Mary from the blog Memorandum recently mentioned the Lancôme Complete Coverage Concealer on her Snapchat account (probably one of my favorite Snapchat accounts). She said it was her saving grace after several nights in a row of little sleep. That's all I needed to hear. So I went to Sephora and tried it on. Peeps - this is some GOOD stuff. It's creamy, light, and has great coverage. It lasts, too! There's a certain way I apply it (or any concealer) to make it just right for me...

I apply three little dots of the concealer under each eye. I then use this foundation brush (pricey I know, but it's so good!) - and sometimes just a clean finger - to lightly and evenly apply the concealer under my eyes. Once it is set, I then apply this MAC 'Mineralize' Powder around my face and over the concealer to set it. The powder is amazing and what I prefer to use instead of foundation. I also use the concealer to conceal any blemishes I might have. It's good stuff... 

I think I've had dry lips since the day I realized that I had lips. They've always been dry. Exfoliating using them with this homemade scrub, applying a good balm under my lipstick during the day, and Vaseline at night has been lip regimen for years. Sometimes when I need a quick fix, I run my Clarisonic over my lips, which works like a charm when they are really chapped. In an effort to wean myself from Vaseline (yuck), I set out to find a good deep moisturizing balm to wear at night. I stumbled on this First Aid Lip Therapy while perusing Sephora and I must say that I got pretty lucky. I had never heard of it before I saw it in the store and my lips love it!! It has the look and feel of Vaseline minus the harmful ingredients. It also has a little hint of mint that I love. A tad bit goes a long way, too! My lips are moisturized and soft in the morning when I wake up, which is a far cry from so many other products (other than Vaseline!) I've tried over the years. Love it.

10 SIMPLE WAYS I'VE SIMPLIFIED MY LIFE...

I don't know about you, but I just feel better when things are simple. The process of living everyday life can be complicated (even more so as we age I think!), so I'm always trying to find ways that I can be at my best and relieve the pressure of trying to get everything done on a daily basis. I'm certainly not an expert on the art of simplicity, but there are some tried and true ways that have really helped me out. I thought I would share some of them with you today. Some of these may be old news, new news, common sense, or seemingly complicated given how "busy" we are these days, but either way I hope they are helpful. However, I must preface this post by saying that while some of these are simple in words, they require discipline in thought and in deed. But it has been so worth it!! Here's what I know for sure works for me... 

1. Implement and stick to a "One In - One Out" rule.

Keeping restraints on clutter is huge if you want a more simple life and lifestyle. I've talked about the One In - One Out rule a few times here on the blog because I swear by it. The rule is simple. When you buy one thing that goes in the house, one thing comes out of the house. This is the number one thing that keeps my house free of clutter. It keeps my closet organized (see a full post on that here), my kitchen cabinets, pantry, and fridge free of anything I don't use, and my bathroom free of any products I don't use.

And while we are on the subject of clutter...

2. I don't let snail mail make it past one room in my house.

I'm not a fan of snail mail, but I guess it's here to stay for now. So my rule is to not let it get further than one room in my house. For me, that is the kitchen because it's the first room I enter into when I get out of my car. I don't have a cute tray or basket that collects it because I think that invites clutter. Instead, I go through it within the first hour or so after getting home and shred and discard what isn't worth keeping - which is usually 90% of what I get. It takes a little discipline and time to do it sooner rather than later, but I think it's worth it.

3. Just say "no." 

Simply put - outside of what has to be done (enjoyable or not) - I don't do anything these days that I absolutely 100% don't want to do. Gosh that might sound so negative, but I don't think it is at the end of the day. Spending my free time doing things just to please other people and focusing on what others think of me drains my energy and inevitably makes the most simple tasks more complicated and the things I really enjoy doing less enjoyable. Yes, sometimes there are exceptions. That's life. But asking myself first if I really want to do something is always at the forefront of my mind these days rather than at the back - and I'm a happier person because of that.

4. Make time for downtime. 

This past Saturday morning after my workout and errand running, I came home, made lunch, put my pjs on and crawled back in bed and watched two movies on Netflix. I wasn't tired. I felt great. I had a ton of things I could have been doing. But I chose downtime instead. Do I always get to take hours out of a day to do nothing? No. Sometimes it's only 10 minutes. But I know my body and my mind appreciates times of not having to work or make any decisions. I know that because the I always feel replenished afterwards and look more forward to getting back to reality no matter what's ahead. Things get done faster and I do it with a better attitude. That = simple.

5. Automate bills.

So the older I get, the more responsibility I have and the more likely it has become that I forget to do things. Or maybe I'm just starting to forget things because I'm getting older. Either way, the less I have to remember to do, the better. Automating bills has helped me out a lot. I used to review every single bill via paper before paying it. But now I automate those bills that are around the same amounts each month (i.e. car payment, insurance, mortgage, cell phone, etc.) I still review bills that vary each month, but the majority of them are on autopay. It's so much easier...

6. Pre-schedule appointments that are recurring and try to keep them. 

This also frees up space in my brain... Any appointments that recur on a weekly, monthly, bi-annual, or annual basis are easy to remember if they are scheduled in advance and put on the calendar. For example, my bi-annual dentist appointment that I have this week was scheduled at the end of my last dentist appointment that I had six months ago. Things like my hair appointments and recurring doctors appointments are also pre-scheduled. Sure, sometimes last-minute things come up and pre-scheduled appointments have to be changed, but I try my best to work around standing appointments before changing them. A lot of my providers have apps or websites where I can pre-schedule appointments, which also keeps things simple.

7. Aim to do one household chore a day - during the week.

I don't do anything serious like window cleaning or anything like that. When I don't use my housekeeper, I might vacuum one night, complete a load of laundry another night, fold the laundry the next night while I'm watching TV, clean a toilet one night... Simple stuff like that. I might be exhausted from the day while doing it, but little things like that really don't take that much time to do. They go a long way and make time for more fun things on the weekends.

8. Consistently adhere to a bedtime routine.

Because consistently following a bedtime routine pretty much guarantees a good night of sleep. A good night of sleep makes you feel better, think better, and do better. Feeling better, thinking better, and doing better automatically makes everything more simple. Just my opinion... You can see my bedtime routine here.

9. Sleep on it. Then buy it. Or not...

Debt stresses me out - even the normal kind like a mortgage or car payment, so I live debt-free outside of those things. So if I NEED something, I have to have to have the money for it. If I don't have the money for it or feel comfortable spending that money right now, I make a plan and start saving for it. Like right now, I need a new high-quality mattress - something I believe in because I use it 8-10 hours a day. I'm saving for it. If I WANT something, I put it in my cart (if its online) and sleep on it a day or two before buying it - sometimes longer depending on what it is and how much it is. The point is that I think before I buy at all times and I live within my means.


10. If I don't know it or can't do it, then I just ask for it.  

I'm a very independent person. My mom would tell you that I was born that way. But doing everything on my own and doing it right is simply not feasible. I don't know everything. No one does. I've learned that YouTube and Google doesn't know everything either. Sometimes you just have to ask the right person for help. Doing so alleviates stress and saves so much time. I often meet new people and learn a lot by doing this, too.

Anyone else have any tried and true tips to living more simply?????

Image by me. Oprah's book, "What I Know For Sure" is here. (definitely a favorite of mine!)

ENJOY TODAY + LINKS...

The weekend is here! So excited as always. What's on your agenda?? This is my one busy month of the year at work, so I gotta work a bit in between my workout, errands, a dinner, finishing this book, and watching the last few days of the Olympics. The Olympics have been a complete obsession of mine as of late. I don't have a thing for track and field, beach volleyball, water rafting, or long-distance biking, but I've watched all of those events plus more. I just think it's incredible to see people's hard work pay off and dreams come true in real time. Fascinating. Anyway, I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy the links!

Good Things
The print above that bed is only $5... Such a cute shop.
My first purchase for fall... $25 well spent.
Pretty for work or a wedding I think...
A new favorite fashion blog. Simple style done so right...

Good Spaces 
A city hall wedding done so beautifully. That dress though...
She's moving again!! This is going to be good...
Ina Garten has a new apartment that's obviously lovely...
Dream closet. Just a dream...
I could sleep here every night. Could you?
And I could cook here every day...

Good To Know
I suffer from anxiety and I swear this helps...
I'm moving to Sweden. They have 6-hr workdays...
A prescription for a full day of happiness...
This girl is just amazing... Fun presentation of the article, too.

Good Food & Drinks
How pretty is this???
Now this should be interesting...
The fastest way to find your new favorite food blog...
21 things to do with those overripe bananas on your counter...
The first thing I would eat if I could suddenly have dairy. It HAS to be good... 

Image via Luminous Prints / Etsy

A LITTLE HEALTH UPDATE...

Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a great start. Thank you so much for comments and e-mails regarding Max! Losing a pet is so hard, but having support from people who truly understand what that's like makes things better, so thank you!

So I owe you a health update! In case you are just tuning in, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroidis four months ago. You can read about how it all started and why I'm disclosing all of this here. Hashimoto's (i.e. Hashi's) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakingly identifies the thyroid as a foreign invader to the body and attacks it. In March I had a high thyroid antibody count, which is the main indicator of Hashi's. Even though my thyroid itself was operating at normal levels, I was experiencing several hypothyroid symptoms, including anxiety, hair loss, fatigue, constipation, heart palpitations, brain fog, insomnia, etc. The experience of all of those symptoms together is called a "flare up" in medical terms. Once my doctor established the diagnosis, the goal was to reduce my antibody count, which in turn would protect my thyroid and extinguish the flare up. We planned to do that through diet, elimination of food sensitivities, supplements, and lifestyle changes. Even though I'm not opposed to taking prescription medication when necessary, my doctor and I wanted to take these steps first without medication to see if they alone would make a difference.

A few weeks ago, I had my first follow-up thyroid panel done (TSH, T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and TPO Antibodies) and I am super happy to report that my antibody count has dropped by almost half - in just a four month period of time! I am literally 5 points away from it being within normal range. I am so thrilled!! My thyroid itself is still operating at normal levels. I am still not out of the woods yet, though. I still experience some symptoms and my antibody level is still considered to be high, but at least I know that all of this really hard work is paying off. Many of you have sent me e-mails asking me exactly what I'm doing to tackle this issue, so I thought I would outline those things below - things that are clearly working!

1. Diet: I have listed this first because I truly think this is the #1 thing that is healing me. However, making these dietary changes easily qualifies as one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life! I am on the Autoimmune Protocol Diet (AIP), which means I basically only eat organic poultry, grass-fed beef, wild seafood, organic vegetables, and organic fruit. That's it. I've eliminated all processed foods and refined sugar, dairy, eggs, gluten, grains, soy, and legumes. I've also eliminated foods that I am personally sensitive to like nightshades (tomatoes, white potatoes, and peppers), pears, chia seeds, spinach, and walnuts. I was/am a huge foodie, so this has been quite challenging and downright depressing at times. But changing my mindset helps. I am now eating to live as opposed to living to eat and that's just the way it has to be if I want to feel good most of the time. I make a meal plan every week and pretty much cook all of my meals and make all of my drinks (i.e. fresh juices and smoothies) myself. That process can be so time-consuming and exhausting at times - especially since I have a full-time job - but I am teaching myself to get really creative with food in terms of how it tastes, how it's made, and even how it looks. I'll do anything to make it remotely exciting... Once my antibody levels get within normal range, I will add back in some foods, but gluten, soy, eggs, and probably dairy are still pretty much out for life. While this blog will not become an AIP food blog - or a blog about Hashi's - I do plan to share some of my food prep tips and recipes I have been making. They are healthy, easy to make recipes that I think anyone would love no matter what, so stay tuned!

2. Supplements: I have been taking supplements to replenish my vitamin levels, and provide support to my immune system and thyroid. Those include Vitamin D3, selenium, probiotics, zinc, and magnesium, just to name a few. Most of my deficient vitamin levels have been restored just within these last few months, which I'm sure has contributed to a reduction in my symptoms.

3. Stress Management: Stress and high adrenal levels fuel this disease, so keeping them in check is key. Meditation has helped me with that a lot. I did a full post on my routine here, and I still love it. The only thing that has changed a bit is my night time meditation. I can now fall asleep at the drop of a hat at night (staying asleep is sometimes an issue), so I sometimes skip it at night. But I still do it first thing every morning! I don't get anxious as much these days and I know I owe a lot of that to meditation. Mild exercise (mainly Pilates and walking) and getting adequate rest is also extremely important. I'm in bed my 10PM most nights - after I do my nighttime routine - which is also a big stress reliever. I also sometimes delegate errands and household activities so that I can dedicate that time to resting. I actually love to clean, but I now have a housekeeper on call in case I need her. She's a godsend I tell ya...

4. Acupuncture: Acupuncture is my life. I have only been to three sessions and I totally feel comfortable making that statement. Several studies have shown that acupuncture can restore immunity and fix a whole host of other issues, so I decided to explore it. I did it inconsistently many years ago for my migraines and I remember how incredibly calming the experience was. Well, it's still amazing. I feel an incredible sense of calm even before all of the tiny little needles have been inserted. I always leave my session feeling very euphoric, yet energized at the same time. This time around I am partaking in acupuncture on a consistent basis - at least for a few months.

5. Chiropractic Care: I had read and heard that chiropractic care was a great thing to do in my case. Chiropractors tend to be very knowledgable about autoimmune diseases and how imbalances in the body can contribute to symptoms. I had no intention of exploring chiropractors at this stage of the process, but I developed a nagging issue with my left shoulder a few months after my diagnosis. So I decided to go to a chiropractor and I'm so thankful I did. My initial chiropractic tests revealed that the left side of my body along with my neck were really out of line. That meant my body was using large amounts of energy just to keep certain things in place, which was causing inflammation, discomfort, and tightness - especially on the left side of my neck and back. I'm on a plan to receive a certain number of adjustments over the next few months to correct the issues. I can say that I've only had TWO adjustments so far and my shoulder already feels much better and the consistent tightness in my neck is subsiding. So excited about that!

Like I said, I am not 100% better, but I'm a LOT better than I was this time last year.  In spite of all of those things I listed above, I still have random bouts of insomnia, fatigue, and moments where I just feel off, which are the main reasons I'm still not blogging as much these days. I opt for rest instead on those days. And in case you are wondering if I'm spending a small fortune on all of this - the answer is unequivocally yes. Unfortunately, health insurance doesn't always cover these natural, yet effective forms of treatment - or housekeepers for that matter. And unfortunately high-quality food doesn't come cheap. But you know how they always say to save for a rainy day?? Well it's raining. I was prepared and I just have to be thankful for that. I'm thinking of this as an investment in my health and my life. I'm also thinking I'm spending less money now than I would later if I didn't work on tackling the root causes of this disease now - as opposed to later. Even though Hashi's requires life-long attention, I have no doubt that all of this is totally worth it. I'll be sure to keep you updated on my progress!

P.S. I've purchased several books on Hashi's, but my favorite is "The Root Cause" by Izabella Wentz. It's in the photo above. It was recommended to me by Lauren (she's such a sweetheart) and it's honestly the only book I feel like I will use consistently in the whole universe of books on Hashi's. It's easy to dissect, not intimidating, credible, and extremely helpful. I highly recommend it for people who are experiencing this issue and need help getting down to the bottom of it.

Let me know if you have any questions!!

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose any medical issues.

Image by me

WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON WITH MY HEALTH: PART II

continued from Monday's post...

So at this point, I've been to four different doctors and I still feel horrible. But I was determined to find an answer. I did more research, I prayed a LOT, educated myself on my symptoms via podcasts, and I asked more questions of more people. Then one day, I was talking to my Pilates instructor about my issues and she recommended I see her naturopathic doctor. I had heard of naturopathic (i.e. holistic) doctors before (especially from listening to this Podcast), but had never been to one. So as soon as I get home from my session, I research the doctor and by the end of the following week - I made an appointment. He didn't take health insurance (big negative), but he seemed well versed in my issues and it was extremely comforting to think of the possibility that whatever was wrong could be healed in a natural way. Plus, at this point I was desperate and didn't feel like I had much to lose by exploring something new.

My first appointment with this doctor was a DREAM in comparison to all of the other appointments I had in 2015. He literally sat across from me at a table and listened to me explain my issues for one whole hour. There were no computers or phone in sight. He made notes on a sheet of paper as I was talking. If he wasn't writing, he was looking me straight in my face as I talked. Our conversation made me feel like he was genuinely interested in helping me. At the end of the appointment, he drew up a plan. The plan included a food sensitivity test, an adrenal stress test, and a blood test that would test my hormone levels, my immune system, certain vitamin levels and ALL of the functions of my thyroid - not just the two that had already been tested. In the meantime, he suggested I start meditating once a day and start taking a certain type of magnesium for my heart palpitations and insomnia. I left that appointment more hopeful than I had felt in quite some time...

Once the tests came back, I went back to my naturopath to get the results - face-to-face. The results weren't given to me over the phone or over some portal on the internet. I got them face-to-face. Loved that. The tests revealed my diagnosis along with a few other alarming things... All of my blood work came back fine with the exception of the adrenal stress test, the immunity test, and my one of my THYROID tests. My adrenal stress test revealed that my hormone levels in the morning were all over the place, which made sense because that is when I felt the most anxious. The test for my immunity was positive, meaning that my immune system was compromised. The main functions of my thyroid were fine (as the prior test revealed), but my thyroid antibody levels were really high, meaning that the antibodies surrounding my thyroid were working overtime to keep the thyroid functioning properly. The compromised immune system and high thyroid antibody levels revealed my diagnosis: I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the thyroid. The invasion increases the thyroid antibody levels, which causes all of those symptoms I was experiencing, including my raging hormone levels in the morning. Why the immune system does that is somewhat of a mystery. Genetics, sex, age, toxins (environmental and food), and stress levels are just a few factors, but the exact cause is unknown. And there is no cure. My doctor tells me all of those things, things I had never heard of before, and I'm both happy and scared out of my mind at the same time. I'm happy because I FINALLY have an answer. I'm scared because now that I know I have a incurable disease. His recommendation for dealing with it makes me even more scared...

A good naturopath is interested in getting to the root cause of an issue. They don't give you a diagnosis then send you straight to the pharmacy to pick up a medication that might quickly fix the issue, but not eliminate the cause of the issue. So my naturopath reveals to me that the best way to manage this disease is through meditation, stress management, supplements, and most importantly diet - a Paleo diet to be exact. He also suggested that I eliminate my personal food sensitivities for a while. Per the food sensitivity test he ran, I am sensitive to gluten, wheat, grains, eggs, bananas, spinach, tomatoes, chia seeds, and a few other things - all things that I was pretty much eating on a daily basis. So basically I have to be gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, cheese-free, egg-free, and free of a bunch of other TASTY stuff. "What the HELL else is there to eat???," I thought. He tells me I have a disease and now he's telling me I have to eliminate pretty much every food that I love - healthy and unhealthy. And you know how I feel about FOOD!! It's everything to me! I just want to die at this point...  So he sends me home with a list of supplements to order, and an order to up my meditation practice to twice a day, get enough sleep (which I was starting to get thanks to the magnesium), eliminate my personal food sensitivities, and start the Paleo diet ASAP. I just wanted to die... Did I mention that??

Well, that appointment was three weeks ago. I have done exactly what the naturopath suggested - EXACTLY I say.  I'm certainly not 100% yet, but I can honestly say that I am feeling better in just this short period of time. Switching from a diet dependent on some carbs for energy to a diet solely dependent on vegetables, quality proteins, and good fats for energy made me extremely tired in the beginning, but that has gotten better with time. I'm no longer super anxious in the mornings. Last year, I even stopped watching the morning national news (something I'd watched every morning since college) because it made me feel even crazier. Now I can watch the morning news without getting anxious, which is huge considering how incredibly crazy this world has become just over the past year. My heart palpitations have almost ceased, my digestion is much better, and my thinking is much more clear. Meditating has been a HUGE help (more on that soon), and making rest and sleep even more of a priority has helped, too. I'm still bald in that one spot on the back of my head, but I'm hopeful that it will grow back with time.

Thinking of food in a new way has obviously been the hardest part for me. There are so many foods that I loved that I will no longer be able to eat without the risk of feeling horrible or causing damage to my thyroid. I was so frustrated in the beginning that I hired a nutritionist to help me out. She also has an autoimmune disease, so she really understood my issues and was really helpful. I'm currently making all of my meals entirely from scratch while trying to learn new ways of cooking things, which is necessary, yet completely exhausting. I've been to Whole Foods more in the last few weeks than in my entire life. I've cooked more in the last few weeks than I have in my entire life. Lots of fresh organic vegetables, lots of fish, lots of grass fed meats, and lots of smoothies and juices have been happening in my kitchen. But things are getting easier by the week as I learn new and quicker ways of doing things. Over time I'll be able to add back in the Paleo items that I am personally sensitive to, which should make things even easier. However, gluten, wheat, soy, and eggs are pretty much out for life. Ugh... But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to feel better, so I have to do what I have to do...

So why have I told you all of this?? I felt these posts were necessary for a few reasons. Most importantly, I wanted to drive home the point of owning your health. If you aren't feeling well or have that slightest inkling that something isn't right, please get checked out! If your doctor isn't listening to you, moving you around from doctor to doctor to doctor, and/or you aren't getting the attention or answers that make you feel at peace with what is going on, then keep it moving until you find someone who will listen and provide answers- may it be a regular doctor or a naturopath. Never give up!!! Do your research before ALL of your appointments so that you go into them armed with questions and a heightened sense of awareness about what might be going on. Also, be sure to ask about how your current diet and lifestyle might be affecting how you feel and how changing them might make you feel better. Diet and lifestyle are two things alone that can heal so many things, so please ask! Doing so could save you time, money, and ultimately your health.

The other reason I'm telling you all this is because this whole process has made me question the direction of this blog and how often I'll blog. Obviously things like cakes and cookies will not be featured here very often anymore. Even though this is going to be a big part of my life, as of right now I'm not planning on turning this into a blog all about health, Paleo, and gluten-free foods. There are enough of them out there - as I have seen from my many hours of research. But maybe from time to time I will feature recipes that I think would be tasty to anyone irrespective of a certain diet. In terms of how often I'll blog - well that's still up in the air. Right now, my health and maintaining my energy levels are most important to me. My energy levels lately aren't very high after work most days, and much of my weekends are spent cooking, running errands, exercising, and resting. But I promise you I will do what I can when I can.

Lastly, thanks so much to all of you who have sent your thoughts and prayers my way! I'm so completely appreciative and grateful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me via e-mail or via any of the social media pages. For more info on Hashimoto's, this infographic pretty much sums it up...

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose any medical issues.

Image by Dana Eason

WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON WITH MY HEALTH: PART I

Long time no see! It's been a crazy few months and I want to begin my semi-return to blogging with an honest explanation of what's been going on. I am really not the type of person to put my medical information out there, but I feel like I absolutely have to share this. I have to share this because I don't want one single person to have to go through what I have been through during the past year. It's been a long, frustrating journey to get here and I thankfully now know that I have another long journey ahead of me. So I'm going to share this in two parts because I don't want you to get lost in what would be a really long blog post if I shared everything that has happened all at one time. So here's Part I and Part II will go up later this week...

In January of last year, I started to feel the first of many symptoms that ultimately led to my diagnosis. It was so strange... I had just started a new job that I was (and still am) so excited about and I had all this free time that I had never had before. I planned to blog more, travel more, read more, and just be happy--- more. And some of that happened, but definitely not as much as I anticipated. I was always so exhausted. I started experiencing fatigue and constipation (sorry if that's TMI, but it's part of the story!). I would get a great night of sleep and be crazy tired by noon the next day. The fatigue and constipation were sporadic, but happened enough to be noted. But I wrote it off to my body getting adjusted to a new routine. I brought both symptoms up to my family doctor during my routine physical in February. She agreed that the fatigue was probably my body adjusting to my new routine, but she referred me to a gastroenterologist to check out the constipation... Scary, but fair enough, I thought.

I feel like I should pause here to say that outside of my migraines, which I have mentioned several times here before, I've never had any major medical issues. Never. I eat really well except for maybe one day a week, I exercise, don't smoke, enjoy sporadic glasses of wine, try to manage stress well (emphasis on "try"), and you KNOW I love my sleep. So all of these symptoms and working with different doctors was a completely new experience for me...

So I see the gastro and she recommends that I start taking a probiotic. She also recommended a colonoscopy just to rule out anything serious. "We really have to go there??? But I'm not even 50 years old yet!" Those were my first thoughts. But I agreed - hastily. But thankfully nothing was found. The doctor just told me to continue to take the probiotic- oh and to call her if I had questions...

Fast forward to October. I started to get SUPER anxious about the silliest things. I've always been a bit of a worrier, but this was on a whole other level. I also started experiencing heart palpitations, panic attacks, brain fog, weight loss, and insomnia. Oh - and I discovered a bald spot in the back of my head at the base of my neck that was about the size of a quarter. Hmmm... Back to my family doctor I go.

Before my appointment, of course I turn to trusty Google to see if I could get an idea of what might be going on. I typed in my symptoms and thyroid issues kept coming up. I noted that for my appt. So I explain my symptoms to my doctor and she ran an EKG to determine any abnormal heartbeats. Nothing was found there. She then wanted to run a blood test to check my thyroid and my Vitamin D levels. I specifically asked her if she was going to run a FULL thyroid panel (i.e. the T4, Free T4, TSH, Free T3, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies of the thyroid) - and she said yes.

The test showed that my Vitamin D levels were really low, so she recommended a supplement. But my thyroid tests came back normal - sort of. She only tested my TSH and T4 levels. I reached out to her for an explanation and she said that testing just those levels were the main indicators of any issues and she said my thyroid was fine. Hmm. Noted. In the meantime, my doctor recommended I see a cardiologist to get a further explanation of my heart palpitations and a dermatologist for my bald spot... Ugh. More doctors, more appointments, more frustration.

I followed her orders and saw a cardiologist. I brought up potential thyroid issues to the doctor and she said there was no indication of any issues since my TSH and T4 were fine. She proceeded to give me an echocardiogram. Even with the heart palpitations, which to her were not enough for concern, my heart was in perfect shape. So she recommended I go back to my regular doctor for further testing.

My appointment with my dermatologist to discuss my bald spot was very quick and to the point. I was in and out. She quickly stated I had alopecia areata and recommended cortisone shots to restart the hair growth. She never even defined alopecia areata, but I knew what it was thanks to the Google research I did the minute I saw the bald spot. I asked her if she thought this could be a thyroid issue and she said no because my TSH and T4 levels were fine. Sigh... Due to my normal level of worrying coupled with my heightened level of anxiety in general, I accepted the shots. Anything that might make me feel better and make me quit having thoughts of going bald. Two months later, the spot had almost doubled in size...

At this point it's January of this year. A whole year of just feeling off has gone by... I'm exhausted most of the time, still not getting good sleep, I'm still having digestive issues, I'm anxious, my heart feels like it's going to explode most times, and my hair is falling out. I've seen four different doctors - all of whom I assume were just doing what they know to do. However, I still felt like they weren't really listening to me and just wanted me in and out of their office so they could get to the next person.

So I ditched all four doctors and decided to take a whole new route...

to be continued on Wednesday...

Image by Dana Eason

BUTTERBUR: AN ALL- NATURAL SUPPLEMENT FOR MIGRAINES THAT WORKS!

I hope you had a great weekend! This post is a little off topic, but I've been praying about being able to say these words since 1997 - that would be 17 years! My hope is that this post might help you or someone you know that might be suffering from migraines...

Back in January, I mentioned here that one of my goals for this year was to work on eliminating my migraines. I think my exact words were, " to kick these migraines in the ass." I've had them for 17 years and they were getting worse with time. Well I've been working on it and I've found something that has worked tremendously! And it is all-natural!

Back in December, my doctor diagnosed me with "chronic migraines," which means I was having 10 - 15 migraines most months. They were so bad and so frequent that they were starting to really affect my lifestyle. So I was referred to a neurologist to come up with a serious plan to attack them. During my appointment with the neurologist, I stressed that I had absolutely no interest in additional medication, Botox (yes, Botox is used for migraine treatment), or anything unnatural. I had done research and knew that changes in diet, lifestyle and certain natural supplements had proven to be very effective in reducing or eliminating migraines. Over the last few years, I got my diet straight (very little processed foods, red meat and sugar, lots of fresh vegetables, lots of water, no caffeine), so I was interested in trying some supplements. The neurologist recommended Vitamin B2 and Magnesium Gluconate (both of which have proven to be effective with migraines), so I went to Whole Foods to buy them for the first time. I needed to see them in person and try them out first before ordering them online...

As I was in the process of looking for the vitamins amidst the plethora of vitamins at Whole Foods, a guy working in the vitamin department asked me if I needed any help. I told him what I needed and that I needed them for migraines. He said he had something better. That is when he introduced me to Butterbur. He said that it was an all-natural herb from a shrub that is grown primarily in North America and Europe. It had been proven to significantly reduce the frequency of migraines. He said it also helped with back pain, urinary tract infections, allergies and asthma. He said that tons of his customers swear by it. I had never heard of it and was skeptical, so I researched it online on my iPhone (thank God for smartphones) as I walked around the store. I couldn't find anything that said it wasn't effective or unsafe. So I bought it. I had such a good feeling about it that I started taking it that night! It was a weekend, so I consulted my neurologist the following week and she said it was ok...

That day at Whole Foods was February 8th. I have been taking Butterbur twice a day since then and things have been SO much better! Supplements take about 6-8 weeks to be effective and I can report that this stuff is REAL for me. The frequency of my migraines has gone from about 10-15 per month to about 4-5 per month. I'll take that!! When I do get the migraines, I still take my prescription meds, but the migraines don't last half as long or make me as tired as they did before I started taking Butterbur. I haven't experienced any side effects. My allergies that are normally terrible around this time of year have been remarkably better as well. So I got a two-for-one deal! Hopefully with time, the frequency of the migraines will reduce. Fingers crossed!

There are several brands of Butterbur out there, but I take this one (the two-pack is a better deal). It is free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA-free). Raw butterbur has alkaloids that can be harmful to your liver, so be sure to buy a brand that says "PA-free" on the bottle.

So my point here is that if you or someone you know is suffering from migraines, know that there are natural options out there that might be just as effective, better for you (and cheaper!!) as prescription meds. The natural meds combined with my diet are really working for me and I couldn't be more excited!

Do you or anyone you know take Butterbur? If so, what is/was your experience? Let me know!

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor by any means, so please consult your doctor before trying anything new! Also, this is not a sponsored post. I just really hopes this helps someone like it has helped me!

Macaron Trinket Box (used as my pill box) via Waiting on Martha

Images by me