Jun 07

Getting Well – Supplement!

I am a total research geek that has been dabbling in or digging into various health topics for 19 years … no degrees or certifications in the health industry, but a mighty knowledge built on curiosity alone!  My curiosity started with attempting to figure our what was wrong with me.  I had “unexplainable” medical conditions that got every obscure yet totally vague diagnosis code in the book – idiopathic this or viral that.  Try this specialist or that one or maybe this one over here.

All these random symptoms that I thought were some how connected and the best the doctors had for me was try this pill or that pill or the old stand by – its all in your head.  Well it turns out they were wrong!  It was mostly all in my guts! I could go on for pages about the impact of gut health.  Google any of your health issues and leaky gut to start your own research.

To share a very condensed version:  an unhealthy gut can cause way more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating, or diarrhea.  Around 80% of our immune system is located in our gut so intestinal imbalances have been linked to imbalanced hormones, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, allergies, anxiety, depression, skin issues, and other chronic health problems.  An unhealthy gut can also keep you from losing weight even with a proper diet and exercise.

But lets be real – how many of us have a “proper diet”.  We live in America and we have a convenience driven lifestyle which impacts the food we eat.  Take out, fast food, restaurants and partially prepared easy packaged foods from the grocery store are the norm.  Unfortunately – this list is also loaded with refined carbs, a wide variety of sugar and often times chemicals in the form of additives and preservatives. Even if we eat all organic – the food we buy does not have the same nutrient density that they did when our grandparents bought them at the grocery store.

I assembled an incredible team of medical professionals that support me now – my internist, my neurologist, and my gastroenterologist all support my quest on the most natural path to total health.  They all encourage supplements – minimally probiotics, a multivitamin, and a complete omega supplement.  We have conversations about how to partner the naturopathic, holistic, alternative, and traditional western medicine approaches. The biggest blessing for supplements I have found is Plexus which they each reviewed, approved and encourage me to use consistently.

Plexus is a health and wellness company with natural products.  Plexus has a plant-based supplement line focused on blood sugar regulation, inflammation, gut health, and energy.  The first 3 items alone may be the root cause of up to 80% of the chronic illness in the US.  You can also think about it in terms of weight management, pain management and detoxification.  The goal is to help you get your internal systems back in balance.*

My journey with Plexus has been more rewarding than I even imagined. I am 100% confident that Plexus can help you too.  If there is something physical going or if you have an ambitious health goal – let’s talk!  As an ambassador, I’d love to help answer any questions you may have to see which of our products are the best fit for you and your lifestyle. Please email me so we can schedule time to visit.

ps – hadn’t planned to start here, though after Plexus announced yesterday a new an improved patent pending Slim to help improve our microbiome in our intestines – bringing on the happy and healthy!

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  For complete information about Plexus Worldwide, please visit our website at www.sharinghealthandhappiness.com

 

May 12

7 Months and Counting

This is the most honest description of our past 7 months. 7 months ago tonight I was overwhelmed with how bad Thad’s injuries were yet incredibly grateful he was still alive. Tonight – after watching him fall asleep, my feelings are a lot the same.

I still want to know every detail of what is going to happen when so I can be prepared mentally and physically … and yes, I can hear God chuckling as He reminds me once again – “I’ve still got this. I’ve still got Thad.  I’ve still got his recovery.  And yes Lisa, I’ve still got you too!”  The struggle with control is real y’all!

Monday was the start of week 5 of 8 into his return to work transition, the hours were a little too long and he had a “minor backslide.” Word and speech challenges, difficulty moving, short term memory speed bumps, and seemingly unable to stay awake.  We needed to rethink, adjust and he needed to find the words to ask for what he needed. I’m so proud of his determination to fight through the frustrations and setbacks! It can’t be easy

So tonight – I’m all about the gratitude!  I’m grateful for the skills and strategies we’ve been taught, his OT to talk through options, his bosses encouragement and the support of company that seeks to glorify God first. Most of all, I am grateful to Jesus Christ – because of Him, I can go boldly before the throne of God with anything and everything. Prayer changes perspective and He calms me back down! God has shown up in huge ways that we KNOW it is only Him carrying us! I can wait to see the growth this next month brings.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

May 08

Getting Well – Rebuilding the Temple

This sounds easy enough and yet I find it one of the hardest things to do consistently!  Today at the doctor’s office, I found out that I have 3 months to practice getting really good at it!  It was confirmed through biopsies and blood work – that Celiac is a part of how God made me.  And since I am just now discovering this at 46, I have a few other issues that need to be healed that are a direct result of not knowing.  And when you know better, you can do better – The choice is mine.

I am mildly alarmed at what is going on in my upper GI tract and yet completely relieved to know that it is all 100% tee-totally fixable – and it is all based on what I eat!  That is it – no gluten translates into no antibodies and no other medically bad stuff with really long names.

So what should I eat?  My doctor recommended I plan for long term Paleo as that is the healthiest way to move forward as a carnivore.  It eliminates the gluten and refined/processed carbs and will fill me up with all kinds of goodness that God created – meat, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and eggs.

My health matters and to fight the fear of change – I choose to view this as a spiritual adventure.  I am going to rebuild God’s temple of the Holy Spirit!

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

I don’t have to do this alone!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
It really isn’t about me!
1 Peter 2:5
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
And I want to honor God above all else!  The journey to getting well begins …. I will start with converting my kitchen to Gluten Free this weekend and head to the library to learn more and get meal plans, recipe ideas, and helpful hints.  If you have any ideas or Pinterest boards to share – pass them on along!

May 04

Getting Well – 7 Steps to Physical Wellness

I know way more than I think I know about what is required for getting “well”.  God is seriously convicting me to take action and trust He will fill in any blanks.

May – August are the most common months to fall out of your healthy habits. We vacation, we change our schedules, we stay up late, we celebrate more, we want to lounge by the pool all day … and I want this year to be different.  I am claiming the most sensational summer ever.  I refuse to struggle or slack off!

I do not for an instant believe that I will be 100% completely “well” by the end of the summer – BUT – I do believe can have the foundation laid and the habits forming to transform my physical health in the next 6 months.

Will it be easy?  It can be.

Will it be effortless?  Not a chance.

Will it be worth it?  Absolutely.

So here is my focus:

  • Hydrate!
  • Eat real food
  • Eliminate daily
  • Sleep
  • Move
  • Supplement
  • Manage Stress

I am not sure what order God will prompt me to adjust with each of these – so I will embrace flexibility, possibility and commitment in the coming weeks. If you want to join me on the journey, come on!  Its always easier with a friend!

3 John 2

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health physically, just as I know your soul prospers spiritually.

Apr 21

Start at the Beginning

A week and a half to ponder this whole alignment thing …. I can clearly hear where God wants me to go.  The first steps are always the hardest part – acknowledging my starting point, drawing the line and then starting.

I’d like for this to be the easy part.  I’d like for this to be effortless, painless and comfortable. However, anything sanctifying is seldom any of those things.  The little whispers in my heart have turned into writing on the wall – it’s time to take that next step … to change.

This is part of Him finishing the work in me …. my journey to become more like Jesus and simply His!  The areas God is pointing out to me are all a part of getting well.

John 5:6

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”

I read that and feel the weight of it.  It isn’t a little convictions starting to creep in – its the whole hog weight of Jesus telling me the choice is mine.  Do I want it? Will I work for it? Do I trust him?  Will I do what he tells me to?  When God calls us to make a change – I believe His provision and protection will be there to support me through.

John 5:8

Jesus *said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

Can it really be that simple? Just start …. Lisa, get up and move.  Give me an action to bless. Give me someone to talk through. Give me an opportunity to help you.  So I did.  I journaled about my spiritual, mental and emotional state.  I had an amazing discussion with Thad and celebrated all that God is doing in our marriage. I did a full budget review and were are good.  I put off the physical to the end because I know that is where God is prompting me to get well.

So where am I medically?  I have a few GI things that I have ignored – so step one was to face them.  Last week I had a good appointment with my primary care doctor and overall, I am not nearly as out of whack as I thought I was physically.  There are digestive issues with family history that needed to be addressed so yesterday I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy … one was clean and normal and one wasn’t.  In a couple weeks I will find out what not normal really means.

So for today, I praise God for the provision I have.  I am grateful for:

  1. Dr. G – she is a gifted internist that cares and helped me get moving.  She called today to make sure that I am still moving after she got the reports.
  2. Dr. I – he is a godly man and a very calming presence as far as GI doctors go.  He is holding my hand through the process reminding me to stay present and not even attempt to skip steps. He was gentle with me during the tests and I am not feeling as sore the day after as I have been in the past.
  3. Plexus – both of my doctor’s fully support my use of Plexus and believe that my overall good health is directly related to my use of Plexus supplements.  They have history, they know the change, and they are both encouraging me on both the physical and financial journey of our Plexus business.
  4. Out of Pocket Maximums – might seem odd to include this, but we have really good insurance and even though our out of pocket maximum is high – God provided us the means and the ability to be prepared for paying our bills.  With Thad’s injury and recovery, I do not need to stress about additional bills coming in because our out of pocket max was met a few months ago.
  5. Naturopathic Medicine – there are so many ways to get information about our bodies from our bodies.  I am choosing to explore them all and trust that God will shine his big ole bright light on the pat he chooses for me to take …. there are options to getting well – completely physically well!
  6. Thad – He was willing to listen as I talked through the whole mess of getting well.  I love my husband and I am truly grateful he is still with me and that God has shown us how to support each other with our new reality.

Apr 11

Alignment Where it Matters

April 2017

I am so grateful … when God wants my attention – when I really need to be learning something, He creates the most amazing times of stillness for me. I can be way to busy and way too caught up in crazy to-do lists that often involve other people, BUT when I feel that sinking overwhelm – He ALWAYS gives me a way out.

I have felt a little out of whack – in need of an alignment – for the past couple months. I have things that are important to me, God given dreams that seem to land on my back burners because something else was more urgent. All those years of project management training and skill building and I still get sucked into the tyranny of the urgent. One truth has been right in front of me in so many ways for the past month. Mixing up different translations:

1 Corinthians 10:13

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it. He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].

He always provides! Provision this month came packaged in a 103.3 fever … yes it is odd to think of illness as provision, yet in this case it is absolutely true. When I am that sick and have so many days in bed, I can’t do much more that lay there and think! For a couple of days, I was too tired to even read. It is in those moments, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, God’s got me. The most clear headed I got was saying God – what do you need me to know?

In my heart, I heard the whispers – you need to take care of you! I’d love to report that was the end of the conversation and I responded with an ok – no problem – NOT! I may have had the fever for over a week to have the appropriate wrestling time to understand what God was really saying.

My temptation – my urgency – often shows up in service to others. It isn’t a bad thing until I am sacrificing my health all the way to my physical self. My serving gets out of whack with a bad case of self-sufficiency. God was gentle and kind as he showed me how this pattern plays out that He wants me to work on.

  • Someone I love has a need (Thad is in a really bad car accident).
  • I mostly drop everything to help (He needed 24×7 help).
  • I feel guilty for not getting my stuff done (I stopped doing pretty much everything but my quiet time – no meal planning, no house cleaning, all the basic home management stuff).
  • I sacrifice my sleep to find more hours in the day to pretend to get caught up (I’d wake up at 4a and decide to dust – what?).
  • I end berating myself that I am not doing more (Thad is injured, not me; it is weak to need help to take care of family).
  • When I finally raise the white flag and admit the overwhelm, I don’t know how to ask for help, I am not specific in what I need to a broad enough audience. (What can someone else do? Why would people help me?).

Confession: I am not ok and haven’t been ok for a while. I love taking care of my husband and I am so grateful that he is alive to take care of. It will never be a burden to love him well. AND I need to create balance. I need to sleep. I need to relieve stress. I need down time. I need to eat food that nourishes and supports me.

Thad is getting better. I am watching miracles every day as God continues to heal his brain. It is an honor to have a front row seat to his transformation. Now I need to allow myself to be transformed as well. I can overcome the temptation that my needs don’t matter right now – only with God’s help. It is time to start my journey to get back into alignment – to find my health and wellness integrity again.   God – I am listening … I will follow your lead.

Mar 12

5 months

Having been in bed basically asleep for 3 days …. Today’s anniversary snuck up on me. Unfortunately – Thad seems to be getting it now too

💚 5 months post injury 💚

In our adult life, we have never referred to things in weeks or months until Brain Injury. Not ever having children, I couldn’t understand how much could change in 4 short weeks. Now I get it.

Learning “different” means it is just different … It’s not good or bad – oh and there is no going back. We will eventually find a new normal and it will be different too. Brain fatigue and flooding are VERY REAL and can be shocking at first – today we praise God for helping us understand, adjust and adapt.

He wanted to help so he “made lunch” today and ended up giving us both learning opportunities! It involved smoke, a smoke detector I can’t reach on a chair, loud incessant beeping, a change of plans, opening the house to air out when it was 50 outside, stuttering, a few tears, significant shaking and 2 boys that wouldn’t come back inside for a while.

And it’s all good … Life goes on … By dinner things were mostly recovered and calmed back down – just some shaking, dizziness, stuttering, head pain, and difficulty holding utensils. Welcome to Living with TBI101 – Thad’s version!

(you can check out this geek out video on flooding – seriously the most helpful 8ish minutes for me to understand a little bit of what goes on between Thad’s ears now.)

Each and everyday I learn more about Thad as a survivor, a fighter, a warrior. My love and respect for Thad grows daily as I watch him figure stuff out – even the stuff that completely freaks him out – and me too!

Please keep praying – they are working and he is still fighting for his recovery!

#thadiswhatdeterminationlookslike
#braininjuriessuckbutwontwin
#notaloneinbraininjury
#Godsgotus

Mar 05

Be Still

Sometimes God makes things as clear as the writing on the wall and sometimes we have to be still to hear him whisper in our hearts.  In a season of “trials”, I truly want to honor God …  and to honor him, I need to listen and to listen I need to be still.

Being still is quite possibly the hardest thing for me.  I need to stop moving, empty my mind, and quiet my heart.  It is the deliberate conscious choice to give my full focus and full attention to the Lord.

And it’s time to devote myself to prayer – to fall flat on my face and just listen.  There are 2 Old Testament times when we are instructed to be still. In Exodus 14:14, Moses tells everyone the Lord is going to fight for them as they are fleeing the Egyptians … Be still (be calm) the Lord himself will fight for you.  There is very real fear yet a desperate desire to trust God.  Am I hesitating to do what I know the Lord has commanded?

Then in Psalm 46:10, we are reminded that God is God.  He is with us as our protector, our refuge, and then through Jesus he is our eternal victory.  In the face of trials, do I trust God’s plans? Do I trust His provision? Will I choose confidence, boldness and humility to go where God guides? Oh how I wish the sanctification journey was easier.

This month’s quiet time is working through the book of James.  I am grateful for the provision and truth and is front of me every morning as I wrestle with next steps.

James 1:13-15

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Am I focusing on my circumstances or am I focusing on my God!  I get to choose and today, I draw my line in the sand.  I choose God’s way.  He outlined my way out and I will be faithful to walk this terrifying road knowing that He is there … for my good and His glory!

My next steps:

  • Die to self
  • Take the escape from temptation the He provides
  • Renew my mind
  • Take every thought captive
  • Rely on and embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit
  • Be DOERS of His words and instructions

Ok God – I am ready.  I trust you.  You’ve got this.  Let’s go!

Feb 13

Forgive

February 2017

When something traumatic happens in someone’s life, hearts will be revealed and often change is required. There is a process I have to go through because loss occurred. For me, going through the shock, grief, and resignation to get to acceptance doesn’t look like I thought it would.

My shock stage was completely numb and in total disbelief of what was going on around me. It was a period of “I don’t know”. I had zero understanding of what had happened or what was coming. I could trick myself with the everything will be fine thoughts because he looked ok even though deep down I knew things were seriously off.

When the grief hit, I felt a whole lot all at once. So many questions of why? The mood pendulum would swing from sad to angry to fear to overwhelm then it would start over. I had to allow the scary feelings of intense mourning and just be still.

When I had feelings of resignation taking over, I thank God for the warning signals that this could be a danger zone. I didn’t want to feel hopeless and powerless. I didn’t want to get stuck in the why us victim thoughts. I didn’t want to believe things weren’t and never would be ok. And yet I hid waiting for the next disaster under an imaginary cloud of pending doom. And in the darkness, he was still with me.

God’s got us! and when I really believe it and act on it, there is acceptance of the new normal. I am willing to live. I am willing to hope. I am open to the blessings of the new life God has for me. What God is showing me over and over is that if I want to live in his perfect peace with acceptance and hope, forgiveness is the only door I have to walk through.

And to forgive, I need to acknowledge the pain. I need to acknowledge the feelings.

  • hatred towards the driver that hit Thad
  • abandonment by people that had promised to be there then walked away
  • judgment that I screwed it up or was/am doing it wrong
  • anger of other’s minimizing and dismissing our new reality
  • sadness of thinking I was a part of something when I wasn’t really
  • grieving the loss of what I thought were real friendships

From this point forward – I can choose to give it to God. I do not have to be bound by it or held hostage to it. It can be part of my past, but it does not have to shape my future. I choose to accept responsibility for myself and my actions moving forward.

Colossians 3:12-14

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

I choose to forgive. And when it hurts again, I choose to remember that I forgave the hurts and stay present in the love of Christ. I can choose my focus, my attitude, my beliefs, and my actions. I will choose my words to give life. I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I will focus on Him. Not everyone will like me or believe in me. Not everyone supports me – BUT GOD – goes with me and that is what sustains me.

Jan 26

Chase the Lion

Our first book of 2017 ends like this – so perfect as Thad attempts his first full day of therapy tomorrow!

It’s okay to pray a hedge of protection around those you love the – God is our Refuge, our Shield. But he is also our banner — the God who goes before us, the God who fights for us!  Jesus didn’t die to keep you safe. He died to make you dangerous! Can I tell you who I think you are? You are a lion chaser! So do what you were destined to do. Chase the Lion!