at the beginning of 2015, i set goals for my family to "prosper in health." we committed to making small but intentional changes toward being all-around healthier. i'm happy to report those changes became habits, and those habits became our lifestyle.
in an effort to keep me and my family healthy, i committed to planning our meals every week, eat clean and feed my family healthy foods, and make exercise a priority every day. i invested in a Young Living Essential Oils starter kit and used them all year instead of medications for treating illnesses/symptoms, and instead of chemicals for household cleaning. we all took a daily dose of Elderberry Syrup and food based vitamin. i joined (and checked in daily with) an online fitness and nutrition accountability group. i invested in Beachbody membership, fitness programs, and nutrition coaching so that i could exercise every day and make super healthy meal plans.
i realized there's a difference in living and living well.
we made our health a priority in our pantry, our refrigerator, our calendar, our budget, and in our prayers.
and you know what happened? we were well.
i just called my kids' pediatrician to ask for a record of our visits in 2015. no, not for insurance purposes. i'm just curious, i said, how many times they were sick? she pulled up our records on her computer and told me the only two times we were at the pediatrician last year were for the kids' annual well-check visits. neither of my kids were sick in 2015.
that is major. i didn't ask (but should have) for our 2014 records for comparison, but i know for certain my son had at least one ear infection, and my daughter had the flu and strep throat that year.
my kids are homeschooled, yes, but we get out enough for them to catch the random viruses and illnesses that go around. they are in the gym childcare every week, go to dance class, are in martial arts, and are around dozens of kids at co-op, not to mention our weekly grocery store trip, and we all know germs run a muck on the shopping buggy handles.
there were days when my daughter said her throat was starting to feel scratchy, so i'd treat it with essential oils and hot tea. some nights i heard my son sniffling, so i put him in a steamy shower and diffuse oils in his bedroom. when my husband had a headache, he first reached for the peppermint oil and not the ibuprofen. i amp'd up the nutrients in our dinners and made smoothies with hidden antioxidants. and they would feel better. none of their symptoms ever escalated to the point where i thought they needed to see a doctor - and i'm not against going to see the doctor at all! i would have taken them if they ran a fever or didn't start feeling better after a day. thankfully, i didn't have to. our bodies responded well to natural treatment.
we didn't deprive ourselves of burgers or fries, sweet treats, or even ibuprofen. but those things became the exception and not the norm. our bodies became more accustom to lean ground turkey and kale, frozen fruit for dessert, and oils on our pressure points.
i'm not bragging, yall. and i'm not saying that we are perfect by any means.
what i'm saying is this: we made a few small changes, made some well-thought-out investments, pushed our health up in priority, committed to living well, and it worked. we are well.
i am immensely thankful for our health and determined to stay well in 2016. jeremiah 29:11 says “for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” i dare you to claim this in your life and to determine to prosper in 2016.
Apple Fennel Mustard Slaw
from DirtyGourmet.com
ingredients:
- 1 head savoy cabbage, shredded
- 2 bulbs fennel, sliced thin
- 2 green apples, matchsticked
- 1/4 cup evoo
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- juice of one lemon, halved
- 2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
- salt & pepper
if you want to make changes for your or your family's health, but don't know where to start, i'd be happy to chat with you! feel free to reach out: eryn at mamahall.com
here's to a well year, friends!
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