Getting my act (health) together to Susan

June 11, 2004

I do get indigestion, heartburn, pretty badly sometimes. But since I have become more aware of how I should be nailing the causes rather than just the symptoms, I have had a lot more luck in controlling it. A big one for me was the artificial sweeteners, namely aspartame, which I was addicted to. I was drinking like 1/2 gallon of Crystal Light each day. I was getting massive headaches that wouldn't go away for anything. And the heartburn was so bad, I couldn't eat hardly at all. Now, I pay for it when I binge on caramel popcorn or potato chips, which doesn't happen often, because I am remembering the effects more and more each time I do, but I am staying way away from anything with aspartame or Splenda in it. Plain or with raw honey, please.

MSG was the first thing I realized I needed to get away from. I would get horrible headaches, indigestion, and fatigue problems after eating just a few Doritos, or Top Ramen (can't you tell I was a junk food addict?) It finally dawned on me that I was getting those symptoms from stuff I was eating, and started watching labels for MSG, since I had heard it could have this effect on a person.

Diary on the other hand, I just can't see going without. I LOVE goats milk and products, and raise my own milk goats. I get a little bit of hiccups from the milk, but not bad, and only for a short while. I can see being moderate with these things, but I couldn't give them up very easily. Store bought milk grosses me out and the kids won't touch it. I can give them a glass of store bought milk, and they take a sip and nearly gag. I really get the scolding for it, too! Chesses are next on the make it at home or don't eat it list. I just don't trust any commercial stuff anymore. I love my homemade yogurt, and find making sure I take in a cup or so a day seems to really help me feel better. I miss a day, and I feel like I am gonna go down hill.

I am a relatively new coffee drinker, but I was really hooked on it for a while. I finally realized though how dried out I ended up feeling after drinking it, and started preferring to not drink it, but man, it is hard to keep myself from mindlessly heading for the Starbucks or nearest espresso stand for that rich, creamy mocha. (Wiping off my keyboard here....drool....)

I have terribly dry skin, cracked feet. I have recently found Evening Primrose Oil to help a lot, rubbed in twice a day, and making sure I drink LOTS of water and tea (decaf of course), and NO coffee. That and that Crystal Light stuff was making me even more thirsty and dried out when I was drinking it. Now, water and tea have become my new addiction. Much more satisfying and I can really feel the difference in my skin. I also use Olive Oil after my showers instead of lotions, since I am leery of the junk I find in most stuff, and I can't afford to use a lot of the hfs lotions, with how much I use daily. With the EPO, and my super-fatted homemade soaps, it seems to be working well.

Chocolate, I crave, but I end up feeling so badly after I eat it, I am shying away from it more often than not now. Indigestion, bloating, oily skin, sluggish, but jittery at the same time. Just really not much fun. Another one of those things were the more I get "zapped" by the "electric fence" the more I decide not to push my luck.

So, at any rate, you can see, the picture becomes clearer for me each passing day, as I make choices in how I eat and drink and then feel the effects on my body and mind. Best part, I comparatively rarely get headaches any more, and when I do, I just drink LOTS of water, and in about 15 minutes, it is gone! Sometimes I use a bit of Lavender EO to help me relax while I am waiting. Sure beats popping Tylenol or Advil all day!

Kim S.

June 11, 2004

Sounds like you've made a lot of changes Kim! Way to go!

:)Kelli

Kimberly Smith [k_frog100] Thursday, June 10, 2004 5:07 PMherbal remedies Subject: Herbal Remedies - Getting my act (health) together to Susan

I do get indigestion, heartburn, pretty badly sometimes. But since I have become more aware of how I should be nailing the causes rather than just the symptoms, I have had a lot more luck in controlling it.