You're doing WHAT and WHY???

"There's a difference between interest and commitment.  When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient.  When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results." 

- Ken Blanchard

February 2010, I was hospitalized for several days with a very high, unexplainable fever.  After every test known to man (I have the bill to prove it!), it was concluded that I was allergic to a medication that I was recently put on for a disease I have called Crohns. Take me off the medication and almost instantly...I was better.

Although the fevers had stopped, my body was still not well.  I was overweight and out of shape, trying to maintain a full time plus, high stress job as well as be a wife and mother, eating habits that were out of control, the disease had my body in a state of under nourishment and exercise had become something I didn't have time for and certainly didn't feel like doing (makes me tired just typing all of that).

The Journey Began....
It is my understanding, that the ultimate goal when you have Crohn's Disease is to get your body into remission.  The medications are meant to suppress my over active immune system to that of a normal person. Thus, relieving the symptoms and damage the disease inflicted. The new medication my doctor wanted to put me on was described to me as the "cadillac" medication, the "big one".

Nervous and praying diligently for a better way, I began to read.  Everything I read on the new "cadillac" medication scared me more than the one I was on that hospitalized me.  I felt stuck, I knew if I didn't take the medicine...the disease would do a lot of harm, cause great havoc and surgery was inevitable but on the other hand I was getting more and more clarification that it wasn't the road I needed to be on.  I refused the medicine and decided I would take control of my health.

I continued to read, but changed my google searches from traditional medicine to taking a more natural healing approach.  I immediately began reading about different foods and their effect on the human body, organic vs. conventional foods, genetically modified foods, hormone and antibiotic filled foods and a whole host of very interesting topics that I had little to no knowledge of.  The more I read, the more I wanted to read...the more I read, the more disgusted I became on how under educated we as Americans are.  I saw it written recently that Americans are the most OVERFED and UNDERNOURISHED country.  How is that?  Think about that for more than a second and it becomes disgusting!

As my food choices began to change, my energy levels increased.  I began taking a phenomenal supplement that was helping my body to heal better than any medication I'd ever taken.  As my energy levels increased I began to exercise again.  As I began to exercise again, I began to lose weight and feel great about myself again.  All of this happened, because I was committed to finding something better and I would accept NO EXCUSES...only results!

Being slightly dramatic...I look back and say, "11 months ago I was on deaths doorstep."  Well, I honestly believe I was.  I was on a rapid downward spiral.  The reaction to the medication was my "ah ha', "wakeup", "knock on the door" whatever you want to call it, but even though it took something that extreme to get my attention, I am very thankful and grateful for it.

The past 11 months I haven't stopped reading and researching, I have found that I have a great passion for sharing what I've learned to inspire others to take control of their lives.  A great friend who I love and respect highly, has been helping me to focus this excitement in a way that will be most beneficial to others.  Where will that lead?  Not sure yet...would love to hear your ideas and suggestions?

My intention for this blog is to not only share with you what I learn and have learned, but to motivate and inspire, share your victories and give you countless tips on things that have worked for me.  Remember, I'm a mom...so changing the way I looked at food and nutrition had to also be the way our family looked at food and nutrition.  Organic/natural eating has a stigma attached to it that it's too expensive for the typical American family...I think just the opposite and will work hard to bust that myth.

I also want to hear from you...when people ask me questions, it inspires me to read and research more...so please, keep the questions coming.  Feel free to contact me anytime, I'm doing this for you!

Until next time, accept no excuses.
Laura