My life has changed

I've hesitated writing a blog post about this because I wanted to make sure it works, because it could be controversial, and because I don't want to come across as preachy.  But it has been four months, it has changed my life and continues to do so, and so I want you to know about it.

Although I've always considered myself very healthy, fit and strong, I began experiencing strange symptoms after the birth of my third child six years ago.  Twice a month, I would get what I came to call "energy drains", where my energy literally drained out of me, I got a headache, felt nauseated and had to lie down in a dark room and sleep.  It felt like symptoms of a migraine although I didn't experience the pounding that other people describe.

You can imagine that with raising three young children and running a farm, these energy drains were very inconvenient, since I literally couldn't function.  Over time, they were not only inconvenient, but very, very scary.  I didn't know what was wrong with me, and after working with naturopaths and accupuncturists for a couple of years, even getting rid of my beloved goats for a while to reduce my work load, things didn't improve.  In fact, they got worse.

I started feeling terrorized by these energy drains because they could strike at any time.  When I scheduled to teach a cheesemaking course at our farm, or planning a getaway, or attending events, I never knew if I could function that day.

For a type A german overachiever and control freak someone who likes things her way, this started getting me seriously down.  Nobody could help me. 

At a local Mardis Gras parade in February, I ran into one of my friends who has suffered from migraines all her life.  She and I are similar: very conscious of eating healthy, organic food, homeschooling our kids, homesteaders.  I respect her opinion.  She told me about a bestselling book she had read, written by a man who apparently has helped thousands of people with their illnesses, and after applying some of his advice, my friend saw vast improvements with her migraines and health. 

At first, I didn't want to listen to her and yet another book about health, because I felt like I was doing everything right, and that I knew this stuff already.  Also, the way author got his information sounded strange to me.  Still, something made me buy the book, and I read it in two days.  It resonated deeply with me.

I won't go into much detail here, but I want to tell you this: I put some of the things he advises into practice immediately - very easy things like drinking a quart of warm water with lemon first thing in the morning, or taking Spirulina and Barley grass juice extract to detox heavy metals from the body.

And here's the miracle:

I have not had a single energy drain for four months, ever since I started implementing some of the stuff the author talks about.

This is why I want you do know about it.  If you have any mystery illnesses or ailments that doctors haven't been able to resolve, or if you want to feel healthy and vibrant, please read this book.  If you have read my blog for a while, you know I don't like to be preachy, but in this case, I think everyone should read the book.  Everyone.  I included a link below, which is an affiliate link, by the way, so I do get a few cents if you do order it though my link, but that's not what I'm after.  I want you to be healthy and vibrant, and this book has changed my life.  

I want you to be open to it, even if you read the first paragraph of the description.  Give it a chance.

Now that I have that off my chest, let me tell you about last week.

It has been HOT, and we are eternally grateful that our neighbors have a pond we can use.  We could go to the creek, but the water there is very cold and not great for swimming in for hours.  And who wants to walk to the creek when it's 102 degrees out, if you can just walk the few steps to the pond?

The boys jump off the dock, Eva paddles around with her life vest on, I watch them and knit socks.  The puppy just learned to swim and spends her whole time at the pond swimming back and forth, tail wagging while she doggy paddles, scooping up tadpoles with her mouth, snapping at water striders.  She's the happiest dog I've ever seen.

Although our life seems leisurely, we've been working hard.  I'm creating an online course on how to raise chickens, so I've been writing and writing, filming how to build a chicken tractor, and editing the movie.  It's a lot of work, but fun, and it will be an awesome course.

In between filming, we try to pay attention to our youngest, poor, neglected child who has to entertain herself for yours while we work.  (The older boys have each other).  It's nice to snuggle up with her on a lawn chair in the shade, take a breather, and feel grateful for our lives.

Her best friend spent a couple of days with us, and the girls foraged for salmon berries.  Lots of them.

Everything's great on the animal and garden front.  The fridge in the goat barn broke, so the piggies got to drink a lot of milk.  They put their whole bodies in the feeding bowl, with their butts sticking up in the air while they happily slurp.

We are eating our first peas from the garden.  Oh, yeah!

And you?  What's happening in your life?

PS: Order the book.  Just do it.