In late 2012, my husband and I started trying for a baby. We had been married for a little more than a year and we were ready to grow our family. Within three months of starting, I was pregnant with our first child. We were so excited! It hadn't taken long and we just knew life was about to change in so many ways. I spent those early days just thinking about our life and how we'd have a little baby soon, whether it was a girl or a boy? Who would she/he look like? More Irish or more Mexican? However, I felt she was a girl. So I named her Lily. Unfortunately, at my first prenatal appointment the doctor told me that there was no heartbeat. I went back the following week to confirm still no heartbeat and no growth. I was scheduled for the following Friday for a D & C also known as dilation and curettage to remove the non-viable fetus. I experienced a little complication from the procedure and ended up back in Urgent care bleeding profusely and was advised to take the rest of the week off from work to rest and heal.
My normal cycle came back within a month and we were cleared to try again. We tried for many months on our own before we sought medical help. Both of us were given the various tests and they all came back normal and healthy, yet we struggled to conceive again. We went as far as IUIs. My now ex-husband and I agreed that we were not going to do IVF for various reasons; but mostly I (no judgement to anyone who has gone through with IVF) do not want to play God. I believe there are reasons unbeknownst to me as to why things happen the way they do. And I wasn't about to mess with Mother Nature that way.
I started to pay closer attention to my health. I looked at the toxins in my environment. The cleaning supplies I used at the house and in my classroom. I got rid of toxic scented Glade candles, Bath and Body Works products along with Victoria's Secret lotions and sprays. My goal was to make my body as healthy as possible. THIS was the catalyst for my life change. I became deeply interested in learning how to detox the body naturally. I read more on yoga and ayurveda; the holistic practices of the ancient yogis. I started to make small changes here and there where I could. Slowly, my life and habits started to look very different. But it did NOT happen overnight. It took years!
I used this massive loss to change my lifestyle. I lost my Dad at 22 from lifestyle choices. He was a smoker, a drinker, had diabetes type 2, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. My passion is health and wellness for good reason. I've lost family and friends to lifestyle choices from drugs and alcohol to suicide. My message, my goal, my purpose is to educate people on how to make better lifestyle choices for themselves.
The thing is, I wouldn't change a damn thing about where I ended up. It's okay that I had that loss and suffered because the next version of me was born. The one where she cared about her health. The one who left behind a stressful career as a special education teacher to pursue her passions. The one who realized health is wealth and wants to share her knowledge and gift of teaching this information to those who are on a similar path and journey to optimal health.
There needs to be a 'why' for you to change. I hope it doesn't take losing loved ones to lifestyle choices and lifestyle diseases before you decide to make those small lifestyle changes for yourself. Health really is wealth and you don't know how valuable it is until you or someone you love is ill. Small changes over time do add up! Just ask me. . .it's taken time to get here, but all the changes I have made have been permanent. The health and lifestyle changes you make from nutrition, stress management, exercise, and sleep will help the future you. And they will thank you for it
If you ever need advice, counseling, help with a new routine or structure, please feel free to contact me for health and wellness coaching services.
Xoxo,
Your Biggest Cheerleader in Health and Wellness
KC
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