Ever since a health class I took in high school, I have developed a growing passion for health and fitness. I find it fascinating that by simply changing my eating habits and lifestyle, I can improve my overall wellness, heal myself, overcome illness much quicker, feel good, increase my energy levels, and so much more! The body is an amazing thing, and I believe that God not only gave us the gift of life, but He wants us to take care of it!
About a year and a half ago, I chose to go gluten free and cut out all processed sugar from my diet. I had suffered from chronic GI issues most of my life, and during college it seem to get worse and worse. I was also under a high amount of stress due to the intense college program I was in & I consumed the typical college student diet of: junk food, caffeine, and TONS of sugar to "help" me get through late night study sessions and finals. Throughout college my health continued to decline. I suffered from severe bloating, stomach aches, cramps, headaches, migraines, low energy, chronic fatigue, cystic acne, emotional outbursts, insomnia, trouble focusing, memory issues, nervousness, anxiety, racing thoughts, I was always getting sick ,and I could never seem to satisfy my cravings. Instead of gaining the typical "freshman 15" I actually lost 15lbs. I was always hungry, sick, and had no idea that my health problems and weight loss were related to my poor diet and the fact that my body was simply starving for nutrients.
By my last semester of college, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I didn't think I could make it through another semester like this! I then remembered the health class I took while in high school, and how my teacher had inspired me to be a warrior for my own health. I used to be so passionate about health, but had put it all on the back burner when college came along. I decided enough was enough, sat down at my computer and started researching. I found that a lot of my symptoms matched up with those who were gluten intolerant, and I also discovered what a negative impact sugar was having on my health. The next day I went cold turkey and completely cut out gluten and processed sugar from my diet. I also started researching more, and paying closer attention to what I was eating and what impacts it could have on my short and long term health. A month later, my GI problems had resolved, I had more energy, and overall felt great! I knew then that I was on the right path and continued to fine tune my diet. Through supplements, exercise, eating real food, and being aware of what goes in my body ( you ARE what you eat!) I am slowly healing and my health is improving. I am continuing to research , and I am still not 100%. I realize that 20+ years of poor health can not be reversed in just a couple years. I have much more to learn, but through trial and error I have found something that actually works! This is why I have decided to finally start a blog, because I want to share what I have learned ( and am learning) with all of you! This blog is also a great way for me to archive all of my recipes! Whether you are gluten intolerant or not, I hope this blog will be helpful and informative!
disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am not a nutritionist or doctor. Most of the information on this blog is based upon my own personal experience and research. All photographs and content are copyright Wellness Warrior. Please contact me for permission to use photographs and content.
I'm very excited about this blog. I'm familiar with most of the symptoms you listed and have begun my journey to learn what lifestyle diet my body needs. Plus, all of your pictures on Instagram just get my mouth to watering, especially when I look at them and think: "I could totally eat that without any negative side effects!"
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this up. Blessings!