Horriblemones!

Since I was 13 my hormones have been messed up. It wasn't until several years ago when I was told I probably wouldn't be able to have children without expensive medical interventions that I actually started doing real research about why my hormones were so messed up. What I found out surprised me. Sure, there are hormones in the meat and milk we eat, and there is BPA in plastic (which is an endocrine disruptor, among other things). I already knew this. I didn't know that it was just the tip of the iceberg. I also had no idea how much certain toxins, chemicals, and the way foods are processed/cooked influenced hormones. I began changing how I shopped at the grocery store immediately, and I started buying everything I could organic and pasture raised (especially meats, eggs and dairy). I learned quickly how true the phrase "you get what you pay for" truly is. I got rid of all my BPA plastic and purchased new "BPA Free" containers. Then after reading about estrogen dominance in America, I started using a progesterone cream to balance things out a bit. A couple months later I decided to do a month long detox diet eating nothing but organic fruit, veggies and beans/legumes (with some rice). In addition, I made sure I did a fresh juice of veggies and fruits every day to replenish lost vitamins, enzymes, minerals and phytonutrients. A month later I found out I was pregnant! I was beyond shocked because the month I conceived, I decided to give up the notion of ever having children because my husband and I decided not to go through the medical intervention process after months of weighing the options, and it was highly unlikely we would ever have a baby on our own.

The horriblemones didn't stop there. From severe (and long lasting) "morning sickness" (you can read about my experience here), to intense muscle and ligament pain and then followed by a premature birth, inability to produce my own milk, and losing 75% of my hair, I guess my hormones were still out of whack and not working like they should. This is where further research came in, and partly what made me decide to make all these recent changes. A large one having to do with water.

Getting a water filter that met my expectations has been a personal challenge of mine for quite some time. First, I went with Brita, then switched to the Zero water filter (after learning Brita doesn't actually remove much). I then found myself replacing the Zero water filter cartridge every month (especially because I used it to make formula every day), and realized quickly this was inconvenient and cost inefficient. I was getting really tired of filling the pitcher several times a day. I was on the fence about the whole reverse osmosis water system due to cost, and was about to get and install one (since I thought it was the only good option) until I read about what it removes (or doesn't remove) compared to different options. Basically, I wanted to leave minerals in my water, while removing the bad stuff like endocrine disruptors, including fluoride. I ended up deciding on a Berkey water filter. It uses carbon block and gravity to remove chlorine (and many other harmful things), and I added the additional fluoride and arsenic attachments to get the Fluoride out of my water. So far I like it. It is big enough to not have to fill 10 times a day, and doesn't use electricity to run. It removes everything I want removed, and I don't have to change the filters for YEARS! It does cost more up front than one of those fridge water filters, but ends up being much cheaper in the long run due to the longevity of the block filters. My only complaint is that it doesn't come with the spigot that tells you how full it is, so I have to purchase that separately or risk overfilling it (minor annoyance). Also, it takes up some counter space and took a bit of time to set up (compared to just popping a pitcher in the fridge). But other than that, I love it!

My "Big Berkey" (and home made giant mason jar mug)

I'm far from done making changes, but at this point have made a good start. Making further changes to my "dietary lifestyle" starts July 1st! It will be a trial and error learning experience due to the requirement of different methods of cooking, and it has also required changing my thinking about food which has been "ingrained" in me (pun intended) since childhood.