Bla, Bla, Blogs

As I said in my first blog entry, "I didn't pay any attention to blogs and thought it all sounded a bit, umm, stupid and trendy". And then I had my daughter, Charli (I'll be sharing her story in a later post). Charli was diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome at 10 months. That's when I discovered the value of blogs. 

In my quest to learn all I could about this diagnosis I joined a Kabuki support group on Facebook. Within that group someone stood out to me that seemed brilliant and knowledgeable - someone that just "got it". When I started considering dietary interventions and posed the question to the group this person, again, stood out and stated that she was following the GAPS diet with her daughter. She had a blog that shared her story of her daughter, Juliana, Healthy Hope. I felt like a bit of a stalker, but I really felt connected with Liz. Even crazier, her daughter Juliana looks just like Charli (not sure if you think the same Liz) only she's about 6 months older. But her blog was and continues to be so helpful and inspiring for me.

Juliana (Funny part is at first glance Hippie
Husband thought this was Charli) 

Charli (I really wanted to find pictures that
showed just how much they look alike
but I didn't seem to have any - maybe it's
all in my head)

From there I continued to "stalk" Liz and joined the GAPS Kids group on Facebook. WHAT AN AMAZING GROUP!! When diving into the world of GAPS it is nearly impossible to not feel overwhelmed. By all means, if you are considering the GAPS diet for your child, you are probably already overwhelmed just by life with a GAPS kid. Then the diet just seems confusing, challenging, and outright intimidating when starting out. There are TONS of resources, mainly in the form of blogs, but many have conflicting information not to mention everything is so foreign it's hard to feel confident in what you're doing. Essentially, purchasing and reading the GAPS book is required. This is a bit of an investment for a book when you're not sure it's what you want to do. I feel like somewhat of a seasoned veteran in the Facebook group now, but I remember what it was like starting down this path and thinking Charli was just a mild case and all I really wanted to do was cure her constipation. Everyone in this group was supportive and kindly answered my questions gently guiding me to acceptance that I just needed to start implementing the intro diet. I understand now that GAPS truly is a commitment and an all or nothing deal. But my fear held me back in the beginning. But all of the amazing stories pushed me along and eventually made me comfortable in the decision to do GAPS. 

The most impactful story came from Nichole Sawatzky. Her daughter Ellie was diagnosed with FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome). Ellie Belly, from beginning to end and it changed the entire way I viewed food and the medical community. This story alone was enough to convince me that GAPS was safe (the main question that kept cropping up for me). Nichole started the GAPS Kids Facebook group and also had created a website, GAPS and Kids, which shared many similar stories. I was entranced by stories like Carter's FPIES Maze, and Home Food Heals. These brave mommas gave me the strength and confidence I needed to move forward with the GAPS Diet. 
Basically she was allergic to food. That's right, FOOD. Ellie was on the brink of death when Nichole made the leap to GAPS. I read her entire blog,

I hope I didn't offend anyone by saying that I thought blogs were "stupid and trendy". I just wasn't aware of such a positive use for this type of forum. Now that my life has been so positively influenced I hope my blog can help someone else gain the confidence to follow their instincts. I'll also say that blogs are darn fun! I love blogs that give great recipes and share fun DIY projects or provide awesome resources (my friend Tiffany has a blog that covers all of these, A Touch of Grace). I'm still digging around in We Can Do All Things to find tools for Charli's development (thanks for this one Liz). And since Ellie is now well on her way to healing, Nichole has started up a new blog more focused on hope, healing, and real food, Hopecentric. She is also a contributor for GNOWFGLINS (God's natural, organic, whole foods, grown locally, in season). For a good laugh I highly recommend Parenting. Illustrated With Crappy Pictures. And I follow a few local blogs for inside info on all the good deals. I've also been meaning to check out a blog that my friend follows, 100 Days of Real Food.  So please forgive my ignorance and accept my apologies. It's official and undeniable: I LOVE BLOGS!

Do you have any blogs that you think I should be following??

Blogger Bandwagon

In a not so distant past I didn't pay any attention to blogs and thought it all sounded a bit, umm, stupid and trendy. Then as I started researching things like Kabuki Sydrome, GAPS, and any other random topic that  roused my curiosity I found that people's personal stories and experiences posed more helpful than most resources, including doctors. As I started to follow more and more stories and made more connections my desire to blog grew stronger and stronger. When my childhood best friend started her blog A Touch of Grace it really motivated me to finally jump on the blog bandwagon. Hey, we grew up together, got married in the same year, and had our daughters exactly two months apart. So why not continue the pattern, right?

I had been toying with a name for some time. I knew my blog was going to be a reflection of my own life, focusing mostly on the transition to healthier living. My husband jokes about how I've become such a "hippie". What he doesn't know is that I'm still far from it. I've learned a lot in the past year-ish but I'm still learning and having a hard time "practicing what I preach" while still maintaining some balance and sanity. But, I digress. Back to the name. Before I used the word "hippie" for my blog name, I wanted to confirm that this term applied. So, how does one conduct comprehensive research to ensure accuracy? Of course! Google! I quickly found a WikiHow article How to Be a Modern Hippie. Let's examine this for a moment:

1. Listen to oldies music - Check! I've grown up listening to just about all of the artists they list. Honestly, I like almost any genre of music. I'm currently infatuated with what I consider to be a group that represents the "modern hippie" style of music - Mumford & Sons. Best concert ever!!
2. Be organic - Check! Well, almost. This lands in the financial aspect of that balancing act. I buy mostly organic produce, especially for my daughter. I buy free range/grass fed meats and meat products as much as possible, but $25 for a single chicken!! Sorry, not there yet. I aspire to someday have some land and grow some of my own produce and meats. And no, you'll never catch me being a vegetarian or supporting it. For more info on this click here.
3. Look like a hippie - Check! While I haven't fallen victim to tie-dye apparel, floral prints, or headbands, I do typically dress comfortably and not according to current trends. My weekend attire could easily land on People of Walmart. I do shower and shave (although not as often as I'd prefer -  sorry Hippie Husband) but I use baking soda and apple cider vinegar on my hair and an oil based soap to wash up and shave. I've always reserved make-up for special occasions (again, sorry Hippie Husband) and keep it relatively natural as far as that goes too. 

   

   Yes, I would wear this in public and probably did

   
   
4. Be an individual - Check! I've always been a rebel and love to argue my point, even if I'm wrong (which is never). 
5. Be calm, cool, and collected - Check! Hippie Husband tends to get frustrated with my blasé attitude. I tend to not be very animated or excitable nor easily agitated. Hippie Grandma tends to overreact when it comes to Hippie Baby and thinks I am a little too laid-back. I will say, my stress has greatly increased with the addition of Hippy Baby and transitioning to a traditional diet - it's A LOT of work! Maybe I need to start meditating.
6. Find your opinion and voice it - Check! I'm constantly forming new opinions and changing as I learn new things. While I'm not an activist, if you give your opinion you better be ready for mine. I believe everyone has a right to their opinion and I try not to judge people for their ignorance (for lack of a better word). After-all, there was a time that I thought organic food was nothing more than just expensive.
7. Be in touch with nature - Check! I love the outdoors - so long as it's not cold! I love nature and animals and outdoor activities like hiking. I just wish I got out more often. 

   

   Hippie Husband and Hippie Baby on a
   wonderful Sunday morning stroll.

8. Know that you DO NOT and should not get in drugs just because you want to be a hippie - Check! Wait, does coffee count as a drug? Not in this context? Then Check. I have no desire to use any substances, even abstaining from widely excepted things like pain relievers and alcohol. This isn't even because of my new hippie status. I just never thought OTC drugs made any sense and I've never really enjoyed drinking. Maybe I do need to meditate and go hiking more often, as the article suggests.
9. Be open minded - Ummmm... I might need to work on this, which I am. I try to preface a lot of my comments with "In my opinion..." or "If you ask me...". I know that just because it's something I currently believe that does not mean that I'm correct. But a lot of times I really do think I'm right - especially when arguing with Hippie Grandma. So I know there's lots of room for improvement in this category.
10. Be smart - Does blog reading count? I have read the GAPS book. That counts, right? In all seriousness, I do love to learn and I hope to start school this fall and maybe pursue a career in Nutrition or Dietetics. Can you tell I'm scared of this thought? 
11. Be green - I hate littering and do make an effort to recycle and not waste but I still have a lot of room for improvement in this category. Maybe this is the next topic I need to start reading up on.

Based on this, what conclusions can we derive? While I'm well on my way to being a hippie, I still have a ways to go. Thus the name:

Journey of an Accidental Hippie