Best Buddies

Today I got to meet up with two of my best buddies from college.  We've known each other for 19 years and we still try to get together once or twice a year.  It felt a little weird being the only one without kids but am so thankful I didn't have my tribe with me.  It would have been a very rambunctious lunch.  We ate at the Art City Trolley.  Such a fun little restaurant and the salad was awesome.  I am so glad that we've kept in contact with them.  They just make me happy.  We've all been through our share of personal trials through the years and talked about how you definitely find out who your real friends are during those times and sometimes that number is few.  I am so glad to have this two ladies as my true friends.  

 The reason for my visit was to get some healthy lifestyle advice from Raya.  As I've mentioned before I have Hashimoto's and although my thyroid levels are normal I feel pretty terrible.  Few of my symptoms have improved and I've been praying to know how to turn my life around and be "super mom" again.  I started researching and the majority of the people with Hashimoto's feel the same way I do on medication so what are we supposed to do?  Well 3 acquaintances randomly came back into my life and they all had Hashimoto's and never got better on meds and thus had made some lifestyle changes.  The three factors these 3 people all had in common were eliminating gluten, dairy and refined sugars from their diet.  Most of the symptoms they had experienced went away including having more energy and losing weight.  I think the turning point for me was one night while I was cooking dinner Sam looked at me and exclaimed, "Mom, you're pregnant!"  Actually son no I am not but why do you think so?  Well your tummy is getting bigger.  You know that hit me like a dagger and it hurt.  I have been so naive in the past thinking that it's calories in and calories out.  The only way one can gain weight is if they are eating more than they are expending.  Well I am proof that is not the case.  So now I have a lot of compassion for others who struggle with their weight for unknown reasons.  Anyway, my next appointment with my doctor isn't until the middle of March and so I wanted to try some things on my own and record what happened to show her this is what I am doing and I feel awful or I am doing better.  I got some books from the library and they all said the same thing that the 3 acquaintances said, most people with Hashimoto's have a hard time digesting carbs and dairy.  So I feel like I am having several witnesses of this fact already and then I went to a nutrition conference and the same thing.  So I am going to give this a try.  I am on day five of no gluten or dairy.  I am excited and hoping I see some changes.  This is the reason I went to Provo to see Raya and it just happened she was watching Kristin kids so I got to see both of them.  She has been eating this way for several years and all of the ailments that plagued her family for years are gone and she feels great.  She gave me a lot of great advice and ideas and showed me how to make my own flour from a multiple of grains and we went shopping together to get some basics.  I don't know if this is the answer for me but I'm hoping I am on on the right path and will find the answer to better health for myself.  It is so hard for me to think back to all the things I used to be able to do and am no longer able.  Time is just passing me by and I want to be a part of it and not a spectator.