Not Everyone Understands and That's OK

I am learning that not everyone understands and that is ok...

I know some of you can relate to what I am about to share and others it may seem foreign but all I ask is that on behalf of everyone with food and chemical sensitivities- is that you please hear me out.  

MY BODY REACTS to so many things. I have to be careful with the foods I eat and environmental toxins. Too much sugar- BAM! Exposed to gluten (not even actually consuming it) when out- BAM! A glade plug-in at someone's house- BAM! A candle with artificial scents- BAM! My body reacts with instant hives, headaches, fatigue, irritability, and who knows what else. Sometimes all of these symptoms happen all at the same time or depending on the severity- it may just be a headache or fatigue. I lived like this for at least the last 10 years.  

Even my own sweet mama didn't understand how sensitive I was until she moved in with us and saw my frequent reactions. Do you know my mother started to spray for bugs inside of her home years ago and whenever I went inside of my childhood home (the last 4 years she owned it) to visit with her- I got sick?  Sadly, she didn’t believe it was really an issue and did not tell me that she had done it. As soon as I walked in the house, my body told me though. Every single time.

My childhood home made me literally sick.  My youngest son was so sensitive to it- we would have to drive the RV down when we would come as a family, because he literally could only be inside for short spurts. We paid a lot of money to have her walls washed to get the pesticide residue out but it was saturated into the walls. Mom felt horrible that we reacted so bad- but by that point, lots of damage had already been done.

Even though we did a deep detox inside the house, I had to stay in a hotel or with friends every time I went to NC. Just a few years ago, when mom lived with us, I went to clean out her home in NC to sell and I had to stay the nights in a hotel because I still reacted to it. I know the hotel sprayed too probably but for some reason I was ok there. One day I will do a deep dive into PESTICIDE toxicity but until then PLEASE DO NOT USE PESTICIDES INSIDE OF YOUR HOME. I call them the silent killers.  

The bottom line is I used to beat myself up and push myself to do things anyway to please others because I didn't want people to think I was weird. I used to apologize all the time to people and explain myself away. Instead of listening to my body, I would get super frustrated and push it. Well friends, if you hear anything from me today- let it be…Protecting your health is vital to you living a happy life.  I am learning that it's ok not to compromise and to know my limits. I am also learning that others may not understand and that’s also ok. The more I experience life, I understand that unless you have walked in someone’s shoes, the chances are you won’t fully understand.  

It may sound strange to you but could I ask a huge favor on behalf of all of us out in this crazy world with sensitivities? Please just give us grace. You don't have to understand why we do what we do. Just have some empathy for us. Understand that when we have flares, we will probably forget to return your call or shoot, we may forget to pick you up when you asked us to, or even the simplest thing could be forgotten. Maybe I told you the same story a few times too just tell you me kindly that you have already heard it. The brain fog that comes along with sensitivities is real. Can I just ask for forgiveness in advance? 

And please consider, maybe not wearing perfume or heavy cologne in places like 

I don't know if it's turning 50, loosing mom, or just finally realizing the toll that COMPROMISE has had on my body or maybe a combination of it all- but all this time I thought I was taking care of me- I still did tons of compromising. Putting my health first may mean all kinds of things that may seem odd to others. And guess what friends? That is perfectly ok!

*If you do not outwardly react to certain foods or fragrance- it doesn't mean they aren't affecting your health. If you are having unexplained health issues, you may want to consider getting a blood test for food sensitivities. You may also want to get rid of any plug ins or candles that have fragrance- that will be a whole 'nother post soon. Artificial fragrance is a known hormone disruptor. Reach out if you need some advice in these areas.