I used to have a black thumb. Most people who know me now probably wouldn’t believe it. But something happened that changed me.

When my son was born he was constantly sick with asthma and allergies. It was so awful that we were running to urgent care or ER for serious treatment at least four times a year.

In 2012, we switched doctors and in reviewing our medical history, I woke up and realized how much his health relied on treatment of his symptoms. For prevention, the doctor had wanted to put my 4-year-old on daily meds. It woke me up fast! I needed to change something we were doing. 

I had always wondered why allergies were so common in this generation of children compared to mine. I have an academic background; it was natural for me to start researching. In reading about the changes we have made over the years in how we grow food, I stumbled upon a presentation someone gave at a conference that identified corresponding changes in agricultural practices with three diseases in children: asthma, allergies, and cancer under age 6. Both my kids had two of those three conditions!   

I decided on a radical change. What did I have to lose? I spent the next year learning about food. I read labels and broke down each food item to its original components. I threw out everything from my condiments to our cereal and drinks and started from scratch, and replaced it with real and nourishing food. I was so busy doing this that I didn’t realize a year had passed and my son had not had one serious episode. NOT one!   At my son’s next annual physical, the doctor was shocked. 

The discoveries and shifts that our family made have undeniably altered our lives. There is power in knowledge. There is magic in connecting with Mother Nature. Over time, we healed our bodies. The medical stress was lifted. Our minds were clearer. 

I am a wife, a mom, a scholar, a self-taught gardener, a creative home chef, an environmentalist, and a humanitarian. Because I care, I want to share my journey and hope that it resonates with or inspires you.