health, life

Digging Deeper: My Natural Healing Toolbox

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Healing is never one-size-fits-all. I know that every person, every situation, every journey of healing can (and very well may be) different from mine, but I still feel that there is value in hearing how someone else found healing. Maybe there is something in my journey that will be the cycle breaker you need to get you on the right path for healing. So, let’s break down what has helped me get to where I am today…

🛤️ The Beginning: A Scary Diagnosis and a Search for Answers

Back in 2021, I sat across from a gastroenterologist who casually tossed out terms like Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis—without lab work, biopsies, or any real explanation. His recommendation? Jump straight into biologics. The only alternative, he said, was mesalamine, which was rarely covered by insurance and often ineffective. I left that appointment terrified and confused. No treatment plan. No hope. Just a handful of scary words and a lot of unanswered questions. So I did what many of us do—I dove into research. I read everything I could find about autoimmune gut conditions, treatment options, and second opinions. And thankfully, that search led me to an incredible doctor who took the time to do things right.

🩺 Finding the Right Help

To keep this as short as I can, I’ll summarize to say that I spent the next 2 years getting the right help…from an amazing doctor. He did the necessary procedures, lab work, and biopsies to confirm my diagnoses, discussing in length with me the options I had (and my thoughts/concerns for each), and then began my treatment plan. I did opt to stay as far away from biologics, immunosuppressants, and chemo-type treatments, unless absolutely necessary. We attempted a pyramid-style high dosage and longer term corticosteroid treatment to calm my “flare” – it ended prematurely with an allergy to prednisone attached to my file – and a daily mesalamine (Lialda) prescription. Although this treatment plan made a difference for me and got me out of my “crazy cycle” with only occasional flares, I knew that I needed to focus on healing my gut in other, more natural ways. So, I began my deep dive into the eastern medicine.

🌱 My Natural Healing Journey Begins

As an important sidenote, many of the natural treatment options that I use were not “new” to me. I became a Young Living distributor over 11 years ago and a Plexus believer over 7 years ago. My natural treatment is not specific only to these two well-known brands, as I use whatever works for me. These two brands have played a major role in my healing, but they’re just part of a broader toolbox.

I do strongly encourage you, however, to do your own research…don’t go for just any brand. Cheaper is definitely not always better. DO.THE.RESEARCH. And make sure you give each addition a chance (before you add more/different ones), so you know how your body reacts to each thing…and keep a journal, so you can look back and see what things had the best/worst impacts.

After I regained control of my diseases with my daily prescription medication, I began a deeper dive into naturally healing gut inflammation, and here are the things that made the biggest difference for me and my personal healing journey:

🔹 Whole Foods & Homestead Healing

For me, this meant things like:

  • Switching to raw milk: There are SO many health benefits to this – do your research! Start slow…your body will need time to acclimate to putting whole, good foods in, when it’s used to something much different. And, most importantly, KNOW your source, their processes, etc. I have considered myself “lactose intolerant” for many years, but this small change has shown me that I have no problem with dairy, when it’s natural, healthy, and whole.
  • Eating homegrown veggies and locally (minimally) processed meats: In short – get rid of the preservatives and unnecessary dyes and sugars in your diet.
  • Removing the “seed” oils: Have you read where our typical “cooking oils” came from? You should…read up on the history of Canola and Vegetable oils…you’ll be shocked. And, chances are, it’ll open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking. We now use only Olive oil and Avocado oil for our baking and cooking.
  • Making homemade breads, butter, meals, cheese, sauerkraut, yogurt, snacks, and more: As you begin making the change to cleaner, more natural eating, you’ll quickly realize how much BETTER fresh (and preservative/dye free) things taste! Since we use raw milk, it is very easy for me to make our own butter, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, and so much more! I am still learning, but it has been so neat showing my kids how these items “really” taste (as compared to the “normal” store-bought brands).
  • Getting rid of the “toxins”: One by one, our family is working to make better decisions with what we bring into our house. Our cleaners (now, mostly Young Living products), perfumes (now Wyld Notes or Young Living oils), our room deodorizers (now, mostly oils in diffusers), and so on. I talk pretty heavily about all of my Young Living favorites below, but if you want information on the amazing new {GOOD/HEALTHY} replacement for perfumes, you can find more about Wyld Notes (a sister company of Young Living) by clicking HERE. If you are interested in making a purchase, use this link to get 10% off your first purchase.

I am not going to tell you that every single thing in our home is always homegrown/homemade/all-natural. I’m human, and not Super Woman! BUT, in my opinion, every choice I make has the opportunity to help or not help our family…no matter how “small” it may be. I do my best each day, but each day comes with different circumstances and challenges. So, if you find yourself overstretched, overwhelmed, or discouraged, take a step back, and give yourself grace. We all need that!

In addition to the whole foods and homesteading changes our family made to aid in the healing of my gut inflammation, I also found wonderfully supportive supplements and natural remedies to include.

🔹 Young Living Favorites (CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY FAVORITES FROM YOUNG LIVING)

*Remember, my “oily” journey began over 11 years ago…I didn’t make all of these changes over the last few years. But I couldn’t talk about the healthy changes our family has made these last few years without also sharing with you of other, earlier changes that led us to this point. I love Young Living, its standards, its promises, and its products. I am constantly adding to my collection and finding new ways to use things I’ve had for years. But don’t let my list overwhelm you. If you have questions, hit me up! I’m here to help. And if you just want to start, find a place to start and go from there. I personally think the “Thieves” cleaning line or one of the amazing Diffuser Starter Kits are the ideal places to start an oily journey. I am a Young Living distributor and would love to help you in any way I can!

  • Young Living’s Mineral Essence (it tastes terrible to me…BUT it has been a game-changer for hydration. I mix it with my Ningxia every morning to help manage the taste. Did you know that you could drink water all day long and still be dehydrated? If your body doesn’t have the minerals needed to help absorb the water, it won’t help you like it should. If I have a day that I forget it, I can tell. If I have a day that I really just cannot make myself take it, I try to replace it with my “sole water” made with Redmond’s Salt. [READ MORE ABOUT “SOLE WATER” HERE] It isn’t a replacement for it, as Mineral Essence is so much more, but it’s better than not taking anything at all.
  • Young Living Ningxia Red (and NITRO for the occasional energy boost) – this stuff is amazing for your health/immune system! Take time to read about the wolf berries and other ingredients that make up Ningxia. It truly is a power drink!
  • Young Living oils – Digize oil (digestive support), Progessence Plus oil (hormonal support), Frankincense oil (the everything support-in my opinion), Stress Away oil (emotional support), Daily Hormone Essentials (hormonal support), Valor oil (emotional support), Peppermint oil, Lime oil…gosh! I could list my favorite oils for days!! I have hundreds of oils, and use many combinations of them in my diffusers, in my water, in my epsom salt baths…do a deep dive into Young Living oils sometime and see how amazing and expansive they are for helping basically anything you need support with! And if you have questions, reach out! I’m happy to help or get you to the resources that can.
  • Young Living Diffuser – We have diffusers in every room…it’s a great way to keep your home smelling fresh while also supporting the mind and body! I’m currently enjoying one of my favorite combinations for focus: Patchouli + Lime.
  • Young Living “Thieves” product line – We took the leap to rid much of our home of chemicals, whether it be soaps, scents, laundry detergent, household and deep cleaners, etc. – Young Living has an amazing replacement for pretty much everything!

🔹 Plexus Essentials

*As I mentioned before, I am a Young Living distributor, so I chose not to be a distributor for Plexus…but I am a believer and user of their products! Here are the three most important parts of my daily regimen from Plexus (with clickable links to allow you to read about each one):

🔹 Other Natural Supports

I’ll try to add and keep this list updated as I find or think of others, but these are my go to’s right now. And, though I do know to avoid certain things (for me, caffeine, stress, and onions in particular), so as not to cause my body to revert back into panic mode, these natural supplements and products have kept my body in a much happier state, even while living with Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.

💬 Final Thoughts
Your healing path is yours alone. Mine has been winding, emotional, and full of trial and error. But if sharing my journey helps even one person feel less alone or more empowered to explore natural healing, then it’s worth it. Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your own healing process, I hope this toolbox gives you ideas, hope, and maybe even a few new tools to try.

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