Lots of big smiles in our home today! Last day of school for the kids, and last day of braces for me!!! Woot woot! Thank you to my orthodontist and his amazing staff. They are the best! #bracesoff #onceagain #twentyyearslater #wearyourretainer
“What are you smiling about?!” asks my husband, when he met up with us at DQ this afternoon to celebrate the last day of school. Haha! #nomorebraces #thatswhat
He wasn’t joking, but he figured it out really quickly when I grinned even bigger and all the kids started giggling! He’s had a long week.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget him asking if I had asked the orthodontist if he could still kiss me when I first got them on, and the electric shock he got from that first kiss! ⚡ That was the one and only time that happened, but the timing couldn’t have been more perfect!
 |
| A screen shot from my Target Weight App showing my weight loss from the past year. The green dots show that I’m now in the “normal” range for my height! |
 |
| My Easter morning breakfast was an AIP approved Pina Colada Smoothie made with 1 large banana, 1 1/4 cup frozen pineapple tidbits, 1 cup coconut milk (this kind), 1 cup crushed ice, topped with unsweetened toasted coconut and garnished with an organic strawberry. Yum! |
I know this is old, but I found out about a woman who healed herself from lichen sclerosis. I use the products from JNutra, which I use for Lyme disease, but they have whole bundles for the protocol that she used to help heal, and they name the bundles after her. Here is her book on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Lichen-Sclerosis-Beating-Disease-Chandoha/dp/153741464X
You LOOK amazing! Congratulations on your accomplishments and on feeling so good. What a difference it can make to our families when we are healthy and thriving. 🙂
2015-06-12 03:53:17
You look fantastic and I'm so thrilled that the diet has helped your rash so well! So exciting! …and ha, ha! The electric kiss! Perfection!
2015-06-12 04:13:01
Wow! I am so happy for you! You look amazing and I am so happy that your rash has healed. I just started learning about inflammation in the body and how the processed sugary foods we eat causes inflammation which causes disease, cancer and other autoimmune problems. Does the book you recommend talk about this? Thanks so much!
2015-06-12 05:26:35
Thanks, Shauna! Yes, it does! You can actually watch the author giving an overview/tour of her book over at YouTube if you are interested. I checked the book out from our local library and am hoping to purchase my own copy soon.
2015-06-12 05:38:13
Congratulations!! Thank you for sharing your great news! And your smile is amazing!
2015-06-12 05:27:19
Thank you, Olivia! Yes, it really does make a huge difference!
2015-06-12 05:38:57
Thank you, Lori! 🙂
2015-06-12 05:39:16
Thank you, Genevieve! I'm thrilled too! 🙂
2015-06-12 05:41:20
Thank you, I'll see if our Library has it!
2015-06-12 06:36:05
Would love to hear a sample of your meals and snacks! How do you prep with your busy schedule? You look wonderfully healthy!!
2015-06-12 10:36:20
Beautiful Jessica! So happy for your health success! You look amazing!! So exciting about your brace free smile too! Happy fesst of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary! Have a blessed weekend!
2015-06-12 10:56:25
Great job, Jessica! You look fantastic! I don't know how you do it—maybe the LP is the motivation—I can't get through a day without "forgetting" that I'm not supposed to eat certain things. Keep up the good work.
2015-06-12 11:54:38
Jessica – this makes me so happy – as I am struggling thru this diet myself (you inspired me) after a new autoimmune issue popped up for me. I am still on day 8 – so still hard – but getting there!! thanks for the inspiration and you look wonderful!
2015-06-12 11:57:03
That is AWESOME, Jessica! Quite the accomplishment, sticking with the diet! What a great example for your kiddos! So inspiring!!
2015-06-12 13:20:13
Jessica, I am so happy for you that you've seen these improvements in your health. What a blessing and a relief for you. 🙂
2015-06-12 13:38:42
VIsiting from Like Mother Like Daughter! Love your family photo.
2015-06-12 13:40:28
You look radiant! Than you for posting, I have an auto immune disorder (Esophnophillic Esophagitis ). Now that my specialist has gotten my esophagus big enough to accept solids, I feel like trying the AIP diet. You inspire me!
2015-06-12 14:11:18
JMJ It's so great to see your smiling face! You are in my prayers. <3
2015-06-12 15:58:49
Thank you, Shannon! Eating this way (and continuing to cook for the rest of the family too!) does require more time in the kitchen (and more frequent trips to the grocery store) which is one of the reasons I haven't been blogging as much as I did in the past. I'll try and work on putting together a post with some of my go-to meals and favorite snacks.
2015-06-13 00:38:56
Thank you, Tracy! Happy feast days to you too! God bless you and your family!
2015-06-13 00:39:56
Thanks, Sara! YES! The LP has been a huge motivating factor, especially once it started to go away following the diet changes. It had been so painful at times. Before my diagnosis I was never able to stick to a diet unless I was doing it for one of my children. (Giving up dairy while nursing some of my babies, etc.) Also the fact that my doctor (just before I insisted on the biopsy and a hormone test for some answers) was trying to get me on anti-depressants and anxiety meds… She didn't think they were "optional" anymore, and I KNEW there was something at the root of my rash/panic attacks/etc. I was determined to get better without turning to medications that would just mask my symptoms at best. I've also had a lot of support and encouragement from my husband and from my mom. When I was first adjusting to the diet my mom was so much help. She'd show up with some broth, soup, etc, to help get me through my busiest days when I didn't have time to spend in the kitchen (and couldn't eat anything hard due to the braces!). It was such a blessing!
2015-06-13 00:48:21
Oooh! Days 7-10 were probably the hardest for me! It does get easier though! I'm offering a prayer for you right now. You can do it! I hope it helps you with your autoimmune issues too!
2015-06-13 00:50:36
Thank you so much for the prayers and encouragement- and I am hoping this works as well for me. The weight loss would be a fabulous added benefit!!
2015-06-13 01:58:42
I was thinking when I saw the family picture, "Wow! She's looking great!" Of course you've always looked great, but you can see the difference in how good you feel health wise. It's definitely shining through that you have more energy and are getting more sleep. Keep up the good work! And yay for no more braces!!!! 🙂
2015-06-12 17:56:00
First congratulations!! Second, I have a church question. I've been a reader here long enough to have seen pictures of your sons dressed up and what appears to be pretending to celebrate mass. We recently got a great book with the daily readings as a gift and it has the parts of the mass. My son thinks it is cool and wants to pretend to say mass to go along with our daily readings. What are the church teachings on the young ones "playing mass." He can read all of the parts so it is very realistic. Are there any boundaries that I should be aware of?
2015-06-12 20:24:15
Thanks for joining again! Your family photo is darling!
2015-06-12 21:10:10
I fell off the wagon with my no refined sugar, and I am paying the price. I've stuck to the gluten free and no coffee so far. I decided to give it up for a couple of weeks as a little sacrifice for your intentions and then stuck with it. I am so impressed with you–as if I weren't before! That is quite a challenge and you have done so well with it. Congratulations and God bless.
2015-06-12 21:56:22
Just had to congratulate you!!! You look FANTASTIC!! What's even better is hearing that you feel great! I'm so happy for you, and I hope that you continue to heal, Jessica. I know it is a hard diet, and I am impressed by your commitment to continue doing it….AND fixing the family's meals. The hardest for me was the desserts! I wish you continued success with the AIP diet!
2015-06-13 17:55:04
Just looking at the first photo, and before I read any further, I was struck by how very well you look! Lovely to see and to read about.
2015-06-14 02:10:14
I'm so happy to hear you are feeling so much better! And that you finally have answers and a solution for your 'rash'! You must be so happy to have your braces off, too! Hooray Jessica! and Deo Gratias!!
2015-06-15 17:42:08
You look so happy and beautiful Jessica! I am so glad to hear you are feeling better than you have in years:) +God is Good+
2015-06-15 17:49:45
This is so encouraging!…as I know I could benefit from AIP (I have autoimmune issues…tried GAPS with my family, but it was too overwhelming and stressful with everyone's food allergies/sensitivities already on such a restricted diet and still trying to homeschool) and have given birth to 7 babies…so have a good 30-40 lbs. to lose. Did you follow a portion control plan for how much of the allowed foods on the AIP that you could eat…or just eat as much as you wanted of the allowed foods? I'm trying to do Weight Watchers…and kind of follow a Primal (some dairy) diet, but I think having to count the points (portion control) is what is helping me not to overeat. : ) God bless, Jennifer
2015-07-23 20:13:15