The husband is a big guy. You've all seen some of the photos I've shared- he's tall and he's built like a linebacker. Mmm...yummy. But what's not so yummy is that several years ago, he was struggling with his weight and really not feeling good about himself. We've all been there, right?
We sat down and talked about it. I had successfully lost over 50 pounds prior to our wedding and have maintained the same exact size for our entire marriage. While I will NEVER be skinny, I'm happy with my size and healthy. This is where we both wanted the husband to be- happy and healthy.
Healthy- he was not.
During a routine exam for our life insurance application, it was brought to our attention that the husband was not only overweight (ok, yeah...we knew about this one) but at risk for diabetes and had high blood pressure. Add this to the joint pain, fatigue, sinus problems and eczema/skin issues and you've got a seriously NOT healthy husband.
Wow.
He put on a brave front but I will personally tell you all that I was terrified! My partner in crime couldn't be this ill already, at this early stage in our lives! It was an eye opener for sure. Diabetes is nothing to mess around with you guys and to find out that the husband needed immediate medication for his high blood pressure- yikes!
And so started the transformation.
I feel like we didn't do anything to drastic. We had already begun our "food journey" and were eating less meat and processed foods but what we were missing was the addition of more fruits and veggies. Before I go any further- it must be said that I am not a doctor. Umm...yeah, don't be taking medical advice from me mmkay....But- I am a wife. I'm good with the Google. And so I set out to transform my husband from the inside out.
I learned that plant based foods are where it's at!
I learned that the husband needed to stop eating the Taco Bell and other fast food junk on the regular.
I learned that cinnamon will help lower blood pressure.
You guys- I learned SO much good stuff. And then I simply put it into action. In truth, the husband was a bit resistant at first. My man is stubborn! So I started slow. Because I want to make this as easy as possible for others in a similar situation, I'm going to just throw out everything we have done in the last few years and I hope that it will help some of you. Here goes....
- Reduced soda consumption. The husband was drinking up to 4 cans of regular Coke or Mt. Dew each day. He's now down to only one. Some days, he has none. Sugar is a breeding ground for illness and disease and the amount of sugar in soda is just crazy! We also started sharing a soda when we eat out. The husband really enjoys a Coke with his burger but now we share one and when it's gone, it's gone. NO more free refills mmkay....
- Added a cinnamon supplement to his morning vitamins. Cinnamon helps lower high blood pressure naturally. But since the husband will never consume enough that's needed, I simply started adding it into his morning routine.
- Fall in love with smoothies. Would you believe that up until just a few years ago, I had never made a smoothie? Seriously, my idea of a smoothie was a margarita. Ha! But then I discovered the power of the Green Smoothie and it was all over for us. The husband LOVES green smoothies! We now make smoothies several times each week, kiddo included! We do not add in any sugar but opt for a tiny spoonful of raw, local honey when needed. For fruit based smoothies, I use plain organic yogurt to reduce sugar consumption even more. Add in chia seeds and you're in business!
- Started taking Apple Cider Vinegar each morning. This has helped clear up skin issues, helped with digestion but the biggest improvement the husband has seen is the removal of nasal spray. You see- he gets horrible sinus infections year round and was told he would need surgery. He used to spray that chemical cocktail up his nose like there was no tomorrow. The ACV has eliminated the need for this. NO nasal spray and NO surgery.
- Less fast food. Yes, we still eat out but we do our best to make better choices. The husband even gave up his beloved Taco Bell, something he swore he would never do! When dining out, we opt for fresher options like Chipotle and if we just want a burger and fries- we typically go to Five Guys. Ingredients matter.
- Discovered the Kombucha. I just can't say enough good things about Kombucha. Google it and you'll see what I'm talking about. We all (kiddo included!) now drink about 2 bottles each week.
- Remove the processed foods and cook at home from scratch. Alright, so I had already started doing this but I made even more of a commitment to completely remove all processed foods from our house. When you control the ingredients, you control your health. I now look for ways to add in more fruits and veggies and I almost always immediately reduce the amount of sugar that any recipe calls for. I've discovered that most recipes truly don't need that much sugar and sugar is bad for our bodies mmkay...
- Adopt a humane diet. So yeah. This one might be tough for most folks but the concept is simple. When eating any animal product, do your best to know where it's come from, how it's lived, how it was raised and cared for, what it ate, if any antibiotics were used....you get my point. In addition to this, we've begun to eat more vegan friendly at home. I started with just one vegan dish each week and most times we are at 2 or 3 without even having to try.
- Get off the prescription pills! Please talk with a medical doctor prior to doing this. Please. With that being said, the husband used to take Paxil for anxiety and it has taken almost 5 years to wean him completely off of this toxic stuff. Head zaps, fatigue, anger, depression- oh my word this stuff is the devil! Free your body from this chemical crap. In addition to this, we seek out more natural methods for minor health issues like a cold, body ache or fever. We no longer run straight to the Rite Aid and stock up on the Nyquil. It's all about Epsom Salts, essential oils and diet.
- No more chips! I think for my boys, one of the hardest things was removing the snack foods. In truth, I didn't think I even bought that much. But when it was time to get rid of all the Cheetos, Doritos, crackers, pretzels....yeah, that was tough. My advice- just rip it off like a band aid. Would you believe we actually had a going away party for the snacks? Yep, several years ago we invited family over and I filled the table with all our bags of snacks. We ate it one last time and then that was it. Adios processed crap!
- Turn the TV off. We've unplugged quite a bit. Not completely but we've greatly reduced the amount of tube time around our house. Last year we got rid of cable and now we find ourselves watching the TV with intention rather then mindless abandon. Less TV means more active time outside. It also means more sleep. Umm...and more sex. All very beneficial things!
- Go green! I never used to buy green food. Seriously- iceberg lettuce was about it and even then it sat in the crisper drawer in the fridge until it turned gooey and brown. Now, there's SO much green stuff in my fridge and fruit bowls- it's seriously an epidemic around here. Green is good. Dark green is better. Find ways to fit the greens into your diet. Spinach goes well in pasta, smoothies, eat celery for a snack, a little avocado on toast, kale pesto, top a burrito with dark leafy greens etc. Along with going green, you should also think about eating the rainbow. Your plate should have lots of different colors. It should never be beige. Ever.
- Pack it in. I now religiously pack the husband a lunch for work each day. Even if it means I get up at 5am or I'm packing lunch at midnight, I do it. Lunches for the husband are hard- his job doesn't make it easy with no access to a microwave or a fridge. But I do my best to fill his lunch bag with healthy, homemade foods that will sustain him for a 12+ hour day. In addition to packing the husband his lunch each day, I am also vigilant in packing food for the entire family. Whenever we take a long drive, go on vacay or even if it's a long day full of homeschool classes, I've got a bag of food packed. And many times, you'll find us sipping on a Kombucha or a homemade smoothie while driving down the 405. That's just how we roll....
It's been several years since we first took that exam for our life insurance policy. Just a few months ago, I called them up and asked if the husband could retake his exam. I was convinced that his body was healthier today than it was several years ago. And since we were paying a butt ton more each month to insure his unhealthy body, I wanted to see if we could lower our premium and have him qualify for a better rate.
The results are in!
The changes we've made have made the husband healthier. He's lost weight. Like so much weight that I can now wrap my arms completely around him and his wedding ring is slipping off. He's eliminated the need for his daily blood pressure medication. Seriously- his blood pressure was scary high just a few years ago and now, he's medication free! He is still at risk for someday developing diabetes. So this means we need to focus even more on the sugars. You guys- this is crucial. Pay attention to your sugar consumption! He has the occasional flare up with his eczema but no longer battles it daily. He sleeps better. He no longer snores. Oh My Word- the snoring was insane! Due to his job, he still suffers from occasional body pain but it was no where near the level it was before. His back pain is greatly reduced and no longer needs to visit a chiropractor weekly. He no longer needs surgery to correct his sinus issues. The list seriously goes on and on....and can I just tell you that our insurance rep was stunned. Seriously- stunned. He had never seen a transformation quite like this and was pretty darn impressed.
The changes in his mind and spirit have been equally amazing. But the bottom line is that he is finally embracing these changes. He ate lentil pie last night for goodness sakes! And he LIKED IT! And yes- his health has improved so much that he qualified for a much lower life insurance rate. It was the wake up call we needed.
So I say this to all of you in the hopes of offering you hope and encouragement. It can be done. You CAN transform your health. The husband's story is one of success- it can be your story too.
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