I'm a nutrition coach. That's what I do! I know food inside and out, but yet I still slip up and make mistakes, and that's okay. Let me tell you a story about what happened to me recently, which has taught me such a valuable lesson as an individual and more importantly, as a mom.
My son is allergic to cashews and I knew instantly that the cookies he had just eaten had cashews in them. My heart stopped as soon as I had realized that. After a moment, I was able to go into full on mom mode and we rushed outside to my truck where I have an emergency stash of Benadryl and an Epi Pen.
GLUTEN FREE EXPO
I took my kids with me last weekend to the Gluten Free Expo. Now, none of us have Celiac Disease, however, we have had some gut health issues which has resulted in living a mostly gluten free life. We went to check things out and to try tasty gluten free treats. There were so many yummy options and I was so impressed with the flavor and texture of a bunch of these foods. It was nice not to worry about reading food labels for once because a lot of these companies would have a big sign at the front of their booths saying things like:
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Soy Free
Non-GMO
Organic
Artificial Sweetener Free
No Food Dyes
Etc.
MY HEART STOPPED!
We taste tested and sampled so many options when all of the sudden my son turned to me and said, "mom, that cookie I just ate is making my throat feel weird". And then it hit me like a ton of bricks! I was so focused on what was listed on their posters that I didn't even think twice to actually read what was on their actual ingredients list!
My son is allergic to cashews and I knew instantly that the cookies he had just eaten had cashews in them. My heart stopped as soon as I had realized that. After a moment, I was able to go into full on mom mode and we rushed outside to my truck where I have an emergency stash of Benadryl and an Epi Pen.
Thankfully we were able to get the Benadryl into his system quick enough to avoid any further care but DANG! I tried my best to hide my fear of what could have happened to my sweet boy. He was so brave and within a few minutes, was acting as if nothing had even happened. I could hardly believe how little it had phased him.
GETTING CAUGHT UP ON WHAT'S IN FRONT OF OUR EYES
Sometimes I feel we get caught up on what's listed on the front of the package that we forget what else can be inside of the product. Whether this be food or beauty products, air fresheners, or cleaning supplies, we need to get accustom to reading the ingredients. Obviously in my case we're talking about food allergies, which can be a big deal if you're not careful. But there can be hidden toxins or ingredients in things we buy that may not be listed on the front side of the package. We NEED to get used to turning it over and educating ourselves with what is actually in what we're buying. It may not be life or death like a nut allergy, but it could be something that throws your body off especially if you have an autoimmune disease, suffering with mental illness, or have a leaky gut. If our bodies are in a state of inflammation or weakness, every chemical that goes into or on our bodies affects us in some way, believe it or not. It doesn't just go in one end and out the other. And if our systems are overwhelmed, trying to fight off inflammation from an illness, than there's a good change that these toxins are not getting flushed out the way they should if our bodies were working properly.
LEARN HOW TO READ INGREDIENTS
So next time you're at the store and are purchasing a packaged food or product, take a second to turn it over and read the ingredients. And if you have no idea what you're supposed to be looking for then consider signing up for my Learning Nutrition class or 12 Week 1-on-1 Program.
Please educate yourself on what your buying. Know what's in it and how it effects your body. Making these small and simple changes can improve your health in great ways, from reducing feelings of anxiety or depression, calming down gut inflammation, weight loss, or even keeping autoimmune diseases at bay. Your health matters and learning how to best take care of it is key to thinking, moving, and feeling better!
You got this!
Love,
Danielle
P.S.
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