New girl here...

[Guest guest]

Hello to everyone!

My name is Tiffani and I live in Shoreview with my husband, and my two

sons Bryce (13 in June) and Duncan (2 in September). It has been a looong road

to find a group like this, full of resources and expertise on healthy living the

way God intended.

I had written to Will looking for a source to buy raw goat milk (got his name

from realmilk.com) and he recommended joining the group, so I did and have been

'quietly observing' for a few weeks. What a wealth of knowledge and support!

Will suggested that I introduce myself, although I'm sure he didn't mean in this

much detail, but it's the only way I know to tell my story. So I sincerely

apologize to those whom I will bore to tears, feel free to skip over the saga...

Briefly (briefly as I can get, believe me there is much more!) my story is as

follows...

I was always a sick child; allergies, joint pain, injury, upper respiratory

infections, asthma, fatigue, skin conditions, migraines, depression, mood

swings, etc. and one antibiotic dose after another. Never dawned on my parents

to take a look at my diet. I was born in 1970 - the packaged food, high-sugar,

high-processed, chemical additive, microwave boom. Plus my grandfather was a

conventional dairy farmer. You catch my drift. Anyhow, by the time I was 25 I

had my tonsils, adenoids, and gall bladder removed as well as sinus surgery and

many, many, many female issues including 4 miscarriages and one pre-term

asthmatic baby due to toxemia.

I am a corrective exercise specialist by trade (post-rehabilitative, chronic

pain management work mostly - teaching the body proper alignment and mechanics

through movement/functional exercise) and am on the Health/Wellness team at

church (Eagle Brook Church in White Bear) researching and teaching how it is our

responsibility to our Creator as Christians to keep our temples up to par.

Obviously diet can't be ignored with my clients. Although I must say I resisted

any change myself, yet felt super-convicted to change, for 6-7 years of my

career. It just wasn't convenient/easy to learn new ways and behavior.

The pregnancy with my youngest son two years ago was horrible from pre-term

labor (and drugs to stop it) at 25 weeks to a separated pubic symphysis (and

drugs to manage the pain) which caused 10 weeks of bedrest and a wheelchair to

go to church and the doctor visits. He was born 5 weeks premature due to lack of

fluid in the uterus to sustain his life. Before I even had a chance to see him,

he was hooked up to IVs with masses of antibiotics 'just in case'. He spent the

first year of his life screaming, not sleeping and fully medicated for stomach

issues. Out of deep love and concern for his health for the rest of his life, I

pulled him off the meds that I felt were causing migraines (the doctors said 'no

way could they cause migraines', even though it was listed as a side effect for

adults) and my crusade to find out the 'truth' about nutrition began. This boy

would only be fed the 'right' way in my care. My husband and myself found

ourselves sneaking 'yucky' foods periodically behind his back so that he

wouldn't want what we were eating and then one day it hit us...If it's not good

enough for him, why is it good enough for us? As I still struggled with fatigue,

joint pain, chronic injuries and fertility issues and my husband with a weight

problem. The straw that broke the camels back was when I lost my fifth pregnancy

(twins) this past January and the chromosomal studies showed nothing but that I

was having more boys.

There was clearly something wrong with my health even though I ate like the

recommendations from my certifications (ACE and ACSM) and I was not going to get

any help from conventional medicine, as well-meaning as they were. It was my

responsibility to find out the truth and change. My mentor from California (

Chek of the CHEK Institute), with some of his awesome nutritional resources,

turned me on to ph Mercola's teachings and the Weston A. Price Foundation

and Sally Fallon's books. I have also read books by Jordan Rubin and many

others, so the 'truth' became clear.

Okay, now to learn where to shop and how to be in the kitchen (the healthy

way)...that's another story. It's a bit scary and overwhelming as I can see from

listening to you all I have soooo much to learn. Planning ahead is a skill I

have never learned. I am truly 'wet behind the ears' and although I feel I know

enough of the 'right' way to get us started down the road, it's the how and

where I need to learn yet. Thank you ahead of time for your patience and

willingness to go back to the basics for this newcomer.

After my looong bedrest with Duncan, I realized that the best place I could at

this point in life was raising my kids at home, so I closed my studio and that's

what I do. I am a family gal who consults periodically, so I have some

flexibility of where to shop for the goods (preferring to stay near home if

possible), although my very rambunctious toddler can only handle so long in the

car. I am looking for local places to get:

Kefir grains

Eggs

Raw cheese

Raw butter (from goat or cow)

Yogurt - from raw milk (goat or cow)

Cream - from raw milk

Buttermilk - from raw milk

Chickens

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Tiffani

PS. I promise to keep future emails much, much shorter!