Here's to a healthy 2015

December was a long month of one sickness after another in our household. Maggie had two ear infections in three weeks, I had a sinus infection, Brandon had a nasty bug that was also treated with antibiotics and we finished the month with a round of the stomach bug. In the midst of it all, I felt desperate to get healthy and stay healthy!

Side note: I'm not one for New Year's resolutions, but this year we are trying a few new-to-us health remedies.

I started researching essential oils and learning about the benefits of using them. I had been interested in getting them for months and coincidentally last month I was invited to a weeklong doTERRA class on Facebook. We recently got a starter kit that included 10 oils and the petal diffuser.

I'm taking it slow, using the diffuser regularly and I've made my own hand sanitizer using this recipe. This website has been my favorite resource so far.

Additionally, we're making some diet changes. If you follow me on Instagram, you already know my husband and I are embarking on the Whole30. I first heard about Whole30 from others I follow on Instagram last year. I started reading up on it, then told my husband about it and he bought the book, It Starts With Food. Before he finished reading the book, he was on board and we were planning meals to begin our Whole30 adventure.

Just a few of the meals we've eaten: fried egg, potatoes, spinach and black coffee (breakfast) // tuna salad with homemade mayo and clementine (lunch) // jalapeño chicken burgers with guacamole and broccoli (dinner) // meatballs with marinara over steamed broccoli slaw (dinner)

We're one week into the program and it's going well. The biggest benefit thus far has been the almost immediate results my husband has seen. He has type 1 diabetes and within the first few days he reduced his daily insulin intake by half!

Food prep is definitely more than we usually do day-to-day, but not crazy. We've been making double-batches and freezing half, for quicker meals next week and using the crock pot a good amount. We both feel great and have been surprised by how full we feel after meals. I'm excited to see how the next 3+ weeks go.

By cutting back on processed foods and eating real food, I am hopeful 2015 will be a healthier year for all of us!