Many years ago I decided it would be really fun to have a yellow car.  I was going to be very particular about the color yellow because I didn’t want just any yellow color.  I was not used to seeing yellow as a common color for cars.  A very interesting thing began to happen, though.  I started seeing yellow cars EVERYWHERE!  Was there a sudden influx of yellow cars onto the roads since I made that decision?  No, that would be silly.  The only thing that changed was me.  Because I was thinking about yellow cars, I started noticing the ones that were out there.  There still were not a lot but much more than I had ever noticed before.

April 20-26, 2025 is National Infertility Awareness week.  This particular issue is near and dear to my heart.  It has hit closer to home than I ever imagined it would.  My husband and I have been trying to conceive for 10 years as of this writing.  It pains me to write that.  I know firsthand the strain that puts on a woman and a marriage.  When a couple decides that they are ready to grow their family it can be disheartening when it doesn’t happen as fast as they expected.  It can cause depression, shame, guilt, anger, and feelings of being a victim.

My how time flies…  It has been an interesting 5 years, hasn’t it?  Five years ago this month (at least in my region) COVID-19 struck.  There was so much fear of the unknown and fear around what it would do to us and our loved ones.  Fear of toilet paper shortages and how on earth we were supposed to keep ourselves safe.

The first year, 2020, was full of “social distancing” and masks and avoiding most general human contact.  Then in 2021 the vaccines were released.  That is when I noticed an interesting change.

Be careful with all the ‘diet’ foods on the grocery shelves.  Many are sweetened with chemicals—aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda), and saccharine to name the common ones.  They are toxic to the body and nerves, can cause headaches, prevent weight loss, and even mimic Multiple Sclerosis!  Stevia is a better option for no calories.  Honey is also a great sweetener to use with a lower glycemic index.

Many people make New Year’s Resolutions at this time.  To help prevent early discouragement, make one small change.  Once that has become a good habit, add another change.  Small steps add up.  No one said you have to make all those changes in one month!  Make 2025 your YEAR for change!

Did you know that sugar decreases your immune system response by 50% for 4-5 hours??!  One way to help you stay well this winter is by decreasing sugar consumption.  No, I am not expecting people to completely give up all sugar at Christmas.  BUT, try to make purposeful choices about what you do choose to eat when it comes to sugar.  The more whole foods you consume and less processed and sugar-laden, the stronger your immune system will be.