Hi, My name is Liz. I’m a wife and mom of two kids-one of each flavor. I love books, flowers and herbs, waterfalls, dragonflies and COFFEE! Thanks for visiting. I’m here to share all the information I have been gathering about living soy free, gluten free, and more natural living with a little bit about me and some fun thrown in too!
I consider myself a “picky foodie” in that I absolutely love food… but not ALL food. 🙂
If you had told me 2 years ago that I would cook most everything from scratch, make most of my own personal care and cleaning products, and would have my own blog, I would have done a spit take in your face followed by 5 minutes of rolling on the floor belly laughing!!!!! But, after developing an allergy to soy, dust mites, grasses, chemical sensitivity, and leaky gut that is exactly what I am doing!
Desperation leads to revelation
After a bunch of doctor appointments, tests and visits to the allergist, I became very frustrated with the conventional medical system. Each new medicine seemed to create a new problem (or two) for everything it (supposedly) fixed. I quite literally felt scared of food. I was embarrassed, which then triggered anxiety, more stress, more embarrassment, more anxiety…. You get the picture 🙁
After a new medication immediately triggered an episode of thrush and yeast infection, I got MAD! I resorted to searching for natural remedies on the internet. I was desperate and super skeptical but again…desperate!
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) was one of my first “natural remedies”. I ♥Love♥ ACV! This lead to experimenting more with herbs, adding more spices like tumeric and ginger into our diet, and exploring essential oils.
Liz no makeup anymore 🙁
Along the way, I realized that my body didn’t like soy in makeup or skincare either. While making homemade soy-free eye makeup remover, I discovered a passion for crafting my own cleaners, natural beauty and skincare products. I have to confess, I absolutely hated science class in school. But, I love playing with different ingredients, modifying recipes to suit my tastes or coming up with my own concoctions. My hubby calls it my “apothecary”. I LOVE IT! Some of my favorites have been lip balm, produce wash, dish soap, and Homemade Sugar and Salt Scrub without Coconut Oil..
So, why start this site?
When I first started trying to remove soy from my life, I quickly grew super frustrated with the lack of good, applicable and practical information for LIVING with a soy allergy (the operative word here is LIVING!!!). Hours of research, misinformation, frustration, and lots of money spent trying soy free alternatives. As time went on, I kept thinking that I wished there was a way I could share the information I was gathering with others. One day, I had a crazy idea… What if I started a blog and shared everything I learned??? It took lots of encouragement from my family and friends, and a little push from my boss, but the dream has come to fruition.
I sincerely hope that this blog will be a resource and source of inspiration for anyone – whether soy free, gluten free, low FODMAP or not. No one has to feel so overwhelmed, frustrated, angry or frightened about food or their bodies. You are not alone! There are options and solutions to be found! Naturallyliz.com will share recipe ideas, homemade natural remedies, personal care products and cleaning products as well as information and resources, tips and tricks, products that have worked and what hasn’t.
One note: as our lives are a journey so has been my food choices. Due to SIBO, candida overgrowth, leaky gut, allergies and sensitivities, I have had to modify my diet quite a bit. Some changes are permanent and some temporary for healing or elimination testing. While some recipes might be Gluten Free or low FODMAPs, etc not all will be. However, all my recipes will be soy free. Unfortunately, I think the soy allergy is around to stay. Please use your own discretion for YOUR specific dietary needs and always read the labels.
My personal quest is to heal my body, reduce medications, and live more naturally. Why don’t you join me?
~Naturally yours~
Liz
Colin, Gabe and Liz
