From Plate to Palate; A Fertility Journey Part 3

Well, Annette has done it again. I am so honored that Annette has chosen to share her  journey with us. There are over 20 million women who battle infertility or some women health issue that can lead to infertility. We all have to work toward supporting one another and listen to our story.

Everyone Please enjoy... I hope this will bless you.

There are times that I think to myself “are these natural healing techniques working” to help me conceive? Because sometimes, it’s hard to really measure it. But, when I meditate on it, I feel it and wholeheartedly believe it. Personally, I felt that forcing my body to conceive is not the route I ever wanted to go, so IVF wasn’t even on my radar. Everyone is different, and knows their body more than ANYONE else does, so whatever route that they choose is up to them! I know that, for me, I didn’t want to force nature because something in my heart tells me that my body still needs some healing to do in order to create the right environment to carry a child. So, amping up the natural healing modalities is what I’m doing. And, I have to say, I am LOVING them!

Aside from focusing on a highly plant-based lifestyle over the past 4.5 years, I really began increasing the amount of fruit in my diet over the past year - our reproductive system runs on natural sugars like honey, coconut water, fruit, veggies (YUM!). It is so alkalizing, healing to the body, and supportive of the reproductive system! We need to eat fruit to bear fruit.

One of the key ingredients to this fertility recipe is prayer. There is nothing more relaxing and comforting to me than that. When the timing is right, God will bless us with our own little angel. I strongly believe that. We are on God’s watch, not our own, and He knows what’s right for each of us – I just need to keep leaning into that, and know that He’s got it covered! I still have to do some work of my own, but I rest in the fact that I have the Lord guiding us and watching our backs. There was a very personal prayer that the Pastors at our church prayed over me, my husband, and our future child that gave me so much comfort and peace, and I just knew something additional was healing in my body as soon as I walked out of church that evening. You can’t measure everything in a physical manner – there are some things that are just felt by the heart.

I have been going to acupuncture for the past 6 months - the first few months I was focusing on my shoulder discomfort, not really fertility (thankfully, the shoulder discomfort has gone down significantly, so I know something is working!). But, it wasn’t until July/August that I had the acupuncturist really start focusing more on fertility – I don’t know why I waited so long for that piece, but timing is everything. My heart was finally telling me to start pumping up the jam on the acupuncture! So, we did. When I say we, I mean me AND my husband. It takes two to tango, and guys need it too sometimes. To me, acupuncture is extremely relaxing, and I find myself almost in another realm while getting it done. The energy blockages just start opening, and the body heals! While this may not happen for everyone, I know I can feel healing from it. Highly recommended!

I’ve also tried the Mayan abdominal massage a few different times, and really enjoy it! There are other abdominal techniques that can be stronger and more intense, but I like to lean into practices that are more calming and relaxing, so I chose this massage technique. It’s great for clearing energy pathways, and great for gut health too (which is what I have been working on healing for the past 4.5 years; I still have a ways to go, but I can feel the healing happening). Cupping alongside the abdominal massage and reflexology have all been super relaxing, and I know that’s what my body has been craving (for YEARS) – to relax! Resting is part of the game, and my reproductive system sure needs some of it.

Saunas have been a nice addition to my routine over the past 6 months as it allows me to relax, have some extra prayer time, and sweat out those toxins! Also, following the moon cycles is still something I am learning about, but after digging a little deeper into the way the moon cycles, planet alignments, energy vibrations, etc., affect female cycles, I have become a strong believer in how we are so connected to every part of this universe. And, how the energy of the universe truly helps us! I have made it a practice to do new moon and full moon meditations, and ask the moon (which represents female energy; the sun represents male energy) to help guide and heal me. What a deep and beautiful connection I feel to it, especially since I synced my cycle up to the moon cycles (yes, it’s possible to do this)!

I hope this gives all of you some extra hope knowing that there are many natural healing modalities out there to work on healing the body (both women AND men), and I barely scratched the surface with the ones that I am practicing. I have a peace in my heart that all of these are working in conjunction with each other! Praying for all of you on your fertility journeys, and I hope that you each find peace in whatever techniques you are leaning into; you have the power to heal your body – many blessings to you!

Thanks

Annette Licitra

Integrative Health Coach + Wellness Chef

630.965.6454

Passionette Palate

http://passionettepalate.com/

*Schedule an appointment with me here*: https://www.vyte.in/annette@passionettepalate.com

From Plate to Palate; A Fertility Journey Part 2

From Plate to palate; A fertility journey Part 2

Do you ever get those days where you think ‘why is this happening’? I get those now and then about my fertility journey – sometimes, that negative energy gets to me, and I start wondering if I really want to get pregnant. Or, if it's just the thought of wanting a family is what I'd LIKE, but maybe not what's best for me. I get to thinking about what the reasons are that my husband and I haven't been able to conceive up to this point. And, then my thoughts just go all over the place. Should I just be focusing on my healing process? My husband? Just be happy that I am a fortunate Auntie to 5 beautiful nieces? My business? Supporting others on their healing journeys? Then, the thoughts go further into space…maybe the Lord has a different path for me, and maybe I'm not capable of rearing my own children, and I have a different purpose in life? Overthinker? Yeah, probably.

When that happens, I just try my best to give it to God because I'm not running this show. I know that. But, those feelings are L-O-U-D! Then there is a stronger feeling deep in my heart where I can see myself and my husband having a family, and those thoughts of what I am supposed to be focusing become clearer – focusing on my healing and growth process is where I am supposed to be at. So, right where I am at right now. I feel that many of the things I am doing are working to get us closer to starting a family of our own. But, not just that...it’s working to help me heal and grow spiritually and emotionally for my soul. I can’t truly explain how, but I just feel it in my heart.

I've decided to turn up the heat on the natural healing techniques, and try additional avenues to really open up the energy centers and blocked energy in my body. The more I learn about them, the more I know in my heart that I have so much healing to do. But, then again, don’t we all? And, won’t we always have more healing to do? Yes, it’s a never-ending process. However, if we don’t work on that as much as possible, how much will we actually have built up inside of us, and how is it manifesting in our bodies? Yikes!

So, what natural healing techniques have I found to be helping? Prayer: I just love the all of the feelings that I get when I pray: a sense of relaxation, healing, calm, protection, optimism. And, those are just to name a few. Meditation: I haven't been as consistent with meditation as I'd like within the past few years, but I’ve been trying more recently over the past few months to take more time for myself a few times a week and get meditation in, even if it’s for 5-10 minutes. It’s so soothing, and really helps calm my mind and body. I’ve even started doing more new moon and full moon meditations (I can explain this, more in depth, another time) – they’re amazing.

Something else that I have opened my mind up more to over the past few years that has yielded some amazing personal growth opportunities is paying attention to things around me like numerology and other small signs that signify that we aren’t ever alone on our journeys, regardless of how much we can feel alone in these types of situations. I feel that there are always spirit guides and angels waiting to help us, comfort us, say hello, etc. Why, even as I am writing this, I stopped to look at the clock, and it said 3:33! I have been getting that sequence often lately…or 11:11, or just any same-number sequence. And, so I have to share about the meaning behind it: “The number 333 has a lot of significance. If you’re seeing this number often, the universe is sending energy your way. Or, 333 can also represent the essence of the Trinity of mind, body and spirit.” While this thought process can seem a little out there, it’s so far from that. We are taught that it’s a little out there…a little woo-woo, but it’s really not. It’s part of how we are all SO connected to each other and this universe if we just paid attention a little more!

A few other things that I have been exploring are breath transformation, Mayan abdominal massage, reflexology, cupping, acupuncture, reiki, and moon cycles. I am loving all of it! Stay tuned for more information on them, and how they are helping on my fertility journey (and, just life in general). Be blessed!

Thanks

Annette Licitra

Integrative Health Coach + Wellness Chef

630.965.6454

Passionette Palate

http://passionettepalate.com/

*Schedule an appointment with me here*: https://www.vyte.in/annette@passionettepalate.com

From Plate to palate; A fertility journey Part 1

From Plate to palate; A fertility journey Part 1

Hello! I'm Annette Licitra, Certified Health Coach & Wellness Chef, and my passion is to provide encouragement, support and nourishing recipes to people as they invest in their health so that their bodies will shine for them. Ok, that was the easy part. Now, for the rest…and, I’m just going to put this out there – this is a bit of a difficult story for me to write. But, this is part of healing. While many aspects of my healing process have gotten easier over time, there is one symptom deep inside of me that I struggle with more than some of the others…here it goes…

For as long as I can remember, I've been challenged with digestive issues, which I had always chalked up to a 'nervous stomach'. However, I knew in my gut (yes, pun intended!) that something was amiss, but couldn't figure out what to associate it with other than nerves. Fast forward to 2002, when I learned through conventional allopathic medicine that I had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is characterized as a chronic digestive disorder. 

As I moved into early adulthood, my list of symptoms grew to include recurrent urinary tract infections (ouch!), pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS), rosacea, melasma, interstitial cystitis (IC), fatigue, brain fog, pelvic pain, weight gain, bloating, thinning hair…and, the one that I wear the deepest and hardest on my heart – the dreaded word: infertility.

I began doing serious research on natural healing in 2014, two years after my husband and I got married. We wanted to start a family, and started to realize that it was taking longer than we thought it might. This saddened and confused me. I figured that I had to start doing something because I didn’t know what was REALLY going on. It became more difficult to understand, or maybe accept, how so many females got pregnant so quickly. Here I was, and still am, struggling to conceive.

With these ridiculous digestive issues and now this infertility thorn, my rigorous research mode kicked into high gear. I started learning that all of my symptoms – yes, symptoms, not diseases (a disease is only a dis-ease of the body) - are related to one another, and are a result of multiple things, but mainly a high level of unproductive bacteria in my gut (streptococcus), nutrient deficiencies, overuse of antibiotics, and lifestyle.

Digestive issues were the ‘norm’ for me, sadly, but after I started paying more attention to my intuition, it began ringing louder and louder that my symptoms were stemming from my gut. After doing serious research on natural healing, I felt my eyes start opening…wide! Cutting out gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, and soy, eating whole, real foods and making a life-long commitment to a healthier lifestyle over the past 4 years were some of the best things that I have done. While it hasn’t yielded a pregnancy yet, I am confident that my body is in a healing process.

All of this research has made it much easier to understand the lifelong health challenges I have been facing, but the infertility obstacle still plagues my heart. I’m not going to lie – it is difficult to hear about everyone around me getting pregnant with absolutely nothing happening on my end. And, for this to happen year after year - it’s hurtful. But, I have to keep telling myself not to take it personal, but to be happy that they are bringing a beautiful miracle into this world. After I get out of my own head, that hurt goes away. And, I am truly happy for them, of course!

The disappointment month after month has slowly started to ease, but only because I have really leaned deeper into my faith. I am extremely grateful to God that He has shifted my path onto this beautiful wellness journey and keeps opening my eyes to new things on the daily; with this, my emotional scars are beginning to heal. I have a long way to go on my emotional healing path, but I feel so strongly that there is a gift in this challenge. Maybe it’s to help others facing similar obstacles or maybe my baby will be the gift that I am supposed to receive…I’d like to think it’s both!

I have grown exponentially on my health journey, and through this, I’m learning to dig deeper into my soul for healing. Making changes to what goes on my plate to nourish my physical body, and my future baby (yes, I am speaking this into existence!) is something that is unbelievably important to me. The tie to what goes on our plates and our health is inarguably connected. Whether it is allergies or infertility, food and drink are key players in the healing game.

Focusing on prayer, meditation, energy healing, resting, hydrating, cleansing, breathing and many other things are paramount to lean into when trying to conceive. I have been incorporating (more) of these natural healing methods into my lifestyle, and while the pregnancy hasn’t happened yet, in my heart, I know that they are helping on many levels. I still have a lot to learn, but from what I have already learned, I know that I am being equipped to help others on their journey!

Thanks 

Annette Licitra

Integrative Health Coach + Wellness Chef

630.965.6454

Passionette Palate

http://passionettepalate.com/

*Schedule an appointment with me here*: https://www.vyte.in/annette@passionettepalate.com