Does being a mum qualify me to have brain fog?
Ste
pping into motherhood has so far been an, well how shall I put it.....a challenging, fulfilling, beautiful journey that just keeps evolving and developing and growing. It was never in my great plan of life to become a mum, to be truthful, nothing I did was planned, it just flowed, one thing to the next to the next and I always landed on my feet - I may well have had a bloody great trip up now and then but I get there in the end (where ever 'there' is...but let's not too philosophical right now!) Being a mum changes everything, the flow now involves my mini gang now and I may not be able to make changes as quick I used to be able to. I went with the flow of mental and physical tiredness, that's what you do isn't it, just keep on carrying on being a mum. Taking the good with the bad and putting yourself at the bottom of the priority list. I had begun to notice though that this was effecting me, I wasn't quite clicking with my essence of me because I had this fog surrounding me. I was healing my traumas alongside being a single parent and processing what was happening in the world (2020) not just me, but with my two daughters aswell. It gave me (and us) the opportunity to stop. To just be. You hear that sometimes don't you in the self development books. You need to take time to just 'be', not always be 'doing'! Wow what a huge adjustment it was knowing that we were actually creating history and actually stepping into a massive pause in life. Everything changed. I have always been aware of the benefits of eating well, I have been what they call a pescatarian for many years now. I can't seem to give up fish! I think part of it is because I had Bells Palsey in 2015 and I discovered that oils helped with my nerves and I believe aided my quick recovery and full use of my face again. So it is a bit of a mind thing, plus I do love good sea food! I am certified as a Health and Wellness coach where I worked with a 360 degree wheel of wellness, which looks at 12 elements of your life which are not actually separate but intertwined. This can be a giant ah-ha moment for some people. For example; What you eat impacts your relationships which can influence your purpose which can also make changes in your body. It is all linked and when one element is way out of balance that is when you feel illness, overwhelm, burnout and a whole host of others 'symptoms' which effects your mind, body and spirit. I am super conscious what I put in my body. Don't get me wrong I love a great big piece of cake and chocolate and I am no saint or nutrition guru. However I am tuned into my body well enough to know that when I have my period my body needs to have a boost of iron. Because I don't eat meat and am known not to eat 'properly' I have a protein shake every morning. I know that bee pollen is a wonder when it is sneezing season as well as a great immune booster not only for me but my children too! I saw that a good friend of mine was posting on IG about this thing called Chaga. This was something new to me. I knew that he was conscious about what he put inside his body so it had spiked my curiosity. I had learnt that Chaga is also known as "The King of the Medicinal Mushrooms”, due to it being one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world. Harnessing the power of ancient trees, it draws its nutrients from the inner layers of the bark of the tree which it grows on – normally silver and white birch trees. Among it's many benefits what caught my attention was that it could boost the immune system and it being nutrient dense as well as slowing the ageing process (that's what I learnt!!!) I ordered some Chaga powder to make a tea....well let's just say that it was, well......different!! I was hooked though. How amazing that mushrooms, in my opinion, are so overlooked. I remember being fascinated by them as a child in how they just popped up from the ground or trees. But how incredible that there are so many different types that have so many benefits. I wanted to explore more. I came across something called Reishi. Reishi is a fungus (mushroom) that has been a staple in Eastern medicine. I had learnt that one of it's many benefits was to combat fatigue and boost immunity - winner in my eyes! I happened to be in my local health food shop and I saw a jar of Reishi and cacao (that's another story!) powder to make a latte! I swiftly returned home excited to try this out. It was amazing, a required taste as you need to get out your head that it will taste anything like a latte you would buy in a coffee shop! But I felt like I had a huge energy boost. I felt clear, energised, no brain fog in the afternoon and enthusiasm because I felt good. Was this a fluke? Nope, I kept having the same feeling when I had other cups. I was onto something here...... Then I was given a lions mane (another type of mushroom) tincture. Lions mane I recognised from doing my reading up about reishi and chaga. Well what happened with that is for my next blog....
https://www.mamascottagemushrooms.org/product-page/lions-mane-tincture