Why do women judge themselves so much? Why can’t we just be satisfied with who we are and what we do? Why do we compare ourselves with others and make ourselves feel bad about our parenting, our household, our bodies or our friends? Here’s how one woman turned her life around by eating well and embracing her faith. We love that Helen Norris came to RedLily® to share her story about how food can change your overall perspective on life.
From the editor
xo
How Embracing Food & My Faith Has Led To Joy
a.k.a “Vanilla Cake”
By Helen Norris
It might just be a number, but my struggle with weight has been a lifelong battle. Who knew that eating well and embracing my faith and trust in God would create a new pathway to joy?
I remember a time when my Mum was having tea with a friend and she served vanilla cake. Mum gave me a slice and her friend commented, “Should you be giving her that? She’s already a wee bit chubby.”
I walked away with my cake and a pit in my stomach. Instead of simply enjoying it, I remember using food to control my emotions. That vanilla cake probably tasted great but I consumed it so quickly, trying to make it and me disappear as fast as possible. This would not be the last time I used food to cope with how I was feeling.
Challenges with my weight and self-worth continued through childhood, teen years and into adulthood. So much of my life was consumed with trying to make my body smaller in the hopes I wouldn’t be the chubby girl anymore. I was trying so desperately to not be me. Yet, I was stuck in the cycle of using food as comfort while hating what I looked like in the mirror.
My Health Journey
As a married mother of two, I thought the struggle would go away. The changes in my body through pregnancy and not dealing with what I now know was depression, ensured that the cycle continued. I tried every diet, points, shakes and soups. Each of them provided temporary weight loss with some of the pounds returning. I had no idea when it came to proper nutrition or regulating stress. My family felt my pain. At age 41, I went from having extremely heavy menstrual cycles to nothing at all.
Challenges with my weight and self-worth continued through childhood, teen years and into adulthood. So much of my life was consumed with trying to make my body smaller in the hopes I wouldn’t be the chubby girl anymore.
After testing to make sure there was nothing else going on I was told I was in early menopause. I was shocked! Didn’t menopause happen to women in their 50s? When I discussed with my doctor, I was told to expect additional weight gain. Are you kidding?! There would also be menopause belly and hot flashes as this was all normal for menopause. I felt deflated and thought, “If I’m going to gain weight and slow down, why not enjoy the food I want to eat?”
The Continuous Cycle
At 45, I began to see a cardiologist because I started getting dizzy spells, fainting and major fatigue which my doctor couldn’t pinpoint to anything specific. I made visits to her clinic, the emergency room and the family doctor, resulting in no concrete answers, expect that I seemed to have some weakness in my heart. I never thought to focus on the food I was putting into my body because no one ever asked me about that part of my life.
In 2020, I was 47 and I don’t need to remind you that world was turned upside down. There was so much fear cycling on repeat via mainstream media making us all feel sick — some physically some mentally. Watching what was going on in the name of “health care,” I began to become aware that the health care system may not have my best interest in mind.
I knew I was at a place in my life where God was placing me at a crossroad. I had two choices. I could continue to depend on a system that wasn’t helping me or I could look into some alternative medicine (which I now know is the original medicine created by God and used since the beginning of time). I made an appointment with a naturopath to find out more.
The Game Changer
This was a game changer for me. I learned so much about how my body works in conjunction with the food I consume, the stress I deal with and the breath that I take. I had to unlearn so many things like “less calories means healthier for you” while also avoiding salt, meat and animal fat, which was said to kill me. I had to learn to actually breathe deeply like God designed me to do. I realized most of my life I had been literally holding onto some of my breath as I was stressed and bracing for something bad to happen.
I knew I was at a place in my life where God was placing me at a crossroad. I had two choices. I could continue to depend on a system that wasn’t helping me or I could look into some alternative medicine…
The naturopath encouraged me speak to someone about how I deal with stress, and most importantly, she encouraged me to investigate the systems of the body and what foods seemed to work best for mine. I started reading up about toxins and chemicals in the air, food, water, hygiene products I used and fragrances that were messing with my hormones. I learned what stress was really doing to my body in the long-term.
Food for Thought
Not once did we talk about how I was going to lose weight. Yet within two months of starting this journey, I began to lose weight. This resulted in a 30-pound weight loss over two years. This was done without points, shakes, counting or depriving myself. I was happy to lose the weight, but not even close to how happy I was that I felt so much energy.
My fainting spells stopped and my cardiologist asked what I had been doing because there was no longer any weakness in my heart. She said the next stage was going to be putting me on heart medication for the rest of my life. In that moment, I was so thankful to God for the crossroads he led me to years earlier when I decided to really care for the body he created for me. He is the great healer.
Where I Am Now
Here I am now getting closer to my fifties by the day. I’m so excited about it! I still have so much to learn and areas to grow, but I’m heading into this next stage in life with energy, true joy in the Lord and a passion to share what I have learned with others. Menopause doesn’t just have to mean weight gain, menopause belly and hot flashes. It can be a wonderful time to discover, learn and get to know your body and care for it well.
I am now one of “those people” who filter their water, read labels and stay away from chemicals as much as possible, but I’m also a woman who, every once in a while, still has a piece of vanilla cake.
Only now do I savour the moment and am thankful for it. Amen!
Love & Faith,
Helen
P.S. Click for more wellness reflections and transformational stories – courtesy of the RedLily team. Got an incredible journey to share that might help readers in their lives? We invite you to share on our purposeful platform with no judgment!
GOOD READS - Helen's Personal Book Recommendations Staying Alive in Toxic Times by Dr. Jenny Goodman The Cancer Revolution: Groundbreaking Program to Reverse and Prevent Cancer by Leigh Erin Connealy M.D The Bible by God (it’s all great but seriously read Psalm 139 :1-18 and Isaiah 61)
About the Author:
Helen Norris is a wife, mother, mother-in-law, granny, author and follower of Jesus who wants to let everyone know how much they are loved by God who has an amazing plan and a purpose for their life. She is taking what she has learned on her journey through early menopause and an eye-opening experience through the healthcare system in the hopes of empowering women to take back control of what the menopause journey looks like for them. She loves learning, spending time with family and sharing her experiences. You can find out more by going to www.fumblingthroughfaith.com
