Introduction
Becoming a mother is an incredible thing, both beautiful and painful.
It is the ultimate love affair sprinkled with unfathomable joy and a ton of
WTFs?! Being a mom will have you feeling all the feels, all the time. It truly
is a privilege and a superpower. For all the love and dedication you are
going to put in for the rest of your days, you will have a legacy in this big
world. You might have already heard that with great power comes great
responsibility. If you are a mom, you know that is an understatement.
My favorite comedian, Jim Gaffigan, described parenthood by saying:
“Imagine you’re drowning and someone hands you a baby.” This
always resonated with me because all the hopes, dreams, and magic
that come with motherhood are accompanied by an absurd amount
of work. Sometimes it can feel like you are drowning. Sleepless nights,
constant worrying, cooking, cleaning, organizing, negotiating, emotional
availability, tech support, explaining, explaining again, finding items
invisible to the naked eye, medical assistance, event coordinating, and
overall supplier of all needs, are just a few of the jobs you will perform
as a mother on a daily basis. It is stressful and can be lonely. You will
be performing tasks to care for those around you every day and all that
work will often go unnoticed. This invisible load of motherhood is often
the cause of huge amounts of stress. And stress, particularly in huge
amounts, will wreck your health.
When I became a mother, a part of me died. This sounds dramatic, but it
is true. I slowly lost my sense of self, and that made it impossible for the
new version of me that had been born with my child to grow. I was stuck
and my health declined. One day, years later (I confess, it took me years
to love my life as a mom), as I looked at my two children, something
clicked. I do not know how to explain it, but I suddenly realized that the
tired, cranky, sad, and uninspired version of me had to go. I wanted to
be there with and for those kids I love so freaking much. I had to allow
my new self to rise and I was determined to learn how. My life began to
improve right then and there, and over the years I learned a lot about how
to live my best life. With the support of my family, I went back to school
to study nutrition and health. I became fascinated with how the body
works. I especially loved learning about how hormones rule the body
and how stress can throw a perfectly orchestrated hormonal system out
of whack. It was incredible and empowering because within the process
of learning I found myself again. I want to share this information with
you because I want you to live your best life too. We do not need to do it
the same way, but I hope the material in this book will help you find your
own way. Maybe you got a little lost somewhere between that blissful
moment you were handed your perfect baby and this morning when you
ate a breakfast based on whatever your kids refused to eat. And as you
look around exhausted and confused at the disaster zone that is your
kitchen, you might be wondering: How did I get here?
You are not alone. Please know that you are not destined to a life without
zest, energy, joy, and lovely skin. You are radiant and if you have lost some,
or a lot, of that shine – chin up! – you can find yourself again in health.
Part of my journey led me to focus on stress and its repercussions on
health. In my studies, I learned that the body regulates your response
to stress via a system known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
axis or HPA axis. This system is involved in the fight or flight response,
which helps your body act appropriately in case of an emergency. But
the functions of the HPA axis are not limited to responding to stressors.
The axis is also a part of energy production, temperature modulation,
immune function, digestion, sexuality, and hormone balance. Mood,
energy, libido, metabolism, immunity, cognitive function, and skin health
are all affected by the HPA axis. If you feel like you need caffeine to get
you through the day, if you feel uninspired, if you feel your skin has aged
at the speed of light, and your kids are one “Mom!” away from becoming
property of your in-laws, you could be suffering from poor HPA function.
HPA axis dysfunction is not talked about in Mommy and Me circles. It is
not part of your yearly checkup protocol. And it is not the latest health
news trend. I would like to help you get familiar with it because it is not
uncommon and it could be affecting you.
This book will guide you on your journey to health. You will learn about
the things that create stress in your body, how they affect your wellbeing
and how to fix them in real and specific ways. I will explain the
reasoning for each suggestion and give you the tools you need to take
all the steps. The Radiant Energy program was designed by me based
on my experiences with motherhood, what I learned from other moms,
studies and my research. I wanted to create an accessible program
that would help hardworking, busy moms take control of their wellness
journey. I believe in you and your capability to transform your health, feel
amazing and love your life. This program is a straightforward starting
point to jumpstart your health makeover.
Motherhood will drive you to the edge of your seat, to the brink of
madness and then, hopefully, back home to the love of your life and the
greatest joy you have ever felt. You are entitled to your best life and I
want it for you. Do you want it for yourself? This is it, ladies. The time has
come to be your beautiful, vibrant self again. It will be my honor to get
you started.