Eating Poisonous Plants…& Pondering Healthy Living

Doing what we can for our physical & mental health

Hola amigos 🤩

I’m sorry if the title sounds a bit weird…you’ll get it soon! 😉

I’m going to be honest—I just haven’t been feeling inspired to write these days. I guess it feels a bit like I’ve hit a wall, after almost 3 years of writing regularly 🤪

Maybe this is normal. Actually, I’ve recently started 4 different posts. But I’m like that person (back in the ‘80’s) on the typewriter who starts typing, types a few lines, crumples the paper into a ball, saying, “Scrap that!” And pretty soon they have half a room of scattered paper balls. Ok—slight exaggeration…but that’s kinda how I’ve been feeling lately 😬

So, instead of waiting till I’m feeling inspired…I’m writing a little post…fingers crossed…

A few days ago, by mid-afternoon, I felt like we’d been inside for most of the day, so after lots of prodding, I managed to get the girls to come up to the park with me. We brought our sweet little kitten, Pumpkin, who we all call “Baby” with us. She’s our latest addition and found me on the street a couple weeks ago in Puerto (La Libertad), told me she loved me—purring intensely—and now she’s ours 💗

At the park, we quickly noticed a shrub with little fruits that looked almost like mini green and red peppers (see top photo). I pulled out my phone, looked it up on the Plantify app, saw it was definitely that plant—same leaves, same fruit—yellow oleander. It said edible at the top of the description. So, we picked one of the red fruits, and opened it up. It had whitish flesh, covering smooth black seeds. We all tried some—it tasted a lot like another local podded fruit we eat sometimes, “paterna.” Then, I sat down and scrolled a bit, and saw that in the more lengthy description it said, all parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested.

WAIT, WHAT?!?!

Let’s just say, I will NEVER trust that app when it says edible again! We spent the next 45 minutes freaking out, doing more research, and trying to make ourselves bring up the “toxic” fruit. It reminded me of Adam and Eve eating the fruit, and then immediately regretting it.

Thankfully, we hadn’t consumed much at all. For the record, I wasn’t able to bring it up, and turns out, I was fine. Apparently the roots, leaves, and seeds are the most toxic. Note to self: I will be keeping activated charcoal on hand for any future events, if—God forbid—there ever is another!

On another note—or a similar one—I was inspired to write a little about my health after seeing a post in Substack notes this past week. A woman was talking about “making America healthy again” and mentioned a few things she does. While reading, I thought, “Hey, we do lots of those too!”

I was just chatting with my brother this morning, and he said something that resonated with me…deeply. And has been a big part of my story for the last few years…

“It’s not about looking good for anyone else; it’s about your OWN spiritual and physical journey.”

—David deWit

I know we still have a LONG way to go to get to where we ultimately want to be with our health. I’d love for us to have 12 chickens, a goat for milk, a big vegetable garden, and a close friend who hunts or fishes. BUT, we’re embracing the present, and thankful that we have the various options that we have right now. Some can be challenging to find—grocery stores in El Salvador aren’t laden with organic options, and MOST processed foods here contain seed oils, and often high-fructose corn syrup. A prime example was when I was at the store and picked up a bottle of honey—and it had high-fructose corn syrup added!!

In fact, those additions are a big part of why I started making some of our own foods like granola.

This morning, Tom and I got up at 5:30, fed the animals, sipped coffee up at the park while watching the sunrise, and then read / journaled awhile.

I went home at 7 and put on my running clothes. I didn’t WANT to go for a run. But, I DID want to feel that amazing feeling of being fully alive (and having accomplished something) that I always feel afterwards. I have lots of excuses—I have a bad knee, I have 3 kids to feed, a messy house, I just don’t feel like it... BUT, I grabbed my velcro knee brace, put it on, and headed out. Once I’m out there, I love being in nature, getting in a rhythm with my feet and my breathing while thinking, praying, and processing. The dogs were at my heels, running alongside, like a team cheering me on. For the first bit I’m cold, then I get warm, start to sweat, and by the end, I’m a sweaty mess. But, I feel amazing!!

A few things I do on a daily / weekly basis:

• Getting up before sunrise 🌄

• Watching the magnificent sun creep over the horizon, sky ablaze in colour!

• Getting to bed on time—before 10 😴

• Being thankful and counting my blessings, EVEN when I don’t feel like it!! 🤲

• Decreasing bright lights in the evenings, by using candles or a red reading light at bedtime and blue light-blocking glasses 🕯

• De-cluttering, organizing, and cleaning—a near-constant battle with kids and pets—our little cabin 🏡

• Keeping my sourdough starter fed and baking healthy bread every few days for our family…we all enjoy warm, fresh bread 🥖

• Buying locally grown fruit and veggies, and munching on it multiple times a day 🥑

• Helping stray animals—like I said, we just adopted a cute little kitten. Ok, yes, OFFICIALLY crazy cat family—LOL 😹

• Planting seeds and watching little plants come up with my girls 🌱

• Making yogurt and letting it get nice and probiotic-y for 24 hours—thanks for this one, Mom 💗

• Being present and taking time with those I love 💞

• Teaching my girls life skills—how to wash dishes, do laundry, chop veggies, bake, keep their spaces organized, spell English words… 📚

• Learning / practicing Spanish with Tom and the girls 🇸🇻

• Taking time to REST—MUY importante! 🌺

• Making homemade cookies and granola with honey and butter 🍯

• Running in the cool mountain air every other day, and doing a workout on my in-between mornings, so I get some cardio, increase those endorphins, and feel motivated to embrace the day 💪

• Taking supplements that help my body and mind feel good—magnesium, flax / chia seeds, B vitamins, maca powder, fish oils 🐠

• Soaking beans and cooking them up to add to meals 🫘

• Dreaming and planning for the future with Tom ✨

• Hardly drinking any alcohol for the last few years—I enjoy bubbly water when we’re out. It’s easier to focus, and I have more control over what I say 😌

• Learning how to make and do new things—just watched a video on how to make activated charcoal…now, to do it! 🕳

• Spending time in the sun—getting that much-needed vitamin D 🌞

• Journaling about my cares, desires, hopes, and dreams, and answers to prayers 🙏

  

• Reading the Bible each day ✝️

• Freeing my mind of worry by being grateful 🙌

• Homeschooling—I never thought I’d ENJOY it, but parts of it are fun and fulfilling, like seeing my youngest learn to read in the last couple years, explaining math and writing concepts, and doing science experiments with my “pupils.” 🧬

• Inviting people over, or making time to go and visit people regularly 💜

Ok, lots of you are thinking, “Lucky you—I definitely don’t have time to do all those things!!”

Yeah, I get it, and I know that if I wasn’t a stay-at-home mom, I wouldn’t have time to do many of these things either. In fact, it’s a huge blessing to have so much time at home, and I’m incredibly grateful. A few years ago, when I was working part-time in Canada, I had much less free time, and had to do a lot more make-ahead meals like soups and stews. And I often didn’t get to bed before midnight, due to working late.

I’m sure you have things that if you do them, you feel better mentally, physically, or both. I’m curious to hear some of your “health hacks” in the comments below too! Please tell me about something that has helped you or that I’m missing out on!

Thanks for reading, friends!

Gracias por leer, amigos 😊

Until next time…keep your heart and mind healthy 🫶

Hasta la proxima vez…mantén tu corazón y tu mente sanos 🫶

💜💜💜💜💜