toxin free

WHY I BELIEVE REMISSION FROM ITP IS POSSIBLE: MY MANIFESTO OF FAITH AND HOPE

WHY I BELIEVE REMISSION FROM ITP IS POSSIBLE: MY MANIFESTO OF FAITH AND HOPE
Why I Believe Remission from ITP Is Possible: My Healing Manifesto of Faith and Hope
If you’re living with ITP and wondering if healing is even possible, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too—scared, overwhelmed, and unsure where to turn. But today, I stand on the other side of that valley, in remission, with a message burning in my heart:
Healing is possible.
Not just symptom relief. Not just temporary remission. True, deep, life-changing healing.
This is my personal healing manifesto—what I believe, what I’ve lived, and what I want you to know as you search for answers and hope.
I Believe the Body Was Made to Heal
Even when lab reports look grim, I believe your body is not broken—it’s communicating. Low platelets don’t mean your immune system has failed. It means it’s asking for help, for restoration, for a chance to reset.
I learned to stop fighting my body and started listening to it.

I Believe in Root-Cause Healing, Not Just Immune Suppression
Most conventional ITP treatment plans focus on suppressing the immune system. And while there may be moments where that’s necessary, I don’t believe that’s the only—or best—way.
I believe in working with the immune system:
  • Removing toxic triggers
  • Supporting the gut and liver
  • Reducing inflammation
  • Nourishing the body through anti-inflammatory foods and essential nutrients
For me, this meant combining natural therapies, nutrition, and lifestyle changes grounded in faith and intention.
I Believe in the Power of Faith
I didn’t walk this healing path alone. God was with me every step, guiding me to the right information, the right support, and the right mindset shift.
Healing from ITP is physical—but it’s also spiritual and emotional.
Fear and hopelessness are heavy burdens. But when we give those to God, we create space for peace, clarity, and healing to begin.
I Believe Words Matter
What we say over our bodies matters. For a long time, I repeated what I’d been told—“I’m sick. I have an incurable autoimmune disease.” But eventually, I started speaking life instead.
Now I say:
 ðŸŸ£ “I’m healed.”
 ðŸŸ£ “My body is resilient.”
 ðŸŸ£ “I serve a God who still heals.”
I Believe Remission Is Real
Not just for me. For you. For others.
I’m not a doctor, but I’m someone who’s lived this and walked into remission with God’s help and a natural healing plan that supported my body instead of suppressing it.
My story isn’t the exception—it’s a reminder that there is hope.
You Are Not Alone
If you’ve just been diagnosed, if you’re feeling discouraged, or if you’re searching late into the night for anything that offers real answers—know this:
✨ You are not alone.
ʉϬ You are not broken.
ʉϬ There is hope.
ʉϬ And healing is possible.
Want Support on Your Healing Journey?
I created a guide for those newly diagnosed with ITP (or feeling stuck in fear) that walks through natural and faith-filled approaches to support your platelets, reduce inflammation, and care for your whole body.
 ðŸ‘‰ [Download the ITP Guide here]

Or explore more blog posts on:
You are deeply loved. Your body is capable. And your healing journey matters.

ARE THESE 2 TOXINS LURKING IN YOUR HOME?

ARE THESE 2 TOXINS LURKING IN YOUR HOME?
What if…there are toxins in our environment that are making us sick…or keeping us sick?
What if…those toxins are messing with our immune system and hormones?
What if…those toxins are even able to cause cancer?
What if…those toxins are in products you use every day such as shampoo, shower gel, dish soap, laundry detergent, etc.?

Medical researcher spends millions of dollars each year seeking out cures for diseases.
WHAT IF…. PREVENTION WAS THE CURE??

Here are some sobering statistics:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health studied 2,983 ingredients in the products we use in our homes and found:
  • 884 toxic ingredients
  • 314 ingredients caused biological mutations
  • 218 caused reproductive problems
  • 146 caused cancerous tumors
  • THESE TOXIC INGREDIENTS ARE ALLOWED IN THE U.S. BUT ARE BANNED IN OTHER COUNTRIES!
Some of the top most dangerous products in our homes are:
  • Air Fresheners (especially plug-ins, candles, & wax warmers)
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Laundry products (detergent, fabric softeners, dryer sheets0
  • Personal care products (Shampoo/conditioner, shower gel, hand soap, etc)
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO GO HUNTING THROUGH OUR CUPBOARDS FOR 2 INGREDIENTS!

  1. FRAGRANCE – THE “F” WORD!
U.S. regulations do not require disclosure of any ingredients in a mixture called “fragrance.” A single synthetic fragrance in a product can contain hundreds of chemicals. When I hear the word “fragrance”, my brain hears, “Chemical cocktail of unknown origin.”
These pollutants (fragrances) adversely affect our health by damaging the central nervous system, causing imbalances in our hormone levels, or increasing allergies or respiratory disease. They are hidden in almost everything!  Soap, skin care, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant....check the ingredients in your products!
 
2.   SODIUM LAURAL SULFATE / SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (AKA: SLS)

This ingredient is used to make foaming products “sudsy”.  It is often found in shampoo, hand soap, dish soap, shower gel, etc.   It is linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation, hormone/endocrine disruption.
 
PRO TIP - BEWARE OF GREENWASHING!
There are MANY companies who pride themselves on being “healthy” or “toxin free”. BUYER BEWARE!  I found BOTH fragrance AND SLS in products from Mrs. Meyers, Method, Seventh Generation, and Melaleuca.
 
YOUR CHALLENGE…IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT….(Insert “Mission Impossible” theme song…)

Look in your shower, bathroom cupboards, and kitchen.  Look for the “TOP 2” – Fragrance and Sodium Laurel Sulfate.  How many products did you find containing these 2 toxins?

Of course, we can take the time to read every label at the store....but it can begin to feel like a full time job! I have an "easy button"! Here is my favorite bundle of "clean" cleaning products!


THE ALCOHOL COOKS OFF....DOESN'T IT?

THE ALCOHOL COOKS OFF....DOESN'T IT?
As the holidays approach, many of us will be cooking for friends and family….as well as enjoying holiday goodies made by others.  I have many “foodie” conversations with friends and there is a general MYTH about cooking with alcohol.

Please don’t shoot the messenger, but the truth is….Alcohol does not ALL “cook off” in the heating process!

When it comes to cooking with alcohol, it's natural to wonder how much alcohol actually cooks off during the process. While it's true that heat applied during cooking evaporates some alcohol, it's difficult to determine the exact percentage that remains. The amount of alcohol that evaporates depends on various factors such as cooking time, cooking method, heat level, and the specific dish you're preparing.

It's important to keep in mind that not all alcohol evaporates completely. In fact, some alcohol may still remain in the food even after prolonged cooking. The actual percentage varies, but estimates suggest that around 25-50% of the alcohol content can still be present. One study showed that food baked or simmered in alcohol for 15 minutes still retains 40 percent of the alcohol. After an hour of cooking, 25 percent of the alcohol remains, and even after two and a half hours there's still 5 percent of it.   Sauces containing alcohol that are brought to a boil, then removed from the heat can retain up to 85% of the alcohol. Cherries Jubilee and desserts that “flame” can retain up to 75% of the alcohol.  

For those in recovery, and for those of us who have friends and family members in recovery this information is vitally important!  For some of us, a small percentage of alcohol remaining in a sauce is no big deal.   However, for others, even the smallest amount is dangerous!

In our home, I choose to not cook with alcohol in order to support my husband’s recovery.  At times, I make substitutions (chicken broth for white wine, etc).  Other times, I skip recipes altogether when appropriate substitutions can’t be made.

Whatever you have on your menu this holiday season, please be mindful to inform your guests if you have dishes that were cooked with wine, beer, etc.  All of the alcohol will not be gone.

Psalm 40 supports individuals and families who are seeking recovery.  Please reach out if we can help!

Wishing you all a wonderful and sober holiday!



Meet Nina Cesena

 
Chronic illness STINKS!  A battle with autoimmune disease left me “immune compromised” after the loss of my spleen, which happens to be an integral part of our immune system.

I won the battle with autoimmune disease and got into remission…but my immune system was still thrashed! I fell unwell ALL. THE. TIME. I was a classroom teacher and a mom of school age kids. Every icky thing that went around seemed to find me. There were winters I forgot what it felt like to feel “well”.  I wondered what my future was going to be like….Was I going to be a victim of my immune system forever?
Then…I began to wonder if there were ways I could support my immune system naturally. I’m a skeptic. If I’m going to try something new, I need to know “how” and “why” it is going to work! I did a ton of research…and tried something I hadn’t tried before.

A few months went by…and I realized I had made it through an entire fall-winter season feeling WELL! That was 7 years ago!!

Now, I live my life confident in the power of my immune system. I don't worry that every germ is going to catch up with me. I don't fear NOT having a spleen!
 
I’ve learned so much since that first winter seven years ago! Chronic illness or a weakened immune system can make us feel out of control and even trapped! I’m on a mission to help others empower themselves to take control and gain freedom.

Come join our group of wellness warriors!
Contact me!

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