Learn More ♥ Live Healthier
JOURNEY TO WELLNESS (Part 2)
By Nikki and Anne Heart ♥ May 15, 2025
*Although we wrote this post together, we have chosen to present the following through Mom’s eyes.
Mom's Story: Journey to Wellness (Part 2)
Finding the correct wellness path
My daughter Nikki’s journey to find the correct wellness path was a difficult one especially while she was on prescription drugs.
The prolonged effects of misguided treatment weighed most heavily on Nikki, but our entire family felt the strain as we struggled to support her.
How did we find wellness
After my daughter withdrew from prescription drugs, we realized that one of the key shortcomings in her medical treatment was the failure to consider her as a whole person.
Since then, she has started to carefully assess her own physical and mental health to gain a complete understanding of her well-being.
Unintentionally, she embraced a holistic approach, which ultimately led her to a healthier and more balanced path.
At its core, a holistic approach involves considering all aspects of an individual in the pursuit of optimal health and wellness.
Through Nikki’s journey, I’ve come to understand how vital it is to account for every facet of a person’s life to ensure accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans.
Whether you fully embrace a holistic approach or not, the key to finding your ideal wellness path lies in recognizing, awareness and learning.
1.Recognizing is to reflect on yourself and identify potential factors contributing to your sense of unwellness.
This might be as straightforward as a recent dietary change, starting an allergy medication, adding a supplement, or trying a new skin lotion.
Alternatively, it could be as complex as an undetected underlying illness, such as a sensitivity to preservatives or dyes, that eludes conventional tests.
2. Awareness extends beyond self-reflection to include understanding your environment and triggers that impact your overall well-being.
For instance, a particular scent might irritate you without your conscious awareness, or a specific food could affect your mood, leading to feelings of depression.
3. Learning plays a pivotal role in maintaining your well-being.
As your body evolves over the course of your life, so does environmental factors. Something that has no impact on you today could potentially affect you negatively in the future.
Continuously obtaining knowledge regarding food additives, chemical sensitivities, potential triggers and techniques are essential to navigate through these changes.
In her journey toward optimal wellness, Nikki follows a strict, organic, gluten-free diet.
Yet through careful observation, she discovered that completely eliminating gluten negatively affects her mood, causing significant depression.
For Nikki, achieving balance means incorporating both gluten and gluten-free options into her diet—a tailored approach that best supports her well-being.
And recently with availability of patch testing, Nikki has also been diagnosed with chemical allergies to nickol, colbalt and balsam of peru.
With this recent diagnosis, she is aware that eliminating wheat in her diet is essential to her wellness.
It also gives acknowledgement to her many sensitivities regarding foods, medications, products, etc.
By recognizing, remaining aware, and continuing to learn, you can craft a wellness plan that is as unique as you are.
Once you recognize and are aware of what is causing your unwellness, the next step is to obtain the knowledge needed for the appropriate treatment plan.
As well as continuing to learn new self-help plans and techniques in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Techniques for Wellness
Now I want to share some techniques we commonly use in our family and the reasons why.
Even though my daughter, Nikki, and my husband both live with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the techniques may vary depending on their individual needs at the time.
Nikki tends to use a variety of techniques to get her through those rough times, since not one technique works at all times.
1. Live in the Present
One technique we try to reinforce in our household is to live in the present.
OCD is big when it comes to the “what if” scenario. What if I lose my job, what if I forget to unplug the iron and the house burns down, and so on.
By living in the present, a person tries to stay away from predicting the future. Because the future is unpredictable.
2. Exercise
Nikki and my husband both use exercise as one of their wellness techniques.
An exercise routine for them can include an extensive work out at the gym along with simple yoga.
For my daughter, a three-to-six-mile run while listening to an audio book allows her mind to rest from thinking.
And walking is used by all in our home.
Walking for me is a slow steady pace, nowhere near what some would refer to as a power walk.
During my walk I take time to look at the birds, see the flowers, and take in the peaceful surroundings.
For Mother’s Day, I asked for a new bike—and was lucky enough to receive one. Now, at 65, I’m embracing a fresh exercise routine and a new adventure.
3. Self-care
Self-care can be different things to different people including journaling, hobbies, exercising, breathing techniques, etc.
Self-care to me at times is going to the cemetery. No this isn’t a typo. Let me explain.
My parents passed away six weeks apart and a short time before Nikki’s journey on prescription drugs began.
Needless to say, a very trying time in my life.
During the roughest time of Nikki’s wellness journey on prescription drugs, I started going to the cemetery quite frequently.
Something just drew me there.
Standing at my parents’ grave site, I would sometimes let out a good cry or just talk quietly out loud.
By the time I left, whether five minutes or thirty, I felt a feeling of calmness.
Years later, I still find relief there.
Whether you are on a medication treatment plan or not, integrating self-care and wellness techniques is essential for achieving balance.
I am first to acknowledge that living a healthier, happier life is not always easy.
- A walk may not ease depression.
- Exercise alone may not shift negative thinking.
- Prescription medications may not be a solution.
Discovering the right journey for your wellness can be a huge commitment.
But always remember, you are worth that commitment.
Learn More
♥
Live Healthier
Journey to Wellness - Part 3
May 22, 2025
Note: All information in “Nikki’s Story and Mom’s Story” are based on detail journals covering seven years of Nikki’s life on prescription drugs.
Medical Disclaimer: We share informational resources that are intended to help you with your self-care plan. We are not professionals. We write based on personal experience and personal research.
Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the Website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.
General Disclaimer: This site contains links to other internet sites. We are not endorsing any products or services in these sites nor are we endorsing or did we approve information within these sites. Each site contains its own “Privacy Policy”,