From Potholes to Purpose—Lessons Learned in Practical, Sustainable Living

If you’d told me years ago that our family’s leap into healthy, sustainable living would start with a plot twist straight out of a medical drama, I’d have laughed you off. Yet there we were—staring down a life-or-death moment when my husband’s ulcerative colitis spiralled into Crohn’s disease. His health took a nosedive. Each visit to the doctor felt like patching a pothole on a crumbling road—quick (short-lived!) fixes that didn’t solve the bigger issue.

Then came the moment that changed everything: his doctor, with a calmness that suggested she’d delivered this kind of life-altering news a hundred times before, told us we’d reached a crossroads. My husband needed to take the next step in medication—something potentially life-saving—but with one major consequence: this treatment would mean we could no longer grow our family. We weren’t sure if we were ready to close that chapter, and the weight of that decision was crushing.

As South Africans, we’re champions at “making a plan.” We carry on and laugh through the chaos. Loadshedding? A good excuse for a braai. Traffic lights out? Just follow the biggest car through the intersection. (What? That’s not everyone’s strategy?) But sometimes, life forces us to stop at the “robot” (yes, the one that’s not working) and ask, “Where are we going?”

That jarring experience in the doctor's rooms forced us to pause—really pause—and question the rollercoaster we’d been on. For years, we'd been swept along, following each new piece of medical advice like passengers on a runaway train, never stopping to ask where it was taking us.

Choosing the road less travelled

Around that time, a family member who'd battled severe arthritis (another autoimmune condition) suggested we consult a functional medicine practitioner. It felt like a huge leap into unknown territory—the kind only Cape Tonians boldly chart, armed with yoga mats, organic kombucha, and a knack for alternative medicine. But I knew we had to try something different.

To be honest, my husband and I weren’t on the same page—he was understandably hesitant, while I, in full-blown panic mode, pushed for it. Looking back, I could have approached the whole endeavour with a heap more grace. But the panic was real, and I was a dog with a bone.

His new doctor gave us an elimination diet plan to start us off. I clung to her advice like a lifeline—Googling like a woman possessed, meal-prepping like a contestant on MasterChef, and sticking to every guideline with military precision.

Healing in unexpected ways

The changes we saw were fast and profound. For the first time since his initial diagnosis, my husband’s health started to turn around without relying on increasingly intense medications. The severity of his condition had led us to believe that lasting improvement was out of reach; chronic illnesses often come with the expectation of ongoing decline or, at best, managed symptoms.

Yet, against all odds, we witnessed a shift that shouldn’t have been possible—a change that defied the usual course of his diagnosis. He wasn’t cured—cure implies the miraculous, a complete absence of disease, much like a wound disappearing without a trace (or my kids cleaning up after themselves without being asked).

But he was healing.

Given the right inputs—nourishing food and, without a doubt, a whole lot of God's grace—his body began to restore itself. That shift opened our eyes, not only to the power of healthy eating, but to a whole new way of looking at what we bring into our bodies and our home. Turns out, the old adage is true: you really are what you eat (though thankfully, no one started sprouting kale leaves).

Learning sustainable habits for a healthier family

Our focus started with what we were eating, but it quickly grew to include the everyday products in our lives—cleaning supplies, personal care items, and anything else that could impact our health. The more we learned, the more we saw that these things didn’t just affect us; they impact the environment, too. And while we didn’t start out with the intention of “saving the planet,” we quickly realised that the same choices that protected our health were also better for the earth. Maybe Captain Planet did know what he was talking about!

In all seriousness, it truly struck us how the choices we made for our bodies and home rippled outward in ways we’d never considered, reminding us that caring for our health and caring for creation aren’t separate missions—they’re part of the same beautifully interconnected plan.

A little one who wouldn’t be here otherwise

Here’s the thing about stepping off the beaten path: sometimes, it leads you to places you didn’t think were possible. For us, it gave us more than just better health—it gave us hope. And that hope made room for something we thought we’d lost. Today, our little laat laametjie is a living, giggling, mess-making reminder of what can happen when we dare to try something new.

Making it sustainable (for real!)

Living this way takes effort, and sometimes it feels like there’s always one more thing to think about. But we’ve learned how to make practical choices that we can sustain—not for Instagram, but for real life.

Perfection isn’t the goal. Aiming for it can quickly become overwhelming; it’s easy to spiral into hyper-vigilance over every possible toxin or feel utterly helpless and despondent. Rather, our practically sustainable way of living is about making trade-offs that fit our family and aiming for “better than yesterday.” Some days, that means organic veggies and chemical-free cleaning. Other days, it’s just avoiding the drive-thru.

Sharing our journey to make yours easier

So, this is why I share our story—not because we’ve figured it all out, but because we’ve learned a lot through trial and error (and no small amount of prayer!).

If you’re navigating health challenges or just trying to make life a little better, I hope what I share here can lighten the load and make your journey a bit easier. If so, then this space has served its purpose.