What?!

Last night I happily crawled into bed with a stack of magazines I had accumulated over the past two months (did I ever tell you that being a director AND teacher is time consuming?!) and started to read my way through them. My eyes fell on an article about losing two dress sizes so I instantly flipped right to that page in hopes of finding some profound weight loss/maintenance program. Instead I found a list of alternatives such as visit a dietitian, seek out help from a cognitive behavior therapist and consider weight loss surgery. What?! OK, I do agree seeking the help of a dietitian can be beneficial to everyone. And I also agree that enlisting the help of a therapist can be very helpful especially if there is a reason behind your situation (example: you are an emotional eater), but let's be really honest: most people do not have the time, money or resources to seek out this level of help. I was so disappointed in this article!

This past year I lost what I feel is a significant amount of weight. I'll be honest, I cannot say what the exact amount is as I really fluctuated on the scale. I do know that at my absolute heaviest (I want to say that was around March 2009) I was right at 160lbs. I am only 5'2 so that is truly overweight. Granted I had two babies within 2.5 years so I had pregnancy weight after pregnancy weight slapped together. But let's also say I didn't have a food enemy. I loved and welcomed every piece of cake, cookie, chip, cheeseburger, fry, soda and beer that crossed my path. I didn't watch my portions. I ate when I was pissed, happy or just because. I didn't like to sweat so I didn't exercise. But I also hated how I looked. In 2010 I had the worst teaching year on record. Some days I felt like giving up before even getting out of bed. I turned to alcohol and drank A LOT of it to get me through that hellish year. That was the summer I lost a little weight, but it was also the year that my IBS went through the roof. I'll never forget laying on the floor in pain, gasping for breath, as an IBS flair up rocked my body. I couldn't eat most days so that was my "thinnest" at 150lb, still overweight. The summer of 2012 I started walking with a co-worker and finally "dropped" to 147lbs. Then I fell and broke my foot and ripped the ligaments. I ballooned back up to about 154lbs. At Christmas 2012 I was in a size 14 pants and my shirts were large to extra-large. In 2013 my boot came off and I was officially signed off from physical therapy and that is when I said "NO MORE".

I started off slow because I knew myself all too well; if I went into this 110% I would fail. I started by watching portions. When I ate a salad I actually measured out a true serving of dressing and cheese, I just didn't blindly toss things into a bowl. I ate one scoop of potatoes instead of loading up. I waited a few minutes before going back for seconds, many times I found myself to be full. Next I cut out soda. That was hard! I subbed carbonated flavored water for the soda, same fizzy feel, but no calories and no artificial crap pulsing through my veins. I started drinking unsweet green tea. Then I cut out as much processed stuff as possible. We always plant a garden so soon I was able to eat tomatoes, lettuce, spinach and cucumbers from my backyard. I could see results! Last, I added in some mild exercise. I enjoy walking around my neighborhood so I started walking here and there. When the tornado hit in June many of our roads were blocked with trees, downed lines and debris so I stepped away from outdoor walking. I am still very cautious of my foot, even a year later, so walking on and around that scared me. I have not held exercise as a priority as I should and that is my 2014 lifestyle goal. I also made it a point to not snack unless I was truly hungry and to not eat after 8pm.

For breakfast I would have a cup of coffee and a protein drink with skim milk. Lunch was usually a big green salad with tea or I would make "fun" lunches like sliced tomatoes & basil from my garden with fresh mozzarella cheese. Dinner was usually grilled veggies, baked potato and fruit. We grill a lot in the summer so it wasn't uncommon to have grilled veggie kabobs, salad, grilled corn and watermelon. Snacks were foods like Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, whole wheat crackers, cheese, etc. I am a vegetarian so obviously meat is absent from my meals, but I ate beans, eggs, veggie burgers, etc. to make sure I had protein. I can honestly say that this is the best I've felt in a very long time. By September I was down to 137lbs (still technically overweight) and I was in a size 8 pant and my tops are small to medium.

This holiday season I have been lax in my eating habits, but I have been pretty good. My size 8 pants still fit! I haven't weighed myself in literally weeks, I've discovered I do not need that scale. I know I am healthy because I look good and best of all, I feel good. If I can do this, so can you. I was the poster girl for every failed diet I could get my hands on. I tried starving myself (not smart!), Weight Watchers (I gained weight?!) and even OTC pills (stupid!), but it was finally a talk with a friend and a drive from within that got me going. My lifestyle goal (I refuse to say resolution) is to find a simple exercise routine and stick with it. I am happy with my weight, if I lose more that would be great, but if I don't, that is good too. I want to exercise for the health benefits. Here is to a healthy, happy 2014!

Eight Funky Foods

Today as I was playing round on Facebook I came across an article on a friend's page. The article lists eight foods that experts refuse to consume and why. I was pretty sure I'd find dairy laced with hormones on the list and I was right, it is number six on the list. If you know me at all, you know my love for cows and my quest to stay away from rBGH tainted dairy. I found this to be an interesting read and wanted to share:

http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/12214-8-foods-even-the-experts-won-t-eat.html

Recipe: Healthy "Cookies"

I don't know about you, but I love to indulge in cookies. My favorite is a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie, however I am pretty open to eating any cookie you pass my way. A few weeks ago I was obsessed with Ginger Snap cookies. That love affair has come and gone and now I am back to my beloved chocolate chip cookie. Over the past several months I have lost some weight. It took me awhile to drop three sizes and I am damn proud of my accomplishments! I do not want to sabotage my efforts, but I cannot live without my sweets! Then my friend Abby shared this amazing cookie recipe with me and I am in love!

Now, you cannot make this recipe and except it to be a traditional cookie. It is actually far from anything you'd bake, but it satisfies my sweet tooth, is fairly healthy in my opinion and best of all it is so easy to make!! I'll have to see where she found this recipe so I can give credit where it is due, but for now I shall just share this little gem with you!

Ingredients
2 very ripe bananas (think brown to black colored peel)
1 cup of quick oats
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions
In a bowl, mash bananas well.

Mix in the oats.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon tablespoons of batter onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

These are awesome straight from the oven! I save the leftovers and just popped them in the microwave when I was ready to indulge. I've certainly eaten my fair share today!

Thank you Abs for sharing this with me!! xoxoxo

It Hurts!

My foot is killing me! It hurts so bad that I want to cry and at times I still get nauseated. I know I am supposed to be on rest, but that is hard to do! I have to get the boys ready for school each morning and that is like an hour long process. They are still little and depend on me for much of the morning routine. My house is a flipping disaster and I cannot do much about it. Dishes have to be washed and laundry has to be finished so I have to keep up on it. It is just never ending. I wear my boot, but that is not enough. I need like a week straight of total bedrest, but that is not going to happen anytime soon sadly. I worry about returning to work next week. How can I teach in such pain?!

I started researching some homeopathic approaches to healing and I came across some info on the use of arnica. I am desperate to find anything that will help me heal and ease my pain. I know this is not a quick fix and it will take time, but if the arnica aides in healing, why not try it? I see a visit to the nutrition store or Whole Foods in my future. I need relief!! Let's hope this pretty little yellow flower packs a punch in helping me feel better sooner!

My Fitness Pal

I cannot seem to lose these last 10 pounds and it is driving me insane!! I've obviously hit a major plateau and I am quite frustrated by the lack of success, especially when this is the best I have felt in a very long time. My fear is that I will never reach my 10 pound goal which means my overall goal of 20 pounds is a lost cause. While I am very health minded, I am human. I've been known to overindulge in sweets, alcohol and bad fitness habits. I know I am to blame for this lack of will power. I will also blame my job; I used food and booze as a way to cope with the stress. The last few weeks of school I packed on 5 pounds. I was going in the wrong direction!! I was disappointed, mad at myself and getting to a point where I just didn't care. Then I caught a stomach bug. After puking and pooping my brains out my body was exhausted. I didn't eat badly because I couldn't eat anything without getting sick. While I certainly do not enjoy throwing up and pooping like a goose, it did halt my alcohol and food consumption and really made me conscious of what I was putting into my body.

Awhile back I joined an on-line health site called My Fitness Pal. It is kind of like a version of Weight Watchers minus the points system. I had joined this site, logged in with my weight and never went back on there. One evening after having the bug, I decided to pop back on the site to play around with the settings. I realized how very easy it was to record my daily food consumption, my water intake and my exercise. That night I recorded what I had eaten that day and while not bad, I realized that snacking was my downfall....it added about 150 more calories than what I really needed. 150 extra calories doesn't sound like a lot, but do that daily for weeks and months on end and it equals a lot of unwanted and unneeded calories. The beauty of this site, for me at least, is seeing in black & white what I was eating and how the food was broken down. For example, the chips I ate didn't sound bad at the time, but the site breaks down the amount of  calories, carbs, fats and proteins in each food item. Seeing in plain site how much I ate and how much fat was now pumping through my body was an eye opener! It also helped me realize that while I was eating mainly healthful foods, the portions were too large. I slacked big time in exercise and seeing what I was NOT doing also made an impact.

For the past 2-3 weeks I've been logging my food intake, making conscious choices about what I consume and I've even started exercising. It is so easy! Last night I met some Boy Scout moms at Bread Co. so we could plan the upcoming year. I love Bread Co.'s chocolate chip cookies so I made sure I ate well during the day, saved up my calories and enjoyed a cookie while I was out. Last week I went shopping with my sister-in-law and I knew we'd have dinner and drinks so again I watched what I ate, upped my walk time and was able to enjoy beer on the patio without any guilt. The beauty of this program is that it teaches you how to eat and enjoy life, not be chained to lettuce and bran flakes. I eat and drink what I want within reason!

This morning I stepped on the scale fully expecting to see the same number, but to my surprise I saw something different!! I've lost an additional 2lbs! My total so far is 6lbs! I may never hit that 20lb goal weight, but I am happy and healthy and I broke the initial plateau!

Recipe: Avocado Pasta

First, can I just say how much I loath this new format??!! When I log on I can't even see my blog, it shows me goofy charts and percentages of how many page views I have, how many comments, etc. Just go to my page! Why doe these sites always have to mess things up?

OK, on to the recipe. I've never made this before, but my sister-in-law swears to me it is tasty. She said my nephew loved it so I am hoping my boys enjoy it as well. I'm getting ready to start making this so I'll report back with the kid approved results later!

Ingredients
1-2 ripe avocados
1/2 lemon, juiced
lemon zest
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup of fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
6oz whole wheat pasta

Directions
1. Cook pasta until al dente, drain. I'm using thin whole wheat spaghetti, but you could use any type pf pasta.

2. Place garlic, olive oil and lemon juice into food processor and process until smooth (I do not have a processor so I am using my Magic Bullet). Add in pitted avocado, salt, pepper and basil and process until smooth and creamy.

3. Pour sauce onto pasta and toss well to coat. Serve immediately. This dish doesn't reheat well due to the avocado.

This makes two servings. I'm increasing everything a little to make enough for our family, however I do not want leftovers since it doesn't keep very well.

Avocado is a great alternative for cream based pastas. In fact, I use avocado in place of mayo on my sandwiches. True, avocados are high in fat, but it is healthy fat!They are also high in fiber (about 10 grams), Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Folate.

Update: I made this, it was a hit!! I would recommend using two cloves of garlic. I only used one clove and it just wasn't enough for our liking. My sister-in-law made this dish for our Mother's Day Brunch and she used a great little noodle called bucatini. This is on my favorite list!

More Food Rules

As I said before I am in love with Michael Pollan's book Food Rules. Every page of this book was meaningful to me, but some of his rules stuck out more than others. I do not want to steal of of his ideas and get in trouble so I will just list his rule and then add in my own thoughts/opinions:

1. Eat food: Of all his rules this one is the simplest yet most complex. In a nutshell it means eat foods that are real foods like apples, bananas, beans, carrots, chicken and beef. If it is not found in nature is is not food in the true sense of the word.

2. Don't Eat Anything Your Grandmother (or great-grandmother) Wouldn't Recognize: I love this one! I picture my sweet grandma walking into Schnucks and being amazed by some of the items on the shelf. Granted she has been gone from this Earth for ten years, but even 11 or 15 years ago would she be able to pick up a tube of Go-Gurt and know it was portable yogurt?

3. Avoid Products That Contain Ingredients That Most People Wouldn't Keep In The Pantry: This makes so much sense!! Flip over a package of Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni and you will find a list of ingredients that I cannot even pronounce let alone keep stored in my pantry. Any idea what monoglycerides are? Do you have enzyme modified cheese or partially hydrogenated soy oil in your pantry? I know you have a nice stash of Yellow Lake 5&6 in your spice cabinet. Ugh, seriously this is advertised as FOOD?! Not to mention it is loaded with sodium and fats. Stay far away from processed items!

4. Avoid Foods You See Advertised on TV: True you are starting to see more commercial for real foods like the Real California Milk (Happy Cows Come From California! ads), but think about the last time you saw an advertisement from farmers about their carrots or from a local orchard for their apples. I can honestly admit that I have never seen a carrot farm ad! But an add for McDonald's or Coco Puffs or Coke, well I can pretty much guarantee you that I will see some type of non-food ad on my TV within the next five minutes.

5. Eat Only Foods Cooked By Humans: If it comes mass produced by a machine you can pretty much guarantee it is grossly over processed.

6. If It Came From a Plant Eat It, If It Was MADE In a Plant Don't Eat It: 'nuff said!

7. Eat Animals That They Themselves Have Eaten Well: Obviously this doesn't apply directly to me, but it does apply to my family. If the cows have been forced to eat GMO grains, have been injected with antibiotics and growth hormones it is not a good idea to nosh on it. If the chickens have been forced to live in small, dark houses with no ventilation and are fed a bunch of GMO grains, don't eat them! Stick with animals who are allowed to roam free and are fed foods that are made for their unique systems, like grass fed beef.

8. Eat All The Junk Food You Want As Long As You Make It Yourself: Would you REALLY eat all of those fries and ice cream bars if you had to physically make it all yourself at home? Probably not. It is so easy to pop open a box of ice cream or drive through the window to grab some fries. But if you had to churn the milk and sugar in your kitchen, make your own chocolate syrup, freeze it & insert the sticks you probably wouldn't eat it as frequently.

9. Don't Get Your Fuel From The Same Place Your Car Does: Where else can you go to fill up the tank, buy a 32oz soda, a pack of cigarettes, grab a doughnut and container of nachos & cheese?!

10. Cook: I used to hate cooking! I usually burned things, sauces boiled over and the kitchen was a cleaning nightmare. I started making easy dishes and slowly moved up. While I am still not the best cook, I am definitely improving in my skills.

I could go on and on about this book, but I'll save the rest for you to decide!

My Plan

I just finished reading a fabulous book! If you are interested in reading about food, please get your hands on Micheal Pollan's book, Food Rules. It is a very short, fast, easy read and best of all it is page after page of simple rules to follow when selecting what you eat. I don't know how to make the picture bigger otherwise I would. I borrowed a copy from the library, but it wouldn't be that expensive to purchase if you are truly interested.

I feel like a live a fairly healthy lifestyle, but I'll be the first to admit that I need to make some major improvements. I do not exercise (unless you count running after kids all day as exercise). I have a sweet tooth. I must have a daily soda. So while not criminal in nature, I can and should make improvements. As I lay in bed last night, exhausted from a week of intense teaching moments and countless patent/teacher conferences, I thought about my health over the past seven days. I had declared Monday as Margarita Monday so I indulged in empty calories of alcohol. Wednesday was Principal's Day at school and we all brought in pies for "Pies with the Principals" and I ate slivers of key lime and cherry pie. Wednesday and Thursday night were conferences so I ate snacky type foods all evening long (the parents provides all of the food). I ate soup, chips and dip, veggies and fruit with dip, a cupcake and yes more pie. Thursday night after conferences I stay up way too late visiting with a co-worker over a Starbucks at 9pm. I was wired and didn't get enough sleep. On Friday we ordered a cheese pizza for dinner (our Friday night Lent dinner since we cannot eat fish due to allergies). My 10pm last night I was bloated, full of trapped gas, sleepy, had another headache and disgusted with myself. I decided right then and there to take back my health and lifestyle.

Today I am going to plan 100% healthy meals for the next seven days. Then I'm headed to the store to buy everything we need. I cannot wait for the farmer's markets to open! For the next seven days I am going to make it a promise to my body to walk at least one mile every day, to juice 2x a day and to eat only fruits and veggies for snacks and meals. No more soda, dairy or grains for the next seven days. I will drink water, juice from my juicer and green tea. I will go to bed no later than 11pm each night and I will make for certain that I read at least one chapter from a book before bed. I can do anything for seven days. I'm on spring break so what better time to get my life back in order? Here is to health!

Staying Healthy

I dislike this time of the year for many reasons: I loath cold weather, I am not a fan of grey days, shorter amounts of daylight hours makes me sad and I do not care to look at barren trees. Sure these are pretty silly reason to dislike the winter and even the very beginning of springtime, but I dislike them darn it! Most of all, I abhor this time of the year because it is cold and flu season. Yes, I am a germaphobic freak of nature. Lysol, bleach and Clorox wipes are my BFF's this time of the year. Since October my students have been coughing sneezing, snotting, fevering and every other nasty germ related ailment you can imagine has popped out of them. They are little and they are gross! Whatever major illness they get I tend to get. Whatever major illness I get I tend to pass it along to my own children. It is a nasty little cycle I tell you! I guess it is just the nature of the beast.

January was a hard month for my family. Alex, Brennan, Bryan and I all came down with this awful fever virus. Alex's turned into a secondary illness of pneumonia. Brennan not only battled the fever virus, but he also came down with strep (although I believe he may have had strep the whole time, who knows for sure). Bryan ended up with an ear infection and I was hit the hardest with high temps and insane chills. My class hasn't had perfect attendance in Lord knows how long. I am trying my best to wipe down toys, tables, handles, phones, lights and even some of the door and walls that the children touch. I even threw out our wonderful homemade play-dough because I am sure it is harboring all kinds of funky little germies. Then tonight while watching the news I heard that two schools in St. Louis are closing down for two days so crews can come in to deep clean and disinfect the buildings. One school had 25% of their student body out ill today. Last week, the class next to me had eight out of 18 children present meaning only 44% of their class was well enough to be at school!!

I try very hard to keep my children well and healthy. Due to their asthma, a simple virus can set them back days. What you and I can easily battle in a matter of days might send my poor boys into days/weeks of breathing treatments. While not 100% effective, here are some simple things we do to attempt to stay healthy:

1. Shoes off: the moment we walk into the house we take our shoes off. I have a little shoe cubby in the laundry room for shoes. Not only does it help keep the nasty germs out of my house, but it helps with organization and clutter. Think of all of the nasty things you walk on each day! I've seen phlegm, spit, animal poop, trash, spilled drinks and an array of other gross stuff on the ground. Why would you want that tracked in your home?!

2. Hand washing: we wash our hands as soon as we come inside. Whether we just went grocery shopping, we are arriving home from school or we were just outside playing ball, we wash our hands with soap and water. I keep fun scented soap in the kitchen so we can all wash after we kick off our shoes. Hand washing is the best preventative against germs and illness.

3. Bedding: I wash our bedding weekly in hot water. Not only do I wash away germs, but I was away pesky allergens such as dust. This is a must for allergy and asthma sufferers.

4. Healthy food: we eat as much fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains and low-fat dairy as possible. Sugary food and foods with little nutritional value wear down your immune system. We have started juicing and I am amazed at what Brennan will drink! This weekend he pounded two cups of apple/orange/strawberry/carrot/tomato juice. He refuses to eat a carrot, but will happily suck down cups of carrot juice (????). Who am I to complain!?

5. Sleep: I make sure the boys get at least 10-12 hours of sleep each night. Sleep rests and repairs and restores the mind and body.

6. Supplements: Every night before bed we take our daily vitamin and probiotics. I feel like my kids eat healthy, but let's face it they are kids and can use as much help as possible when it comes to vitamins and minerals. 70-80% of your immunity is found in your digestive tract so the probiotics help ensure the healthy levels of bacteria in the gut. Even with 40+ days of antibiotics for pneumonia, Alex never once had diarrhea or an upset stomach thanks to his "belly medicine".

7. Cleaning: Every few days I wipe down "hot spots" in the house: light switches, door handles, doors, cell phones, TV remotes, fridge and microwave handles, cordless phones, etc. Sometimes I use good old fashioned hot water and soap while other times I may use a Clorox wipe or even white vinegar. I know we need some exposure to bacteria so that is why I only do it every few days. However, I do enjoy a clean looking house so this is a win-win situation all around.

According to two doctors I've spoken with, March tends to be the end of respiratory viruses, but it also tends to be the start of gastro ailments like norovirus and rotovirus. I am ready for April and some true springtime. I am ready to see green grass and baby animals and sunshine and flowers. I am ready to open the windows for fresh breezes and to hear the birds sing their song. Most of all I am ready for the cold and season to leave us! Here is to health and happiness!

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

I haven't had the opportunity to sit down and watch a movie in ages. I believe the last time I stepped foot into a movie theater with Bryan was New Year's Eve 2004, no joke. I do watch tid bits of movies on TV from time to time, but to truly sit down and enjoy a movie is rare. I had heard about this documentary called "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" and while I wanted to watch it I just never made the time. Carolyn, my soon to be sister in law, told me I needed to watch the film. She told me that after watching the movie she changed her views on food (Have I told you how thrilled I am to have her in our family!? Loving the idea of holding conversations about food and nutrition with someone close to me!). After Carolyn mentioned this film twice I decided I just HAD to make the time for myself and watch it. It was an eye opening experience!

Basically the film is about an Australian man, Joe, who is overweight, has an autoimmune disease and is generally unhealthy. He decided to heal his body from within by making drastic diet changes for 60 days. Instead of the traditional diet of steak, potatoes, burgers, fries, ice cream, soda, and sugary cereals, Joe lives off of fresh fruit and vegetable juice. He carries his juicing machine everywhere he goes and only consumes water and juice. Along the way Joe meets Phil who is obese and ill and in danger of dying if he doesn't make lifestyle changes ASAP. By the end of the movie both men have lost hundreds of pounds, gotten off their medicine for their autoimmune disorders, started exercising and are generally in great health.

This movie was inspiring on may levels! Not only did these men lose some much needed weight, they healed their ailing body with food. Do you know how much money we could save on medicine and doctor visits if we just ate healthy? Phil's brother, nicknamed Bear, was highlighted in the movie. Overweight and ill, Bear suffered a heart attack. The medical care, pills, tests, therapies, etc cost him 56 THOUSAND DOLLARS when it was all said and done. The cost of daily juicing is about $10-$14 dollars. What a difference in money. And to think the heart attack could have been avoided in the first place had Bear eaten well, not put the extra stress on his heart and exercised.

According the movie, 60% of a typical American diet consists of high fat, overly processed foods. Meat is 30% of our diets, grains/starches are 5% and fruits and veggies are 5%. YUCK! Obviously this doesn't hold true for everyone, but for a typical American who guzzles fast food, soda, cakes, cookies, beer, steaks, and burgers it is a pretty good picture. When juicing you do not consume any meats, any starches, any processed or fatty foods instead you are living on 100% fruits and veggies. Juicing allows you to consume more healthy foods than if you actually took the time to chew and swallow the apples and carrots. I'm not recommending that people run out, stop eating and juice for 60 days! I am recommending that people start thinking about their food choices and how it affects their bodies. Cake or carrot juice? Sure the cake sounds tastier, but what is it doing for your health?

Starting this week Bryan and I are going to juice for 10 days. After that we are only eating clean foods for a total of a 21 days cleansing program. During this time we will not consume soda, coffee, alcohol, fatty or processed foods. Will we fail? Maybe; we are human after all. Will we succeed? I sure hope so! It is only 21 days! We are not doing this to be skinny or to join a new trend. We are doing this to be healthy. The benefits out weight everything. It is no lie that I have had a rough year with work stress. I have migraines and digestive issues despite eating what I believe to be mostly healthy foods. I am looking to end my headaches, help heal my tummy and to manage stress better. Bryan has high blood pressure for his age (bad genetics) and at his last blood draw his good cholesterol count was not very high so we are hoping to lower the blood pressure and increase the good cholesterol  count. We have nothing to lose by eating fruits and veggies and water and clean foods.

Here is a link to Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. It does have commercials, but they are fast. It was an interesting documentary, at least for me. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/289122/fat-sick-and-nearly-dead

Barlean's

If you know me at all, you know that I am NOT a medicine kinda gal. Sure, I believe that medicine has its place in our world and I have used many a meds in my day. If at all possible I like to treat whatever ailment we have with a holistic approach, see our results and then determine if a modern medicine intervention is needed. I am so very grateful for advances in medicine, but I am also grateful for natural remedies.

Brennan has always had bad skin. As a baby he has eczema on his body. When he was a toddler we sought out a pediatric dermatologist who told us he had hyper sensitive skin, add bleach to his bath water, use Vaseline versus lotion and other than that, we just had to deal with it. Then the poor kid was diagnosed with severe food allergies; I suspect much of his skin issues stemmed from an undetected, mild food allergy, but I will never know for sure. As he got older the eczema on his arms and legs started to clear up, but his little hands were a mess. Summer wasn't bad, but autumn through spring the little guy had horrible dry, cracked skin on his hands. At times the skin would pop open, bleed and then get infected. Some days even water burned his sore hands. I think it is worst in the winter months due to the cold temps, the wind and the overuse of hand sanitizer and soap. I have tried wrapping his hands in Vaseline at night, apply oil, you name it. We even resorted to steroids at one point, but nothing fully clear up his hands. I hate to see him cry and shiver in pain!! It seriously breaks my heart.

This past March I attended a seminar on the 4 A's (ADD, autism, asthma and allergies). Very long story short I ended up making him appointment with the presenter, a chiropractor who is very knowledgeable in holistic approaches to life. I showed her Brennan cracked, bleeding hands and after a long conversation, a medical history and some further tests, she suggested he was deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. Brennan is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, shell fish and fish. Rich, healthy oils are found in these foods, things that our bodies need in order to maintain  its healthy, active lifestyle. She suggested I start giving him a daily dose of something called Barlean's. I had never heard of this before, but I was desperate to help him heal.

Barlean's is a brand of organic oil supplements. One of their products is something called an Omega Swirl. Basically it is a super powerhouse omega 3's, something my poor kid was totally deficient of. I had tried to find safe flax seed to add into his diet, but he refused the nasty oils and all of the seeds I found were made in a facility with nuts so I was out of luck. The doctor told me to buy the vegan brand which is totally fish/ shell fish free. After some research I discovered this was totally safe for him!! 

Every night before bed Brennan takes a teaspoon of the "Total Omega 369 Vegan Swirl". It is a thick, rich, creamy berry flavor that truly tastes like dessert not a funky oil. It is packed with omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 oils which are essential in the aid of the cardiovascular system, body inflammation, immune responses, etc. OK, so after three days his skin started to smooth out. By five days the redness was gone and  so was the pain. By the seventh day his hands were totally normal!! I was beyond amazed!! We did this for three months and Brennan's hands were soft, supple and he felt great. I decided I wanted to see if this stuff really did work so after the sixth month I didn't purchase any. It is expensive for the vegan swirl ($30/bottle....regular swirl is only $13/bottle, but it does last about 3 months) so I "justified" not purchasing the supplement due to money. At fist he did great and I started to doubt the supplement. Every week I would inspect his hands and like I said, at first they were great. As the month went on I noticed his skin appeared a bit rough. Soon the redness appeared. Last week I noticed his hands were really rough, itchy and redder than before. On Thursday his little hands were so cracked they were bloody and he couldn't apply anything on them without cry out in pain. I made a beeline to the store for the swirl and on the first day I used my mom judgement and gave him two doses. On Friday and Saturday he had regular doses. Today is Sunday and I swear his hands have cleared up! There is no blood, they are not red and and they are so soft. I do not care how much this supplement costs, I promise to buy it and keep him on it at all times. Despite my fruitless efforts over the years, a plant based holistic approach healed my son!

www.barleans.com 

Back to the Basics

If you know me at all you know how passionate I am about healthy choices. From food to cleaning products to medicine I am all about getting back to the basics. Simply put, I am working hard to make changes in my family's life that is simple and pure in an effort to make us healthier, make us more conscious of our choices and maybe even make a positive impact on the world.

For quite some time I have tossed around the idea of getting involved in some way with nutrition and/or eco-friendly lifestyles. I have considered going back to school to become a registered dietition, I have looked into working at a Whole Foods type store and at one point I even thought about volunteering on a farm, but with two young children at home these ideas are just not in the cards for me right now. Instead I read and research as much as I can about food, farming, organic gardening, holistic approaches to medicine, green cleaning, etc. and I write, blog and talk about it with anyone who will listen. A few weeks ago, after reading through my favorite blogs I started thinking to myself, "Well, why don't I just start a blog of my own!" After a few days of trying to get a hang of the new formatting on here I figured it all out and decided to take the plunge. And so here I sit, typing the very first post of my new blog.

 I am not an expert in any area; I am just a mom who wants the very best for her family and friends, a simple lady who wants everyone to have knowledge of what is out there and how they can make changes if they so desire. This blog will have everything from healthy recipes, information on food choices, thoughts and opinions on "green" topics, vivid accounts of our food allergy journey, etc. It may not be the most exciting blog out there, but I'm looking forward to sharing it with you.