Recently I have had a request to blog about what kind of snack foods I feed my kids. This is always a challenge, especially because most growing kids eat every 2-3 hours. It always seems like my kids are hungry every time I turn around. I have mentioned before that we have some food allergies and major food intolerance, so this poses an even bigger challenge. Again, Trader Joes is my favorite for finding gluten free foods at a very reasonable price. I know that the one in Nashville is not located close to everyone, but go there once a month and stock up! It seriously does save you money!
My oldest daughter is highly sensitive to processed sugar, like High Fructose Corn Syrup, and just plain ole white sugar, so I really try to buy things organic or make them myself with honey. The organic products still will have sugar in them, however it is usually most often evaporated can juice. This form of sugar actually still contains the natural minerals found in sugar in nature.
1.Amazon sells some suckers that I buy a huge bag of, its about 2 gallons worth for $30. These last me a LONG time and are a special treat! http://www.amazon.com/YummyEarth-Organic-Lollipops-Assorted-Flavors/dp/B000HDK0DC/ref=pd_ybh_19
2.Cheese sticks by Sargento are also a good source of protein, if no one is allergic to milk. My youngest daughter was allergic for 3 years, but now just seems to be sensitive to certain dairy products. The colby jack form of cheese she can handle much better than the mozzarella. Also if you want cheese from grass fed cows, Kerrygold makes a fabulous cheese. I have found it at the best price point at Sams. I have also seen it at Aldi recently as well.
3.Fruit, of all kinds! A good pair in my house is apples dipped in natural peanut butter. Almond butter is best for me as I am super sensitive to legumes. Make sure that you buy natural peanut butter where peanuts is the only ingredients. Organic is best, but often contains added sugar. Krema, is non-organic, but tastes amazing and I have found it at Kroger.
Cuties are great for kids, they have no seeds and are basically mandarin oranges in their natural form. I do buy canned mandarin oranges in the off season but only if they are in their own juice. No syrup!
4. Popcorn, I buy the organic kernels at Trader Joes (this is also non-GMO) and pop it on the stove top in coconut oil. I even pop this ahead of time and keep it in a zip lock bag for easy access. We do also have an air popper that my 7 year old can pop some corn for herself if she wants to. This version is even healthier!
5. Applesauce squeezers- again I buy these at Trader Joes. They have a carrot/apple one that the girls really like. I also get the strawberry /apple and plain apple too. Be sure to read labels, because not all squeezers are "clean".
6. Raw veggies- I make a ranch dip using plain greek yogurt and they enjoy dipping baby carrots and sugar snap peas. They also like cherry tomatoes and the seedless crispy baby cucumbers with a sprinkle of sea salt.
7. greek yogurt- chiobanni, makes a kid yougurt, called Champion. All of the flavors are good. My kids like the chocolate chip kind best and I let them eat it sometimes in place of icecream! I have only found this at Publix.
8. Keifer ice cream- Lifeway makes a delicious strawberry flavor. It seems expensive at first, but I think of it this way...its a special treat. We only eat it on occasion, so its the same as if you were taking your kids out for an ice cream treat. You would pay the same if not more.
9.Other ice cream treats- So Delicious makes some dairy free treats, and now they also have no sugar added treats as well. Again, the price seems steep, but these are special treats! If you took advantage of the Freebie I posted last week. That ebook listed many websites you could print off coupons for healthier and organic foods. Also if you shop at Kroger, using your plus card, they will send you custom coupons in the mail for items you buy most often.
10.Trail mix- I buy the raw nuts trek mix at Trader Joes because it is convenient. Otherwise you could mix some raw nuts, and dried fruit along with some unsweetened coconut chips and there you have a nice trail mix!
Read the post on my favorite things to link you up to some of my favorite blogs I get other kid friendly recipes from for breakfast items especially!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
I'm not good at waiting
Today has been a week since I mailed off my spit test to the lab. I emailed the holistic healthcare professional I am going to be working with and she said as soon as she has the results she will be in touch. How long does it take to analyze a person's spit? As you can tell, I am NOT good at waiting! I am a type A, lets get it done, move over your doing this too slow, kinda person. Since I am at the mercy of something I cannot control, I guess I need to practice my deep breaths and learn some patience!
Not sure if I mentioned this before or not, but I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 11. Now that I am in my mid 30s, I have started to really develop some health related problems as a result of my spine being shaped like an S. The chiropractor said that the adrenal fatigue was also a result of my lumbar spine being curved 37 degrees.
The chiropractor I see specializes in scoliosis correction, thank goodness, but I am in the beginning phases of some intense correction therapy. Can we say...I feel like I have the lower back of an 80 year old. Although I practice yoga 3-5 times a week, I now think I should be doing it 3 times a day! That seems to be the major release of the tightness and inflammation I feel in my lower back. I guess the saying "No pain, No gain", rings true to my life right now. But the fact that I have also gained almost 5 pounds doesn't make me very happy. According to the book I read on Adrenal Fatigue, this is a common problem, holding extra weight in your torso and upper thighs. Yep! That's me to a tee. It will not budge. This makes me even more anxious and ready to have a plan that I can put into action TODAY!!!
Yet, I am waiting and being taught to "be still". Very hard lesson for me to learn. If you are reading this and you are willing, please pray that I will be more patient and learn to relax, accept what I cannot control and be able to be still, so I can hear any instructions on how to heal myself from this syndrome! Thanks!
Not sure if I mentioned this before or not, but I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 11. Now that I am in my mid 30s, I have started to really develop some health related problems as a result of my spine being shaped like an S. The chiropractor said that the adrenal fatigue was also a result of my lumbar spine being curved 37 degrees.
The chiropractor I see specializes in scoliosis correction, thank goodness, but I am in the beginning phases of some intense correction therapy. Can we say...I feel like I have the lower back of an 80 year old. Although I practice yoga 3-5 times a week, I now think I should be doing it 3 times a day! That seems to be the major release of the tightness and inflammation I feel in my lower back. I guess the saying "No pain, No gain", rings true to my life right now. But the fact that I have also gained almost 5 pounds doesn't make me very happy. According to the book I read on Adrenal Fatigue, this is a common problem, holding extra weight in your torso and upper thighs. Yep! That's me to a tee. It will not budge. This makes me even more anxious and ready to have a plan that I can put into action TODAY!!!
Yet, I am waiting and being taught to "be still". Very hard lesson for me to learn. If you are reading this and you are willing, please pray that I will be more patient and learn to relax, accept what I cannot control and be able to be still, so I can hear any instructions on how to heal myself from this syndrome! Thanks!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Stomach Bug? Or just intolerant to certain foods?
My oldest daughter who is almost 8, has had stomach issues her entire life. I say that with all seriousness. We even spent 5 days in the hospital after her birth having tests run to see what was wrong with her "gut". As it was diagnosed, she had immature gut and we were sent home. From that day on, she has constantly had battles with her stomach hurting. She was very "spitty" as a baby until about 18 months, then she suffered with constipation until about a year ago. In 2009, the whole family went dairy free because the tiny Trotter was allergic. I thought that this for sure would help the older Trotter's bowel issues. It did seems to improve for a few months, but then it was back to the same issues. In 2011 she got to the point where she could not eat any starchy carbs without laying in the floor and crying. Even at restaurants she would do this. I remember a time when were eating out and she had ordered a bowl of mac & cheese. I warned her not to do it because of the history, but she did anyways, and we were soon in the bathroom because she thought she was going to vomit.
It was then and there that I decided that we must take action. We see a pediatric allergist for the tiny Trotter's food allergy issues, so I asked him about the possibility of her being allergic to wheat. He advised me to simply go cold turkey and avoid all grains and sugar for 30 days. Then slowly re-introduce one food at a time and see what the trigger(s) were. So, I decided to do it with her so that she would not be alone. To my amazement, the first 7 days were so awful! We were lethargic and she actually did vomit within the first 24 hours almost like an addict coming off drugs. Unsweetened applesauce with probiotics mixed in was the saving grace for us on that issue.
So after the 7 days passed we had all kinds of energy! We drank a lot of homemade bone broth to help sooth the gut and calm things down. This actually helped her get on a regular schedule with bowel movements. After 30 days, we eased back into other fruits, no problem, and then after about 60-90 days, we introduced Non-GMO corn products back in. So far, so good. Next after about another 60 days we introduced whole grain rice (the brown stuff that takes longer to cook than a min) and again we were fine. All of this took place over the course from March 2012-present. As of today we still have not introduced wheat. The very few times that she or I have either had it for a treat or slipped because we didn't know there was wheat or gluten in the product, we have felt terrible. I usually just feel bloated and very crampy, she on the other hand actually gets sick. Almost like it weakens her immune system and she either runs a fever, vomits, is constipated majorly, or just lays around with no energy.
So as a mom, I have to be the one to do the hard thing for her. Self control on these food issues at her age is so hard! This past Friday she caved in to some friends offer and ate "gushers" and "combos". Well, within 12 hours she was dry heaving and having diarrhea. Then she felt awful and had no energy along with constipation for 3 days following. Then I gave her a cookie that had been made by someone else not realizing it had wheat in it, and she threw up. Poor baby! As of today though, she is not longer constipated and is feeling much better!
So for any of you out there who has a child who always complains of her tummy hurting...I am speaking from experience that in this Genetically Modified Food world we live in, the probability that she has food intolerances are very great and real! Yes it is hard to not buy prepackaged snacks, and to spend the time making all of the stuff from scratch homemade, but in the end her health and well being makes it all worth while!
It was then and there that I decided that we must take action. We see a pediatric allergist for the tiny Trotter's food allergy issues, so I asked him about the possibility of her being allergic to wheat. He advised me to simply go cold turkey and avoid all grains and sugar for 30 days. Then slowly re-introduce one food at a time and see what the trigger(s) were. So, I decided to do it with her so that she would not be alone. To my amazement, the first 7 days were so awful! We were lethargic and she actually did vomit within the first 24 hours almost like an addict coming off drugs. Unsweetened applesauce with probiotics mixed in was the saving grace for us on that issue.
So after the 7 days passed we had all kinds of energy! We drank a lot of homemade bone broth to help sooth the gut and calm things down. This actually helped her get on a regular schedule with bowel movements. After 30 days, we eased back into other fruits, no problem, and then after about 60-90 days, we introduced Non-GMO corn products back in. So far, so good. Next after about another 60 days we introduced whole grain rice (the brown stuff that takes longer to cook than a min) and again we were fine. All of this took place over the course from March 2012-present. As of today we still have not introduced wheat. The very few times that she or I have either had it for a treat or slipped because we didn't know there was wheat or gluten in the product, we have felt terrible. I usually just feel bloated and very crampy, she on the other hand actually gets sick. Almost like it weakens her immune system and she either runs a fever, vomits, is constipated majorly, or just lays around with no energy.
So as a mom, I have to be the one to do the hard thing for her. Self control on these food issues at her age is so hard! This past Friday she caved in to some friends offer and ate "gushers" and "combos". Well, within 12 hours she was dry heaving and having diarrhea. Then she felt awful and had no energy along with constipation for 3 days following. Then I gave her a cookie that had been made by someone else not realizing it had wheat in it, and she threw up. Poor baby! As of today though, she is not longer constipated and is feeling much better!
So for any of you out there who has a child who always complains of her tummy hurting...I am speaking from experience that in this Genetically Modified Food world we live in, the probability that she has food intolerances are very great and real! Yes it is hard to not buy prepackaged snacks, and to spend the time making all of the stuff from scratch homemade, but in the end her health and well being makes it all worth while!
Monday, March 18, 2013
A few of my favorites...
I always get asked to please publish a cookbook. The reason I never have is mainly because I don't really create my own recipes. I usually find them through Pinterest or a google search that led me to some of my favorite blogs. I think I have mentioned before a few of them, but I'll list them again.
For those who are trying to convert to gluten free and really love their baked goods or carb invested breakfast items, I recommend elanaspantry.com She has a few cookbooks out there you can purchase or visit her website to find many as well. My kids love her silver dollar pancake recipe, and her paleo banana bread. So easy that my 7 year old can make both start to finish all by herself.
Another favorite of my children is paleOMG.com. They love her chocolate waffles and her pumpkin granola.
Those are ones we visit regularly to give the kids their fix of a normal carb infested lifestyle. For everyday recipes like dinner meals, I love everydaypaleo.com I do have one of her cookbooks, the Family one, and I have not made a recipe yet I don't like.
A few others I sometimes visit are, chocolatecoveredkatie, paleoparents, and comfybelly.
I hope this makes things a little easier for those who just became gluten free or who are thinking about it. The world of bloggers really does make my life easier. That's why I decided to enter the world myself in hopes of making it easier for someone else.
A side note, I do not necessarily believe all people should be gluten free. It does seem to be a fad of the times right now. The reason I choose to do it is because my oldest daughter and myself really had health issues that were significantly resolved with a gluten free lifestyle. If you want to choose to try this lifestyle, I recommend making things yourself. The boxed and prepackaged gluten free products do have a ton of starchy ingredients and sometimes a lot of added sugar as well. Please take time to read labels and make sure you can pronounce all of them. Another good rule of thumb is to make sure this list of ingredients is not so long. About 5 or less of what I aim for. I choose to make most products myself and I prefer to use mostly almond and coconut flours. Experiment around and see what you prefer. And BTW, trader joes is the cheapest place I have found for almond meal. And it cooks up deliciously as well. I buy my coconut flour from tropicaltraditions when they run it on sale you really should stock up. A tiny amount of this type flour goes a long way, so one or two bags will last you quite a long time. The key to cooking gluten free is eggs. These little jewels hold it all together. So my next adventure in the Trotter Family...chickens. Since we go through about 2-3 dozen a week, I think we will try our hands at some chickens. Coming soon...
For those who are trying to convert to gluten free and really love their baked goods or carb invested breakfast items, I recommend elanaspantry.com She has a few cookbooks out there you can purchase or visit her website to find many as well. My kids love her silver dollar pancake recipe, and her paleo banana bread. So easy that my 7 year old can make both start to finish all by herself.
Another favorite of my children is paleOMG.com. They love her chocolate waffles and her pumpkin granola.
Those are ones we visit regularly to give the kids their fix of a normal carb infested lifestyle. For everyday recipes like dinner meals, I love everydaypaleo.com I do have one of her cookbooks, the Family one, and I have not made a recipe yet I don't like.
A few others I sometimes visit are, chocolatecoveredkatie, paleoparents, and comfybelly.
I hope this makes things a little easier for those who just became gluten free or who are thinking about it. The world of bloggers really does make my life easier. That's why I decided to enter the world myself in hopes of making it easier for someone else.
A side note, I do not necessarily believe all people should be gluten free. It does seem to be a fad of the times right now. The reason I choose to do it is because my oldest daughter and myself really had health issues that were significantly resolved with a gluten free lifestyle. If you want to choose to try this lifestyle, I recommend making things yourself. The boxed and prepackaged gluten free products do have a ton of starchy ingredients and sometimes a lot of added sugar as well. Please take time to read labels and make sure you can pronounce all of them. Another good rule of thumb is to make sure this list of ingredients is not so long. About 5 or less of what I aim for. I choose to make most products myself and I prefer to use mostly almond and coconut flours. Experiment around and see what you prefer. And BTW, trader joes is the cheapest place I have found for almond meal. And it cooks up deliciously as well. I buy my coconut flour from tropicaltraditions when they run it on sale you really should stock up. A tiny amount of this type flour goes a long way, so one or two bags will last you quite a long time. The key to cooking gluten free is eggs. These little jewels hold it all together. So my next adventure in the Trotter Family...chickens. Since we go through about 2-3 dozen a week, I think we will try our hands at some chickens. Coming soon...
Sunday, March 17, 2013
End of spit test day
I have one more vial to fill so I am waiting till 10 to do my last spitting of the day. It has been taking me on average 20-30 minutes to fill one. The biggest problem is I seem to get a lot of foam. The trick to that is put vial in the freezer for 2 min, then bang on hard surface and the foam disappears. So in the morning I will take my spit filled vials and take them to the UPS store and ship them off to the lab. Join me in anxiously awaiting the results and my plan of action for healing my adrenal glands.
I wish that today was one of those days when I feel real bad. Unfortunately it wasn't. I have actually felt really good this past week. Maybe going to yoga 3-5 times a week and laughing more is helping. Who knows why I feel better, I just hope it lasts!
I wish that today was one of those days when I feel real bad. Unfortunately it wasn't. I have actually felt really good this past week. Maybe going to yoga 3-5 times a week and laughing more is helping. Who knows why I feel better, I just hope it lasts!
Today is test day!
Friday we went out to our River House and stayed until this morning, so I am just now getting to do the spit test. We have no internet signal out there so I cannot post what is going on, and that is why I waited until today to test. I wanted to let those of you interested, the chance to read along and see what exactly it is I am doing for the spit test. I posted a picture of the kit the day it came in the mail. So today when I woke up I had from 6-8am to fill this one vial with spit before I could eat or drink anything. It took me about 30 minutes to actually collect enough spit in the vial. My mouth was pretty dry, most likely because I was fasting since 8:30pm the night before. I finished filling the first vial by 7:45, so I did at least make my time frame. The next time I have to donate a sample is between 11am-1pm. The rules say that I cannot eat or drink anything except water up to 1 hour before giving my sample. The noon sample is also supposed to be one that I eat 50g of carbs 90 minutes before I spit. That should be interesting since I don't eat starchy bread or pasta type foods. I'm thinking some gluten free oatmeal and an orange might do the trick!
So until then...
I will post more on this later in the day. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Don't forget to wear your green!
So until then...
I will post more on this later in the day. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Don't forget to wear your green!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Spit test is here
I have 4 spit vials and I have to collect saliva samples all in the same day. This means I will have to start tomorrow or Saturday since I just got the test today and have already missed the morning one.
On day of collection I cannot eat chocolate, onions, garlic, or cruciferous veggies like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower. Also I cannot drink coffee, tea or anything caffeinated.
For 60 minutes before each collection I cannot eat or drink anything except water. Cannot brush my teeth during this 60 minutes either. 3-5 minutes before collection I am to rinse my mouth with water for 30 seconds. I follow the schedule and spit in the vial up to the line 5. (which seems like a LOT by the way)
Schedule:
Morning/Fasting 6-8am having fasted for 6-8 hours
Noon 11am-1pm and I list my last snack or meal time
Afternoon 4-5pm again listing the time of last meal or snack
Midnight 10-12pm listing last meal or snack time
Then I pull all the vials in the box and send it back and wait for results.
Should be fun huh? Since we are having a cookout Friday, I think I will start this on Saturday! Ill be sure to post about it and let you know how dry my mouth is getting! LOL
Monday, March 11, 2013
Buying fresh produce in bulk
I wanted to share a link to a site that I use to get really good produce at a better price, because it's buying in bulk. bulknaturalfoods.com
The great thing about this site is that you can sign up to be contacted when ordering is open only for the products you are interested in. They offer a TON of products from dry goods to fresh produce. What I usually buy from them are peaches, concord grapes, apples, pears & honey to name a few. You may be wondering what on earth I do with bulk fresh produce. The apples and pears come in 25 pound boxes which is half a bushel. In years past I have bought apples and split the order with a friend, kept the whole order and what we couldn't eat, I made apple juice or applesauce. The peaches, we eat and then I peel, chop and freeze for smoothies or homemade ice cream or cobbler. The grapes we do not eat, because they have seeds. I actually buy those only for making juice. The honey, when bought at the best price point, comes in a 5 pound bucket. So I split that up with friends and divide it out among quart jars. Most all of the sweetener I use when baking is honey, so I go through it faster than most! We also eat honey by the spoonful once a day during the spring and fall for our seasonal allergies. The reason this works is because the I get it local.
Today, I was noticing that the latest order of pears I bought was beginning to get some soft spots. Because I CAN NOT stand to waste anything at all ever, I decided to make pear sauce. I used my apple sauce recipe and substituted pears instead.
It actually worked out very well! Tasted great too, so I think that is what I will call a success!
Recipe:
Pears pealed and cored, chopped (not sure how many I used, just enough till my pot was full)
fresh juice from 1 lemon
2 cups filtered water
Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 hour, or until pears easily mash
add to blender and puree (this took me about 3 blender fulls)
pour into clean jars, cool and refridgerate
I did not add spices or sweeteners, I prefer it this way and so do my kids. Can use this in any recipe that calls for unsweetened applesauce.
If you think it needs sweetened, add 1 cup pure maple syrup to the entire batch while hot and stir well to incorporate, then blend. Could also experiment around with cinnamon and nutmeg, spices.
If you are using the powdered probiotics for your kids, try mixing them into the pear or apple sauce and you should have no problem getting the kids to take them! My 7 year old came to me last night with an upset stomach. She said it felt crampy and like bubbles were popping in there. So I gave her some probiotics and rubbed peppermint oil on her forehead for the headache she also complained of having. She went to bed and slept all night with no complaints this morning!
The great thing about this site is that you can sign up to be contacted when ordering is open only for the products you are interested in. They offer a TON of products from dry goods to fresh produce. What I usually buy from them are peaches, concord grapes, apples, pears & honey to name a few. You may be wondering what on earth I do with bulk fresh produce. The apples and pears come in 25 pound boxes which is half a bushel. In years past I have bought apples and split the order with a friend, kept the whole order and what we couldn't eat, I made apple juice or applesauce. The peaches, we eat and then I peel, chop and freeze for smoothies or homemade ice cream or cobbler. The grapes we do not eat, because they have seeds. I actually buy those only for making juice. The honey, when bought at the best price point, comes in a 5 pound bucket. So I split that up with friends and divide it out among quart jars. Most all of the sweetener I use when baking is honey, so I go through it faster than most! We also eat honey by the spoonful once a day during the spring and fall for our seasonal allergies. The reason this works is because the I get it local.
Today, I was noticing that the latest order of pears I bought was beginning to get some soft spots. Because I CAN NOT stand to waste anything at all ever, I decided to make pear sauce. I used my apple sauce recipe and substituted pears instead.
Recipe:
Pears pealed and cored, chopped (not sure how many I used, just enough till my pot was full)
fresh juice from 1 lemon
2 cups filtered water
Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 hour, or until pears easily mash
add to blender and puree (this took me about 3 blender fulls)
pour into clean jars, cool and refridgerate
I did not add spices or sweeteners, I prefer it this way and so do my kids. Can use this in any recipe that calls for unsweetened applesauce.
If you think it needs sweetened, add 1 cup pure maple syrup to the entire batch while hot and stir well to incorporate, then blend. Could also experiment around with cinnamon and nutmeg, spices.
If you are using the powdered probiotics for your kids, try mixing them into the pear or apple sauce and you should have no problem getting the kids to take them! My 7 year old came to me last night with an upset stomach. She said it felt crampy and like bubbles were popping in there. So I gave her some probiotics and rubbed peppermint oil on her forehead for the headache she also complained of having. She went to bed and slept all night with no complaints this morning!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Gluten Free Sausage Balls
First let me say that I do not claim this recipe as my own! I am posting it here because I cannot find the original source to post a link to.
1 pound pasture raised pork sausage
1 cup all purpose gluten free flour mix (I use Trader Joe's)
1 cup almond meal (Trader Joe's)
10 oz shredded cheese (I grate my own using Kerrygold cheese, bought at Sam's)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking powder aluminum free (Bob's Red Mill)
Combine all ingredients and kneed them until they are all well incorporated. Be patient, this takes a few minutes. You want them all combined well enough where there is no powdered ingredients in the bowl. Roll out into bite size balls, and bake on a baking sheet. 350 degree oven for 20-25 min.
1 cup all purpose gluten free flour mix (I use Trader Joe's)
1 cup almond meal (Trader Joe's)
10 oz shredded cheese (I grate my own using Kerrygold cheese, bought at Sam's)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking powder aluminum free (Bob's Red Mill)
Combine all ingredients and kneed them until they are all well incorporated. Be patient, this takes a few minutes. You want them all combined well enough where there is no powdered ingredients in the bowl. Roll out into bite size balls, and bake on a baking sheet. 350 degree oven for 20-25 min.
Sunday Food Prep
With Adrenal Fatigue, one thing the good ole Doctor recommended in his book was how and what to eat. This helps with the hypoglycemia that is almost always present along with the fatigued adrenal glands. All this time I thought I was eating correct. I have eaten clean for almost the entire time I have had symptoms and started mixing in Paleo a year ago that I do about 85% of the time. So why did I still suffer such lows in my blood sugar?
Culprit #1 for me was COFFEE! YIKES, this was a HUGE thing in my life! Every morning I hit the coffee pot first thing before anything else. I always had at least 2-3 cups before I eventually ended up eating breakfast about 3 1/2 hours after I had been awake. This was the biggest mistake I could be making! First, I should drink a glass of water. Then I should avoid all coffee period, and third I should eat within 30 min of being awake!
In order to cut coffee, I replaced it with the Ruby Red Chai that I mentioned in my post on Trader Joe's. I add a dropper of liquid stevia ( I make my own, I'll post that recipe later) and some coconut milk. This reminds me of my coffee. The key to eating within the first 30 min is not only to eat, but what combination of foods you eat. Carb, fat and protein! That's the key. This was another challenge for me, because the book kept mentioning carbs as whole grains, and I don't eat wheat or gluten. So this again posed a challenge for me.
I have a few favorite blogs I follow that I get my recipes from, so I went there and pinterest to find some help. What I found was a gluten free recipe for sausage balls that I absolutely love. Also a pancake and waffle recipe using the almond meal I buy at Trader Joe's. Follow me on http://pinterest.com/liciajoy/
Waffles: http://paleomg.com/chocolate-waffles/
These are our waffles made using the recipe in the link above.
pancakes:http://www.elanaspantry.com/silver-dollar-pancakes/
These are ones the Little Trotter made all buy herself using Elana's recipe. Pretty good for a 7 year old, don't you think?
Since I can't find the source of the G.F. sausage ball recipe, I'll post it in a separate post. Please note that I do not claim it as an original recipe of my own.
There is also a pumpkin granola recipe that I found which is delicious topped with coconut milk and eaten as cereal. http://paleomg.com/pumpkin-granola/
So in order for me to eat right and keep my blood sugar steady all day, prep ahead of time is a MUST! Sundays seem to be the best day for me. So Sunday night for dinner, we have Breakfast for dinner. I enlist the help of the Little Trotter people and together we all make enough breakfast to last us all week. (or at least that's the hope, as long as daddy doesn't get hungry for a midnight snack and eat it) Tonight we made, sausage balls, bacon, boiled eggs, waffles,& pancakes. I buy sausage from the farmers market and make sure that it is pasture raised pork. That is a protein and a good fat mixed in with the G.F. all purpose flour and almond flour makes for a good combination along with a boiled egg. Last week I had no issues with blood sugars when I ate this combo.
I tried the coffee Saturday just to see, and it definitely does make my blood sugar drop too low too quick, so I guess while I heal, its no coffee for me.
Culprit #1 for me was COFFEE! YIKES, this was a HUGE thing in my life! Every morning I hit the coffee pot first thing before anything else. I always had at least 2-3 cups before I eventually ended up eating breakfast about 3 1/2 hours after I had been awake. This was the biggest mistake I could be making! First, I should drink a glass of water. Then I should avoid all coffee period, and third I should eat within 30 min of being awake!
In order to cut coffee, I replaced it with the Ruby Red Chai that I mentioned in my post on Trader Joe's. I add a dropper of liquid stevia ( I make my own, I'll post that recipe later) and some coconut milk. This reminds me of my coffee. The key to eating within the first 30 min is not only to eat, but what combination of foods you eat. Carb, fat and protein! That's the key. This was another challenge for me, because the book kept mentioning carbs as whole grains, and I don't eat wheat or gluten. So this again posed a challenge for me.
I have a few favorite blogs I follow that I get my recipes from, so I went there and pinterest to find some help. What I found was a gluten free recipe for sausage balls that I absolutely love. Also a pancake and waffle recipe using the almond meal I buy at Trader Joe's. Follow me on http://pinterest.com/liciajoy/
Waffles: http://paleomg.com/chocolate-waffles/
These are our waffles made using the recipe in the link above.
pancakes:http://www.elanaspantry.com/silver-dollar-pancakes/
These are ones the Little Trotter made all buy herself using Elana's recipe. Pretty good for a 7 year old, don't you think?
Since I can't find the source of the G.F. sausage ball recipe, I'll post it in a separate post. Please note that I do not claim it as an original recipe of my own.
There is also a pumpkin granola recipe that I found which is delicious topped with coconut milk and eaten as cereal. http://paleomg.com/pumpkin-granola/
So in order for me to eat right and keep my blood sugar steady all day, prep ahead of time is a MUST! Sundays seem to be the best day for me. So Sunday night for dinner, we have Breakfast for dinner. I enlist the help of the Little Trotter people and together we all make enough breakfast to last us all week. (or at least that's the hope, as long as daddy doesn't get hungry for a midnight snack and eat it) Tonight we made, sausage balls, bacon, boiled eggs, waffles,& pancakes. I buy sausage from the farmers market and make sure that it is pasture raised pork. That is a protein and a good fat mixed in with the G.F. all purpose flour and almond flour makes for a good combination along with a boiled egg. Last week I had no issues with blood sugars when I ate this combo.
I tried the coffee Saturday just to see, and it definitely does make my blood sugar drop too low too quick, so I guess while I heal, its no coffee for me.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
General Rules for Adrenal Fatigue
This list comes from Dr. James Wilson's book, "Adrenal Fatigue 21st Century Stress Syndrome":
Things to do:
Be in bed before 10pm
Sleep in until 9am whenever possible
Look for things that make you laugh
Eliminate the energy vampires (things in your life that drain your energy)
Make your lifestyle a healing one
Do something pleasurable every day
Whenever you are not enjoying your life, take action to change something or yourself in the situation
Notice at least one small, everyday thing that you are grateful for each day
Take your dietary supplements, regularly.
Move your body and breathe deep
Believe in your ability to recover
Use your mind as a powerful healing tool
Keep a journal- jot down daily experiences
Eat foods your body needs
Learn which foods make you feel bad (keep a list)
Read and re-read his book
Try having a glass of water in the morning with 1/2 tsp salt dissolved into it
Salt your food
If you have fruit, have something with salt before and after and chew well
Combine starchy carbs, proteins, and healthy fats at each meal
Eat an abundance of whole foods, the way nature intended
Eat lots of colored veggies
Chew your food well
Take the power and responsibility of your health into your own hands
Make whatever lifestyle changes you need to regain your health
Laugh several times a day
Enjoy recovery
Take 1000mg Vit C with 200 mg magnesium and pantothenic acid at around 2pm everyday with a small snack to avoid the 3:00 slump
Avoid these things:
Getting overtired
Caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and white flour products
Coffee, even decaf
Staying up past 11pm
Pushing yourself
Energy vampires
Being harsh on yourself
Feeling sorry for yourself
Foods you are addicted to
Foods you suspect you are allergic or sensitive to
Foods that make you feel worse, foggy headed or pull you down
Never skip breakfast
Avoid fruit in the morning
Never eat starchy carbs by themselves
Do not eat foods that adversely affect you in any way, no matter how good they taste!
I know this sounds really hard to do. If you have read my post on Adrenal Fatigue, and it sounds like you, I encourage you to get the book and take the questionnaire. I am in severe A.F. and after feeling so bad for so long, I am ready to do anything. Hard or not, I am willing! I just want to feel like me again.
Things to do:
Be in bed before 10pm
Sleep in until 9am whenever possible
Look for things that make you laugh
Eliminate the energy vampires (things in your life that drain your energy)
Make your lifestyle a healing one
Do something pleasurable every day
Whenever you are not enjoying your life, take action to change something or yourself in the situation
Notice at least one small, everyday thing that you are grateful for each day
Take your dietary supplements, regularly.
Move your body and breathe deep
Believe in your ability to recover
Use your mind as a powerful healing tool
Keep a journal- jot down daily experiences
Eat foods your body needs
Learn which foods make you feel bad (keep a list)
Read and re-read his book
Try having a glass of water in the morning with 1/2 tsp salt dissolved into it
Salt your food
If you have fruit, have something with salt before and after and chew well
Combine starchy carbs, proteins, and healthy fats at each meal
Eat an abundance of whole foods, the way nature intended
Eat lots of colored veggies
Chew your food well
Take the power and responsibility of your health into your own hands
Make whatever lifestyle changes you need to regain your health
Laugh several times a day
Enjoy recovery
Take 1000mg Vit C with 200 mg magnesium and pantothenic acid at around 2pm everyday with a small snack to avoid the 3:00 slump
Avoid these things:
Getting overtired
Caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and white flour products
Coffee, even decaf
Staying up past 11pm
Pushing yourself
Energy vampires
Being harsh on yourself
Feeling sorry for yourself
Foods you are addicted to
Foods you suspect you are allergic or sensitive to
Foods that make you feel worse, foggy headed or pull you down
Never skip breakfast
Avoid fruit in the morning
Never eat starchy carbs by themselves
Do not eat foods that adversely affect you in any way, no matter how good they taste!
I know this sounds really hard to do. If you have read my post on Adrenal Fatigue, and it sounds like you, I encourage you to get the book and take the questionnaire. I am in severe A.F. and after feeling so bad for so long, I am ready to do anything. Hard or not, I am willing! I just want to feel like me again.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Banana muffins, recipe for your weekend!
So I made this recipe this morning for my girls and thought I would pass it along to you for the weekend.
Hope you enjoy!
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
combine all wet ingredients, add to dry ingredients, stir well to combine all.
grease your muffin pan, or silicon muffin liners, or use cupcake paper liners,
fill each cup 1/2 way, top with crushed walnuts or blueberries (as I did per request of the Tiny Trotter)
or get creative! Not necessary to have a topping at all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min, till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
For some reason I could only get 11 out of the dough, sorry for any inconvenience!
Hope you enjoy!
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
combine all wet ingredients, add to dry ingredients, stir well to combine all.
grease your muffin pan, or silicon muffin liners, or use cupcake paper liners,
fill each cup 1/2 way, top with crushed walnuts or blueberries (as I did per request of the Tiny Trotter)
or get creative! Not necessary to have a topping at all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min, till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Things I buy at Trader Joe's
For those who live in and around the Nashville area, there is a Trader Joe's in Green Hills right beside the mall. When I talk to people about eating healthy, they always comment, "It's so expensive, I can't afford it." So my reply to those kind of comments is simple, can you afford to be sick and go to the doctor and buy prescriptions? Then you can afford to eat healthy. See if you make a real effort to not eat boxed and processed foods, then over a short amount of time, you will notice your health will greatly improve and you will not need to go to the doctor as much nor take medication. It is all in the way you look at how you spend your money now, and how you want to invest in your future. I don't know about any of you, but I want to live to be 110! Not only live to that age, but feel great, still be doing yoga and taking no medications! So I have found that Trader Joe's has organic and Non-GMO (genetically Modified) foods as well as no preservatives and artificial ingredients. The best part of that is also that they are WAY cheaper than most retail chain grocery stores. For example, a bag of whole organic carrots, $0.89. Yep, no typo there, truly they are eighty-nine cents.
So here is a list of what I typically buy there: (and keep in mind I also drive an hour to get to my local store)
Applegate Farms lunch meat, I buy about 5 packs of an assortment from ham to turkey
(this company has no nitrites or nitrates in any of their meat products)
Applegate farms organic beef hotdogs, 1 pk (these were found to be in the top 5 best hotdogs available)
Trader Joe's applewood bacon, 4 packs (again their brand also has no nitrites or nitrates)
Herb infused goats cheese (this is a large roll for the same price as the small one anywhere else)
Chicken thighs, 3 pks (these are boneless and skinless, and cook up so much more moist than the breast)
Organic baby spinach, 1 bag
bag of whole organic carrots
bag of organic celery
baby bok choy (look up what this is if you've never heard of it)
cucumbers 5 pack
bag of Kale
hummus, my husband likes the horseradish flavor (only way I can get him to eat raw veggies!)
Gluten Free mac n cheese (now this is a special treat for my kids because it is a boxed food)
gluten free oats
frozen green beans (the ones for $1.99, and these are AMAZING stir fried in coconut oil with garlic)
frozen fish (just make sure its wild caught)
supper food frozen mix (it's quinoa, sweet potatoes, kale and some other stuff)
Organic greek yogurt (the big tub, I use in place of sour cream)
eggs
coconut milk in the carton (original, unsweetened) use in smoothies and that mac n cheese
kerrygold butter (this is made from grass fed cows)
almond meal (I cook most all baked goods with this!) 5 bags
crushed garlic (its in a jar, makes cooking with garlic so much easier!)
sea salt grinder
black pepper grinder
assorted spices
assorted herbal teas (my fav, Ruby Red Chai)
Chia seeds (great source of omegas, can put in smoothies or on top of salads!)
Nourish shampoo & conditioner (chemical free, I'll post more on that later)
oatmeal & honey soap bars
tea tree oil facial soap pump
moisturizing facial lotion
jerkey (and assortment) their beef is grass fed
raw nuts (an assortment, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts)
organic rasins
freeze dried mangos (again a treat for the kidos)
organic popcorn (the whole kernel kind, I pop on stove top in coconut oil)
cocoa powder
organic tomato paste
applesauce squeezers (carrot and apple, treat for kids)
tortilla chips (they are the kind that are tri colored and have flax seed in them)
avacados
sweet potatoes
pearl baby tomatoes
onions
If this list seems incomplete, I also shop at sams, the farmers market, and publix to fill in the gaps
I'll post those lists another day!
Note: don't go shopping on a weekend, or in the evening. A Sunday morning or some afternoon before school is out is best. This local T.J. is crazy busy and has a not so great parking lot!
So here is a list of what I typically buy there: (and keep in mind I also drive an hour to get to my local store)
Applegate Farms lunch meat, I buy about 5 packs of an assortment from ham to turkey
(this company has no nitrites or nitrates in any of their meat products)
Applegate farms organic beef hotdogs, 1 pk (these were found to be in the top 5 best hotdogs available)
Trader Joe's applewood bacon, 4 packs (again their brand also has no nitrites or nitrates)
Herb infused goats cheese (this is a large roll for the same price as the small one anywhere else)
Chicken thighs, 3 pks (these are boneless and skinless, and cook up so much more moist than the breast)
Organic baby spinach, 1 bag
bag of whole organic carrots
bag of organic celery
baby bok choy (look up what this is if you've never heard of it)
cucumbers 5 pack
bag of Kale
hummus, my husband likes the horseradish flavor (only way I can get him to eat raw veggies!)
Gluten Free mac n cheese (now this is a special treat for my kids because it is a boxed food)
gluten free oats
frozen green beans (the ones for $1.99, and these are AMAZING stir fried in coconut oil with garlic)
frozen fish (just make sure its wild caught)
supper food frozen mix (it's quinoa, sweet potatoes, kale and some other stuff)
Organic greek yogurt (the big tub, I use in place of sour cream)
eggs
coconut milk in the carton (original, unsweetened) use in smoothies and that mac n cheese
kerrygold butter (this is made from grass fed cows)
almond meal (I cook most all baked goods with this!) 5 bags
crushed garlic (its in a jar, makes cooking with garlic so much easier!)
sea salt grinder
black pepper grinder
assorted spices
assorted herbal teas (my fav, Ruby Red Chai)
Chia seeds (great source of omegas, can put in smoothies or on top of salads!)
Nourish shampoo & conditioner (chemical free, I'll post more on that later)
oatmeal & honey soap bars
tea tree oil facial soap pump
moisturizing facial lotion
jerkey (and assortment) their beef is grass fed
raw nuts (an assortment, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts)
organic rasins
freeze dried mangos (again a treat for the kidos)
organic popcorn (the whole kernel kind, I pop on stove top in coconut oil)
cocoa powder
organic tomato paste
applesauce squeezers (carrot and apple, treat for kids)
tortilla chips (they are the kind that are tri colored and have flax seed in them)
avacados
sweet potatoes
pearl baby tomatoes
onions
If this list seems incomplete, I also shop at sams, the farmers market, and publix to fill in the gaps
I'll post those lists another day!
Note: don't go shopping on a weekend, or in the evening. A Sunday morning or some afternoon before school is out is best. This local T.J. is crazy busy and has a not so great parking lot!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The first steps of the plan
I know I mentioned last night that I was going to check my blood sugar and see if maybe this MODY thing was also a problem for me. I have had a 4 hour glucose tolerance test back in the fall and it showed that I was severely hypoglycemic, however that diagnosis can play into either MODY or Adrenal Fatigue. So I checked my glucose around 7pm, it was 84. Then I ate a huge carb loaded meal. Brown rice pasta with marinara sauce and chicken, in the amount of about 2 cups of cooked pasta alone not to mention the other stuff. Then I topped it off with 3 squares of dark chocolate. I waited 2 hours from the beginning of my meal time and retested. My glucose was 104, and I was so happy because that is within normal limits.
So I feel that maybe this puts me back at looking more into Adrenal Fatigue. I received an email this evening from the Holistic Health Care Specialist I had contacted. She is sending me a test kit in the mail with directions on how to test. It is a saliva spit test and will give a more accurate picture of what exactly the adrenals are or aren't doing. This is STEP 1, along with me sending her copies of all of my most recent labs and tests.
So, I went to Yoga this morning, had a relaxing early lunch with 2 friends, went to the chiropractor and got adjusted, plus made sure to eat small meals every 3-4 hours all day. Today was a good day, meaning I did not have one dizzy, faint feeling all day! Yippie, thats a first in a LONG time!
I did also go to Trader Joe's today for groceries and Sam's, so the fact that I was in public places with fluorescent lights and didn't have a "spell", is really wonderful! I love Trader Joe's because they have such a great business moto, or mission that the company stands behind. If you have never shopped there, I encourage you to visit their website and read about them. Then check it out for yourself! I shop there about every 2 weeks and have never found a product I didn't like. I'll write another post on what I buy there for anyone who might be interested. Surprisingly enough, they are significantly cheaper on so many things than other chain grocery stores. And those stores don't have such the wonderful mission behind them! (no, I'm not getting paid or even a discount to endorse them, I just really like the place that much!)
So I feel that maybe this puts me back at looking more into Adrenal Fatigue. I received an email this evening from the Holistic Health Care Specialist I had contacted. She is sending me a test kit in the mail with directions on how to test. It is a saliva spit test and will give a more accurate picture of what exactly the adrenals are or aren't doing. This is STEP 1, along with me sending her copies of all of my most recent labs and tests.
So, I went to Yoga this morning, had a relaxing early lunch with 2 friends, went to the chiropractor and got adjusted, plus made sure to eat small meals every 3-4 hours all day. Today was a good day, meaning I did not have one dizzy, faint feeling all day! Yippie, thats a first in a LONG time!
I did also go to Trader Joe's today for groceries and Sam's, so the fact that I was in public places with fluorescent lights and didn't have a "spell", is really wonderful! I love Trader Joe's because they have such a great business moto, or mission that the company stands behind. If you have never shopped there, I encourage you to visit their website and read about them. Then check it out for yourself! I shop there about every 2 weeks and have never found a product I didn't like. I'll write another post on what I buy there for anyone who might be interested. Surprisingly enough, they are significantly cheaper on so many things than other chain grocery stores. And those stores don't have such the wonderful mission behind them! (no, I'm not getting paid or even a discount to endorse them, I just really like the place that much!)
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
What have I decided to do?
Last night I finished reading the book "Adrenal Fatigue, 21st Century Stress Syndrome" and although enlightening, I need a plan. I am such a typical type A personality and I desire planning and structure when it comes to health issues. Other aspects of my life...not so much.
So, I found a Holistic Healthcare Professional and have sent her an email to see how she can help me. I plan to do the saliva spit test and check my cortisol levels throughout the day and especially when I feel the worst. I met her at a Women's Health Conference in Columbia, TN back in June 2012. She also has helped another mother I know, who has also suffered from Adrenal Fatigue.
On another note, my cousin after reading yesterdays blog contacted me today and shared with me that she suffers similar symptoms and has been diagnosed with something called MODY. This is a Type 1.5 diabetes, read more about it here. http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14047009.php, So, giving me something else to consider, I went and bought a blood sugar monitor and will be also looking at where those levels are, especially when I feel BAD!
So...what I am doing for now is consulting a professional for a plan and some direction, monitoring my blood sugar, practicing YOGA 4-6 times a week, trying to rest as much as possible, continuing care 2 times a week with my chiropractor, and hopefully starting next week, also seeing a counselor to learn how to handle some of the major stress issues in my life.
Not sure if I mentioned this in yesterdays post or not, but also one of my labs that were drawn back in the fall that came back positive was an ANA. This is usually positive in people that have Lupus. So imagine my horror when I was referred to a specialist. The specialist did rule out Lupus, thank heavens, but he said that people who have celiac disease also have a positive ANA lab. I have an aunt who has this and I also had a form of psoriasis back Jan-March 2012 called granuloma anulare (GA). This is why last March I cut out all grains from my diet for 3 months. I introduced corn first, then rice and did fine. To date, I still have not reintroduced wheat or gluten. Reason being because when I accidentally have some cross contamination, it seriously causes me to be doubled over in epi-gastric pain. SO...I just AVOID it majorly! Not worth it AT ALL!
So, I found a Holistic Healthcare Professional and have sent her an email to see how she can help me. I plan to do the saliva spit test and check my cortisol levels throughout the day and especially when I feel the worst. I met her at a Women's Health Conference in Columbia, TN back in June 2012. She also has helped another mother I know, who has also suffered from Adrenal Fatigue.
On another note, my cousin after reading yesterdays blog contacted me today and shared with me that she suffers similar symptoms and has been diagnosed with something called MODY. This is a Type 1.5 diabetes, read more about it here. http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14047009.php, So, giving me something else to consider, I went and bought a blood sugar monitor and will be also looking at where those levels are, especially when I feel BAD!
So...what I am doing for now is consulting a professional for a plan and some direction, monitoring my blood sugar, practicing YOGA 4-6 times a week, trying to rest as much as possible, continuing care 2 times a week with my chiropractor, and hopefully starting next week, also seeing a counselor to learn how to handle some of the major stress issues in my life.
Not sure if I mentioned this in yesterdays post or not, but also one of my labs that were drawn back in the fall that came back positive was an ANA. This is usually positive in people that have Lupus. So imagine my horror when I was referred to a specialist. The specialist did rule out Lupus, thank heavens, but he said that people who have celiac disease also have a positive ANA lab. I have an aunt who has this and I also had a form of psoriasis back Jan-March 2012 called granuloma anulare (GA). This is why last March I cut out all grains from my diet for 3 months. I introduced corn first, then rice and did fine. To date, I still have not reintroduced wheat or gluten. Reason being because when I accidentally have some cross contamination, it seriously causes me to be doubled over in epi-gastric pain. SO...I just AVOID it majorly! Not worth it AT ALL!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Adrenal Fatigue
Ever heard of it? The first time I heard of this was when I had every test, scan and lab done for my symptoms and at my whits end went to a chiropractor to get help with a messed up neck. He simply listened to my symptoms (which I will list in a min) and said, "you have adrenal fatigue". I replied by saying, "well, I had a CT scan and my adrenals were fine". Well come to find out, this adrenal fatigue is a syndrome, unrecognized my the medical community. Adrenals can look fine and yet still be in severe fatigue.
What are adrenals you may be thinking? They are hormone secreting glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Check out adrenalfatigue.org for more information on the anatomy and function of this gland in which we can not live without.
So what are my symptoms? I shall go back about 5 and a half years. I was pregnant with my tiny Trotter at the time and remember I was walking into Target to do some Christmas shopping, when all of a sudden I felt as if I was about to pass out. I quickly left and ran to my car and laid down. After I felt like I could drive I just went home. These type symptoms seemed to be the first ones I remember. That and I would see stars periodically and feel dizzy or light headed. After the baby was born I don't remember them happening too much, but then when she was about 4 months old I had all of a sudden lost about 19 pounds on tops of my baby weight. Everyone close to us thought I was sick. Then about 2 years later, it started again. I went to my doctor and told him and said that it seemed worse in fluorescent lights. He wanted me to see a neurologist and then performed an EKG. That was normal, and sadly enough, I never scheduled a neuro consult. I joined a gym instead and began to feel better.
That lasted for almost a year and then the symptoms came back with a vengeance. I felt like I could pass out almost anytime I was in a public place with fluorescent lights and then I would panic. I was always foggy headed and would wake up feeling like I hadn't slept a wink. I hit a "slump" every day around 3:00 where I literally had to take a nap. Then around 9:00 I had too much energy and couldn't go to sleep, and if I did, could stay asleep.
Now I also felt weak and shaky if I hadn't eaten in a few hours, even if I had eaten tons of protein. I was working out and eating right and yet kept hanging on to weight around my middle.
Then it go so bad, I woke one morning and my arms were numb from the shoulders down and tingling. I could grip them but couldn't hold the grip. So I couldn't hold anything in my hands. I thought I was having a stroke or heart attack. I was having major anxiety and panic. "I just wanta feel normal again!" I went to another doctor and told him to spare no expense, I wanted to find out what was wrong. MRIs, CTscan, ultrasound, every blood panel you can run, and a 4 hour glucose tolerance test, and all it revealed was my C spine 4-7 was out of wack, and I had cyst on my right ovary, and I was severely hypoglycemic. So the diagnosis for me was that I need to take anti-anxiety meds. desperate to feel normal again, I agreed to take Lexapro 10mg. After 6 weeks of taking this, I felt NO better and against my doctors advice, I weaned off of the meds. I then went to a Maximized Living Chiropractor and began to understand what was really going on.
I am now reading "Adrenal Fatigue, 21st century stress syndrome" by Dr. James Wilson. This has opened some major doors for me to understanding this better. At this point I am planning to finish the book and then order myself a saliva test to get started on healing my self of this.
Certain things that trigger this are Energy Vampires in your life, certain places, and even sometimes lighting. I did a history timeline and figured out that my original stressor was when I witnessed my grandfather die of a massive heart attack in front of me and I could do nothing to save him. (Being a nurse, that was pretty hard)
Then most recently it was walking through a horrible colon cancer diagnosis with a good friend.
Its crazy how stress can get us and truly make us SICK!
If any of the symptoms sound like you...I encourage you to buy the book and read it! Also refer to the website for more details.
Follow me on this journey as I DO plan to heal completely and feel like ME again!
What are adrenals you may be thinking? They are hormone secreting glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Check out adrenalfatigue.org for more information on the anatomy and function of this gland in which we can not live without.
So what are my symptoms? I shall go back about 5 and a half years. I was pregnant with my tiny Trotter at the time and remember I was walking into Target to do some Christmas shopping, when all of a sudden I felt as if I was about to pass out. I quickly left and ran to my car and laid down. After I felt like I could drive I just went home. These type symptoms seemed to be the first ones I remember. That and I would see stars periodically and feel dizzy or light headed. After the baby was born I don't remember them happening too much, but then when she was about 4 months old I had all of a sudden lost about 19 pounds on tops of my baby weight. Everyone close to us thought I was sick. Then about 2 years later, it started again. I went to my doctor and told him and said that it seemed worse in fluorescent lights. He wanted me to see a neurologist and then performed an EKG. That was normal, and sadly enough, I never scheduled a neuro consult. I joined a gym instead and began to feel better.
That lasted for almost a year and then the symptoms came back with a vengeance. I felt like I could pass out almost anytime I was in a public place with fluorescent lights and then I would panic. I was always foggy headed and would wake up feeling like I hadn't slept a wink. I hit a "slump" every day around 3:00 where I literally had to take a nap. Then around 9:00 I had too much energy and couldn't go to sleep, and if I did, could stay asleep.
Now I also felt weak and shaky if I hadn't eaten in a few hours, even if I had eaten tons of protein. I was working out and eating right and yet kept hanging on to weight around my middle.
Then it go so bad, I woke one morning and my arms were numb from the shoulders down and tingling. I could grip them but couldn't hold the grip. So I couldn't hold anything in my hands. I thought I was having a stroke or heart attack. I was having major anxiety and panic. "I just wanta feel normal again!" I went to another doctor and told him to spare no expense, I wanted to find out what was wrong. MRIs, CTscan, ultrasound, every blood panel you can run, and a 4 hour glucose tolerance test, and all it revealed was my C spine 4-7 was out of wack, and I had cyst on my right ovary, and I was severely hypoglycemic. So the diagnosis for me was that I need to take anti-anxiety meds. desperate to feel normal again, I agreed to take Lexapro 10mg. After 6 weeks of taking this, I felt NO better and against my doctors advice, I weaned off of the meds. I then went to a Maximized Living Chiropractor and began to understand what was really going on.
I am now reading "Adrenal Fatigue, 21st century stress syndrome" by Dr. James Wilson. This has opened some major doors for me to understanding this better. At this point I am planning to finish the book and then order myself a saliva test to get started on healing my self of this.
Certain things that trigger this are Energy Vampires in your life, certain places, and even sometimes lighting. I did a history timeline and figured out that my original stressor was when I witnessed my grandfather die of a massive heart attack in front of me and I could do nothing to save him. (Being a nurse, that was pretty hard)
Then most recently it was walking through a horrible colon cancer diagnosis with a good friend.
Its crazy how stress can get us and truly make us SICK!
If any of the symptoms sound like you...I encourage you to buy the book and read it! Also refer to the website for more details.
Follow me on this journey as I DO plan to heal completely and feel like ME again!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Homemade bone broth
Ingredients:
One whole pastured chicken from a farmer you can trust, or at least organic one preferably not fed soy
Water, filtered
Scraps from organic celery, carrots, onions ( yes I mean the leafs of celery, unpeeled carrots, and brown skins from onions)
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3-5 garlic cloves, busted open to release their good medicinal properties
In a crock pot add add ingredients with enough water to fill to the top.
Turn on low and cook for 8 hours
Then remove chicken, pull all the meat from the bones, add back to the broth in the crock pot the bones and all skin, joint and carcass pieces.
Add more filtered water to bring water level up to the top again. Cook 8 ,
More hours or over night.
Cook and either freeze or bottle and keep refrigerated.
This will be more like a thick gel consistency. Because it has the gelatinous bone matter in it which has amazing healing properties. Simply heat from cold and drink warm or use as a soup base.
I do this at least once a month so that I am never left having to buy the runny, thin boxed broth ever!
What do I use the meat for you might ask?
Chicken enchiladas or tacos, or nachos (yes we love Mexican)
Chicken and rice soup
Chicken salad
The possibilities as endless, get creative!
One whole pastured chicken from a farmer you can trust, or at least organic one preferably not fed soy
Water, filtered
Scraps from organic celery, carrots, onions ( yes I mean the leafs of celery, unpeeled carrots, and brown skins from onions)
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3-5 garlic cloves, busted open to release their good medicinal properties
In a crock pot add add ingredients with enough water to fill to the top.
Turn on low and cook for 8 hours
Then remove chicken, pull all the meat from the bones, add back to the broth in the crock pot the bones and all skin, joint and carcass pieces.
Add more filtered water to bring water level up to the top again. Cook 8 ,
More hours or over night.
Cook and either freeze or bottle and keep refrigerated.
This will be more like a thick gel consistency. Because it has the gelatinous bone matter in it which has amazing healing properties. Simply heat from cold and drink warm or use as a soup base.
I do this at least once a month so that I am never left having to buy the runny, thin boxed broth ever!
What do I use the meat for you might ask?
Chicken enchiladas or tacos, or nachos (yes we love Mexican)
Chicken and rice soup
Chicken salad
The possibilities as endless, get creative!
What do I do when my child gets sick?
Well, I'll start off by saying that yes I am a nurse, but I have started to move away form western medicine. Yes there are times when it is necessary, but for my first defense, I don't choose to use that type of healing.
So what's in my medicine cabinet you might ask?
Oil of oregano
Lavender essential oil
Humidifier
Homemade chicken bone broth
Elderberry syrup
Grapefruit seed extract
Emergen-C
Greens first
Garden of life raw probiotics
Coconut oil
Chamomile tincture
Ginger
Garlic
100% Concord grapes only no sugar added grape juice
Peppermint essential oil
Epsom salt
Raw apple cider vinegar
Fermented cod liver oil
Echinacea tincture
Hydrogen peroxide
Garden of Eden salve
Raw unfiltered local honey
Cinnamon
Eucalyptus oil
Slippery elm throat drops
Sea salt crystals
So now that I have listed all of these things you are probably wondering what some are and what they are used for as well as where to get them. Well the tinctures I make myself. I order the dried herbs from bulkherbstore.com and their website also gives instructions on how to make a tincture as well as a description for what each herb does.
Immune booster: take at first sign of cold or flu
Oil of oregano (I get mine from my chiropractor, Kestner FamilyChiropractor)
Grapefruit extract (chiropractors office)
Emergen-c (most drug stores, give 1/2 pkt to kids)
Raw apple cider vinegar (I buy Braggs, found at most major chain groceries in health section)
Elderberry syrup (I make my own, however Sambucus is a good sugar free brand)
Antiviral, antibiotic, anti microbial: take once sick
Homemade bone broth (I will post recipe in another post)
Coconut oil (can add to a smoothie or hot tea)
Ginger (detoxes the body, be sure to drink lots of water)
Garlic (for kids I slice off a sliver and put on their feet in their socks at night, a detox)
Echinacea tincture (don't take for longer than 10 days)
Raw unfiltered honey (especially good for sore throats and taken daily for seasonal allergies)
Sea salt crystals (chiropractor) these are good to balance the body's pH. Gets rid of a sore throat instantly and if you feel nauseated, kicks that out as well.
Daily vitamins:
Probiotics (I order on amazon)
Fermented cod liver oil (amazon)
Greens first (chiropractor) use as a replacement to juice
Essential oils:
Eucalyptus, on chest and bottoms of feet for cough or sinus cold
Peppermint, use on forehead for headache or sprinkle in bath when upset stomach
Lavender, good for cuts and scrapes, also to calm and relax, sprinkle on pillow or in bath water
Chamomile tincture I use for a fever reducer, and also to calm and help sleep
Stomach bug:
This is where the grape juice comes in. If you have been exposed but not vomiting yet, drink it 3 glasses within first 24 hours. Prevents the bug.
Once sick, Epsom salt baths, detox the virus, and ginger tea given after vomit occurs by the dropper full warm will stop the vomiting from occurring. Child may still feel bad for 24 hours, but should stop the worst symptom.
Sorry for the complete overwhelming overload. Just wanted to share my tips and what's worked for us. Don't go out and buy all this, just pick a few and try things to see what works for your family.
Oh and one more tip: for fevers, this is a good response that the body is fighting something. In children under 3 months however, seek immediate attention for any fever! From 3-36 months, try to wait and treat a fever unless it is above 102. Anytime however a fever is over 104.5, please intervene with medication or seek medical attention from your doctor or a
ER.
As always please use your best judgement as a parent and consult your doctor if you are unsure.Bulkherbstore.com
So what's in my medicine cabinet you might ask?
Oil of oregano
Lavender essential oil
Humidifier
Homemade chicken bone broth
Elderberry syrup
Grapefruit seed extract
Emergen-C
Greens first
Garden of life raw probiotics
Coconut oil
Chamomile tincture
Ginger
Garlic
100% Concord grapes only no sugar added grape juice
Peppermint essential oil
Epsom salt
Raw apple cider vinegar
Fermented cod liver oil
Echinacea tincture
Hydrogen peroxide
Garden of Eden salve
Raw unfiltered local honey
Cinnamon
Eucalyptus oil
Slippery elm throat drops
Sea salt crystals
So now that I have listed all of these things you are probably wondering what some are and what they are used for as well as where to get them. Well the tinctures I make myself. I order the dried herbs from bulkherbstore.com and their website also gives instructions on how to make a tincture as well as a description for what each herb does.
Immune booster: take at first sign of cold or flu
Oil of oregano (I get mine from my chiropractor, Kestner FamilyChiropractor)
Grapefruit extract (chiropractors office)
Emergen-c (most drug stores, give 1/2 pkt to kids)
Raw apple cider vinegar (I buy Braggs, found at most major chain groceries in health section)
Elderberry syrup (I make my own, however Sambucus is a good sugar free brand)
Antiviral, antibiotic, anti microbial: take once sick
Homemade bone broth (I will post recipe in another post)
Coconut oil (can add to a smoothie or hot tea)
Ginger (detoxes the body, be sure to drink lots of water)
Garlic (for kids I slice off a sliver and put on their feet in their socks at night, a detox)
Echinacea tincture (don't take for longer than 10 days)
Raw unfiltered honey (especially good for sore throats and taken daily for seasonal allergies)
Sea salt crystals (chiropractor) these are good to balance the body's pH. Gets rid of a sore throat instantly and if you feel nauseated, kicks that out as well.
Daily vitamins:
Probiotics (I order on amazon)
Fermented cod liver oil (amazon)
Greens first (chiropractor) use as a replacement to juice
Essential oils:
Eucalyptus, on chest and bottoms of feet for cough or sinus cold
Peppermint, use on forehead for headache or sprinkle in bath when upset stomach
Lavender, good for cuts and scrapes, also to calm and relax, sprinkle on pillow or in bath water
Chamomile tincture I use for a fever reducer, and also to calm and help sleep
Stomach bug:
This is where the grape juice comes in. If you have been exposed but not vomiting yet, drink it 3 glasses within first 24 hours. Prevents the bug.
Once sick, Epsom salt baths, detox the virus, and ginger tea given after vomit occurs by the dropper full warm will stop the vomiting from occurring. Child may still feel bad for 24 hours, but should stop the worst symptom.
Sorry for the complete overwhelming overload. Just wanted to share my tips and what's worked for us. Don't go out and buy all this, just pick a few and try things to see what works for your family.
Oh and one more tip: for fevers, this is a good response that the body is fighting something. In children under 3 months however, seek immediate attention for any fever! From 3-36 months, try to wait and treat a fever unless it is above 102. Anytime however a fever is over 104.5, please intervene with medication or seek medical attention from your doctor or a
ER.
As always please use your best judgement as a parent and consult your doctor if you are unsure.Bulkherbstore.com
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