I know I've been neglecting my blog big time! Of course this goes hand in hand with being ultra busy, and neglecting myself a bit along the way. I'm doing fairly well, some weight loss is happening again, big time good news for all my efforts. I've just not had much time to really cook new things, so we are doing our 'usual' vegan quick meals.
I did this vegan dinner party though. I don't even know if I blogged about it? Hmmm It was a few weeks ago, and everything went off very well. I made two different main courses, a stew and soup, with a few sides. Everyone enjoyed the offerings, and were surprised they had a vegan meal and were happy. :-) A success!
We were on vacation last week, and alternated meals of vegan and cheating. It was vacation! OK so it was an excuse, lol. At any rate, I still made pretty good choices, and felt decent about what I ate.
In the mean time I've been following another Vegan blogger and she is doing much better than I am keeping up with posting and keeping it all interesting. You might want to check out some of her meals and photo's VeganMoFo I like her style of writing. :-)
My daughter looks great! Everyone thinks so, she has a lovely glow. I even have a few telling me I have nice healthy glow too. Which considering my stress levels and how my IC can keep me really messed up, this is a tribute to healthy food choices!
One side note though, she is as most teens are her age, VERY busy with life and friends. This had her not eating enough for a little while, we even saw a pretty significant change that was not good! It was a wake up call, that if you choose Vegan you MUST eat well! It's not enough to grab this and that, what ever you can say is vegan. Eating real food is a must. Planning your meals, watching your protein intake, keeping up with those key supplements, etc. To be a healthy vegan is work, real work! So for me when I'm too busy I will eat a none vegan choice on occasion. She has chosen to not do that, I've not had any warning signs and she did go through one.
So as you find your path, remember this is about a healthy you as well as saving the planet, loving animals or whatever else motivates you to thrive on veggies! Yet, your personal health is the most important part of your choices as it has the most immediate effect and impact. So if you being Vegan, or thinking about it, make sure you are dedicated to you.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
September can it be!?
I can't believe it's September! I've obviously let way too many things get in my way, because so much of the year has gone by and I'm still not completely back on track. Still I am making progress, and eating better and better as we jell into this new thing called public school with my boys. It's been stressful and chaotic and I have yet to find that elusive extra down time every one seems to think happens when your kids are in school. I'm thinking yeah well the house work, and work work still piling up on me. Only now my clock ticks to rules and regulations of the school day.
Still it's different and better in some respects. I see some important changes in my boys as they learn to cope with things that are new to them. At this point they are old enough to handle these events and pressures w/o loosing themselves and who they are meant to be. Raising authentic children has always been part of my goal as a parent. Having them be the people they should be instead of molded by forces people just assume are the 'norm'. I don't accept the 'norm' because I believe people are very short sighted, and often aren't even in touch with how much things have slid down hill in this world. Anyhow... that's a whole other blog I've never started. ha! ;-)
Food! What have I been doing? Well making it easier that's what! I have been keeping it simple. In some respects too simple, because I've lived on a bit too much natural peanut butter and grained bread some weeks. Fast & easy is tempting most days.
Still I've been finding ways around my dinner time needs. My men are not vegan and they are hungry big time at the end of the day. So I do things like make spaghetti but keep everything separate so that everyone can take what they want and need.
See four pots, meat in the back, pasta, sauce, and then veggie pot with zucchini and portobello mushrooms, oions and garlic. This way myself and my daughter can easily skip the meat, but I'm making one dinner. :-) This method is working out well. Tonight I made two pots of soup, a meat soup and a veggie soup. The men sometimes try me and my daughter veggie meals and sometimes not.
Today my daughter made chickpea kale salad, in the food processor. Now this is a REALLY yummy spread for a sandwich and it makes me feel calm and energetic. One of the changes we have made is to buy canned beans. All the soaking and such just wasn't happening anymore and I would soak, forget, sour, toss, or manage to cook them but forget they were on the stove, see the pattern. ugh We make sure though to be BPA free CANS! (check out both of those links helpful info for you with plastic as well).
This has really helped keep me going. I have been falling down on all the food prep needed to be a healthy vegan. My daughter is so great she always makes enough for both of us if she cooks. We have been working apart, but also trying to keep each other going. She is doing WAY better than me, she has been totally vegan since the beginning.
Me I'm still trying to get motivated to total commitment. I'm proud of myself though, I've had lots of hurdles and I'm going going going till I get back to being organized enough to do this all the way every meal again.
One last note my favorite breakfast right now is short grain brown organic rice, dried apricot, umboshi plum, walnuts, and parsley. All these flavors mixed together in the am is so good. I feel good for a long time after a bowl. I am still fiting in miso soup here and there I have to be careful though because it sets off my IC if I'm already stressed. Honestly when am I not stressed!? sheesh.
Oh I guess I need to make one more personal note on things going on with me. I had a bad accident at age 17. The damage to my neck has never been fully addressed. The past month I've been having treatments that have taken me through and beyond places I never thought I would get past with the limitations it has placed me on more than half my life now. I know I'll always have residual effects, but I have regained so much feeling and range of motion having finally the soft tissue issues worked on. This though has been time consuming, painful and required of me to take all the down time I could steal from my weeks. It's paid off though! My doc is thrilled with my progress, I've really surprised her with how far and how fast I've progressed. Me I'm just ever grateful she had the courage and back ground to tackle these old injuries with me. :-)
Anyhow.... more food will come. I'm getting there!
Still it's different and better in some respects. I see some important changes in my boys as they learn to cope with things that are new to them. At this point they are old enough to handle these events and pressures w/o loosing themselves and who they are meant to be. Raising authentic children has always been part of my goal as a parent. Having them be the people they should be instead of molded by forces people just assume are the 'norm'. I don't accept the 'norm' because I believe people are very short sighted, and often aren't even in touch with how much things have slid down hill in this world. Anyhow... that's a whole other blog I've never started. ha! ;-)
Food! What have I been doing? Well making it easier that's what! I have been keeping it simple. In some respects too simple, because I've lived on a bit too much natural peanut butter and grained bread some weeks. Fast & easy is tempting most days.
Still I've been finding ways around my dinner time needs. My men are not vegan and they are hungry big time at the end of the day. So I do things like make spaghetti but keep everything separate so that everyone can take what they want and need.
Today my daughter made chickpea kale salad, in the food processor. Now this is a REALLY yummy spread for a sandwich and it makes me feel calm and energetic. One of the changes we have made is to buy canned beans. All the soaking and such just wasn't happening anymore and I would soak, forget, sour, toss, or manage to cook them but forget they were on the stove, see the pattern. ugh We make sure though to be BPA free CANS! (check out both of those links helpful info for you with plastic as well).
This has really helped keep me going. I have been falling down on all the food prep needed to be a healthy vegan. My daughter is so great she always makes enough for both of us if she cooks. We have been working apart, but also trying to keep each other going. She is doing WAY better than me, she has been totally vegan since the beginning.
Me I'm still trying to get motivated to total commitment. I'm proud of myself though, I've had lots of hurdles and I'm going going going till I get back to being organized enough to do this all the way every meal again.
One last note my favorite breakfast right now is short grain brown organic rice, dried apricot, umboshi plum, walnuts, and parsley. All these flavors mixed together in the am is so good. I feel good for a long time after a bowl. I am still fiting in miso soup here and there I have to be careful though because it sets off my IC if I'm already stressed. Honestly when am I not stressed!? sheesh.
Oh I guess I need to make one more personal note on things going on with me. I had a bad accident at age 17. The damage to my neck has never been fully addressed. The past month I've been having treatments that have taken me through and beyond places I never thought I would get past with the limitations it has placed me on more than half my life now. I know I'll always have residual effects, but I have regained so much feeling and range of motion having finally the soft tissue issues worked on. This though has been time consuming, painful and required of me to take all the down time I could steal from my weeks. It's paid off though! My doc is thrilled with my progress, I've really surprised her with how far and how fast I've progressed. Me I'm just ever grateful she had the courage and back ground to tackle these old injuries with me. :-)
Anyhow.... more food will come. I'm getting there!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Have not given up
So this whole putting my boys in school thing has been more of an adventure than planned. As everything in life usually is. I would say it's going VERY well at this point. It's a relief that both of them are adjusting in a very positive way to this brand new experience for them.
I have been running on empty. The big thing going on with me lately is how stress affects my spine. I had a near death horse back riding accident when I was 17. Yes, a very long time ago. I'm grateful to be alive no doubt, how I managed to survive, not be paralyzed???? Is a miracle. That being said my head has sat on my neck for a quarter of a century by a thread. I've had plenty of chiro care, but no one has ever had the knowledge to address the muscle damage until now.
I'm finally after all these years on the road to a recovery that will be life changing. Literally she found my problems right away and understands them so well. She having had a major head injury herself. I've always felt my head was barely on, and yesterday it was confirmed I have one muscle on the left side doing all the work, all of it. I won't go into all the problems, pain, etc I've gone through for more than half my life.
At any rate, this is what happens, stress, neck goes crazy, Paula can't function. This time with all the changes of putting the boys in school it's nearly wiped me out. So desperation, leads to finding real answers. If your ever even visiting here, I highly recommend going to BeWell . It's not that there are not wonderful chiro's out there. I've even worked for some. It's a whole understanding I have found here, and we rarely even take our children to a pediatrician anymore because she has helped them with everything from depression to allergy's.
I had stopped letting anyone work on me, because the relief from an adjustment often was so temporary due to the muscle damage. I've watched her treat my whole family for over a year, I think she and I both have anticipated the day I finally let her work on me. lol
Vegan??? what does this all mean to how I'm eating. When my neck is like this I can't function, to an extreme I'm willing myself to handle everything. I usually can't eat, and live on a coke maybe two a day to get through. That's where I have been. So with 2 treatments down, many more to go. I've finally had the courage to give up the coke cola, and work on veganizing my diet again. I'm in withdrawal. It's awful but I'm already in mega pain, so what's a caffeine headache to boot? ha ugh
As soon as I'm back actually cooking more than a basic pot of soup, or rice and beans. I'll be blogging again with photo's and food based posts. For now, I'm doing my best, mostly vegan. Gotta let go of my old addictions again, sugar and coke will be plaguing me with cravings. I've let them go before I can do it again.
I do not give up, may fall way off track at times. Giving up is not an option. I do apologize for saying I'd blog daily and not doing so. I think I'll leave those type of promises out from now on. ;-)
I have been running on empty. The big thing going on with me lately is how stress affects my spine. I had a near death horse back riding accident when I was 17. Yes, a very long time ago. I'm grateful to be alive no doubt, how I managed to survive, not be paralyzed???? Is a miracle. That being said my head has sat on my neck for a quarter of a century by a thread. I've had plenty of chiro care, but no one has ever had the knowledge to address the muscle damage until now.
I'm finally after all these years on the road to a recovery that will be life changing. Literally she found my problems right away and understands them so well. She having had a major head injury herself. I've always felt my head was barely on, and yesterday it was confirmed I have one muscle on the left side doing all the work, all of it. I won't go into all the problems, pain, etc I've gone through for more than half my life.
At any rate, this is what happens, stress, neck goes crazy, Paula can't function. This time with all the changes of putting the boys in school it's nearly wiped me out. So desperation, leads to finding real answers. If your ever even visiting here, I highly recommend going to BeWell . It's not that there are not wonderful chiro's out there. I've even worked for some. It's a whole understanding I have found here, and we rarely even take our children to a pediatrician anymore because she has helped them with everything from depression to allergy's.
I had stopped letting anyone work on me, because the relief from an adjustment often was so temporary due to the muscle damage. I've watched her treat my whole family for over a year, I think she and I both have anticipated the day I finally let her work on me. lol
Vegan??? what does this all mean to how I'm eating. When my neck is like this I can't function, to an extreme I'm willing myself to handle everything. I usually can't eat, and live on a coke maybe two a day to get through. That's where I have been. So with 2 treatments down, many more to go. I've finally had the courage to give up the coke cola, and work on veganizing my diet again. I'm in withdrawal. It's awful but I'm already in mega pain, so what's a caffeine headache to boot? ha ugh
As soon as I'm back actually cooking more than a basic pot of soup, or rice and beans. I'll be blogging again with photo's and food based posts. For now, I'm doing my best, mostly vegan. Gotta let go of my old addictions again, sugar and coke will be plaguing me with cravings. I've let them go before I can do it again.
I do not give up, may fall way off track at times. Giving up is not an option. I do apologize for saying I'd blog daily and not doing so. I think I'll leave those type of promises out from now on. ;-)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Bad habits
So you've not heard from me in weeks. I've not had time even yet to process personal photos' of meals, although to be honest there has not been much cooking going on around here. We've gone to farmers market and had to toss out unused food many times in the past month. Good intentions, gone to waste.
I've eaten out mostly, and sometimes it's vegan, sometimes vegetarian, and some times I have shrimp or chicken. Mostly I've fallen into all my old habits, only with a veggie twist. Skipping breakfast 80% of the time, super late lunch/early dinner at some restaurant after I've realized I feel like crap and can't go on and don't have enough energy to make a meal. So basically a single actual meal once a day, and then ending up snacking on something not great at night. The kitchen's a mess all the time from the kids getting whatever they want and leaving me the mess, and I just haven't had the organized time to deal with the slipping away of everything I've been working for.
Emotions, they've always been a problem for me. If I had a switch like Data on New Generation I'd be set! lol So my switch? Yep of course at a young age I found one that worked. A single can of coke and bag of m&m's.
OK so your thinking, so what? Big deal? For me it's a very big deal. This single bad habit has shaped my life, how I cope and deal. For some it's a cigarette, a few cans of beer, a dozen doughnuts, or worse whatever it is, it's that thing you physically rely on to shut down and keep going in one fell swoop. This is mine. I can stop feeling all the things in my heart and head swirling around me in this life we lead. Those little & big problems things you have no control over, mistakes coming back on you when you thought you were doing your best, grief, anger, overwhelm, whatever it is, and all of it. Sometimes you have to shut it down and keep going on with the day to day, be in the now and get the work accomplished.
So it started this week, the physical ramification's of this bad habit. One it's a large amount of sugar especially considering I was going w/o any sugar for months. Two, it feeds my other health issues exactly what they need to start my body into crisis. I started having back pain yesterday, and last night I slept through the pain out of exhaustion, but woke up at 5:30AM barely able to move. I've had two pain pills a hot bath, and been blogging in my head before I even opened my eyes. ha
My boys are going to school on Monday. This is a huge change for us, and they both want to go. The emotions I've been feeling for this change have been intense. Then of course you get opinions on your decisions, some in favor some against, you have your own thoughts of what this all means and what it might mean. My heads been spinning, my heart realing and it's too exhausting,... at some point you have to let it go and get back to this is today and I'm doing my best.
So I started relying on old habits on a daily basis about 10-14 days ago. Of course the opening for this habit came when I went Flexitarian for my son's sake, because we already know about Pandora's box.
Where to go from here? Of course the only place to go is through, and through for me will mean a week or more of intense withdrawal from the caffeine and sugar, I've known it was coming and have kept putting it off, tomorrow I'll start, and then well I need to keep going a little longer, after this hurtle, no this one......
Then of course I always knew if I didn't do it on my own my body would have enough and not allow itself to be beaten up for the sake of my head and heart. Hit the wall isn't that what they call it in a marathon? I've hit my wall, my body is mad it's had enough of this silly childhood destructive habit.
So here I go,... I'm here now and my best way out is to get accountable again. To blog, to release the truth even if some think a simple coke and bag of M's is no biggy. Maybe it wouldn't be for any other purpose, but it's for a shut off switch - coping mechanism then all it represents is a weakness of being, a crutch, and crutches cause bruises, aches, pains, imbalance.
Today is pay day, I have school supplies and clothes to buy. We'll be out and about today getting those things done. I'll probably be miserable with my back, and want a coke really really bad. So lets see do I choose, I'll deal with this tomorrow and have one before the day is out? Honestly I can't say yet. It's easy for me to think once the boys are in school I can put myself first again? At any rate, Monday is my deadline to restart my goals w/o being really mad at my own weaknesses.
I am going to commit to a blog a day until I get this all on track. So read you soon. ;-) Hope your weekend plans are ones your excited about!
I've eaten out mostly, and sometimes it's vegan, sometimes vegetarian, and some times I have shrimp or chicken. Mostly I've fallen into all my old habits, only with a veggie twist. Skipping breakfast 80% of the time, super late lunch/early dinner at some restaurant after I've realized I feel like crap and can't go on and don't have enough energy to make a meal. So basically a single actual meal once a day, and then ending up snacking on something not great at night. The kitchen's a mess all the time from the kids getting whatever they want and leaving me the mess, and I just haven't had the organized time to deal with the slipping away of everything I've been working for.
Emotions, they've always been a problem for me. If I had a switch like Data on New Generation I'd be set! lol So my switch? Yep of course at a young age I found one that worked. A single can of coke and bag of m&m's.
So it started this week, the physical ramification's of this bad habit. One it's a large amount of sugar especially considering I was going w/o any sugar for months. Two, it feeds my other health issues exactly what they need to start my body into crisis. I started having back pain yesterday, and last night I slept through the pain out of exhaustion, but woke up at 5:30AM barely able to move. I've had two pain pills a hot bath, and been blogging in my head before I even opened my eyes. ha
My boys are going to school on Monday. This is a huge change for us, and they both want to go. The emotions I've been feeling for this change have been intense. Then of course you get opinions on your decisions, some in favor some against, you have your own thoughts of what this all means and what it might mean. My heads been spinning, my heart realing and it's too exhausting,... at some point you have to let it go and get back to this is today and I'm doing my best.
So I started relying on old habits on a daily basis about 10-14 days ago. Of course the opening for this habit came when I went Flexitarian for my son's sake, because we already know about Pandora's box.
Where to go from here? Of course the only place to go is through, and through for me will mean a week or more of intense withdrawal from the caffeine and sugar, I've known it was coming and have kept putting it off, tomorrow I'll start, and then well I need to keep going a little longer, after this hurtle, no this one......
Then of course I always knew if I didn't do it on my own my body would have enough and not allow itself to be beaten up for the sake of my head and heart. Hit the wall isn't that what they call it in a marathon? I've hit my wall, my body is mad it's had enough of this silly childhood destructive habit.
So here I go,... I'm here now and my best way out is to get accountable again. To blog, to release the truth even if some think a simple coke and bag of M's is no biggy. Maybe it wouldn't be for any other purpose, but it's for a shut off switch - coping mechanism then all it represents is a weakness of being, a crutch, and crutches cause bruises, aches, pains, imbalance.
Today is pay day, I have school supplies and clothes to buy. We'll be out and about today getting those things done. I'll probably be miserable with my back, and want a coke really really bad. So lets see do I choose, I'll deal with this tomorrow and have one before the day is out? Honestly I can't say yet. It's easy for me to think once the boys are in school I can put myself first again? At any rate, Monday is my deadline to restart my goals w/o being really mad at my own weaknesses.
I am going to commit to a blog a day until I get this all on track. So read you soon. ;-) Hope your weekend plans are ones your excited about!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Flexitarian??
Flexitarian
Well OK so I've not been here, for me or for you. I've been here for my family, and all the crazy things going on with us, and it's been too much for me of late. I've been a total flexitarian/flirt the past few weeks. I have Vegan days, and not so Vegan days, I've even been extremely bad and had a couple Coke Cola's. So even a little sugar has crept into my diet.
I'm also though still shopping at the farmers market and eating good things. Just have NOT had the time and not been able to steal the time for being my committed to Veganism self! It's disappointing, but not the end. ;-)
We are putting our youngest in public school in a few weeks, and possibly our middle son as well. This has been a HUGE decision and will be a mega change for us all. He's always wanted to go, so there is that. In this direction of doing whats best for my youngest I've let my Vegan commitment slide so he could regain his balance in his own food choices. He is now a total flexitarian and eating a much needed wider variety of foods. WHEW. Once he is in school I can again be a very committed vegan w/o worrying that he will start feeling guilty for his food choices and wanting to copy me and end up starving again.
He watches my every move and I've just had to act like whatever I eat I'm good with. Honestly since my changes were never moral ones, I have been OK with eating some meats and dairy. Now though I see the light at the end of this muddled tunnel. Once he is in school I'll have more time, and the freedom to not be overly influencing his guilty gene, and I can get BACK on track! I really really really miss being total vegan and superhero at that! So part of me has just been well ashamed to even blog that I had a taco or piece of chicken. It's not every inspiring for either of us.
One bright light in all of this is that my lovely daughter has not wavered from the vegan path we began together. Not once! She is my hero! I'm so proud of her and she looks and feels wonderful. :-) Thank goodness my changes haven't thrown her off track. I can't wait to be vegan partners with her again. Well that's all for now.
Well OK so I've not been here, for me or for you. I've been here for my family, and all the crazy things going on with us, and it's been too much for me of late. I've been a total flexitarian/flirt the past few weeks. I have Vegan days, and not so Vegan days, I've even been extremely bad and had a couple Coke Cola's. So even a little sugar has crept into my diet.
I'm also though still shopping at the farmers market and eating good things. Just have NOT had the time and not been able to steal the time for being my committed to Veganism self! It's disappointing, but not the end. ;-)
We are putting our youngest in public school in a few weeks, and possibly our middle son as well. This has been a HUGE decision and will be a mega change for us all. He's always wanted to go, so there is that. In this direction of doing whats best for my youngest I've let my Vegan commitment slide so he could regain his balance in his own food choices. He is now a total flexitarian and eating a much needed wider variety of foods. WHEW. Once he is in school I can again be a very committed vegan w/o worrying that he will start feeling guilty for his food choices and wanting to copy me and end up starving again.
He watches my every move and I've just had to act like whatever I eat I'm good with. Honestly since my changes were never moral ones, I have been OK with eating some meats and dairy. Now though I see the light at the end of this muddled tunnel. Once he is in school I'll have more time, and the freedom to not be overly influencing his guilty gene, and I can get BACK on track! I really really really miss being total vegan and superhero at that! So part of me has just been well ashamed to even blog that I had a taco or piece of chicken. It's not every inspiring for either of us.
One bright light in all of this is that my lovely daughter has not wavered from the vegan path we began together. Not once! She is my hero! I'm so proud of her and she looks and feels wonderful. :-) Thank goodness my changes haven't thrown her off track. I can't wait to be vegan partners with her again. Well that's all for now.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Keeping up with it all
Well obviously I've been pretty danged busy to not be posting. At any rate, I have photo's but no time to process them, as I'm behind on my clients edits. I had a computer virus that took my computer down for a while as well.
My youngest has been really struggling with the what to eat thing. He decided his is a 'flirt' WHEW! I'm so relieved. I mean sure I'd be way happy if he was able to do the Vegan with me and my daughter, but he is just does not like veggies enough. I couldn't get him to eat enough things.
I ended up eating a taco out when it was just the two of us. He watched me so closely, searching for signs of regret on my face. I told him I felt fine and it tasted really good. Then a few nights later I made taco's, my husbands favorite, he's been suffering in the dinner department (dearly supportive loved one he is). I've honestly not been cooking enough.
So my son was really hungry and admitted it smelled super good. I told him it was because his body was telling him that it needed protein. He ate a taco and I was so relieved! He's been trying to copy me and he is just too young and too picky to be a healthy vegan. Since then he has also had two chicken legs for different dinners. I made an organic fried chicken (from Fresh Earth Farm), my husband's other favorite. I was able to resist, my daughter fried her and I up some fresh veggies. :-) We all enjoyed our dinners, and all the sides over lapped into my Vegan diet.
I love Cole Slaw! I've never liked it before, but fresh cabbage, carrots, Umboshi Vinegar, Vegenaise, salt, pepper, and tiny amount of Agave.... it's Soooo good! We've also had clean mean burrito's, but basically we've been eating super simple meals, soup, and sauteed veggies for the most part. My daughter loves what I did with the rice this week. I used Wild rice and Arborio Rice, black and white. I knew the Arborio isn't one you want to use all the time, but she wanted it for one of the Kind Diet recipes (remind me to discuss this topic in a minute). So anyhow, it's white and not really one you want to eat all the time, so I used half of each to keep it more in balance. She says it's her favorite rice combo now. ;-)
Ok so this is an issue I've got to resolve, she has been making up the list for me. Things she wants to eat and make right? So you would think that the page numbers or something would be saved. Nope! So I go buy her all this food, to make 'recipes' with. And she doesn't cook anything? What is up with this? I mean she wants to eat certain things, I use up my budget to buy what she wants and then she can't remember what she wanted to make and doesn't have the time to cook. It's a problem. The thing is I've been too busy to get on her about this time. I went and bought LOTS of veggies and honestly we won't be able to eat it all before we head out for a 3 day weekend.
I'm a bit frustrated, but too busy to deal with this lack of preparation, organization, and communication, let alone the wasting food of not cooking things you ask for. ugh
When I get back home, I'm really hoping we can get into a better routine and I can have time to cook, photograph, and relate how we are doing. Mostly I'm doing very well, most every day I'm 100% Vegan. Sometimes I'm Vegetarian when I'm eating out at times it's happened. I don't go nuts about it though. My IC is also in remission for now, and so life has been easier on that front. WHEW! I know my PH water has made a huge difference for me.
OK well until I can post images I won't take any more of your time for this post. Have a wonderful first weekend of Summer!
My youngest has been really struggling with the what to eat thing. He decided his is a 'flirt' WHEW! I'm so relieved. I mean sure I'd be way happy if he was able to do the Vegan with me and my daughter, but he is just does not like veggies enough. I couldn't get him to eat enough things.
I ended up eating a taco out when it was just the two of us. He watched me so closely, searching for signs of regret on my face. I told him I felt fine and it tasted really good. Then a few nights later I made taco's, my husbands favorite, he's been suffering in the dinner department (dearly supportive loved one he is). I've honestly not been cooking enough.
So my son was really hungry and admitted it smelled super good. I told him it was because his body was telling him that it needed protein. He ate a taco and I was so relieved! He's been trying to copy me and he is just too young and too picky to be a healthy vegan. Since then he has also had two chicken legs for different dinners. I made an organic fried chicken (from Fresh Earth Farm), my husband's other favorite. I was able to resist, my daughter fried her and I up some fresh veggies. :-) We all enjoyed our dinners, and all the sides over lapped into my Vegan diet.
I love Cole Slaw! I've never liked it before, but fresh cabbage, carrots, Umboshi Vinegar, Vegenaise, salt, pepper, and tiny amount of Agave.... it's Soooo good! We've also had clean mean burrito's, but basically we've been eating super simple meals, soup, and sauteed veggies for the most part. My daughter loves what I did with the rice this week. I used Wild rice and Arborio Rice, black and white. I knew the Arborio isn't one you want to use all the time, but she wanted it for one of the Kind Diet recipes (remind me to discuss this topic in a minute). So anyhow, it's white and not really one you want to eat all the time, so I used half of each to keep it more in balance. She says it's her favorite rice combo now. ;-)
Ok so this is an issue I've got to resolve, she has been making up the list for me. Things she wants to eat and make right? So you would think that the page numbers or something would be saved. Nope! So I go buy her all this food, to make 'recipes' with. And she doesn't cook anything? What is up with this? I mean she wants to eat certain things, I use up my budget to buy what she wants and then she can't remember what she wanted to make and doesn't have the time to cook. It's a problem. The thing is I've been too busy to get on her about this time. I went and bought LOTS of veggies and honestly we won't be able to eat it all before we head out for a 3 day weekend.
I'm a bit frustrated, but too busy to deal with this lack of preparation, organization, and communication, let alone the wasting food of not cooking things you ask for. ugh
When I get back home, I'm really hoping we can get into a better routine and I can have time to cook, photograph, and relate how we are doing. Mostly I'm doing very well, most every day I'm 100% Vegan. Sometimes I'm Vegetarian when I'm eating out at times it's happened. I don't go nuts about it though. My IC is also in remission for now, and so life has been easier on that front. WHEW! I know my PH water has made a huge difference for me.
OK well until I can post images I won't take any more of your time for this post. Have a wonderful first weekend of Summer!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday Farmers market day!
So I've made it, until last night I had some delivery pizza. BUT until then I had stayed completely vegan from when I said until last night. We had just enough foods to get me buy. The thing is though, not even close to being super hero. So I still feel terrible. This morning I woke up sick in pain with my neck, shoulders, and stomach, and working on being a migraine day. grrrr!
I could NOT be more tired of feeling bad! Ok enough venting.
We're going to the market this afternoon, then to Whole foods maybe even Trader Joe's. I want to stock up and restart and get back on track. I've realized in the past two days I failed on the Candida front, it's not out of my system yet. For now I'm going to be Vegan and try to get that feeling back where I was before this Candida battle.Then I'm going to try again, but better prepared, and I will allow for the weeks I need meat when I tackle it and I won't go with that extreme 16 food list. That was well, frankly it was dumb. ;-)
Here are two images of foods we have made that I really enjoyed. Spaghetti squash is SO good and SO easy. I know lots of you already knew that, even non-Vegans know this. I've just never had it or it's been so long I do not remember having had it.
The other memorable dinner we had was Dolma. Miranda made this and it had wonderful flavors. We did the grape leaves version.
Miranda has also made tofu scramble for breakfast, with asparagus, broccoli, leaks, it was really good! I do not remember which day she was inspired to cook though, and the photo did not look very good. ha I've had miso a couple of times again and it makes me feel SO good! I do not know why, but whatever is in there my body really needs this soup. Even though aspects of it are bad for my IC the digestion benefits are well worth it the precautions and extra things I have to do so my IC isn't irritated to keep Miso in my diet.
I think I'll bring my camera to market this afternoon. ;-) Maybe some fun shopping images will be nice to blog.
I could NOT be more tired of feeling bad! Ok enough venting.
We're going to the market this afternoon, then to Whole foods maybe even Trader Joe's. I want to stock up and restart and get back on track. I've realized in the past two days I failed on the Candida front, it's not out of my system yet. For now I'm going to be Vegan and try to get that feeling back where I was before this Candida battle.Then I'm going to try again, but better prepared, and I will allow for the weeks I need meat when I tackle it and I won't go with that extreme 16 food list. That was well, frankly it was dumb. ;-)
Here are two images of foods we have made that I really enjoyed. Spaghetti squash is SO good and SO easy. I know lots of you already knew that, even non-Vegans know this. I've just never had it or it's been so long I do not remember having had it.
I think I'll bring my camera to market this afternoon. ;-) Maybe some fun shopping images will be nice to blog.
Friday, June 11, 2010
A little lost for now
I have been photographing the few meals we've prepared. I've been too busy to process any of mypersonal images. Yesterday I made spaghetti squash it was so good! This is a super easy squash to make, and I'm dreaming up lots of ideas of what to put with it beside spaghetti sauce.
The other day I made my first bowl of Miso for breakfast and it was beyond yummy. My IC is going back into remission for now, and it's a huge relief. I've been plagued with mega stomach cramps though for days of this week, it's been a long week. I've felt awful most days. I was suppose to be using a fiber while dealing with the Candida weeks, and when I did it was terrible on me! I just do NOT do those fiber drinks well at all, ugh, this one even had lots of IC soothing organic things in it and I thought I'd found the perfect one. So never going to use a fiber supplement again EVER.(remind me I said that when I get stupid again lol).
So anyhow, the Miso was ALL I need to get my body back on track, the past two days everything is easing up. All my symptoms from both situations. So I was able to tolerate the Miso again w/o IC pain. WHEW! Because I just love that soup and it works wonders for my digestion.
In all of this, I've been skipping meals not eating, or choosing things that were not very vegan every time, I've eaten out and had chicken, and shrimp once each. I've even slipped up twice on the sugar front. Man does sugar make me feel like crap, even in the tiniest amounts.
I had planned on going to the farmers market which is now open on Tuesday evenings in Franklin. But that day got all messed up schedule wise and I had a bad stomach ache and migraine to boot.
So for now my budget is shot, no cash flow for new groceries until Tuesday. Lots of veggies got put into the compost bend yesterday, with feeling so bad many things got old. Fortunately I have stocked up some on frozen organics when they've been on sale just for such emergency's. ;-) Miranda has been cooking out of desperation as well. I just have not been in the kitchen.
This morning she made tofu scramble with asparagus, broccoli, and leaks, with a side of Mochi. It was so good! I've had to stay away from Tofu things while I was in flare. So I'm still limiting it and being careful. I soaked some strawberries my youngest requested in my alkaline water over night, and they are so smooth and sweet now. I let myself have one bite of a slice this morning. I had some the other day at a friends house and drank lots of alkaline water after I got home, and didn't suffer with my IC. (strawberries are a huge IC trigger food for me).
My daughter and I are both off kilter, she has been very stead fast in her Vegan choices though, and I'm proud of her. I've had to eat some meat here and there, because I wasn't suppose to eat beans and grains. Now I can, but have to wait until I can restock our kitchen next week to get everything back on track. I can not wait! This whole deal of having changed my diet for a while has just been demoralizing! I even think I may have gained a little weight if only due to the few meals I've had out that weren't vegan.
So I didn't get back on track as soon as I had planned, because I have felt so bad physically I just haven't been able to get it all together. Next week though it's going to be shopping, cooking, pictures! and VEGAN!!!! I miss it so much, the commitment and how it made me feel physically. I felt better after I ate, and my body had more stable energy I had no migraines, no other stopped up issues. TMI sorry about that.
OK anyhow.... its been hard to write, because every day I bounce back and forth between feeling bad not eating, having something very veggie and vegan, to having something with meat, and even the two time I had a little sugar.
I have a pot of azuka beans on this morning, and we'll be having them with some yellow squash and rice for lunch today. I think I have enough in my freezer and pantry to be vegan this weekend. It's my goal.
Well this is all random and disorganized as far as a fluent readable post, but it sure is indicative of how my brain has been a jumble this week! I know your with me on can't wait till I'm back on track! Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday!!!! lol
The other day I made my first bowl of Miso for breakfast and it was beyond yummy. My IC is going back into remission for now, and it's a huge relief. I've been plagued with mega stomach cramps though for days of this week, it's been a long week. I've felt awful most days. I was suppose to be using a fiber while dealing with the Candida weeks, and when I did it was terrible on me! I just do NOT do those fiber drinks well at all, ugh, this one even had lots of IC soothing organic things in it and I thought I'd found the perfect one. So never going to use a fiber supplement again EVER.(remind me I said that when I get stupid again lol).
So anyhow, the Miso was ALL I need to get my body back on track, the past two days everything is easing up. All my symptoms from both situations. So I was able to tolerate the Miso again w/o IC pain. WHEW! Because I just love that soup and it works wonders for my digestion.
In all of this, I've been skipping meals not eating, or choosing things that were not very vegan every time, I've eaten out and had chicken, and shrimp once each. I've even slipped up twice on the sugar front. Man does sugar make me feel like crap, even in the tiniest amounts.
I had planned on going to the farmers market which is now open on Tuesday evenings in Franklin. But that day got all messed up schedule wise and I had a bad stomach ache and migraine to boot.
So for now my budget is shot, no cash flow for new groceries until Tuesday. Lots of veggies got put into the compost bend yesterday, with feeling so bad many things got old. Fortunately I have stocked up some on frozen organics when they've been on sale just for such emergency's. ;-) Miranda has been cooking out of desperation as well. I just have not been in the kitchen.
This morning she made tofu scramble with asparagus, broccoli, and leaks, with a side of Mochi. It was so good! I've had to stay away from Tofu things while I was in flare. So I'm still limiting it and being careful. I soaked some strawberries my youngest requested in my alkaline water over night, and they are so smooth and sweet now. I let myself have one bite of a slice this morning. I had some the other day at a friends house and drank lots of alkaline water after I got home, and didn't suffer with my IC. (strawberries are a huge IC trigger food for me).
My daughter and I are both off kilter, she has been very stead fast in her Vegan choices though, and I'm proud of her. I've had to eat some meat here and there, because I wasn't suppose to eat beans and grains. Now I can, but have to wait until I can restock our kitchen next week to get everything back on track. I can not wait! This whole deal of having changed my diet for a while has just been demoralizing! I even think I may have gained a little weight if only due to the few meals I've had out that weren't vegan.
So I didn't get back on track as soon as I had planned, because I have felt so bad physically I just haven't been able to get it all together. Next week though it's going to be shopping, cooking, pictures! and VEGAN!!!! I miss it so much, the commitment and how it made me feel physically. I felt better after I ate, and my body had more stable energy I had no migraines, no other stopped up issues. TMI sorry about that.
OK anyhow.... its been hard to write, because every day I bounce back and forth between feeling bad not eating, having something very veggie and vegan, to having something with meat, and even the two time I had a little sugar.
I have a pot of azuka beans on this morning, and we'll be having them with some yellow squash and rice for lunch today. I think I have enough in my freezer and pantry to be vegan this weekend. It's my goal.
Well this is all random and disorganized as far as a fluent readable post, but it sure is indicative of how my brain has been a jumble this week! I know your with me on can't wait till I'm back on track! Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday!!!! lol
Friday, June 4, 2010
Pandora's Box
In Greek mythology, Pandora's box is the large jar (πιθος pithos) carried by Pandora (Πανδώρα) that, when opened by her, unleashed many terrible things on mankind – ills, toils and sickness, but there was one good thing left inside, hope.[1] Contrary to popular belief, in the original story, Pandora's "box" was not actually a box at all, but rather a jar. Hence, the historically correct term would be "Pandora's jar".
Key word up there for me is 'hope'. Because I opened my own jar when I added meat to my diet again. I had my first fast food burger in 2 1/2 months, on Wednesday.
It seems lately, I've been either sick, trying to get well, trying to not be sick, working, or exhausted in bed. So the 'real deal' grocery shopping hasn't happened in weeks! I've grabbed a few things here and there, bought things for my family to survive on. Treated myself to veggies out a few times.
I've had of course some eggs and chicken, lots of veggies over all. Still I've felt it creeping in this 'lack' of commitment. On Wednesday I had been pretty whipped, and too dragging to get out the door on time, hadn't eaten and it was past lunch time. I caved into my weakness, I drove thru Steak and Shake on my way to photograph my gorgeous new nephew. I've done well enough since this one meal. Veggies, and lite protein add ins.
The thing that dawned on me though yesterday as I opened up my mind to let my reality in. Is that when I allowed in the protein from meat sources some of my commitment to this path dropped to the way side. I'm almost past the two week point on taking on the Candida. I am sure I've put a dent in it's strength, and if I get myself on track fully as a Vegan again, continue with supplements, and my new water. I'm pretty sure that the Candida war will be won, as I continue my battles in all other areas.
So I've resolved that being Vegan fully is the only way that I will succeed fully. I'm just a too much all or nothing person and I will continue to justify foods, on occasion over time and before I know it, I will have let go of all I've been working for. I know myself too well to not see it coming. Denial of this inevitability is not an option here.
I have a wedding to shoot tomorrow. After that I'm home for a couple weeks, I'll still be editing, schooling my kids, and living up to all my other 'jobs', but I'm planning on focusing back on what started all of this for me. The Kind Diet. I am missing the shopping, cooking, and connection with what I'm eating. I was feeling really proud of myself, and loved what I was doing (even when it was hard the rewards were worth it). Now I'm not forgetting I've been sick, and dealing with the Candia curve. It's just I know now I must go back to Vegan right away or momentum may be lost for good.
My plan for now is to get through the next couple of days, spend a day after recouping then putting together my menus and start preparing my Vegan meals again. :-)
My beautiful nephew:
It seems lately, I've been either sick, trying to get well, trying to not be sick, working, or exhausted in bed. So the 'real deal' grocery shopping hasn't happened in weeks! I've grabbed a few things here and there, bought things for my family to survive on. Treated myself to veggies out a few times.
I've had of course some eggs and chicken, lots of veggies over all. Still I've felt it creeping in this 'lack' of commitment. On Wednesday I had been pretty whipped, and too dragging to get out the door on time, hadn't eaten and it was past lunch time. I caved into my weakness, I drove thru Steak and Shake on my way to photograph my gorgeous new nephew. I've done well enough since this one meal. Veggies, and lite protein add ins.
The thing that dawned on me though yesterday as I opened up my mind to let my reality in. Is that when I allowed in the protein from meat sources some of my commitment to this path dropped to the way side. I'm almost past the two week point on taking on the Candida. I am sure I've put a dent in it's strength, and if I get myself on track fully as a Vegan again, continue with supplements, and my new water. I'm pretty sure that the Candida war will be won, as I continue my battles in all other areas.
So I've resolved that being Vegan fully is the only way that I will succeed fully. I'm just a too much all or nothing person and I will continue to justify foods, on occasion over time and before I know it, I will have let go of all I've been working for. I know myself too well to not see it coming. Denial of this inevitability is not an option here.
I have a wedding to shoot tomorrow. After that I'm home for a couple weeks, I'll still be editing, schooling my kids, and living up to all my other 'jobs', but I'm planning on focusing back on what started all of this for me. The Kind Diet. I am missing the shopping, cooking, and connection with what I'm eating. I was feeling really proud of myself, and loved what I was doing (even when it was hard the rewards were worth it). Now I'm not forgetting I've been sick, and dealing with the Candia curve. It's just I know now I must go back to Vegan right away or momentum may be lost for good.
My plan for now is to get through the next couple of days, spend a day after recouping then putting together my menus and start preparing my Vegan meals again. :-)
My beautiful nephew:
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
So much harder than anticipated... really long post!
It's Tuesday already? How time flies when your struggling with a manic balancing act! ugh
So pictures, a bowl of fresh organic cabbage, lightly stir fried in coconut oil.
Zucchini and yellow squash with broccoli all organic and lightly steamed. This bowl I cheated and had Umboshi Vinegar, along with no cheat Flax oil. (the vinegar isn't great for my IC, but tastes oh so good and I really needed something to have flavor!).
There you go things I was eating and trying to tell myself it was enough and I'd get through. It wasn't and I didn't. There was no real way to meet my protein requirements, and fight the Candida and stay Vegan. I really gave it my ALL, and then some. I found myself in town driving my daughter to her class and back to the hospital to visit my new nephew, and just not having enough brain function to be a safe driver even. So I stopped at a place they serve non fast food chicken tenders. (well not in that gross traditional over breaded crap you get at a drive thru, no drive thru here). I got 3 tenders (couldn't even eat 3 turned out my stomach has shrunk), pealed off the very light breading and felt so much better physically and really down about having to blog about it. So I've been procrastinating.
I resorted to chicken three times this weekend. Even though I did, I was so very depleted that I faltered physically at the wedding I was working. I nearly passed out twice, and twice I could not get back up after getting on my knee to get a shot. I had tried to eat a little chicken, but with my time constraints had gotten McD's, they were just too gross and I couldn't get them down. I had my bowl of almonds with me and my amazing water. I'd just been hungry and taking all these supplements, detoxing the Candida too many days. I was spent and didn't have what I needed to get through my work day.
I ended up having to drink some of the sweet tea offered with the wedding meal at the reception. I really thought I would have a serious back lash from this, one the tea is very bad for my IC and two the sugar undoes everything I had been fighting for to kill the Candida. (seems though I've been OK and I didn't suffer too badly)
It did what I needed it to do, I had a baked chicken breast, green beans, two bites of corn bread and that glass of sweet tea. I guess the chicken kept me from having a sugar crash on the drive home? I'm not sure, but I did regain my strength enough to not pass out (although my muscles still rebelled about getting back up off the ground once, embarrassing! ugh)
Wedding teaser image:
Sunday I took it easy, we had a late breakfast as a family, I had 2 scrambled eggs with a side of avocado. We were going to eat out as a family after our bible service, but Hubby ended up not feeling good. So the kids voted for a Greek place we've not been to in ages. We loved it, but when my IC flared for 6 months last year I couldn't eat there anymore. We got out of the habit. I didn't think I could eat there anyway as a Vegan. Boy! was I wrong about that. We went and turns out they have this wonderful veggie dinner plate, I skipped the rice and order it with Tabbouleh salad, so all veggies (and there was very little Bulgar wheat in the salad almost entirely fresh parsley.. IC friendly soothing food yes!).
I ate the entire plate and it was no small platter of veggies. lol I was so hungry for veggies. ha Not all of them were Candida starving, but at this point I've been so starving, I'm wondering how healthy it is to starve yourself for two weeks? How can I fight and detox while being so depleted I can barely function? OK so yep that was me justifying cooked carrots they taste so good, but do go to sugars too fast.
At any rate, between eggs, and large amounts of veggies for two days in a row now. I'm starting to feel my self! I also took a 40 min walk yesterday and today with my daughter and our dogs. I endured the muggy heat, and the hills so much better than I've been able to do in any recent memory.
I have actually lost weight at this point. Weight I can see, feel and few others have noticed as well.
I know I've slipped up with the foods that the Candida can feed on this weekend with a few of my choices. I know that I've slipped up bad on the Vegan commitment. I am reminding myself that the entire reason for this journey was to restore my health. So if what I'm trying to do is making me sicker/weaker than I have to face that I must make adjustments.
To keep the foods that turn to sugar out of my diet, I have to add in meat proteins. It's a bit burdensome emotionally though, I mean I feel loyal to my Vegan life I had created. I want to go back to it. I'm not sure when I can do it and not feed the Candida too much from grains and beans? I've read that it can take up to 3 years to beat Candida if you do everything and have realistic understanding of the imbalance.
So bare with me if you like, this is still a work in progress. The one new major thing on my side is my water. If you want to know brand and such you'll have to comment me .... This machine takes my tap water and transforms it. Everyone in my house gets to drink it and they all say it makes them feel better, and they are all drinking lots more water! You know kids this is a mega accomplishment. This from a family that bought 6-9 cases of water at Sam's Club each month. (because of the IC even the filters we had bought didn't get enough of the chlorine out of our tap for my IC)
Anyhow, it gives me a PH of 9.5 the highest PH for drinking water, it adds in extra oxygen, minerals, ionizes the water too! Rids it of all the chemicals and makes it a pure bio-available water by making the molecules even smaller. How I know it's working? One my skin is hydrated and I'm not full of edema. Two it is making me sweat it out, when I walk man I am really sweating out toxins big time! Three, when I drink it I don't have to pee 10 mins later, not 30 mins later, not an hour later, not even 3 hours later. I can drink several glasses and it's not running straight through me like bottled water did, (btw my bottled water had a PH of 6 which is considered acidic, hmm wonder why I didn't really get better? uh? irrrr). So then when I do go I really go, and it's also apparent that the toxins are being eliminated. Sorry very TMI here, but it's a huge factor in our health! When your unhealthy and the one thing you body really needs, clean, healthy, usable water, is finally being taken in! All I can say is Ahhhhh! I'm so happy! The PH factor also allows me a little more freedom in what I can eat and not aggravate my IC! As PH is everything when your in flare if you don't want those painful blisters burning.
Hence I was able to have Umboshi Vinegar, I was able to drink acidic tea and not die after-wards, not only that my bladder is being so soothed by this PH level, and I've been walking w/o side effects the past two days.
Now don't get me wrong this is no miracle, this is in junction with so many changes in my life as you know. I know it's ALL working hand in hand. Yet, as an IC patient this water is a chance at life again. A life that just may be almost normal one day. I'm just a tiny bit thrilled it's already helping me so much. :-)
At any rate, I'm still eating my veggies! I'm drinking my water. I'm taking my supplements (which btw the one ones for my girl hormones if I don't take them I can tell right away my patient stops nearly cold I have to take them and give them an hour and suddenly I have the patience of Job. LOL
I imagine this may be my longest post yet. I may have temporarily added in the occasional egg or piece of chicken for now. Do not count me out as a Kind Diet Vegan convert. I am hoping to ease back into some of these carb based grains and beans and phase out my need for other protein sources and see if the Candida stays in balance. ;-)
At any rate, I'm basically doing very well. I have more energy, more stable all day energy, and my sleeping wow! It's such hard rest, oh which reminds me he (my doc) has me taking a Zinc before I go to sleep, he said it helps the body regulate sugar, but I tell you what it's like a sleeping pill for me. When I don't have it I can tell, when I do I sleep like a rock! So maybe if your having sleep issues you just might want to try a Zinc instead of some drug. ;-)
(remember I am NOT a doctor of any sort here, so do your own research and check with your doctor first! before copying anything I've been doing for my health).
So pictures, a bowl of fresh organic cabbage, lightly stir fried in coconut oil.
Zucchini and yellow squash with broccoli all organic and lightly steamed. This bowl I cheated and had Umboshi Vinegar, along with no cheat Flax oil. (the vinegar isn't great for my IC, but tastes oh so good and I really needed something to have flavor!).
There you go things I was eating and trying to tell myself it was enough and I'd get through. It wasn't and I didn't. There was no real way to meet my protein requirements, and fight the Candida and stay Vegan. I really gave it my ALL, and then some. I found myself in town driving my daughter to her class and back to the hospital to visit my new nephew, and just not having enough brain function to be a safe driver even. So I stopped at a place they serve non fast food chicken tenders. (well not in that gross traditional over breaded crap you get at a drive thru, no drive thru here). I got 3 tenders (couldn't even eat 3 turned out my stomach has shrunk), pealed off the very light breading and felt so much better physically and really down about having to blog about it. So I've been procrastinating.
I resorted to chicken three times this weekend. Even though I did, I was so very depleted that I faltered physically at the wedding I was working. I nearly passed out twice, and twice I could not get back up after getting on my knee to get a shot. I had tried to eat a little chicken, but with my time constraints had gotten McD's, they were just too gross and I couldn't get them down. I had my bowl of almonds with me and my amazing water. I'd just been hungry and taking all these supplements, detoxing the Candida too many days. I was spent and didn't have what I needed to get through my work day.
I ended up having to drink some of the sweet tea offered with the wedding meal at the reception. I really thought I would have a serious back lash from this, one the tea is very bad for my IC and two the sugar undoes everything I had been fighting for to kill the Candida. (seems though I've been OK and I didn't suffer too badly)
It did what I needed it to do, I had a baked chicken breast, green beans, two bites of corn bread and that glass of sweet tea. I guess the chicken kept me from having a sugar crash on the drive home? I'm not sure, but I did regain my strength enough to not pass out (although my muscles still rebelled about getting back up off the ground once, embarrassing! ugh)
Wedding teaser image:
Sunday I took it easy, we had a late breakfast as a family, I had 2 scrambled eggs with a side of avocado. We were going to eat out as a family after our bible service, but Hubby ended up not feeling good. So the kids voted for a Greek place we've not been to in ages. We loved it, but when my IC flared for 6 months last year I couldn't eat there anymore. We got out of the habit. I didn't think I could eat there anyway as a Vegan. Boy! was I wrong about that. We went and turns out they have this wonderful veggie dinner plate, I skipped the rice and order it with Tabbouleh salad, so all veggies (and there was very little Bulgar wheat in the salad almost entirely fresh parsley.. IC friendly soothing food yes!).
I ate the entire plate and it was no small platter of veggies. lol I was so hungry for veggies. ha Not all of them were Candida starving, but at this point I've been so starving, I'm wondering how healthy it is to starve yourself for two weeks? How can I fight and detox while being so depleted I can barely function? OK so yep that was me justifying cooked carrots they taste so good, but do go to sugars too fast.
At any rate, between eggs, and large amounts of veggies for two days in a row now. I'm starting to feel my self! I also took a 40 min walk yesterday and today with my daughter and our dogs. I endured the muggy heat, and the hills so much better than I've been able to do in any recent memory.
I have actually lost weight at this point. Weight I can see, feel and few others have noticed as well.
I know I've slipped up with the foods that the Candida can feed on this weekend with a few of my choices. I know that I've slipped up bad on the Vegan commitment. I am reminding myself that the entire reason for this journey was to restore my health. So if what I'm trying to do is making me sicker/weaker than I have to face that I must make adjustments.
To keep the foods that turn to sugar out of my diet, I have to add in meat proteins. It's a bit burdensome emotionally though, I mean I feel loyal to my Vegan life I had created. I want to go back to it. I'm not sure when I can do it and not feed the Candida too much from grains and beans? I've read that it can take up to 3 years to beat Candida if you do everything and have realistic understanding of the imbalance.
So bare with me if you like, this is still a work in progress. The one new major thing on my side is my water. If you want to know brand and such you'll have to comment me .... This machine takes my tap water and transforms it. Everyone in my house gets to drink it and they all say it makes them feel better, and they are all drinking lots more water! You know kids this is a mega accomplishment. This from a family that bought 6-9 cases of water at Sam's Club each month. (because of the IC even the filters we had bought didn't get enough of the chlorine out of our tap for my IC)
Anyhow, it gives me a PH of 9.5 the highest PH for drinking water, it adds in extra oxygen, minerals, ionizes the water too! Rids it of all the chemicals and makes it a pure bio-available water by making the molecules even smaller. How I know it's working? One my skin is hydrated and I'm not full of edema. Two it is making me sweat it out, when I walk man I am really sweating out toxins big time! Three, when I drink it I don't have to pee 10 mins later, not 30 mins later, not an hour later, not even 3 hours later. I can drink several glasses and it's not running straight through me like bottled water did, (btw my bottled water had a PH of 6 which is considered acidic, hmm wonder why I didn't really get better? uh? irrrr). So then when I do go I really go, and it's also apparent that the toxins are being eliminated. Sorry very TMI here, but it's a huge factor in our health! When your unhealthy and the one thing you body really needs, clean, healthy, usable water, is finally being taken in! All I can say is Ahhhhh! I'm so happy! The PH factor also allows me a little more freedom in what I can eat and not aggravate my IC! As PH is everything when your in flare if you don't want those painful blisters burning.
Hence I was able to have Umboshi Vinegar, I was able to drink acidic tea and not die after-wards, not only that my bladder is being so soothed by this PH level, and I've been walking w/o side effects the past two days.
Now don't get me wrong this is no miracle, this is in junction with so many changes in my life as you know. I know it's ALL working hand in hand. Yet, as an IC patient this water is a chance at life again. A life that just may be almost normal one day. I'm just a tiny bit thrilled it's already helping me so much. :-)
At any rate, I'm still eating my veggies! I'm drinking my water. I'm taking my supplements (which btw the one ones for my girl hormones if I don't take them I can tell right away my patient stops nearly cold I have to take them and give them an hour and suddenly I have the patience of Job. LOL
I imagine this may be my longest post yet. I may have temporarily added in the occasional egg or piece of chicken for now. Do not count me out as a Kind Diet Vegan convert. I am hoping to ease back into some of these carb based grains and beans and phase out my need for other protein sources and see if the Candida stays in balance. ;-)
At any rate, I'm basically doing very well. I have more energy, more stable all day energy, and my sleeping wow! It's such hard rest, oh which reminds me he (my doc) has me taking a Zinc before I go to sleep, he said it helps the body regulate sugar, but I tell you what it's like a sleeping pill for me. When I don't have it I can tell, when I do I sleep like a rock! So maybe if your having sleep issues you just might want to try a Zinc instead of some drug. ;-)
(remember I am NOT a doctor of any sort here, so do your own research and check with your doctor first! before copying anything I've been doing for my health).
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, what a week so far
I've been doing well as far as sticking to eating what is IC & Candida friendly. The Vegan part I've had to out of necessity stray from. I feel guilty, but then again, you saw my 16 foods that were on my OK list (of meeting IC, Candida & Vegan standards). I really can not expect my body to heal and survive on just those green foods, and 2 kinds of nuts. When I felt myself getting so weak I thought I would pass out several times over the day. I decided I had to add in eggs.
I went to Kroger and bought two dozen expensive free range eggs. I wanted to buy local, but I was literally waning on the spot and Kroger is one minute from my house. I came home and scramble four of them and had them for dinner. Man did that help! I've not craved meat most of the time, and I've been Vegan for 2 1/2 months, so it was hard. Yet, there is just not enough protein in my other options for the next two weeks while I get this Candida under control.
I've been really busy with my daughters non-stop schedule (and my driving her to everything), my sister having her baby, and trying to get well. All my energy is drained. I've been really weepy, but mostly just with drawn and exhausted.
Yesterday was really hard on me, lots of driving. I tried to visit a little with my sister and the baby but her day is hectic too. So I only got to fire off a few shots of my Mom's visit, and then leave, never getting a chance to hold him. So I'll have to wait to love on him after they are home and settled in.
The driving has been an issue not helping me get well. Yet, last night I brought home my new water system. It provides me with amazing water. It's different than any of the other systems I've seen. Not nearly as expensive as many of them either. Though it still is an investment.
At any rate, it not only purifies my drinking water, it provides me with amazing healing levels of PH, oxygen & trace minerals! All of these are essential to my balancing my acidic, mineral/oxygen deficient body back into balance. This is a supplement to my goals. Not something I'm going to use as an excuse to eat things I no longer deem as actual food.
All of these factors though are mentioned on the yeast info site I posted previously. So another tool in my arsenal to battle the damage my body has suffered. Honestly I have already felt some of the benefits. I woke up with more energy and clarity today. I could tell a difference in ridding my waste too if that's not way TMI! (too much info). lol
I ate, eggs, avocado, broccoli, cucumber, and almonds yesterday. Today I had eggs, and plan on having a salad, and for dinner some steamed veggies. I've been too busy for pictures, and I figure the scrambled eggs just might hurt someone's feelings.
I can't wait to get back to my Kind Diet menu! I am craving so many things I've been eating for the past 2 months. Which when you think about it is a good thing! I'm sick, in pain, detoxing, stressed, busy, exhausted.... and I'm not craving bad for me foods. I'm craving good for me foods! ;-) I'll be able to add back in some grains and beans after my two weeks of treatment. So then I can be totally Vegan again. Woo Hoo!
So that's it for now. I'm still doing my very best, working so hard, sometimes I'm whining, other times I just suck it up. Either way I'm staying the course. ;-)
I went to Kroger and bought two dozen expensive free range eggs. I wanted to buy local, but I was literally waning on the spot and Kroger is one minute from my house. I came home and scramble four of them and had them for dinner. Man did that help! I've not craved meat most of the time, and I've been Vegan for 2 1/2 months, so it was hard. Yet, there is just not enough protein in my other options for the next two weeks while I get this Candida under control.
I've been really busy with my daughters non-stop schedule (and my driving her to everything), my sister having her baby, and trying to get well. All my energy is drained. I've been really weepy, but mostly just with drawn and exhausted.
Yesterday was really hard on me, lots of driving. I tried to visit a little with my sister and the baby but her day is hectic too. So I only got to fire off a few shots of my Mom's visit, and then leave, never getting a chance to hold him. So I'll have to wait to love on him after they are home and settled in.
The driving has been an issue not helping me get well. Yet, last night I brought home my new water system. It provides me with amazing water. It's different than any of the other systems I've seen. Not nearly as expensive as many of them either. Though it still is an investment.
At any rate, it not only purifies my drinking water, it provides me with amazing healing levels of PH, oxygen & trace minerals! All of these are essential to my balancing my acidic, mineral/oxygen deficient body back into balance. This is a supplement to my goals. Not something I'm going to use as an excuse to eat things I no longer deem as actual food.
All of these factors though are mentioned on the yeast info site I posted previously. So another tool in my arsenal to battle the damage my body has suffered. Honestly I have already felt some of the benefits. I woke up with more energy and clarity today. I could tell a difference in ridding my waste too if that's not way TMI! (too much info). lol
I ate, eggs, avocado, broccoli, cucumber, and almonds yesterday. Today I had eggs, and plan on having a salad, and for dinner some steamed veggies. I've been too busy for pictures, and I figure the scrambled eggs just might hurt someone's feelings.
I can't wait to get back to my Kind Diet menu! I am craving so many things I've been eating for the past 2 months. Which when you think about it is a good thing! I'm sick, in pain, detoxing, stressed, busy, exhausted.... and I'm not craving bad for me foods. I'm craving good for me foods! ;-) I'll be able to add back in some grains and beans after my two weeks of treatment. So then I can be totally Vegan again. Woo Hoo!
So that's it for now. I'm still doing my very best, working so hard, sometimes I'm whining, other times I just suck it up. Either way I'm staying the course. ;-)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Organic romaine, cucumbers, broccoli, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and a little flax oil for my omega needs.
It's Tuesday, and I feel better as far as the IC pain goes. I managed to get out yesterday and be there for my nephew's birth. Thank goodness! I felt better for that.
I'm starting to have the nausea from the die off. Detoxing is no fun and they told me to expect flu like symptoms. While my body tried to rid itself of the imbalance. I have to be so careful this week, as I have a wedding to shoot on Saturday. I have to be able to keep up with my schedule, but also take care of my body. It's such a crazy balancing act.
I will likely be up at the hospital later this afternoon. I want to see my nephew again, and maybe get a few more pictures. :-) He's so adorable.
Yesterday I had the above salad for late lunch/early dinner, for mid morning meal I ate left over cabbage and zucchini with coconut oil. That's all I could stomach those two meals.
This morning I can't even think about food I'm very nauseated and need to sleep a little longer, but my sister woke me up at 5AM texting me. Drugs and being up there I figure she hasn't' a clue about waking me up. ha ha I'm so happy she is doing OK and the baby is great.
This is her story: http://www.braden-kaleigh.blogspot.com/
It's Tuesday, and I feel better as far as the IC pain goes. I managed to get out yesterday and be there for my nephew's birth. Thank goodness! I felt better for that.
I'm starting to have the nausea from the die off. Detoxing is no fun and they told me to expect flu like symptoms. While my body tried to rid itself of the imbalance. I have to be so careful this week, as I have a wedding to shoot on Saturday. I have to be able to keep up with my schedule, but also take care of my body. It's such a crazy balancing act.
I will likely be up at the hospital later this afternoon. I want to see my nephew again, and maybe get a few more pictures. :-) He's so adorable.
Yesterday I had the above salad for late lunch/early dinner, for mid morning meal I ate left over cabbage and zucchini with coconut oil. That's all I could stomach those two meals.
This morning I can't even think about food I'm very nauseated and need to sleep a little longer, but my sister woke me up at 5AM texting me. Drugs and being up there I figure she hasn't' a clue about waking me up. ha ha I'm so happy she is doing OK and the baby is great.
This is her story: http://www.braden-kaleigh.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 24, 2010
confused and determined
So my plan of action: I'm overwhelmed and not really sure of everything, the only thing I have going for me is shear determination.
Stage 1, get my mercury fillings removed.
Also using some herbs to help my body cleanse itself. This week: Black Walnut Hulls, Milk Thistle, Pau D' Arco.
I also need to get my water situation involved, but I do not know the time line on this improvement I plan to make. I ph tested the brand I'm drinking and it's not in the range I need it to be. In addition my body needs more oxygen, so I may end up using a supplement in that area until I can get the filtration system.
Stage 2, cure the infection. Using Aqua Flora Advanced Candida Foundational Formula (homeopathic) Organic Coconut Oil, Oregano Oil, I can't take the Potassium Sorbate because that will burn the crap out of my bladder.
Stage 3, I'm taking an Enzyme protocol that my doctor has manufactured for his use. Also the super digestive enzymes I can not take right now because they are pineapple based and they also caused me intense pain reaction.
These protocols are for a few weeks, and I will be rotating differing products to keep the yeast from adapting.
Candida Diet:
Having IC and being Vegan, so many of the foods on this list that are OK are also OUT for me. Now don't freak out as this is a temporary change in my diet for the next two weeks I'll be doing this very extreme change and pray I survive! lol (and if I don't loose weight now I might shoot myself! ha ha, don't worry we have no weapons lol)
Now every vitamin I'm deficient in turns out are ones matching a classic case of Candida. Also the adrenal glands are affected more by Candida, not the thyroid, (which remember I was surprised I have no thyroid problems) I didn't do my adrenal test because I am eating so much cabbage and other veggies that interfere with the test. Right now since what I can eat is so limited I can't do it now either.
OK so here we go this is the IC safe, and Candida starving food list I have compiled for the next two weeks. Honestly since I need 90-100 grams of protein per week to be healthy I believe I'm going to have no choice but to add eggs to my diet temporarily. I have a very good farm I can get them from and I know for a fact they do make me feel better, as I was eating them before going Vegan.
My IC/Candida 2 week approved food list:
Alfalfa sprouts, Asparagus, Avocados, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Cabbage, Celery, Cucumber, Kale, Mustard greens, Spinach, Squash, Rhubarb, Almonds, Pumpkin seeds.
I know this is NOT much to choose from. I went and bought as many of these as I could that were organic. Last night I had a bowl of cabbage/zucchini/garlic lightly cooked in Coconut Oil, with a side of lightly toasted pumpkin seeds. It's all I had had all day long and I ate as much as I could for dinner. It wasn't easy.
Today I've not had any food yet. I've been super busy with my kids appointments and needs. I needed to start the morning with some of the supplements on an empty stomach and ran out of time to eat anything to take the rest of the supplements.
I am also taking Super Primrose, and HerBalance I (by Complementary Prescriptions company). According to the yeast infection advisor site, hormone imbalance is also Candida related, and sets up your immune system for weakening so part of the plan is to support this aspect of my health as well.(which my doctor has the protocol on the right track, but he didn't factor for my IC very well, and on top of that he wanted me to attack with a anti-fungal drug that I know will hurt me and set me up for relapse)
I'm taking Vitamin D and Zinc, I can't tolerate the multi-B supplement I am to be taking and the C supplement. Both of these vitamins I am very deficient in, but my IC flare/pain won't allow me to take anything to help right now.
Here is what I had for dinner:
Yeah I'm kinda freaking out too, right there with ya. You can join me if your crazy! LOL
No but honestly if you were sick for 6 months last year, so sick you felt like your only reason to be alive was to be a human pee factory, and knowing your body is trying to get sick down the same path this year, and finally having the 2nd most needed diagnostic information you've gone w/o for who knows how many years, you would be with me on doing whatever and anything it takes to help your body stop being sick and restore balance.
Honestly I already feel better, I've had some relief from the IC pain just from the Homeopathic Candida treatment. I know that this flare is related directly to the Candida as so many of them have been in the past.
I'll be able to add in a few more things as the IC flare gets under control, and continue with this aggressive change to balance out my yeast levels. Then well I'll continue doing whatever it's going to take to prevent relapse on both fronts.
I apologize to those who follow me strictly because of the Kind Diet. I am doing my very best here, and right now I'm extremely limited if I want to have real results for the long term. I hope though that you can see the need for yourself to keep working on self education to find the right exact path to eating healthy for your own body, what ever that means and whatever form it takes. Eat our way to health instead of eat our way and pop pills to an early grave.
Well my sister just called and she's in labor, so I better put together a very green meal and get ready to leave I have a nephew on his way today!
Stage 1, get my mercury fillings removed.
Also using some herbs to help my body cleanse itself. This week: Black Walnut Hulls, Milk Thistle, Pau D' Arco.
I also need to get my water situation involved, but I do not know the time line on this improvement I plan to make. I ph tested the brand I'm drinking and it's not in the range I need it to be. In addition my body needs more oxygen, so I may end up using a supplement in that area until I can get the filtration system.
Stage 2, cure the infection. Using Aqua Flora Advanced Candida Foundational Formula (homeopathic) Organic Coconut Oil, Oregano Oil, I can't take the Potassium Sorbate because that will burn the crap out of my bladder.
Stage 3, I'm taking an Enzyme protocol that my doctor has manufactured for his use. Also the super digestive enzymes I can not take right now because they are pineapple based and they also caused me intense pain reaction.
These protocols are for a few weeks, and I will be rotating differing products to keep the yeast from adapting.
Candida Diet:
Having IC and being Vegan, so many of the foods on this list that are OK are also OUT for me. Now don't freak out as this is a temporary change in my diet for the next two weeks I'll be doing this very extreme change and pray I survive! lol (and if I don't loose weight now I might shoot myself! ha ha, don't worry we have no weapons lol)
Now every vitamin I'm deficient in turns out are ones matching a classic case of Candida. Also the adrenal glands are affected more by Candida, not the thyroid, (which remember I was surprised I have no thyroid problems) I didn't do my adrenal test because I am eating so much cabbage and other veggies that interfere with the test. Right now since what I can eat is so limited I can't do it now either.
OK so here we go this is the IC safe, and Candida starving food list I have compiled for the next two weeks. Honestly since I need 90-100 grams of protein per week to be healthy I believe I'm going to have no choice but to add eggs to my diet temporarily. I have a very good farm I can get them from and I know for a fact they do make me feel better, as I was eating them before going Vegan.
My IC/Candida 2 week approved food list:
Alfalfa sprouts, Asparagus, Avocados, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Cabbage, Celery, Cucumber, Kale, Mustard greens, Spinach, Squash, Rhubarb, Almonds, Pumpkin seeds.
I know this is NOT much to choose from. I went and bought as many of these as I could that were organic. Last night I had a bowl of cabbage/zucchini/garlic lightly cooked in Coconut Oil, with a side of lightly toasted pumpkin seeds. It's all I had had all day long and I ate as much as I could for dinner. It wasn't easy.
Today I've not had any food yet. I've been super busy with my kids appointments and needs. I needed to start the morning with some of the supplements on an empty stomach and ran out of time to eat anything to take the rest of the supplements.
I am also taking Super Primrose, and HerBalance I (by Complementary Prescriptions company). According to the yeast infection advisor site, hormone imbalance is also Candida related, and sets up your immune system for weakening so part of the plan is to support this aspect of my health as well.(which my doctor has the protocol on the right track, but he didn't factor for my IC very well, and on top of that he wanted me to attack with a anti-fungal drug that I know will hurt me and set me up for relapse)
I'm taking Vitamin D and Zinc, I can't tolerate the multi-B supplement I am to be taking and the C supplement. Both of these vitamins I am very deficient in, but my IC flare/pain won't allow me to take anything to help right now.
Here is what I had for dinner:
No but honestly if you were sick for 6 months last year, so sick you felt like your only reason to be alive was to be a human pee factory, and knowing your body is trying to get sick down the same path this year, and finally having the 2nd most needed diagnostic information you've gone w/o for who knows how many years, you would be with me on doing whatever and anything it takes to help your body stop being sick and restore balance.
Honestly I already feel better, I've had some relief from the IC pain just from the Homeopathic Candida treatment. I know that this flare is related directly to the Candida as so many of them have been in the past.
I'll be able to add in a few more things as the IC flare gets under control, and continue with this aggressive change to balance out my yeast levels. Then well I'll continue doing whatever it's going to take to prevent relapse on both fronts.
I apologize to those who follow me strictly because of the Kind Diet. I am doing my very best here, and right now I'm extremely limited if I want to have real results for the long term. I hope though that you can see the need for yourself to keep working on self education to find the right exact path to eating healthy for your own body, what ever that means and whatever form it takes. Eat our way to health instead of eat our way and pop pills to an early grave.
Well my sister just called and she's in labor, so I better put together a very green meal and get ready to leave I have a nephew on his way today!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Slight change in direction for now
OK so this Candida diagnosis has thrown me for a big time loop. No this is not just a natural doc thinking I have this or that. This is a medical doctors diagnosis. Hence he wants me to take a prescription anti-fungal, which made me do LOTS of research over the past 3 days (I won't be using the drug in my protocol).
So far I believe I've found the solution, it will be VERY difficult to approach this, as an IC patient and a Vegan! As if it already wasn't hard enough!? ugh
I'm angry, frustrated, confused, empowered, weepy and delirious at this point. LOL
I do believe from what I know my Mom went through with treatments that actually put her IC in remission for several years now, that what this website says is true, and the true way to tackle and beat Candida/IC combo as a health issue. So here is the link to the extensive info I found and what I believe will actually help a person.
Yeast Infection Advisor
Now I have to tailor this advice to my Vegan and IC needs. I believe my IC flare is happening hand in hand with a Candida flare. Yes, I said flare, because I believe Candida for me has been also an up and down persistent problem in my health. Especially after everything I've read and things I know I've gone through over the years, things that helped, but then stopped helping me.
I believe that the reason I could find relief for a while in some things I did for my IC, then they would stop, actually are due to the Candida and not the IC. The reason it stopped helping the IC flare, was because over time the Candida had adapted to the treatment. Ugh In hind sight all of this is making a crystal clear picture of my struggles for the past 2 decades!
Knowledge is power! Now I'm gaining knowledge that will further help me on my path to good health.
So what am I eating, yesterday I had a slice of Ezekiel toast two times, and then a burrito of sorts. It had a layer of rices (several grains all organic and whole), azuka & pinto beans, fresh parsley from my garden, a whole shredded carrot, and fresh sliced avocado... all were IC friendly food choices. I'll have to eliminate all grains for about 2 weeks or so while I tackle this multi level health issue. But yesterday I knew less than I know today, and it will continue along this route until I find my path to wellness.
I didn't want to leave you w/o a photo. So here is what I had for late lunch/ early dinner yesterday.
So far I believe I've found the solution, it will be VERY difficult to approach this, as an IC patient and a Vegan! As if it already wasn't hard enough!? ugh
I'm angry, frustrated, confused, empowered, weepy and delirious at this point. LOL
I do believe from what I know my Mom went through with treatments that actually put her IC in remission for several years now, that what this website says is true, and the true way to tackle and beat Candida/IC combo as a health issue. So here is the link to the extensive info I found and what I believe will actually help a person.
Yeast Infection Advisor
Now I have to tailor this advice to my Vegan and IC needs. I believe my IC flare is happening hand in hand with a Candida flare. Yes, I said flare, because I believe Candida for me has been also an up and down persistent problem in my health. Especially after everything I've read and things I know I've gone through over the years, things that helped, but then stopped helping me.
I believe that the reason I could find relief for a while in some things I did for my IC, then they would stop, actually are due to the Candida and not the IC. The reason it stopped helping the IC flare, was because over time the Candida had adapted to the treatment. Ugh In hind sight all of this is making a crystal clear picture of my struggles for the past 2 decades!
Knowledge is power! Now I'm gaining knowledge that will further help me on my path to good health.
So what am I eating, yesterday I had a slice of Ezekiel toast two times, and then a burrito of sorts. It had a layer of rices (several grains all organic and whole), azuka & pinto beans, fresh parsley from my garden, a whole shredded carrot, and fresh sliced avocado... all were IC friendly food choices. I'll have to eliminate all grains for about 2 weeks or so while I tackle this multi level health issue. But yesterday I knew less than I know today, and it will continue along this route until I find my path to wellness.
I didn't want to leave you w/o a photo. So here is what I had for late lunch/ early dinner yesterday.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Antibiotics/Probiotics and Interstitial Cysitits
I have not taken antibiotics for nearly 20 years, I was in my late 20's when I realized they made me much sicker than they were worth. I have used natural antibiotic's for everything from strep throat, to UTI's. If you have used them, you may be suffering with many side effects as well......
IC challenge that just might help many of my readers as well. So many health troubles come from how we eat, so why not try this for the number of days. You never know you may find your path to wellness too! ;-)
IC Challenge
Green Smoothies
Green for Life
Raw Family
Green Smoothie Recipes, If you have IC be careful though some of these combinations have known fruits that can make you feel very bad when your bladder isn't well.... ie Strawberries and Banana's are my worst!
I am just now learning about these things myself. Since I'm in flare I'm very apprehensive about trying any of these things 'yet'. Still I wanted to pass on this information for anyone who might want to consider some of these methods. Maybe I'll be out of flare in time to start the challenge!? :-)
IC challenge that just might help many of my readers as well. So many health troubles come from how we eat, so why not try this for the number of days. You never know you may find your path to wellness too! ;-)
IC Challenge
Green Smoothies
Green for Life
Raw Family
Green Smoothie Recipes, If you have IC be careful though some of these combinations have known fruits that can make you feel very bad when your bladder isn't well.... ie Strawberries and Banana's are my worst!
I am just now learning about these things myself. Since I'm in flare I'm very apprehensive about trying any of these things 'yet'. Still I wanted to pass on this information for anyone who might want to consider some of these methods. Maybe I'll be out of flare in time to start the challenge!? :-)
Friday, May 21, 2010
It's all up to you anyhow
So before I took on this adventure I had gone to a doctor to have a battery of blood tests, urine, saliva, run on me to see where I was at with my health and what could be done to help me improve it. I really wanted to find out what I could do to restore my energy levels, and keep my IC under control.
Today I got all my tests results back. I was very surprised that the thyroid test came back in a normal range. That's the 2nd one I've had done in 15 years. I know there is some test out there that 'really' makes sure it's functioning, and I thought this was it, but they said no they just ran the standard test. UGH I asked for the real one. sigh
OK so anyhow, that came back 'normal', I had great cholesterol levels, which means they must be awesome now that I'm a vegan. LOL My blood sugar was fine, liver, kidney's fine. I have an out of range Cardio CRP, it's high, and that is an indicator of some type of inflammation that puts my heart at risk. I tried to get more info about it, but the answers to what exactly this inflammation is where it resides, and what it's doing/how it's fed I didn't not get satisfying answers for. Just a suppliment for inflammation was handed to me, take this you'll feel better.
Where I did need help was in my vitamin D, C, multiple B's, Omega's, also they added Zinc to my supplements.
My big issue is that I have too much yeast, Candidiasis. This is no surprise to me, and I'm actually relieved to finally have this health issue addressed. The treatment is going to make me sicker, raise my histamine levels and such. So since I'm already in the midst of a mega IC flare the LAST thing I want to do is take on the yeast.
I asked about treating my IC and he completely ignored this, by saying there are treatments all over the place, very expensive and hit and miss for results so it's up to me to do the leg work and decide if I want to try any of them. FUN!
Basically I walked out $300 poorer, with a plan of action I can't even start until my IC is under control again. Which puts me back to the title of this post: It's all up to you anyhow.
My healthy, my body, my job. It's yours too. They can't really help me, they can't control or even understand fully what goes on with my body. I've lived in all this time, I know it better than anyone, it's a matter of listening to myself and doing what works.
So one thing I'm going to be doing, not sure when but more will come on this topic you can look forward to. Is my water intake. This is a huge issue for someone with IC, having water that is IC safe. I want to find the answers to this and help my body help itself.
I know that my body wants to be well. I know that if I find what it needs it will do it's best. That's my belief. :-)
At any rate, I'm healthier than I thought on some levels, have an issue to address after this flare is under control, the yeast, and the rest is me continuing on this journey of eating choices as that's the greatest daily impact to my health I have total control over.
I would be disappointed if I had expected much of anything else from today's visit. I'm not, I think I'm even more determined to be the pilot of this ship.
I'm still living on very simple food for now, Ezekiel bread, greens, no salt, no sugar, no chemicals, no vinegar, no peppers, no acidic foods at all what so ever. Today I had carrots, squash, zucchini, and Ezekiel bread. Not much of any of it, when I'm in flare it gets to the point of being afraid to even eat anything for fear the pain will increase.
OK this is too long and your bored. ;-) More later .....
Today I got all my tests results back. I was very surprised that the thyroid test came back in a normal range. That's the 2nd one I've had done in 15 years. I know there is some test out there that 'really' makes sure it's functioning, and I thought this was it, but they said no they just ran the standard test. UGH I asked for the real one. sigh
OK so anyhow, that came back 'normal', I had great cholesterol levels, which means they must be awesome now that I'm a vegan. LOL My blood sugar was fine, liver, kidney's fine. I have an out of range Cardio CRP, it's high, and that is an indicator of some type of inflammation that puts my heart at risk. I tried to get more info about it, but the answers to what exactly this inflammation is where it resides, and what it's doing/how it's fed I didn't not get satisfying answers for. Just a suppliment for inflammation was handed to me, take this you'll feel better.
Where I did need help was in my vitamin D, C, multiple B's, Omega's, also they added Zinc to my supplements.
My big issue is that I have too much yeast, Candidiasis. This is no surprise to me, and I'm actually relieved to finally have this health issue addressed. The treatment is going to make me sicker, raise my histamine levels and such. So since I'm already in the midst of a mega IC flare the LAST thing I want to do is take on the yeast.
I asked about treating my IC and he completely ignored this, by saying there are treatments all over the place, very expensive and hit and miss for results so it's up to me to do the leg work and decide if I want to try any of them. FUN!
Basically I walked out $300 poorer, with a plan of action I can't even start until my IC is under control again. Which puts me back to the title of this post: It's all up to you anyhow.
My healthy, my body, my job. It's yours too. They can't really help me, they can't control or even understand fully what goes on with my body. I've lived in all this time, I know it better than anyone, it's a matter of listening to myself and doing what works.
So one thing I'm going to be doing, not sure when but more will come on this topic you can look forward to. Is my water intake. This is a huge issue for someone with IC, having water that is IC safe. I want to find the answers to this and help my body help itself.
I know that my body wants to be well. I know that if I find what it needs it will do it's best. That's my belief. :-)
At any rate, I'm healthier than I thought on some levels, have an issue to address after this flare is under control, the yeast, and the rest is me continuing on this journey of eating choices as that's the greatest daily impact to my health I have total control over.
I would be disappointed if I had expected much of anything else from today's visit. I'm not, I think I'm even more determined to be the pilot of this ship.
I'm still living on very simple food for now, Ezekiel bread, greens, no salt, no sugar, no chemicals, no vinegar, no peppers, no acidic foods at all what so ever. Today I had carrots, squash, zucchini, and Ezekiel bread. Not much of any of it, when I'm in flare it gets to the point of being afraid to even eat anything for fear the pain will increase.
OK this is too long and your bored. ;-) More later .....
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Living on simplicity
Today I woke up at 5AM in pain, miserable. It's like having the flu with chills, shakes, fever, then the unending pain of a UTI. FUN stuff.
So I asked my husband to do the driving the kids around for their appts. My body just has to have a day off.
I also read through my IC friendly food list, and have just sustained myself today on Almond butter, spread over Ezekiel toast. Then at lunch I had a small bowl of baked Kale chips that had been lightly oiled, but no salt added.
Sometimes when your in flare it's recommended you stick with one set of food items to give your body a chance to clear anything that may be making you worse. So that's my plan.
I worked at the computer all day processing print orders, designing products, and my breaks were helping my youngest with his reading & English.
I figure a photo of toast isn't very exciting even if I did put a sprig of parsley next to it. ha ha ;-)
So for now my cooking may not be very exciting or photographically picturesque. :-) more later!
So I asked my husband to do the driving the kids around for their appts. My body just has to have a day off.
I also read through my IC friendly food list, and have just sustained myself today on Almond butter, spread over Ezekiel toast. Then at lunch I had a small bowl of baked Kale chips that had been lightly oiled, but no salt added.
Sometimes when your in flare it's recommended you stick with one set of food items to give your body a chance to clear anything that may be making you worse. So that's my plan.
I worked at the computer all day processing print orders, designing products, and my breaks were helping my youngest with his reading & English.
I figure a photo of toast isn't very exciting even if I did put a sprig of parsley next to it. ha ha ;-)
So for now my cooking may not be very exciting or photographically picturesque. :-) more later!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Anger and self care
Saturday, my husband wanted to choose where we go out. I can't blame him he's been eating around me for 2 months. So we went to Logans Roadhouse, if you recall one of my hot spots before being a Vegan. I thought sure I can do this! Yet, between vegan and IC I was pretty far up a creek as choices on the menu goes.
So while sitting across from my hubby and his big bacon burger, and my son with his chicken tenders and BBQ sauce....
I read the menu to find no vegan protein options, no beans of any kind on the menu. So I ate peanuts, and worried about the salt (too much salt causes more pain for the IC). I wanted a salad, and thought I had them take off the non-vegan toppings but forgot about the bacon bits. Tried to scrap them off. Asked for dressing which is another IC no no and not exactly vegan either. I just didn't want to eat plain ice burg lettuce, ya know. sigh I took a few bite and realized either way not worth it. Gave my salad to my husband.
I order the rice pilaf, another mistake. Must have been a box mix, it was so salty and tasted of bouillon, the rice was broken down and melted in my mouth (quick starch) not like whole grain rice that you have to chew. The mushrooms were good, the sweet potato I had to send back they put Carmel on it way too much sugar that way. So basically eating vegan and IC safe at Logan's was a bust. I pretended I was happy and full, and enjoyed being with my men. :-)
It wasn't long after we got home that even those few bad bites, and salt peanuts where making me pay with extra pain. grrr I was angry. I put two kinds of beans out for soaking over night, and some millet to soak. To ensure I had something started for the new week.
Sunday I woke up more determined to make myself well. I printed up the most recent IC list and looking through my frig and pantry for foods that sooth the bladder. Yeah! More limitations. (sarcastically she exclaims)
Squash made the list of soothers. I do love squash! :-)
Squash soup is about the easiest food in the world to make! I started with breakfast though, made millet/squash porridge. I tried the white miso thinking because it was sweeter it would still be IC friendly, not. It messed me up for a few hours after it got into my system, so all miso is out for now! Akkkkk! This is going to be so frustrating because Miso I so love and it helps my digestion with all these veggies!
I did enjoy the millet with kombo, and celery also added it. I will just have to make it w/o white miso for a while.
Anyhow so squash soup soothes, and I made a big pot with the left over squash. Only took half of it to make a nice sized pot. It's just cubed pieces, water, cooking, mashing, a tiny bit of shoyu simmer, eat! It's so sweet and warm, fresh. It made me a little happier.
For dinner Sunday night my husband went to buy him and the boys groceries, I was pretty sick with my IC and didn't need to wear myself out more shopping for foods I don't eat anyhow. He was sweet and bought me an Amy's Vegan pizza. It had a few not so IC friendly things in it, so I took several preliefs and the a baking soda chaser to neutralize the acidic ingredients and hoped that would be OK, I needed something to go right. I was back on benedryl and pain relief already, still not doing that great.
Monday morning I had the drive to my sisters and day to spend with her. She's been released from bed rest and her rib has healed, but she's now able to go into labor at any time. With my nephew needing constant care though none of us want her to be alone if she goes into labor. He's not really been away from his Mom, and she from him. I crawled around the floor part of the day following his adventures. He's so into everything now I love this age! He's two...
At any rate, I packed left over porridge, squash soup, asuki beans, and mixed rice I had all made on Sunday, and my bottle water, medicines, camera. I was set to go. Hit the road. I did pretty well, until she drove through McD's after grocery shopping. I sat in the car with Braden (having been a mico premie he is not around other people yet) . I decided that a small fry wouldn't hurt. Dang it! too much salt and my med's wore off at the same time. So all day I was good until the hour long drive home I was miserable!
I think to myself why? did I cave. I think I get really angry because I see 'skinny' people eat things all the time. ya know, they don't think twice about that little fry, or doughnut they eat now and then. For me it's every little thing? Why did I eat that? What was I feeling? Will it make me sick? I was so mad on the way home I pulled off the interstate and was going to get a doughnut out of shear rebellion! then I crossed traffic and just got back on the interstate and went home. Just mad, just mad about the whole thing, but I had suddenly realized I've been doing this for 2 whole months now! I also though why treat myself badly because I'm mad?
So I made it home, had a little vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream, and left over udon noodles. Hot bath and bed.
Today I'm better. I'm still mad that one fry or one doughnut makes such an issue inside of me, that I feel guilty if I have one treat, and that it makes me feel like less of person than someone else. That people look at someone over weight and think bad of them if they are eating something sweet. I know I eat better than lots of people, I even did before I went vegan. I had made lots of changes, organic, farm fresh, etc, etc.... nothing has helped me get weight off to date. Last night my husband asked me how I was (referring to my IC) when I got home and I had a little tantrum. lol He was nice about it, I ranted. I'm two months in, even my son Harrisen now has had to have his jeans waste band go from the loosest to the tightest. Me now that I'm in flare I'm completely swollen and can't tell I've ever lost an ounce. It's so beyond frustrating! The IC prevents me from being able to work out in a way that will help me loose weight. I feel so stuck! breathe! sigh
OK so there you go the ugly truth of me feeling sorry for myself. ha Big hug for you! for even reading my rants. LOL ;-) I'll be good, for me it's to the point of this is it. This is where I'm at and even if eating this way doesn't get me to where I really want to go, it will keep me going longer and better than any other route. So there is no giving up or feeling this is optional. Nope this is my life and this is what I need to do to live it.
I'm not sure what I'm eating today, but it will be good choices and photo's will follow. Have a good one.
So while sitting across from my hubby and his big bacon burger, and my son with his chicken tenders and BBQ sauce....
I order the rice pilaf, another mistake. Must have been a box mix, it was so salty and tasted of bouillon, the rice was broken down and melted in my mouth (quick starch) not like whole grain rice that you have to chew. The mushrooms were good, the sweet potato I had to send back they put Carmel on it way too much sugar that way. So basically eating vegan and IC safe at Logan's was a bust. I pretended I was happy and full, and enjoyed being with my men. :-)
Sunday I woke up more determined to make myself well. I printed up the most recent IC list and looking through my frig and pantry for foods that sooth the bladder. Yeah! More limitations. (sarcastically she exclaims)
Squash made the list of soothers. I do love squash! :-)
I did enjoy the millet with kombo, and celery also added it. I will just have to make it w/o white miso for a while.
Monday morning I had the drive to my sisters and day to spend with her. She's been released from bed rest and her rib has healed, but she's now able to go into labor at any time. With my nephew needing constant care though none of us want her to be alone if she goes into labor. He's not really been away from his Mom, and she from him. I crawled around the floor part of the day following his adventures. He's so into everything now I love this age! He's two...
I think to myself why? did I cave. I think I get really angry because I see 'skinny' people eat things all the time. ya know, they don't think twice about that little fry, or doughnut they eat now and then. For me it's every little thing? Why did I eat that? What was I feeling? Will it make me sick? I was so mad on the way home I pulled off the interstate and was going to get a doughnut out of shear rebellion! then I crossed traffic and just got back on the interstate and went home. Just mad, just mad about the whole thing, but I had suddenly realized I've been doing this for 2 whole months now! I also though why treat myself badly because I'm mad?
So I made it home, had a little vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream, and left over udon noodles. Hot bath and bed.
Today I'm better. I'm still mad that one fry or one doughnut makes such an issue inside of me, that I feel guilty if I have one treat, and that it makes me feel like less of person than someone else. That people look at someone over weight and think bad of them if they are eating something sweet. I know I eat better than lots of people, I even did before I went vegan. I had made lots of changes, organic, farm fresh, etc, etc.... nothing has helped me get weight off to date. Last night my husband asked me how I was (referring to my IC) when I got home and I had a little tantrum. lol He was nice about it, I ranted. I'm two months in, even my son Harrisen now has had to have his jeans waste band go from the loosest to the tightest. Me now that I'm in flare I'm completely swollen and can't tell I've ever lost an ounce. It's so beyond frustrating! The IC prevents me from being able to work out in a way that will help me loose weight. I feel so stuck! breathe! sigh
OK so there you go the ugly truth of me feeling sorry for myself. ha Big hug for you! for even reading my rants. LOL ;-) I'll be good, for me it's to the point of this is it. This is where I'm at and even if eating this way doesn't get me to where I really want to go, it will keep me going longer and better than any other route. So there is no giving up or feeling this is optional. Nope this is my life and this is what I need to do to live it.
I'm not sure what I'm eating today, but it will be good choices and photo's will follow. Have a good one.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
What ever it takes
I may have been pretty whipped on Tuesday, running on 3 hours sleep in full flare with my health and worked all day helping my sister, kinda freaking out about my weeks schedule ahead of me... but well what ever it takes to keep going that's what I'm up for.
I wanted to share our cooking on Monday, we made egg rolls ourselves. Now I didn't know that the egg part came from the wrap, sadly it's last ingredient is 'eggs'. So even though it said 'spring rolls or egg rolls' I need to go with the 'rice' wrap in the future. Still we were so in the mood for egg rolls we made them anyhow. lol
I was also being adventurous and trying some new foods, two kinds of mushrooms (which I neglected to write down what they were but packaged in plastic and known for their B vitamins and from japan?), also a new green leafy veggie that started with a "T". Maybe I can find out what they were next time I shop. :-)
I added these items to the stir fry and the egg rolls. New flavors, fresh cooked, it all came together so nicely we had a variation for lunch and dinner as well.
One of the types of mushrooms and the new leafy green in the back ground.
The many foods I cooked down for the egg rolls, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, onions, I also added in the wrapped up some Eden's Hiziki-Wild, Hand Harvested in protected waters sea vegetables. So we had a big variety of nutritional sources in our stir fry and egg rolls, and it was all delicious.
Here was lunch & dinner:
You know how Tuesday and Wednesday went from my previous post.
Thursday was also a big day. Up at the crack of dawn to take my daughter to do her volunteer bible education work. Home to get all my gear together and checked and packed, etc. Husband was home all day to keep the boys.
I was still taking pain relievers, benedryl, and prelief to ease the pain from the IC. I felt terrible and dizzy and just slap exhausted. I had a long day ahead of me, as we were going out to document the Helping Healing Hearts golf charity fund raising event.
I ate a bowl of rice with a little maple syrup and lots of walnuts for breakfast. My body was so off kilter that my pupils were dilating big to small rapidly and each eye at different rates. It took the breakfast a while to start kicking in and helping me stabilize. I realized I would have to stop taking any more medicine and hope that the IC pain would hold off for the day.
I picked up my daughter at 10:30 and we hurried up and had Ezekiel wrapped burritos, basically I threw in whatever we had, beans, rice, veggies, tofu. It was an odd mix of flavors but we didn't' care we just wanted to be sure to eat something that would make sure we could keep up with our day.
(Miranda on the golf course bridge waiting for the next team to make it to the hole)
It did though, those two meals got us through and our day was long. We arrived on site for 11:30, the kick off was at 1PM, but there was sign up, lunch, silent auction items, as well as the putting competition before the official tee off. We had our own golf cart and there was much wait time here and there through out the day. That was a blessing, I was able to relax enjoy this time with my daughter. The weather was beautiful the golfers cheerful, for 'work' it was really great. I've never been out on a golf course all day before and it was so nice. I can see why people play!
Well we wrapped up and headed out at a 5:45, and drove back home quickly. One of my daughters friends was in her jr. high talent show and we really needed to make it. It started at 6:15, so no time for shower, or changing, or even a bite. We went straight there, hot, tired and hungry.
Still it was such a cute event! I mean some well you wonder, but there was some real talent too. lol It was fun, and then we ate out at Taco Express, "veggie/vegan" burritos. Wow, sometimes food tastes so good. ha ha
Home for 10PM, hot bath and to bed, with drugs to ensure my bladder let me get my much needed sleep.
Friday was more of the same, up at the crack of dawn to take daughter to meet her group. Back home to figure out gear, laundry, a few minutes with my boys, cleaning, breakfast... what did I have? I'm trying to remember if I had anything? hmmm.
Anyhow, maybe I didn't eat. I know what I did for lunch though I made fried Udon noodles, been a little while since I had that. It's a quick easy meal and cabbage gives me nice calm energy.
I was able to use the fresh parsley from my own back yard what you might call a garden but not so much this year. I have parsley, basil and cilantro and some weeds for now. lol
Then I was out the door to do my engagement session. They were so sweet and fun, and she is beautiful! I mean I just love her smile and face and attitude. :-) Not only that it was 100% humidity and her hair was amazingly frizz free! It's the little things. lol It was fun, but it was a bit daunting in that the weather was threatening some wicked strength the whole time. I wasn't sure if we could pull off a full session. We did though, and I love their images! I think engagements are just definitely one of the most joyful things to do in life. :-) Cassie & Joe click if you want to see their preview.
I did though get caught in the deluge on the way home, first off the interstate was backed up, so I was on the back roads. The sky let loose! Buckets of rain, hydroplaning on the flash flooded road, not to mention the hail that was pounding my car! ugh I was tempted to stop and get myself something less than stellar.
I called Joel to check the radar on his computer and see if I should keep driving or pull over. I made it out of the worst of the weather and resisted temptation. I made it home.
I had 30 mins before it was time to get back in the car with kids and daughter and drive her up to Lebanon to meet her friend where she is spending the weekend. I had a bad headache from the weather front and the tension of driving in those awful conditions.
Harrisen made me a small bowl of coconut milk ice cream. :-) My yes it's stellar treat. lol
It was 2 hours at least on the road there and back, we had veggie subs for dinner me and the kids before her friend arrived.
Came home, to crash,.. but my bladder kept me up and I had those engagement pictures calling to me. I was up to 3AM drinking water, letting meds kick in, editing pictures.
This morning I slept late, and all I've had so far is a piece of bread with almond butter. I've handle client emails, and details, cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed the downstairs, and now I'm blogging! ha
In a little while we are going to head out me, hubby and the boys for a late lunch early dinner. I don't know what I'll be having as we are doing wher Joel wants to go, so I'll have a challenge in finding vegan, but I know I can do it. ;-)
At any rate, I don't feel so bad about Tuesday now. I had to have that protein from McD's to get through the cleaning, drugs and lack of sleep. All my sister had that was close to vegan was the peanut butter, white bread, and oreo's (which is running joke with some of my friends because apparently they count as vegan lol), and the oysters well we already know I've decided that's my one treat, and considering this week and my long days, being sick.... I'm just patting myself on the back for getting through this at all!
Maybe tomorrow I can buy some fresh foods, and cook something fancy for dinner. :-) I miss a nice big vegan inspiration meal.
Ok this is a BIG catch up this week, sorry for the long post. Just makes me feel better to have it all down.
I wanted to share our cooking on Monday, we made egg rolls ourselves. Now I didn't know that the egg part came from the wrap, sadly it's last ingredient is 'eggs'. So even though it said 'spring rolls or egg rolls' I need to go with the 'rice' wrap in the future. Still we were so in the mood for egg rolls we made them anyhow. lol
I was also being adventurous and trying some new foods, two kinds of mushrooms (which I neglected to write down what they were but packaged in plastic and known for their B vitamins and from japan?), also a new green leafy veggie that started with a "T". Maybe I can find out what they were next time I shop. :-)
I added these items to the stir fry and the egg rolls. New flavors, fresh cooked, it all came together so nicely we had a variation for lunch and dinner as well.
One of the types of mushrooms and the new leafy green in the back ground.
Thursday was also a big day. Up at the crack of dawn to take my daughter to do her volunteer bible education work. Home to get all my gear together and checked and packed, etc. Husband was home all day to keep the boys.
I was still taking pain relievers, benedryl, and prelief to ease the pain from the IC. I felt terrible and dizzy and just slap exhausted. I had a long day ahead of me, as we were going out to document the Helping Healing Hearts golf charity fund raising event.
I ate a bowl of rice with a little maple syrup and lots of walnuts for breakfast. My body was so off kilter that my pupils were dilating big to small rapidly and each eye at different rates. It took the breakfast a while to start kicking in and helping me stabilize. I realized I would have to stop taking any more medicine and hope that the IC pain would hold off for the day.
I picked up my daughter at 10:30 and we hurried up and had Ezekiel wrapped burritos, basically I threw in whatever we had, beans, rice, veggies, tofu. It was an odd mix of flavors but we didn't' care we just wanted to be sure to eat something that would make sure we could keep up with our day.
(Miranda on the golf course bridge waiting for the next team to make it to the hole)
Well we wrapped up and headed out at a 5:45, and drove back home quickly. One of my daughters friends was in her jr. high talent show and we really needed to make it. It started at 6:15, so no time for shower, or changing, or even a bite. We went straight there, hot, tired and hungry.
Still it was such a cute event! I mean some well you wonder, but there was some real talent too. lol It was fun, and then we ate out at Taco Express, "veggie/vegan" burritos. Wow, sometimes food tastes so good. ha ha
Home for 10PM, hot bath and to bed, with drugs to ensure my bladder let me get my much needed sleep.
Friday was more of the same, up at the crack of dawn to take daughter to meet her group. Back home to figure out gear, laundry, a few minutes with my boys, cleaning, breakfast... what did I have? I'm trying to remember if I had anything? hmmm.
Anyhow, maybe I didn't eat. I know what I did for lunch though I made fried Udon noodles, been a little while since I had that. It's a quick easy meal and cabbage gives me nice calm energy.
I was able to use the fresh parsley from my own back yard what you might call a garden but not so much this year. I have parsley, basil and cilantro and some weeds for now. lol
Then I was out the door to do my engagement session. They were so sweet and fun, and she is beautiful! I mean I just love her smile and face and attitude. :-) Not only that it was 100% humidity and her hair was amazingly frizz free! It's the little things. lol It was fun, but it was a bit daunting in that the weather was threatening some wicked strength the whole time. I wasn't sure if we could pull off a full session. We did though, and I love their images! I think engagements are just definitely one of the most joyful things to do in life. :-) Cassie & Joe click if you want to see their preview.
I did though get caught in the deluge on the way home, first off the interstate was backed up, so I was on the back roads. The sky let loose! Buckets of rain, hydroplaning on the flash flooded road, not to mention the hail that was pounding my car! ugh I was tempted to stop and get myself something less than stellar.
I called Joel to check the radar on his computer and see if I should keep driving or pull over. I made it out of the worst of the weather and resisted temptation. I made it home.
I had 30 mins before it was time to get back in the car with kids and daughter and drive her up to Lebanon to meet her friend where she is spending the weekend. I had a bad headache from the weather front and the tension of driving in those awful conditions.
Harrisen made me a small bowl of coconut milk ice cream. :-) My yes it's stellar treat. lol
It was 2 hours at least on the road there and back, we had veggie subs for dinner me and the kids before her friend arrived.
Came home, to crash,.. but my bladder kept me up and I had those engagement pictures calling to me. I was up to 3AM drinking water, letting meds kick in, editing pictures.
This morning I slept late, and all I've had so far is a piece of bread with almond butter. I've handle client emails, and details, cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed the downstairs, and now I'm blogging! ha
In a little while we are going to head out me, hubby and the boys for a late lunch early dinner. I don't know what I'll be having as we are doing wher Joel wants to go, so I'll have a challenge in finding vegan, but I know I can do it. ;-)
At any rate, I don't feel so bad about Tuesday now. I had to have that protein from McD's to get through the cleaning, drugs and lack of sleep. All my sister had that was close to vegan was the peanut butter, white bread, and oreo's (which is running joke with some of my friends because apparently they count as vegan lol), and the oysters well we already know I've decided that's my one treat, and considering this week and my long days, being sick.... I'm just patting myself on the back for getting through this at all!
Maybe tomorrow I can buy some fresh foods, and cook something fancy for dinner. :-) I miss a nice big vegan inspiration meal.
Ok this is a BIG catch up this week, sorry for the long post. Just makes me feel better to have it all down.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Flair ..... fall ...... sweetest moments
Monday, I was finding myself feeling very emotional, strung out and unable to keep my cool. By Monday night the reason was painfully apparent. My first "flair" since going Vegan. Not a pretty thing. I have a medical condition that has reared it's ugly self again, IC . If you've ever had a UTI then you can at least comprehend a little what it's like.
I was up at 2AM digging through every drawer and cabinet to find something to ease the pain. I couldn't find but one of my helpers, and it wasn't doing the trick. I came down stairs to the computer to find out if there was anything on the site to help or try that I might have forgotten or not known about. Suggestion, acetaminophen and anti histamine. I had Excedrin and Benedryl, that with a hot bath and I managed to get 3 hours of sleep.
I have this crazy week of things going on and I do not have time to get sick! Do any of us? I think not. sigh I get up Tuesday and well your not suppose to make long drives when your flair. It's an hour to my sisters house, who needs my help. I go, and clean her house all day for her. (she's about to have her 2nd son). It actually felt good. I was able to take my frustration of being in pain and the worry of how bad will it get this week out on the messes that needed to be cleaned. So in a way I felt better even though it wore me out more.
What did I eat though? yeah your not going to be happy with me. I drove through and got a chicken biscuit on the way to her house that morning, had bunny bread (the white stuff) with 'natural' whatever that's suppose to mean Jiff peanut butter (lots of sugar), and 2 of those oreo stick things? When I left her house between the Excedrin and Benedryl, excessive amount of sugar I was not myself, nor did I care. I called my husband to go out for dinner with me. We went to Cajun Steamers, I had fried oysters and fried okra. Yeah I'm having a good day, not. sigh
Yesterday I did a little better, slept a little later to catch myself up. Got a text from my photographer friend who wanted to 'practice' family. She is doing this amazing day of shooting families on the rail road tracks with her awesome RED couch on Saturday. Being as she gives families more time than the time slots she's trying for this event, she wanted to do a run through. I wanted pics on that red couch! lol So in 45 mins I went from drugged PJ Mom to coordinated family out the door for fancy photo shoot Mom.
I grabbed some of our left over egg rolls to eat at the shoot. When we get home our former neighbor is in the state. We had a play date, she arrives, and we talk the boys play I ignore the fact that I'm hungry, because will I'm on Exedrin and Benedryl and I'm not myself at all. I feel wonky, dizzy, hyper, dazed, on edge all at the same time. BUT my bladder doesn't burn and hurt. ??? sigh
Then I'm out the door to take my daughter to her Drivers Ed class. I have 3 hours to kill. I go to Pancho's veggie fajita's it is. I'm painfully aware of every single spice I now taste in this food, knowing it's an irritant to my condition. I'm starving though! It's nearly 4PM and I've two egg rolls all day. I bring the left overs for my daughter on her break to try and wolf down. I spent the rest of my time at Sam's Club in the fancy $500 out door swing reading a Michael Pollan book In Defense of Food. Hard read in that he is wordy and genius, but very interesting information. I'm going to have to buy myself a copy.
We get home and have 15 mins to change and make our bible meeting. Out the door. Get home 10PM, and I'm just sick of this drugged haze I'm in. This is how I always felt, wired up and dazed! I've worked so hard to avoid these feelings this exact physical and mental state and here I am drugging myself to keep going. sigh
Sadly I have two more days of this to get through. Today I'm off to donate my professional services to a worthy cause. HHH. They are having a fund raising golfing event and I'll be photographing the teams and details of the day. Then tomorrow I have an engagement session and need to drive my daughter out to her friends 99 miles from our driveway to theirs. So to say I'll be pushing my body is an understatement.
I need to be off my feet, and taking total care of myself so that this flair is short lived, but of course it happens when that's impossible. I'm hoping I can crash on Saturday, and that I'll be able to recoup quickly. I have a wedding at the end of the month and I know I have to be OK by then.
Anyhow.... yesterday I did fine as a Vegan but under ate. I'm back on track with food. I don't know how today will go. I'm going to go make myself a real Vegan breakfast and hope that helps me some to get this drugged feeling under control. sigh Sorry no photo's for now.
So your wondering.... Flair/IC, fall/bad food choices, sweetest moments???? Last night at our congregation my youngest son started to cry, I had no idea what was wrong so I made him get up and we went out side to talk. He was remembering his Grandpa's funeral and feeling really sad and missing his Grandpa. :-( He opened up to me and started to feel better. He said "I need a real hug" and grabbed me we hugged and suddenly be both realized he was reaching all the way around me! His fingers could touch on the other side! My son is nearly 11 and he's never been able to reach all the way around me when he's hugged me. We both cried and laughed! So there it is my sweetest moment in all this chaos and drama. :-)
I was up at 2AM digging through every drawer and cabinet to find something to ease the pain. I couldn't find but one of my helpers, and it wasn't doing the trick. I came down stairs to the computer to find out if there was anything on the site to help or try that I might have forgotten or not known about. Suggestion, acetaminophen and anti histamine. I had Excedrin and Benedryl, that with a hot bath and I managed to get 3 hours of sleep.
I have this crazy week of things going on and I do not have time to get sick! Do any of us? I think not. sigh I get up Tuesday and well your not suppose to make long drives when your flair. It's an hour to my sisters house, who needs my help. I go, and clean her house all day for her. (she's about to have her 2nd son). It actually felt good. I was able to take my frustration of being in pain and the worry of how bad will it get this week out on the messes that needed to be cleaned. So in a way I felt better even though it wore me out more.
What did I eat though? yeah your not going to be happy with me. I drove through and got a chicken biscuit on the way to her house that morning, had bunny bread (the white stuff) with 'natural' whatever that's suppose to mean Jiff peanut butter (lots of sugar), and 2 of those oreo stick things? When I left her house between the Excedrin and Benedryl, excessive amount of sugar I was not myself, nor did I care. I called my husband to go out for dinner with me. We went to Cajun Steamers, I had fried oysters and fried okra. Yeah I'm having a good day, not. sigh
Yesterday I did a little better, slept a little later to catch myself up. Got a text from my photographer friend who wanted to 'practice' family. She is doing this amazing day of shooting families on the rail road tracks with her awesome RED couch on Saturday. Being as she gives families more time than the time slots she's trying for this event, she wanted to do a run through. I wanted pics on that red couch! lol So in 45 mins I went from drugged PJ Mom to coordinated family out the door for fancy photo shoot Mom.
I grabbed some of our left over egg rolls to eat at the shoot. When we get home our former neighbor is in the state. We had a play date, she arrives, and we talk the boys play I ignore the fact that I'm hungry, because will I'm on Exedrin and Benedryl and I'm not myself at all. I feel wonky, dizzy, hyper, dazed, on edge all at the same time. BUT my bladder doesn't burn and hurt. ??? sigh
Then I'm out the door to take my daughter to her Drivers Ed class. I have 3 hours to kill. I go to Pancho's veggie fajita's it is. I'm painfully aware of every single spice I now taste in this food, knowing it's an irritant to my condition. I'm starving though! It's nearly 4PM and I've two egg rolls all day. I bring the left overs for my daughter on her break to try and wolf down. I spent the rest of my time at Sam's Club in the fancy $500 out door swing reading a Michael Pollan book In Defense of Food. Hard read in that he is wordy and genius, but very interesting information. I'm going to have to buy myself a copy.
We get home and have 15 mins to change and make our bible meeting. Out the door. Get home 10PM, and I'm just sick of this drugged haze I'm in. This is how I always felt, wired up and dazed! I've worked so hard to avoid these feelings this exact physical and mental state and here I am drugging myself to keep going. sigh
Sadly I have two more days of this to get through. Today I'm off to donate my professional services to a worthy cause. HHH. They are having a fund raising golfing event and I'll be photographing the teams and details of the day. Then tomorrow I have an engagement session and need to drive my daughter out to her friends 99 miles from our driveway to theirs. So to say I'll be pushing my body is an understatement.
I need to be off my feet, and taking total care of myself so that this flair is short lived, but of course it happens when that's impossible. I'm hoping I can crash on Saturday, and that I'll be able to recoup quickly. I have a wedding at the end of the month and I know I have to be OK by then.
Anyhow.... yesterday I did fine as a Vegan but under ate. I'm back on track with food. I don't know how today will go. I'm going to go make myself a real Vegan breakfast and hope that helps me some to get this drugged feeling under control. sigh Sorry no photo's for now.
So your wondering.... Flair/IC, fall/bad food choices, sweetest moments???? Last night at our congregation my youngest son started to cry, I had no idea what was wrong so I made him get up and we went out side to talk. He was remembering his Grandpa's funeral and feeling really sad and missing his Grandpa. :-( He opened up to me and started to feel better. He said "I need a real hug" and grabbed me we hugged and suddenly be both realized he was reaching all the way around me! His fingers could touch on the other side! My son is nearly 11 and he's never been able to reach all the way around me when he's hugged me. We both cried and laughed! So there it is my sweetest moment in all this chaos and drama. :-)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Success's
Well guess what?! My husband noticed I'm loosing weight! You might think of course he would be the first to notice, but that's just about opposite of the truth. lol I could get 12 inches cut off my hair and the man would likely not know for days until I asked him to LOOK at my hair. ha ha He is known for being oblivious to changes around him at home. He works hard so we forgive him. ;-) Anyhow, his saying so was so big to me, because it means it's real. :-)
I've noticed the changes of course, but it's so nice to have it validated. I have these Capri jeans, and I can't wear them with a belt, because the belt would be up under my bra. lol What that means in pounds I have no idea, have a changed a dress size? I'm not really sure, but definitely half a dress size. :-)
The loss is different than other times I've went down a bit. These changes are deeper, and many subtle things have changed in my body and mind. One big thing is calm, I feel calmer at all times, even when I'm hectic and stressed, physically I have this calm in my cells.
Another change is that when I'm upset, or have a mood swing I actually do know what I'm upset about. It no longer feels random or unprovoked. I know exactly what I'm mood swinging over and can tell my family, let me be I'm so upset about ..... SO much better for all of us. I feel a sense of dignity in that instead of this out of control moment where I snap at someone and don't know why? Eating bad things for you masks what your feeling, so you don't know what's going on within. There is no mask now, it's just real my mind is not fuzzy anymore.
We've eaten out several times over the past 3 day weekend. At the movies we saw two in a row "How to save your Dragon" and "Iron Man 2". I did have some popcorn, but no butter and only some. We had had vegan burrito's before hand and that got us through. One new place for me was Buca di Beppo . My daughter and I had their green salad, and veggie pizza with no cheese! So nice to have a new place for special occasions.
Today we are going to make our own egg rolls. I'm excited about trying this out. I love egg rolls, so making our own is a great way to keep them vegan. ;-)
One of the other things I've learned is how key breakfast is. I really need it to be very SuperHero at least 4 times a week to keep on track. It's that start to the day and commitment to my plan, but also it really keeps me feeling my very best.
Sunday morning I made steamed bok choy, miso soup, and fried mochi. It was so delicious. Of course the men in our lives only had the Mochi! lol Still it was really yummy, and the first time I've made the mochi usually Miranda has made it. We had two types, cinnamon raisin and regular.
Sunday Breakfast!
Fried Mochi tastes so much like mini french toasts, and with the real maple syrup it's definitely a delicious sweet treat!
I've noticed the changes of course, but it's so nice to have it validated. I have these Capri jeans, and I can't wear them with a belt, because the belt would be up under my bra. lol What that means in pounds I have no idea, have a changed a dress size? I'm not really sure, but definitely half a dress size. :-)
The loss is different than other times I've went down a bit. These changes are deeper, and many subtle things have changed in my body and mind. One big thing is calm, I feel calmer at all times, even when I'm hectic and stressed, physically I have this calm in my cells.
Another change is that when I'm upset, or have a mood swing I actually do know what I'm upset about. It no longer feels random or unprovoked. I know exactly what I'm mood swinging over and can tell my family, let me be I'm so upset about ..... SO much better for all of us. I feel a sense of dignity in that instead of this out of control moment where I snap at someone and don't know why? Eating bad things for you masks what your feeling, so you don't know what's going on within. There is no mask now, it's just real my mind is not fuzzy anymore.
We've eaten out several times over the past 3 day weekend. At the movies we saw two in a row "How to save your Dragon" and "Iron Man 2". I did have some popcorn, but no butter and only some. We had had vegan burrito's before hand and that got us through. One new place for me was Buca di Beppo . My daughter and I had their green salad, and veggie pizza with no cheese! So nice to have a new place for special occasions.
Today we are going to make our own egg rolls. I'm excited about trying this out. I love egg rolls, so making our own is a great way to keep them vegan. ;-)
One of the other things I've learned is how key breakfast is. I really need it to be very SuperHero at least 4 times a week to keep on track. It's that start to the day and commitment to my plan, but also it really keeps me feeling my very best.
Sunday morning I made steamed bok choy, miso soup, and fried mochi. It was so delicious. Of course the men in our lives only had the Mochi! lol Still it was really yummy, and the first time I've made the mochi usually Miranda has made it. We had two types, cinnamon raisin and regular.
Sunday Breakfast!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Eating out & calorie counting
This week has been hectic and we've ate out often. Here though is a pasta dinner we made one night. Quick, vegan, organic, comforting. I love putting tons of things into my salads, nuts are such a great replacement for croutons.
Which between this and having watched Ruby, my daughter loosing two dress sizes and me none. It has had me looking more at my calorie count even in my vegan choices. I need to watch for those hidden calories when I'm out. And I could lay off the coconut milk ice cream a little. I mean it's so expensive I can't afford to eat much, and one container has 4 servings 150 calories each. I get at least 6 servers out of the carton. So it's a little at a time just to keep me from cheating in a bad way.
So we settled on beans, a green salad with oil and vinegar, and fried okra. I'm pretty sure they used a ham hock to add flavor to those beans, but I didn't eat any meat in my bowl. The salad wasn't much, ice burg lettuce, tomato and cucumber. The fried okra was a treat. We enjoyed our meal and felt proud of ourselves, because you know how those hole in the wall back country diners hamburgers are so good! They brought them out to other tables over and over, they looked great.
I wasn't as tempted as one might think, because well I know that makes me feel terrible! I would have been over full, weighed down, bloated, and too miserable for the tour. We kept each other on the path. Even though right there at our table was a reminder of how the food industry wants you to keep blinders on and consume what they want to sell:
Just look at that message! Need I say more?? I think not, I may not be fighting a moral battle here on my choice to be a vegan. Like I said in the beginning I'm just a person trying to save myself, my health. Yet you have to take a second to think on this one don't you. How does advertising shape your food choices?
We have been going to Genghis Grill , and having Vegan Fajita's at Mexican place (asking for whole beans is helpful) this week. It's been extra hectic, we have a visiting speaker at our congregation all week, so we have extra activities, my husband is on a stay at home vacation, and my daughter started her driving classes which keep me on the road back and forth dropping her and picking her up. I've been going going going and hardly home. So cooking hasn't happened much. I've made one breakfast this week, had it twice. Skipped breakfast twice as well. Then end up having to eat out to survive. Which got me asking Genghis for their ingredient list on those sauces. What a shocker! I mean I figured they had some sugar, but one of them it was the first ingredient and in others it was in 3 different forms. OK this doesn't even take into consideration the calories! 100+ in some per pump! it takes 5-6 pumps to fill up your cup thingy. So there you go healthful meal ruined so quickly. At all costs avoid those pumped sauces! sheesh.
Which between this and having watched Ruby, my daughter loosing two dress sizes and me none. It has had me looking more at my calorie count even in my vegan choices. I need to watch for those hidden calories when I'm out. And I could lay off the coconut milk ice cream a little. I mean it's so expensive I can't afford to eat much, and one container has 4 servings 150 calories each. I get at least 6 servers out of the carton. So it's a little at a time just to keep me from cheating in a bad way.
Still I want to loose weight. Which I did get some help on that topic the other night. I was talking to a newer friend of mine. Who's lost weight and struggled. She told me she's lost 20-30 pounds and didn't go down a whole dress size. It got me to thinking about this... how much I do go up and down in my weight and not change my actual dress size. Hmmmmm, tied in with that denial thread when I was watching Ruby. I realize that I probably do go up and down 20+ pounds on a regular basis and just ignored it all this time.
Anyhow, I have lost weight (not brave enough to add a scale to this venture yet but I'm considering one). I can see it in several ways now, my pants and sleeves are longer. I know that sounds silly but when your round and you become less round things hang down farther that's all. My waist bands go up higher than before, and my skirts are longer now.
Tuesday I put on a dress I quit wearing and it looked really nice on me again! :-) It made me feel so happy! I could really tell I'm loosing some bulk. yeah! Motivation!
On that same day we took a drive as a family to Lynchburg, TN to take the tour of where they make Jack Daniels. Something fun and vacation oriented my husband came up with. We've lived here 10 years and never gone. So it was high time. (it also was a break from all the stress of the recent bad weather)
Well finding a Vegan lunch in this tiny town based on tourist who want to buy whiskey was a bit of a challenge to say the least.
We went to several places and read through their menu's trying to find a decent meal that would keep us going.
Miranda pondering the choices?
I wasn't as tempted as one might think, because well I know that makes me feel terrible! I would have been over full, weighed down, bloated, and too miserable for the tour. We kept each other on the path. Even though right there at our table was a reminder of how the food industry wants you to keep blinders on and consume what they want to sell:
Just look at that message! Need I say more?? I think not, I may not be fighting a moral battle here on my choice to be a vegan. Like I said in the beginning I'm just a person trying to save myself, my health. Yet you have to take a second to think on this one don't you. How does advertising shape your food choices?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)