Archives for July 2012

stop doing for Him and instead BE with Him

July 24, 2012
There is no peace in busyness I’m learning.
And the grass is indeed greener on the other side.
And sometimes, I believe, God allows you what desire (even when it’s not His) to prove to you, your ways are definitely not as good as His.

Sometimes I wish I didn’t think or reflect so much.
I wish I could just float along happily with life and not notice every little thing, every little feeling, whether it be mine or someone elses.

Lately, my life and it’s wants and desires are shifting unintentionally.
And it confuses me.
How could the things and life I’ve always wanted suddenly not be as fulfilling as I dreamed and hoped?

Is this God’s prompting?
Or my own fears driving me?

And I know enough to know, the only way to find answers is to go to Him.
With discipline, I must make time every day to sit at His feet and listen.
I need to stop talking and insisting and asking, and instead just be open and willing.

Sometimes we have to stop doing for Him, and instead BE with Him.

That’s just where I am right now….

© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”

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corn free, soy free, gluten free, dairy free, free!!!!

July 19, 2012
With all the health stuff I’ve had going on over the last couple of years, I’ve started making some little changes here and there.  
It was time to stop complaining and find a solution!


It’s been a journey, and I think taking it little steps at a time is the only way I’ve been able to arrive at where I am now.
And I know, I still have SO much to learn and SO far to go!


But, where I’m at this moment in time (and I’ve taken my family along with me) is that we have given up all things GMO (genetically modified).
As well as dairy.
And gluten.
And…well, is there is anything else?
Oh sugar. 
The white processed bad kind.
sigh.


And what’s crazy is that in all this I’ve discovered I have a pretty intense (oh the gas and pain and sore throat!) allergy to anything with soy in it.  
So, it’s a good thing that’s out anyway.
{soy is a GMO and it’s in everything, similar to corn.)
BEWARE! =)


I’m hoping that by eliminating all the crap, I can finally eliminate my many trips to the crapper each day.
{yes, I did just write that.  my mom should be so proud.}


But, just so you know…I’m certainly not jumping on any bandwagon and doing this because it’s the “in” thing to do.
{if you know me at all, it’s that I tend to do the OPPOSITE of what everyone else is.}
{middle child, right here!}


But, the fact is, that I have been researching and studying for a VERY long time, and the more I learn, the harder it has become to feed myself and my family those kinds of fake processed foods.


I want us to be as happy and healthy as we possibly can, and I want to know I did everything I knew to do physically to get us there.
{as always, there is a HUGE spiritual aspect to all this as well.  there always always is!}


Plus, with all my jobs, I don’t have time to be in the bathroom all day long.
just sayin….


And surprisingly, it hasn’t been much of an adjustment….for me.
I don’t even miss pizza!
And I’m an emotional eater FOR SURE.


But, if I’m going to be honest, (and I always am), for my kids….it’s taking a little bit longer.
They are two very strong willed children, and they won’t give up the junk without a fight.


Plus eating out or eating at other peoples houses is a slight issue we’re still learning to deal with.


Luckily, Jimmy and I are equally as strong willed.
Tired maybe (definitely), but strong willed.


And because I have been heavily relying on several of my health guru friends, I wanted to pass along some of the info I’ve been collecting, so you could check it out for yourself as well.


I’m also happy to post meal ideas here and there if that’s something you’re interested in as well.
We are simple cooks (“we” means Jimmy), so everything we make for the most part is quick and relatively easy.


{and I’m about to learn the talent of preparing the “snack plate” via my friend Juniper.}


For example, lately we’ve had….Taco salad, Mango Salsa Chicken, Brown Rice Pasta with Ground Turkey and Pasta Sauce, Scrambled eggs with guacamole and tomatoes and turkey, Orange Glazed Salmon….and more!


On the menu to come is Steak & Avocado Salad, mmmm…..


Okay…so here’s the beginning of the knowledge that has been passed down to me by my incredible friends.
{Libby, Candace, Juniper, Liz, and Aurora: thank you for helping me on this journey!}


~~~~~~~


Important links:
Good video that opened my eyes to the issues with our foods:
Difference between pasture raised and cage free chicken eggs:
{you want pasture raised!}
Good website for recipes…use coconut milk in place of dairy and honey in place of sugar:
While you are learning to recognize the ingredients to avoid use this site to look things up: 
www.foodfacts.com

How to eat real foods on a budget: 
http://www.allparenting.com/my-table/articles/960691/eat-real-foods-on-a-budget

Get on Vitacost!  You’re first order will be $10 off and there isn’t anything health & food related you can’t find there! And for an amazing price!!!
I have a weekly order going.
Vitacost

~~~~~~~

Movies to watch:
(all streaming on netflix)…
 King Corn
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
The Future of Food Inc.


Apps to get:
ShopNoGmo
Gluten Freed
FoodFacts
GFShopping
Fooducate


Books to read:
Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food by Christine Avante
Reshaping it All by Candace Cameron Bure
The Paleo Diet
The Makers Diet by Jordan Rubin


***I’ll add more of all these next blog post on this!***
~~~~~~~
Q:  What are the ingredients to watch out for with corn/gluten?
A:  There are so many I can’t even remember them all.  Here are a few sites you can refer to to look things up and then you can use www.foodfacts.com too but it’s not 100% accurate:

Gluten ingredients:


~~~~~~~
Q:  What do you eat out?
A:  There is  a restaurant called True Food Kitchen which is opening up, and I have have the Grass Fed bBison bBurger minus the bun and cheese there.  
{make sure you skip the sauce too if you have a soy allergy!  i found out the hard way.}


The places I have eaten out are as follows:
Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza:
They have a gluten free menu.  I ate a veggie pizza with gluten free crust and no cheese.  Very Yummy

Double Meat with whole grilled onion extra tomato protein style

Steak Salad with brown rice, grilled veggies, pico de gallo salsa only and side of guacamole.
*{Be aware that their meat is cooked with soybeans.  I will be complaining about this, because I NEED Chipotle in my life!  it’s just that I get sick every time I eat there!}*

 Any restaurant that serves wild caught fish grilled and order veggies and/or rice as the side, no bread.

Any of their salads with no salad dressing, no corn, no beans. Substitute any wild caught grilled fish in place of the chicken. Use salsa as the dressing.

Of course there are things wrong with every one of these but better than most.


~~~~~~~

Q:  What do you order online?

A: Online I order my thai coconut milk, Lara Bars, and then some Gluten Free snacks for the baby.


~~~~~~~

Q:  What medicines do you use?

A:  None of us take vitamins anymore.  So far we haven’t had to do much with medicine.  I only use it if we really need it.  I buy gel cap ibuprofen that doesn’t have corn in it.  I use hylands homeopathic medicine for the kids when they are sick. Other than that we don’t use any medicine.


~~~~~~~
Q:  What are your kitchen staples?
A:  Here is a list of some of the main things we eat or have in the house all the time:

Avocados (they don’t have to be organic)
Bananas (they don’t have to be organic)
Apples (organic)
Vital Farms pasture raised eggs from whole foods
Rice pasta  (make sure there is no corn flour or corn products, usually just rice ingredients and flax seeds)
organic kale (for juicing and smoothies!)
amazing meal powder (pomegranate is my fave flavor for smoothies!) (vitacost!)
organic pasta sauce
organic brown rice cakes (vitacost)
rice crackers plain (vitacost)
almond milk (pacific brand) (vitacost)
thai coconut milk (canned) (vitacost!)
grass fed beef
organic coconut flakes (vitacost!)
canned black olives
wild caught salmon
quinoa
organic brown rice
frozen organic peas
frozen organic broccoli
frozen organic fruit from Costco
bare fruit organic apple chips from Costco
organic chicken broth
lots of organic fruits and veggies
any wild caught fish
pamelas products GF bread mix (for tortillas) (vitacost!)
pamelas products GF pancake mix (for pancakes) (vitacost!)
extra virgin olive oil
Apple Farms grass fed hot dogs with no nitrates
raw honey
Trader Joes Snickerdoodles
Trader Joes lollipops
Raw nuts/seeds
Trader Joes dried fruit (their pineapple is amazing!)
Trader Joes rice crispy bars
Trader Joes olive oil potato chips
Luna and Larrys Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Trader Joes Coconut Ice Cream
Barbaras Honey Rice Puffins (vitacost!)
~~~~~~~


Okay, so I would think that is PLENTY to get you thinking.

It certainly was for me.
And do your own research….preferrably studies and info NOT government funded. 


Also, if you must…start slow.
Maybe the first month, give up dairy.
The next month, gluten.
And so on….


Just do something.
Make a change.


I have a LOT more to share, but I’ll save some for another post soon.
This is quickly becoming a passion of mine so I can’t seem to learn enough.
{add that to my Zumba teaching & freelance writing and I’m kind of an all over the place mess!}


And if you guys are on a similar journey with your diets, PLEASE, leave comments and ideas and suggestions below!


We all need support!


P.S.  I also gave up soda.  Even my Zevia because it had corn in it.  
I’m a strong woman, hear me ROAR!


{this has been a part of my BlogHer Roomie/friend Mama Kat’s workshop}
© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”
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the anxiety cure: another update

July 16, 2012
{know that this is simply an update on the physical changes, and of course there is an entire aspect of spiritual changes that go with this all as well.  blog post to come on that!}
If you’ve read or poked around on my site at all, you probably know a little about my struggles with depression and anxiety.
{some of you have become my closest friends because of this!}

While it’s not a daily struggle, there have been times in my life where it was.  
Having kids and losing loved ones will do that to you, I suppose.

But, when it started showing up unexpectedly, especially when it’s never been my personality to be anxious or worried, I was a little concerned.
And so, the last few years have become a journey into learning, and reading, and experimenting with ways to get better.

I tried medication.  It helps, but with side effects.
I tried changing my eating (or so I thought at the time), not so much help, but I realize now I wasn’t really changing enough.
I tried natural supplements, after seeing a Biocytonics doctor of sorts. (which won’t do much if your diet still isn’t good, and mine wasn’t.) Also not a lot of help.

It was about that time that my integrative doctor had decided to do a full blood panel and check all my levels to see what was going on.  Our focus was more on my recent gallbladder surgery, but God had a different plan.

When we got the results, we were finally able to see all the madness happening inside my body.
Which kind of matched up exactly with the madness happening on the outside….


I had a massive imbalance of hormones.
Or to be more blunt, I had the progesterone levels of a POST menopausal woman.
Google that.  
Those symptoms are NOT fun.
{don’t you want to send me flowers now?}

So, over the next year, we continued to watch the levels (which continued to get worse) all the while trying different natural methods and diet changes.
(again, i wasn’t truly changing too much with my diet.)

Finally, after a year of consistently low levels (which was this last May), it was determined that I was officially entering the PeriMenopause stage of my life.


At 33 1/2.
{yes, I still get excited about the half.  i can’t WAIT to be 40.  and i’m totally serious.}

And so, my doctor and I decided together to go the bioidentical hormone replacement route.
And while you always start slow, already in just two months time, I feel an incredible difference.

  • There have been no panic attacks. {thank you Jesus!}
  • I haven’t felt true anxiety in a long time. {I’ll take it!}
  • I have more energy during the day, and I’m beginning to sleep better at night.

It’s kind of crazy how much our hormones affect us.
And it’s kind of crazy how doctors aren’t having women checked more often BEFORE prescribing anti-anxiety or depression meds.

I’ve learned there are so many more things other than the thyroid that can affect you emotionally….


All this to say….
This is simply my journey.  
My story.  
My lessons along the way.

While we each have similar stories, we may have a different road to find what works best for us.

But, I pray that each of you who may be struggling, will take the time to learn more.
Be your own doctor in thse sense that you research all your options.
Talk to people who have walked this road….and take notes.

And remember that we aren’t meant to be overloaded with stress, depression and anxiety.

There IS a cure…we just can’t ever give up.
And we have to maintain a community of support, love and trust…
and I hope you feel that here.

No matter what, I get it.
No matter what, I will be there for you.
And in anything and everything I will pray and help you seek and find the answers the Lord has for you.


We all will.
This amazing little community we’ve created.
My latest fave rescources:

~~~~~~~

Next up, I’ll be sharing my diet changes….and all the tips I’ve been given in case you want to join me on that part of my journey.
© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”
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i just need a minute or two

July 10, 2012
I am absolutely blessed.
God is at work, and I love to be a part of it however small my role may be.
But, sometimes in order to be used, we have to stop and find nourishment.
If we go, go, go…without taking a moment, we’ll end up with nothing to give.
I love going and doing and serving….but lately I am feeling as though I need to pause.
I crave a moment to breathe deep and reflect and sit before my Bible and God to gain some strength and wisdom.
I just need a minute or two….
in a row.
It’s what He’s asking of me.
It’s time to collect my thoughts so that I can hear His.
Been there?

© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”
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iWrite…off the blog

July 6, 2012
I am living a bit of my dream.
Writing and getting paid.  It’s amazing.  And wonderful.  
And completely scary and overwhelming.
There are deadlines, and pitches, and editors (thankfully I have been blessed with fabulous ones), and figuring out how to work from home with kids who never stop talking or needing food.  
But, still….I love it.  
I feel like I have found my calling (one of them), and I am humbled that I have even been chosen to share my words outside my blog.
But in all that….I have to say, there is still nothing like the freedom of writing here.  
To you guys.  
My kind of people that get me…  
You know me, inside and out, and still you come back for more.
{thank you for that.}
You support me, sometimes silently, but that’s okay because it’s not about needing validation so much anymore.  
Even your silent support, God finds a way to bring that to my heart and soul, and I feel it.
I love this place we have created.
{and still sometimes do.}
I may not be posting HERE five times a week (although i am writing 5x a week!), but know that I am never leaving this little place.
This is my heart.
YOU are my heart.
God had a plan that Ambien Night when I started this blog, and I am SO seeing it through.
The greatest of these is Love (RooMag)

PreParenting Counseling….you in? (allParenting)

Is newlywed bliss real? (SheKnows Love)

~~~~~~~

Also?
Somehow it’s Friday already and I barely posted again here this week.
Can I blame summer vacation AND the holiday AND the 8 hr. Zumba Training Class this week???

Next week will be different.
I will be relaxed.
I will breathe.
I will write.

© 2012 “Le Musings of Moi”
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It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!