Raw Honesty, and Alternative Devil's Food Cake

Well, I'm home today with a not sick kid, who happens to be napping right now, so I figured I'd take this moment to catch up on my blog a bit.  For those of you who check in and read this regularly, I'm sorry I've been MIA.  But, I do want to say thank you for checking in and reading what I post, and for the feedback you give me whether in emails or in person.  It makes me feel like I'm not so alone with my line of thinking.  Lately I've been feeling super lonely, so any of you like-minded friends out there, I could use a little extra love.  Justin sayin...

And that's why I've been MIA.  I've just felt sorta discouraged, like what's the point of posting this stuff?  My home remedies and whatnot, that is.  I know more and more people are checking out my recipes, which is super cool, and my first day of Alternative Market went over with flying colors, so that's awesome too.  But when it comes to eating healthy on a regular basis, or healing illnesses or ailments with natural remedies, or avoiding problems by watching our diet, it seems like I'm totally alone on that one.

RSV has been traveling around my boys' daycare, and we were afraid Elliot might have it as he's had the symptoms, which are mostly just common cold symptoms.  And basically that's what RSV is, the common cold, but it can be dangerous for babies and little kids if it gets out of control, and it can get out of control pretty quickly, which it did for my niece (who was playing quite a bit with Elliot the day she got it).  But it's super common, a lot of times it just goes undiagnosed because symptoms remain mild like that of a regular cold and there's no reason to go to the doctor about it.  I'm sure we've had it a ton of times.  Anyway.  It's super contagious, so I'm just keeping Elliot home away from the babies at the daycare, and preventing further spread to our family because I'm going away with my husband this weekend for my birthday and I would love to go guilt-free and not leave a sick kid with my parents!

I'm not sure if he's RSV positive or not, though.  We had him tested at our doctor's office (which is a horrible nasal swab!), but they don't keep rapid results tests there, which I didn't realize until after we did the swab.  Sorry Elliot.  We won't get results for a couple days, so what was the point of having it done, right?  They don't keep those tests there, though, because they'd expire before they got used, because that's not something they routinely check.  Because they treat people primarily homeopathically.  I'm among a certain group of people that don't go in looking for an ailment like RSV.  We think differently.  We take action differently.

And this whole thing has been yet another moment thrown in my face with flashing lights that I am very alone.  Because all the other daycare parents are getting their results for their kids within minutes and I have to wait a few days.  I was sent home with a homeopathic remedy to treat Elliot's cough, which should assist in preventing RSV symptoms from escalating if that is, in fact, what he has, and his cough diminished as the day went on and I used the remedy.  That's how it is every time I go there - we have an ailment, we get a remedy, it works.  On we go with our lives, no side effects, no complications to our organs because of foreign chemical substances in drugs, no damages to our gut flora (and in turn our immune systems) because of harmful antibiotics.  These doctors know what drugs can do to our insides, and they respect that they should be saved for worst-case scenarios.  They know that our around 80% of our immune system resides in our intestines, so antibiotics are also saved as a last resort, and probiotics are strongly encouraged.  They recognize the importance of diet to a healthy immune system and overall well-being, and recommend diet changes to assist in achieving optimum health.  They see the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies, which have been used for centuries, and they work.  It's amazing how they work.  And for those of you who don't know the difference between homeopathic and holistic/natural, there's a big difference, please look it up.  I'm not talking about crushing a plant with a mortar and pestle and making a tea.  That's not homeopathic.  This is homeopathic.  Make sure you know what I'm talking about.

So anyway.  I see this stuff work time and time again, so effectively and harmlessly, that I can't help but wonder, why is this not mainstream?  Why is this not conventional medicine?  Why oh why am I a minority?  Why would everyone willingly choose chemical drugs with potential side effects and put their organs at risk when there is a better way right here under their noses?  And I get so confused, wondering why I'm alone...

I've gotten to the point where I don't really talk much about my natural lifestyle in the open.  Still, a lot of people email me on a very regular basis wanting advice.  But it's getting frustrating because I don't know exactly what you're looking for.  I give what advice I can, what I would do in your situation, and I'm beginning to realize that what I'm suggesting - the things that are very normal to me - are totally "out there" for you.  And food is another thing - I'll find myself amongst people talking about the Fruit Loops they gave their kids for breakfast, and I'm trying to keep my jaw off the floor.  And I have to step back and say, No Jami, most people aren't aware that starting your day with processed sugar and food dye is a very bad idea.

And it makes me sad.  And I stop and have a moment of gratitude that I have the awareness that I have, and the open mind to continue to learn more and try new things that are safe, that I have the knowledge to treat the problems rather than the symptoms if we come down with any sort of ailment.  And I wish I weren't so alone.

Am I really that alone, you guys?  Or are all you natural lifestyle enthusiasts just keeping quiet in your own little world just like I've begun doing lately, and that's why I don't know about you?  I'm tired of being the crazy one for doing what I feel is safer and healthier for myself and my family.  I'm tired of being surrounded by people who just give into the fear tactics used by the medical field.  I'm tired of being surrounded by people who blindly trust their physician.  I'm not saying doctors or physicians are bad people, I know it totally sounds like that's what I'm saying, I know they're not, and I want to believe that a lot of them truly do care about your well being more than they care about their wallet, they just don't know how to treat holistically and weren't trained to do so.  They treat your symptoms because that's how they were trained.  Because that's the kind of world we live in.  You're willing to take drug after drug after drug to treat your symptoms and completely ignore the problem that your symptoms are trying to warn you about, and then you're willing to take on the side effects of those drugs that may have long term damages you'll have to deal with late into life.

I'm sorry, guys.  This is a depressing post.  I just wanted to share some honesty though.  And vent some frustration.  Because being alone in your lifestyle choices is very frustrating.  Like I said, I need a little love.  So if you don't mind, leave a comment or shoot me an email letting me know you care about my posts on here, you care that I share my first-hand experience with you, that you've learned something through all this.  I've got so much to share - more remedies for the common cold, how to heal pink eye, basic solutions for boosting the immune system safely, etc.  I know some people care, I've talked to you at my office and sent you on your way with information.  But sharing it here... I don't know.  I'm losing ambition to make my knowledge available to the public.  So please let me know if this blog makes a difference to you.  I'd really appreciate it.


In the meantime, the best way to combat the blues is chocolate, right??  I think so!  I whipped up this chocolate cake based on my cinnamon scone recipe, and made the icing from scratch, and it turned out amazing.  Harlee took a bite of it and moaned happily, it was so good.  Seriously, forget that these are "healthy".  Alternative, yes, as they're grain-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free, but they taste too good to be "healthy".  They're sinful.  I'm totally calling it a Devil's food cake.

Alternative Devil's Food Cake

1 ½ cups cashews (or 1 1/3 cups ground)
¼ cup arrowroot powder
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 tbsp organic maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9” metal cake pan with parchment paper.  Blend the cashews in a food processor until ground into a flour.  Add the remainder of the ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth.  You should have a thick, sticky batter.  Pour into the parchment-lined cake pan and spread out toward the edges.

Bake for 30 minutes, then top with prepared icing.  Let cool, cut into wedges, and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Icing

 

1/2 cup coconut butter, softened

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup almond or coconut milk

 

 

 Coconut butter works way better than coconut oil.  Oil would work just fine too, but you'd have to keep it cool as it can melt. 

Add all ingredients to a bowl and beat with a stand or hand mixer until thoroughly combined.  I found it easier to spread over a warm cake, as it melts and doesn't make the cake crumby.  Once cooled, it sets up well.

Everything in moderation, guys... Don't eat the whole cake...

The Power of Gratitude

Well, here I am again, it's been over a MONTH since I've blogged.  A MONTH.  That is unacceptable.  Okay fine I guess it has to be acceptable, because it happened.  But here I am, so let's do this.

I had a whole idea about Halloween to blog about (we had the best Halloween yet, by the way, it was SO much fun!) and never got to it.  Then I had this post that I wanted to write before Thanksgiving and never did.  But what can I say?  I'm living life.  Running a business, being part of a family - those two things in themselves are time consuming.  But it's a good thing to have that problem!  Life is definitely good right now.

Which brings me to this topic.  Gratitude.  I wanted to write about it before Thanksgiving, but really it reigns true throughout the year, throughout all of life, so anytime is a good time to talk about this.  But since I like to be all theme-y, I guess technically it's still within a week of Thanksgiving so I'm good, right? :)

This is SO TRUE.  This quote says it all.

Story time!

Granny would always  make comments about how I live a "charmed life".  She would ALWAYS say that.  And she's right, things have always sort of worked out for me.

My dad kind of set that foundation for me.  He got me started in life with the awareness that a positive attitude attracts positive things into life.  And I found it to be true.  But don't just think positive thoughts - BELIEVE them. And a step further from there, live as though you've already received what you're asking for.

And be thankful for it.  Be grateful.  Stop and honor what you've been given in your life, and more good will come.  More things will happen to you thank you can be grateful for.

And not just all the good things.  It's one thing to say "I'm grateful for my spouse.  I'm grateful for my kids.  I'm grateful for the roof over my head, the clothes on my back and the food on my table."  Finding silver linings in bad things and finding ways to be grateful for those can make a HUGE impact on your overall life and well-being.  I ALWAYS reflect on my gratitude for my learning experiences.  Yes, I agree with Granny that I've lived a charmed life, but it hasn't been perfect by any means.  But for that, I am grateful.  Here's why.

This post ties in with my post about The Other Side of Hardship, Depression, Pain, and Trauma.  But I'm going to dig a little deeper - perhaps you'll be able to relate to some of these experiences, or they'll help you to reflect on your own and find your own gratitude.

My first love (yes, we were only in like 8th grade but teenagers know what love is.  Granted, it's not the same when you're in your 20's, or 30's, or 70's, but it's love.  Just throwing that out there.) broke it to me that he was gay and it crushed my poor little teenage heart.  It was a huge struggle for both of us - him with his confusion and realizing he may have to face a lifetime of persecution just to be happy, and me having to come to terms that we can't be together, and I have to be open-minded and accepting of his lifestyle, which was completely foreign to me.

I learned to love and accept people.  If it weren't for him I wouldn't be as open and accepting and understanding as I am today.  Everyone has a journey.  Everyone has a story.  Everyone has battles.  I accept everyone for them, no matter who they are or what they're battling, or if it even makes any sense to me.  For that I am grateful.

I've been stabbed in the back, and nearly lost a job over it.  I had to learn not to harbor anger and resentment.  Life ended up working out for the better for me, as life usually does when struggles arise.  For that I am grateful.  It taught me to be cautious with my trust. Sometimes maybe a little too cautious... And I also had to learn forgiveness.  That's a hard lesson to learn.  But for that, I am grateful.

I've been in an emotionally abusive relationship, without even realizing it.  I was trapped for nearly two years, unable to see what it was doing to me.  I finally got out of it, and realized the importance of protecting my emotions and listening to my heart.  I had a bad feeling about it the whole time, I just never tuned in and listened and instead made excuses.  I know better.  I tune into my gut instincts, and I've developed my ability to understand what my heart is telling me.  For that I am grateful.

I've been the victim of huge misunderstandings founded in jealousy, close-mindedness, and lack of empathy or flexibility or willingness to change or stretch.  Another lesson in forgiveness, and a reminder that everyone has inner demons and personal weaknesses.  I can choose to either get sucked in with them, or let them travel their own journey.  I have the choice.  For that I am grateful.

I've fallen in love with someone still battling inner demons.  I was about to leave when a good friend gave me some sage advice that has stuck with me to this day, and I will share it with you:

"When you pray, what do you ask for?  What kind of person do you want to be?  What kind of qualities or characteristics do you want God to give you?"

And I thought about it and then said, "Patience, strength, courage..."

To which she said,

"Isn't that what you're getting from this experience by being with him? Isn't that the kind of lessons he's brought into your life?"

God (or Universe, or Spirit, or Source, whatever you want to call it) can't just GIVE you the qualities you want in yourself.  You have to earn them and develop them.  That's what you're here for!

I went back with patience in my heart and a new readiness to forgive and give it one more chance.  We both were willing to put in the work, which we did, and we made it through, stronger and more connected than ever before, and we're married today!  For those hardships, for his personal battles and how they affected us, I am grateful.  And he's amazing - through all of that, he grew in his own strengths - patience, forgiveness, understanding, and perseverance.  For that, I am very grateful.

I poured my heart and soul into my desire for a home birth with Harlee, who resulted in a hospital transfer and c-section, followed by the darkest days I've ever experienced in my life.  It left me questioning if my "charmed life" was all just a sick joke played by the Universe.  That there's no such thing as "think positive and positive things will happen."  Even though my entire life has proven otherwise.  I lost all faith and trust in everything I once believed in.  That is a very scary place to be.

But I made new friends through my search for support.  I strengthened friendships with people I didn't realize had gone through similar experiences.  I was led to discover fitness, and then healthy eating habits.  My life changed physically and I regained confidence and most of my happiness.  I then "stumbled" (divine intervention at it's finest, I like to believe) upon a therapist who led me even further into my journey of self-discovery.  I grew stronger.  I developed awareness, stronger consciousness, and I was more "tuned in" to myself and the world around me.

Which, interestingly enough, is everything I wanted before.  I used to want more awareness, higher consciousness, and connectedness.

The sage advice my friend gave me came around again.

I earned those characteristics and strengths.

And so, for the trauma of Harlee's birth and the darkness that followed, I am SO grateful.  Eternally grateful.  I could cry just thinking about how grateful I am.  I never EVER thought I'd be saying that when I was in the midst of the darkness.  But it's restored my faith in life and the Universe, that EVERYTHING happens for a reason.  And the worst of things that happen, if you handle them properly, can turn into the best learning experiences you'll ever get in this life.  And the person you can become when you rise from the ashes is more amazing than you ever dreamed you could be.

For my friend's advice that stuck with me, I am grateful.

For the people that came into my life "by chance" when I needed them most, I am grateful.

For my restored faith in the Universe, and my trust that good things happen when you think positive, I am grateful.  But also for the realization that you do get what you ask for, but sometimes you have to put in the work too which can turn out to be pretty difficult, I am definitely grateful.

Gratitude.  It's huge.  It's what makes the who positive attitude "Law of Attraction" thing work.

Now, every day I express gratitude.  Especially for the little obstacles that later unveil their reason for happening (which is always SO cool).  Like the other morning, I was about to head out the door when Harlee said something that reminded me I forgot something inside.  I felt gratitude for Harlee's comment. I went inside to get it and realized I left the fireplace on.  "Yikes, that could have been bad!" I thought.  I took a moment to feel gratitude for the fact that I forgot something that required me to come back inside and see that I needed to turn the fireplace off.  Call it a guardian angel, call it God's protection, call it coincidence, but I call it the law of attraction in action.  The more gratitude I express, the more things come into my life to be grateful for.

Try it!  What are you grateful for?  Of course you're grateful for your family and friends, your job and your home and your well-being.  But stop and think about where you've been in this life.  Everything that happened to you that brought you to where you are today.  Who are you because of it all?  How was your life made better because of the things that once made it worse?  Life is filled with learning experiences and opportunities to make the rest of your life absolutely incredible.  Seize them with gratitude and enjoy the ride!

Candida, Yeast Infections, Thrush, Group B Strep, and All That Nastiness

Yeah, this is a nasty topic.  One that not many people want to discuss.  One that I tirelessly searched the internet for answers to and information about for a very long time several years ago.

A topic that I've fortunately been able to not have to think about for about three and a half years.  But now I do.  Because I'm in that boat again.  Yay.  Years ago, when I was in that boat last, I didn't really want to blog about it because of the TMI factor, but now, I remember how much time I spent searching desperately for answers, and instead of finding answers I found so many people on forums desperately searching for answers themselves.  So I'm just going to blog about it in the event that I'll help somebody who was as desperate as I was years ago.

I think I mentioned in a past post that I was blessed with a monthly yeast infection for lord knows how long (it was way too long.  Like a couple of years, I think.  I try to block that out of my memory because it was miserable.).  It was one of the driving forces behind me really avoiding Western Medicine.  I had been on several antibiotics for several different things back when I was about 17 years old (I think?) - I had gotten sick, then got an abscess tooth, etc., and then found out the hard way that I'm allergic to penicillin, which was pretty ugly, and that's about when the yeast infections started.  Every month, without fail.  I could have bought stock in Monistat or Miconazole.  Which, by the way, can potentially make yeast infections worse if used too frequently, as the yeast develop a resistance to it, but I was unaware of that at the time.  And to this day that stuff doesn't work for me.  I didn't even bother trying it this time, I knew it wouldn't do any good.

Our local massage therapist at the time had a LOT of knowledge on holistic and natural healing, and I finally went to her and told her my situation.  That's when I got to learn more about probiotics and the balance of bacteria in our guts.  This is the post I wrote about that, which I STRONGLY encourage you to read, and if you already read it before, go back and read it again as a refresher.  It's not a long one, so you're fine.  Click it - right now - do it.  Thank you.



Ah, welcome back to this post.  Okay so you're now aware of how important it is to have a good supply of beneficial/friendly bacteria in your gut.  It's the powerhouse of your immune system.  Antibiotics kill ALL the bacteria, and down goes your immune system.  Probiotics help rebuild the beneficial bacteria population.

I haven't been on antibiotics since I wrote that post about my UTI.  My boys have NEVER been on antibiotics.  Well, I take that back, Harlee had a mild one when he had surgery on his broken arm.  But you can bet I was bombarding him with probiotics to keep his immune system strong.

So what is my problem now, then?  I believe it's a few different factors.  I hadn't been eating as clean as I would like to, and Justin and I have been indulging in wine quite a bit in the evenings (makes for a nice date night at home!), so I feel like I've killed off a few good guys.  I haven't been taking probiotics regularly, and I know I need to.  Plus, I've been craving chocolate like it's do or die, and at times it's been such a strong addiction that I can't fight it - one time I stopped at a gas station just for a chocolate fix, got a bag of mini Twix and ate the whole thing in like 4 minutes.  It was awful.  I'm embarrassed to admit that.  That's actually the first time I admitted that to anybody... you should feel special. 

I feel like since I had so many issues before, my immune system will forever be slightly compromised.  I need to take extra special care of it.  I've learned a LOT about yeast since having my issues years ago, and it would be unfair of me to keep that information from everyone else who's desperately searching for answers to this miserable situation.

So, once this yeast infection hit, I understood where the cravings were coming from!  An overgrowth of yeast and an imbalance in the gut leads to unhealthy cravings, especially for sugar and carbs.  Yeast feeds off of sugar, so the more they grow, the more they want, and the more you crave.  It's a vicious cycle.  And it truly is an addiction, because it's part of you that you have no control over making decisions for you.  You can't fight it.  You can't say no.

Let's Break it Down:

Candida is a form of yeast, or fungus, that helps out with digestion and nutrient absorption in the intestines, and exists in our bodies in small amounts.  Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of candida, and it ain't pretty.  When there's too much candida, it can break down your intestinal walls and get into your blood stream, which of course leads to a lot of health issues.

Thrush is a yeast infection commonly found in the mouth and breasts.  Elliot is down to only nursing at night, but it's enough that he caught my infection, and both of us are suffering.  He nurses and then cries while playing with his mouth like it hurts, and I won't get into the pain I'm experiencing on my end.

Group B Strep is a bacteria often found in the vagina, rectum, and bladder of women.  It's not dangerous unless it's present during birth.  I didn't know much about it originally, but after testing positive for it when I was pregnant with Harlee I did some research and discovered that it's associated with candida, as that's the primary organism present when group B strep is present.  I was able to retest in two weeks after testing positive with Harlee at 36 weeks and, thanks to a strict regimen of all my candida-busting tricks I learned, I tested negative and was in the clear at 38 weeks.  I repeated the same regimen two weeks before testing during my pregnancy with Elliot, and tested negative right off the bat.  I'll get to how I did that in a bit.


A lot of people have a problem with yeast and bacterial imbalances in the gut.  Here's an excerpt from Mind Body Green: 10 Signs You Have Candida Overgrowth:

1. Skin and nail fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot or toenail fungus
2. Feeling tired and worn down, or suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
3. Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
4. Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis
5. Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, ADD, ADHD and brain fog
6. Skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, hives and rashes
7. Irritability, mood swings, anxiety or depression
8. Vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, rectal itching or vaginal itching
9. Severe seasonal allergies or itchy ears
10. Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings

I know I certainly fit the bill for #s 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 10.  Big time.  How many of these signs do you currently have?

The #1 best way to beat candida (yeast overgrowth) is to cut out sugar COMPLETELY for at least two to three weeks, and if that's all you're doing to treat it, it could take three to six months.  And not just plain ol' sugar - ALL sugar - carbs too, meaning grains and legumes and starches - all your breads, pastas, beans, potatoes, everything.  Alcohol is also on that list, and so is dairy, as lactose is a form of sugar that can disrupt the system and hinder your progress.  You need a total, low-carb, clean diet.  But, if you're helplessly addicted to sugar in all its forms, thanks to the yeast overgrowth making you crave it, it may feel like it's next to impossible to do it.  But you have to.  It's the only way to beat this.  It takes willpower and determination like none other.

Here is a list of tips on how to beat candida, and also what I did to test negative for Group B Strep, and how I heal faster from yeast infections and thrush when it does occur (and how you can too!):

• Cut out sugar.  Completely.  Like I just got done saying but it's so important that I have to repeat it.  Just get it in your head that you HAVE to do this for your health.  It's like any addiction.  It's bad for you, you know it, you know the more you indulge the worse your problem is getting, you feel like you NEED it, you can't live without it, but deep down you know that's not true.  Dig deep.  Remind yourself constantly that this is the way you're going to get back into good health.  No more itching, no more burning, no more searing pain.  Isn't missing out on the taste of a cookie or ice cream for now a fair trade for no more pain?  I think so.  If you can't cut out sugar, then don't read any further.  You're not going to have any luck.  Period.  You just aren't.  You just need to accept a miserable life of burning and itching and all the other problems associated with it.

• Oh, you're reading on?  Good for you, congratulations on your choice to ditch sugar and move on with your life!  Maybe check into a 12-step program - I'm serious, cutting the sugar addiction is VERY VERY HARD.  Start getting excited about eating nothing but meat, vegetables, nuts, and seeds!

• Probiotics.  You have to fuel the good bacteria and build them back up.  Take around 100 billion live cultures or more throughout the day.  You can find them in the refriderated section of your local health food store.  There's an excellent probiotic formula called FemDophilus that I highly recommend for any woman suffering from yeast infections, whether chronic or infrequent.  Another good product is HLC MindLinx capsules, which is a strain of probiotic that isn't normally included in conventional probiotic supplements, but can be very helpful in combating candida.  Take these two as well as your conventional probiotic from the health food store, and you should be smooth sailing.  By the way, you don't only have to take probiotics orally - you can use the capsules as a suppository overnight too.  Get those guys working directly on-site and bypass the digestive system!

• Garlic is a very effective antifungal.  You can take it in supplement form or include the cloves in your food.  Another very effective way to use it (and to beat that burning and itching problem) is to thread a clove cut in half (to expose the good stuff) with dental floss or string for easy removal and use it as a suppository every night for about a week.  You'll smell like a pizzaria... but it's better than feeling miserable!  It cuts those symptoms out pretty quick, and if you're dealing with a yeast infection, you'll do ANYthing to free yourself from that nightmare.

• Black Walnut is another very effective antifungal.  So effective, in fact, that one study showed it to fight candida better than most over the counter antifungal drugs.  You get this treatment in tincture form, which you can add to your water as directed and take it orally or soak a cotton swab and apply it topically followed immediately by coconut oil.  Goodbye itching and burning, almost instantly!  That is definitely a win.  This is one of my favorite treatments for immediate relief of symptoms.

• Gentian Violet is an antiseptic purple dye that's used more as a treatment for thrush, which is usually an issue if you're breastfeeding.  It appears as white spots in baby's mouth, and while it isn't dangerous or anything to worry about, it is annoying and can be painful.  On mom's end, however, it's pretty awful.  I don't need to get into the gory details.  Gentian violet can be applied directly to the nipples and also in baby's mouth.  It stains everything purple so be careful with clothing!  And your baby will certainly look pretty funny with a purple mouth, but it seems to be very soothing upon application - both my boys have seemed happier after I applied it any time they had it (which fortunately wasn't that often, and just one time for Elliot).  While used primarily for oral thrush, it can be very helpful for vaginal yeast infections too, and most people (including myself) say it works better than any prescription treatment (and trust me, I've gone through plenty).

  

  Harlee at 3 months old sporting his purple mouth :-P

• Boost the Immune System.  Your immune system will improve with a clean diet, so you're automatically getting that benefit by following step 1.  No refined carbs, no sugars, no processed foods = healthy body with a healthy system.  To help your immune system along, you can take supplements such as echinacea and goldenseal, vitamin C, olive leaf extract, cinnamon, and pau d'arco.  Just to name a few of my favorites.

• Coconut oil has so many benefits I don't even know where to begin with it.  But in the case of candida, coconut oil is very soothing for that burning and itching (I apply it directly after applying the black walnut and that usually kicks symptoms right away), and it also contains caprylic acid, a fatty acid that is a strong antifungal that both kills candida and also restores balance to your stomach's pH.
 

I hope that helped!  Check out the links I shared throughout, as they link back to other helpful sites that you can get more information from.  But this list is everything I've tried and had great success with.  This time around, I only had a couple days of actual "suffering" - the first day it started until I got symptoms under control, and then a couple days later we went out to eat and while I had a salad, I wasn't thinking and got raspberry tea and I'm pretty sure the sugar in that flared it up again.  Other than that I've had mild to no symptoms, reminding me that I need to keep my diet in check, but reassuring me that everything is under control.  I plan to continue my no-sugar regimen with extra probiotics and garlic for another couple of weeks for sure, because I don't want to run the risk of this coming back (which I know it can!).  I'm happy to say I haven't used a single drop of a conventional Western treatment, yay!  I think that says a lot that I've had a better experience treating this situation naturally than I ever did treating it conventionally.  Mother Nature always looks out for us, and for that I am very thankful!

Why I Make My Own Toothpaste

Following up with my last post about the homemade toothpaste and how it saved the day after Harlee's fire ant attack, I said I'd share why I started making my own toothpaste.

There are several different factors, but mainly, conventional toothpaste has a lot of crap in it.  Fluoride being the main one.  It's not good for you, people.  But there is a lot of other junk in toothpaste too that really shouldn't be put in our mouths.  If you don't want to make your own toothpaste, there are several natural options on the market.  Here are a few ingredients to avoid when shopping for toothpaste or any other body care or personal hygiene products:

Fluoride

Fluoride is highly toxic.  It used to be used in rat poison as it is slightly more toxic than lead and slightly less toxic than arsenic.  The FDA requires fluoride toothpaste manufacturers to include a warning on their labels to contact poison control if more than what is required for brushing is swallowed.

A lot of health concerns and problems can arise from too much fluoride consumption, including but not limited to arthritis, bone/skeletal issues and disorders, thyroid problems, endocrine problems, fertility problems, gastrointestinal issues, and neurological issues.  Fluoride has also been discovered to be a mutagen, which means it can cause genetic damage.  Genetic damage can lead to the growth of cancers.  Fluoride is most linked to osteosarcoma, or bone cancer, which develops during the teenage years.  Fluoride has also been found to accumulate in the pineal gland in the brain, which can have many adverse affects including sleep disturbances and early onset of puberty in females.

So why is this stuff added to our drinking water??  And why is it also added to our toothpaste??  Well, some research has shown that fluoride helps prevent cavities and tooth decay.  This may or may not be true, but adding fluoride to water for this reason started back in the 1940s.  It's since been discovered that swallowing fluoride doesn't have any affect on dental health, yet the practice of adding fluoride to drinking water hasn't  really stopped since then.

Even if fluoride does help prevent tooth decay when applied topically, I'd still prefer to avoid it, knowing how toxic it is and seeing how many health problems can arise from too much of it.  I'm definitely not taking chances on my kids, who invariably swallow their toothpaste instead of spitting it out.

Triclosan

"Triclosan is an ingredient added to many consumer products to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination."  Studies have shown that triclosan is a hormone disrupter, which can effect the thyroid, cause learning disabilities, and can lead to infertility or breast/prostate cancer.  As if that's not bad enough, triclosan can also create antibiotic resistant bacteria, meaning if you come down with an infection and take antibiotics for it, the antibiotics won't be effective in killing off the bacteria.  Antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been the cause of over 60,000 deaths each year.

It's not just in toothpaste, either.  It's in antibacterial hand sanitizers and soaps, many body care products, cosmetics, even clothing, furniture, and toys!

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

This is a cleansing agent and detergent that can damage eyes and irritate skin.  It can stay in the body for up to five days and accumulate in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain.  It can even be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) when combined with other chemicals.

Propylene Glycol

This stuff is everywhere.  It's the active ingredient in antifreeze.  Interestingly enough, the EPA won't allow its workers to handle it without wearing protective gear, yet it's perfectly acceptable to slather it on our bodies in soaps or scrub it into our gums (and how many of you brush your tongues too?).  It's in lotions, sprays and colognes, cosmetics, even personal lubricants.  It can be rapidly absorbed into the skin and can cause some big problems for the brain, liver, kidneys, and other organs.

Polyethelene Microbeads

Plastic.  Tiny little plastic microbeads that are intended to be a mild abrasive to help whiten teeth.  Instead they get embedded into your gums and between your teeth and cause more harm than good.  They're also in scrubs and body washes as an exfoliant.  But it's not just your gums it's harming, it's the environment too, as they slip through water treatment plants and spill into our waterways, lakes and oceans.  Fish eat the microbeads and the pollutants in them, and then in turn they work their way up the food chain back to humans.

The Other Side of Hardship, Depression, Pain, and Trauma

It seems like there is a lot of trouble in many people's lives at the moment.  Have you noticed that?  It's to the point where I kind of just want to hide from the world so as not to disrupt the balance that I actually do have in my life.  Things are just really good right now.  Solid and happy and just plain ol' good.  But sometimes I feel like I'm the only one in the whole wide world who can say that.  I'll get caught up in wondering why, and then think, "Uh oh, are we next?"  But I stop myself and remember, no, we already had our turn.  Harlee gave us the gift of pain, of turmoil, of rough waters.  And when I say "gift" I really do mean that, because once we worked through it, the pain and heartache really did turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to us.

This is something I've been wanting to write about for quite some time now.  There have been a few things holding me back though: not being able to get all my thoughts organized and my point across, fear of people thinking I'm weird, and fear of people not understanding me.  I've decided to quit caring what people think of me and just try my best to write this, because it's bound to help someone, even if it's just one person, and that's all that matters.

I've learned so much on my journey of healing after Harlee's birth.  If you don't know my back story, keep reading.  If you do, you can skip down to the next section.  Basically, I was desperately hoping for a homebirth, basically because of my natural outlook on life and desire to live that way, and also because of my fear of hospitals, and I got the exact polar opposite of that - late decels in his heartrate during labor, a trip to the hospital, and an emergency c-section.  I'll never forget the day I sat in the living room with my tiny newborn, watching my husband and midwife deflate the unused birthing pool, realizing all my hopes and dreams and everything I believed in deflated with it.

That's where everything started.  Hopes and dreams deflated and lost; questioning God and the Universe (things I once felt so confident and comfortable with); sleep deprivation with a colicky baby; PTSD from a scary, unwanted major surgery; and depression.  Cold, raw, ugly depression.  Complete with nightmares, intrusive visions, loss of motivation, loss of desire to keep moving forward, anger at loved ones, anger and disgust with myself, uncontrollable outbursts, and loss of all hope in a brighter future.  Not to mention a complete uncertainty of how to get out of this mess.

So, I started going to ICAN meetings - a support group of the International Cesarean Awareness Network which is "a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)."  I met some awesome people who had been through what I'd been through and knew the defeat and loss I was feeling.  They guided me toward looking into counseling for further healing.  I began seeing a counselor who specializes in postpartum depression.  I brought Justin with me a few times because our marriage was crumbling under my intense mood swings and his inability to understand what I was going through.  I will, to this day, say that decision saved our marriage and is the reason it is as strong as it is today.  Unfortunately that counselor wasn't exactly who I needed in my life to further my personal healing, but I will say she did catapult me into taking matters into my own hands.  She said my PTSD and postpartum depression were pretty bad, and recommended that maybe I should try getting on a pharmaceutical antidepressant.  I guess she hadn't caught on that I prefer to avoid drugs, and it was medical interventions that got me in this mess in the first place, therefore getting on an antidepressant would kind of defeat the purpose for me.  So I stopped seeing her, and fortunately realized, wow, if I'm in that bad of shape, I really need to do something.  The best things for depression are diet and exercise, and a great supplement to support healthy moods is St. John's Wort.  I wrote a post about depression, click here if you'd like to read more about it as a condition and how to treat it naturally.  So I got on St. John's Wort, started watching what I was eating, and started jogging around the neighborhood with Harlee in the jogging stroller (ok so I started out walking, then kind of awkwardly trotting because I was overweight and sucked at running, then slowly worked my way into what you might consider a jog).  One thing led to another and I discovered the Paleo diet, cut out grains and bad carbs, signed up for personal training, discovered CrossFit, lost weight, felt great, and finally got my life back.  But in the midst of all that, something was still a bit off.  I didn't feel quite balanced yet, or healed from what happened with Harlee's birth.

I believe everything happens for a reason.  I believe in Divine Intervention.  I strongly questioned all of those beliefs after the turn of events with Harlee's birth, but all my questions are gone now.  In the moment I was thinking about going back to counseling because I didn't feel quite right yet, but I wasn't sure if there was a point to it or who I'd even go to, I came across a brochure for a counselor in Kirkwood and I felt a kind of pull when I read it.  I called her up, scheduled an appointment, and, let's just say my healing journey just got real.

She encouraged me to keep a journal and start writing down all of my thoughts and feelings.  That was one of the best things I did for my mental and emotional healing.  I processed my questions, and in my stillness in pondering my questions on paper, I found answers in my heart.  I started piecing things together, not just from Harlee's birth but from my whole life.  Seriously, if you need a good way to process your feelings and thoughts but can't afford or don't have time for a counselor, write it all out in a journal.  Give it a try, it's hugely cathartic.

This went on for about two years.  And then, I felt brave enough to tackle one of my biggest fears - getting pregnant again and facing the unknown of birth.  So I did, and then we miscarried.  And interestingly enough, the healing process after that was pretty smooth.  I knew it happened for a reason, and I accepted that even though I may not understand it now, I'd understand it later, and find gratitude in it.  Then we got pregnant again, and, after a very awesome and empowering pregnancy, I gave birth to Elliot at home (after a long, grueling labor).

Where I'm at Now

Now here I am, nearly 14 months after that event, and I've been happily floating through life without having to dig deeply into my soul or answer existential questions about my presence here like I had been for the past two to three years.

Instead, I've been observing.  I've seen my friends and clients and community go through traumas and losses - death of parents, of children, of friends, of colleagues.  Heart attacks, strokes, cancer, car accidents.  Separations and divorces for an array of different causes.  Losses of jobs and financial security.  Miscarriages, stillbirths.  Rapes, suicides.  Near-death experiences with long roads of recovery.  So much trauma and pain.  And more and more people are opening up about depression.  Asking me for advice on how to heal, where to go from here.

And all I can think for you, if you fit in one of the aforementioned categories, is, Wow, you are actually really lucky.  Like, you have no idea.

You are so, so lucky.  You don't see it now.  You feel the exact opposite of lucky.  The exact opposite of blessed, of fortunate, of all these things I think of you right now.  You do not see a light at the end of your long, dark, tunnel.  But I do.  I've been down that tunnel.  I've been down in that hole.  And let me tell you the light on the other side is brilliant.  It's beautiful.  And that light is exactly where life is trying to send you.

But it takes work to get to that light.  Probably the hardest work you will ever do in your life.  So much soul searching, so many questions.  But don't give up.  Keep asking questions.  Ask for help.  Be open to answers, to guidance.  You're on a journey - take it one step at a time, one day at a time.

Surrender.  You've hit rock bottom.  There's only one direction to go: up.  Surrender yourself to the Higher Power and let the answers come to you.

Maybe you'll find the perfect book or article with answers.  Maybe you'll meet someone who's got a perfect solution, maybe a new exercise buddy or someone with insight to healthy eating to help you make a lifestyle change.  Maybe you'll come across the perfect counselor or therapist.  Maybe you'll wallow in grief and self-pity until you get so sick of your own self you slap yourself out of it and get in gear to make changes.  Even if the change is something as simple as seeing your doctor to get on a medication.  I know medication isn't for me, but I see no shame in it - if you're taking action to better yourself and your situation, then that's commendable, no matter what you choose.

Stay open and aware.  Be receptive to signs guiding your way.  Think things through before making decisions.  Weigh your options and the consequences that come with your decisions on where to go next.  Be open to the love and support that comes from the people around you, but don't abuse it.  Be humble.  Be gentle.  Be aware.

If you work at this, and find your way up out of that hole, the person you are about to become is someone you never dreamed you'd be.  Someone you never knew you had in you.  The strength inside you is immense, the awareness profound.  Just wait til you get there.  It's amazing.  You're going to learn so much from this.  And if you get there, then you'll understand why I say you're lucky to have hit bottom.

But you can only get there if you are willing to work for it.

Just don't give up.

Someday this will all make sense.  Someday you will be able to look back on these hard times with forgiveness, and perhaps even gratitude.  Because it made you a better and stronger person.  A happier person, living a more fulfilling life.  And you earned it!

Today I look back on all that I went through and I can honestly say I feel grateful for the experience.  I feel like I gained so much insight from it, so much perspective on life, that I never had before.  And I feel stronger and braver, too - if something bad happens, I know that it's for a reason, and I'll get through it and be a better person because of it.  And knowing that makes the bad things seem not as bad.  I still struggle.  I still have fears.  I still have bad days.  But in the grand scheme of things, life is pretty awesome, and it's all because at one point life really really sucked, and I made the decision to heal and grow from it.

And you can do that too.

Intermittent Fasting

A great thing has happened in my life!  I saw a commercial for Dell where you can buy a laptop and get a free TV, so Justin and I decided to just go for it, let's get a new laptop.  The old one works okay-ish, it's just super slow and frustrating when I try to use it for photo editing and whatnot.  So the new laptop came, the old one moved to my office, and now during my freetime at work I can finally BLOG again!!  I'm so happy!  I've missed this so much, but at home there are things higher on my priority list than sitting at the computer typing my thoughts about healthy lifestyles.  For instance, actually living the healthy lifestyle I talk about is important.  Instilling that in my kids, teaching them about good food and natural healing, staying healthy and what to do to take care of your body when you do get sick.  I grew up with a natural healing mindset, and that's why I have a broad spectrum of knowledge on it today.  I want that same thing for my kids.

Anyway!  Gosh, so much has happened since I last blogged... We took a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, we went camping, Justin and I ran our first official 5k in two years, and in the meantime I've been really encouraging Harlee's interest in cooking, too, as my Facebook friends have probably noticed with all the "Chef Harlee" videos ^_^.  I've tried and invented new recipes, learned new bits of information, discovered new remedies, so it's hard to narrow down my list of things to share on this blog and choose just one for this post.  I figured I'd just follow up with my last post, in which I mentioned intermittent fasting.  Then I'll go from there!

Intermittent Fasting

I've been giving the intermittent fasting thing a try, and I must say I'm sold.  There is a lot of information out there to back up why it's so effective, and according to my results, I'd say it's working.  I wanted to be sure to share this information with you and tell you about my experience.  Because, guess what?  It's a super easy way to lose weight!  Who doesn't want that??  But there are more important things to it than just losing weight, which makes it even better.

Here's the article from The Paleo Mom that I shared in my last post (I may have talked about Sarah, "The Paleo Mom" before, but I'll just briefly mention that I love her articles, she takes a very unbiased, scientific approach to things, backing her work with tons of research, and she's got an impressive educational background to support it).  I'll share a few tidbits from that article in this post.

What Is It?

Intermittent fasting is a way of scheduling your eating, rather than a diet.  You can still consume your normal amount of calories, just in a different time span, and you'd fast the rest of the time.  This doesn't have to be done daily, but you can.  The most beneficial amount of time to go on a fast is between 16 and 24 hours.  It takes anywhere from 6-12 hours for your body to completely deplete its glycogen, or stored sugar.  So if you eat three meals a day, your body never depletes its glycogen, and you're constantly burning that as your fuel rather than being able to switch to your body to burning fat as fuel.  Of course there are a lot of other elements to this, such as what you eat as well as when you eat (like restricting your carb and sugar intake to switch into fat burning mode).  But I'm finding that IF-ing is a super easy way to switch your body into burning fat for fuel.

For most people, the easiest way to fast is to simply skip breakfast.  For example, you finish eating dinner at 8pm, and you don't eat again until noon the next day, which would be 16 hours later (nearly twice as long as it takes you to deplete your glycogen).  If you want to go the full 24 hours, you won't eat again until 8pm the next day.  Or you can skip dinner, and stop eating after lunch at noon and start eating again at noon the next day.  You can tailor it to your lifestyle, which is one of the many nice things about IF-ing!

Now, if 16 hours is plenty to get your body to burn energy from your fat stores, why would you go a full 24 hours?  Well, there are a ton more benefits than just weight loss and fat burning.

How Does it Work?

Let's get all sciency!  What's going on in the body when we eat?  So as I already explained, it can take 6-12 hours for your body to metabolize your glycogen stores and burn it up before it can start burning fat.  So your body will burn energy from your blood stream - aka the food you just ate - before it'll burn your fat.  If you ate a lot of carbs/sugar, it'll burn that up first.  That's why it's hard to lose weight if you consume a lot of carbs/sugar.  And if you keep replenishing your glycogen by eating frequently, it's harder for your body to burn your fat as fuel.

However, if you're fasting, your body doesn't have any food to burn energy from, so it automatically burns from your fat stores.  Yay!

If you want to look at this on a cellular level, you'll see a process called "autophagy", which is when a starving cell breaks down its own components (including damaged elements of the cell) to fuel more important cell processes.  Autophagy has many benefits such as destroying viruses and bacteria, or helping the cell identify a viral infection, or even preventing cells from becoming cancerous!  I think I like that even better then the weight loss!

More Benefits  

Now that you know how it works on a basic level and a scientific level, let's list some of the benefits of intermittent fasting (copied from the Paleo Mom article):

1. Increase lifespan. 
2. Increase insulin sensitivity, which can result in an increase in insulin signaling in the brain which is thought to be how fasting/calorie restriction works to increase lifespan.
3. Lower blood lipids, triglycerides and other markers of metabolic syndrome.
4. Fight/prevent cancer.  There is also some evidence that fasting before chemotherapy treatments can help reduce the negative side effects. 
5. Increase growth hormone secretion (which builds muscle and burns fat).
6. Normalize expression of the hunger hormone ghrelin, thereby reducing appetite.
7. Promote brain and peripheral nervous system health which can result in boosting the mood, memory, and mental clarity.
8. Increase dopamine production, meaning we get more enjoyment from less food. 
9. Increase energy through regulating metabolic hormones.

And one of my favorites: Intermittent Fasting is a little like hitting a reset button.  It can help curb sugar cravings, restore energy, and even promote deeper sleep.

Guess what?  I've experienced a lot of these benefits.  My hunger and appetite have been curbed and I'm less interested in food, I've been sleeping amazingly well and I feel so refreshed in the morning, I'm less and less interested in sweets the more I try fasting, and I've been feeling overall GOOD.  Plus, I've been losing weight without losing strength.

Another thing I like about it is that it's an easy way to restrict calories in a day.  Calorie restriction has been proven to have TONS of benefits, but it's next to impossible to stick with as hunger is a basic human function that's hard to override, when you cut your meals down to smaller sizes, that'll probably drive most of you crazy.  With intermittent fasting, you eat normal-sized meals, but in smaller windows of time (such as skipping breakfast as mentioned above). Here's a little more information about all that.

Why It Makes Sense to Me

Since discovering Paleo, I feel like I've compared everything to "the caveman days".  Not that I know exactly what those days were like - for instance they probably ate bugs, and I'm not real keen on that idea, and they very well could have eaten grains, which the modern Paleo diet says they didn't.  Another example is that if I were a cavewoman, and I found a peanut, I'd eat the peanut.  Modern Paleo is against peanuts.  There's a lot of gray area, and I just kind of hang out in that gray area rather than go full-blown strict with it.  But there are a lot of elements that make sense, like eating what's available to us through nature, because that's what our bodies were designed to consume from day one.  That, to me, is the focal point of Paleo.  Intermittent fasting fits very will with the Paleo lifestyle, because I'm sure our primal ancestors didn't schedule specific mealtimes and eat around the clock.  They ate depending on what was available to them, and that may have meant going without eating for spans of time depending on the success of their hunt or what they gathered or foraged.  Our bodies would have had to be able to still function in a fasting state - we'd have been in big trouble if it was necessary to our health to eat constantly throughout the day.

Where I'm At on my IF Journey

So far, I've loved my experience with IF-ing.  It took a little bit of growth and self-awareness to get to a good place with it, though.  One of my pain issues has been junk food.  I have definitely noticed that I don't crave sweets nearly as much, if at all, when I'm fasting, but that craving isn't gone permanently.  During my research to learn more about the health benefits of IF, I came across this article, which was full of good information but also a bad statement:

It’s with an intermittent fasting protocol that I feel you really can have your cake and eat it too. You need to be strict with the timing aspect, but besides that I’ve found you can eat a lot more of the foods you love but “should” abstain from on a daily basis.

Yes. Daily. (I’m not saying you should go and eat McDonalds every day, but treats can certainly be included).

I latched onto that and started using IF as a crutch.  I'm human, and I'm not going to hold back the negative details from you!  I started learning about IF around spring/early summer.  We had lots of picnics and parties and holidays and therefore lots of bad food.  I got excited when I read the article I just mentioned because it basically said it was okay to eat that stuff, I'd just have to fast before or after doing it to deflect the negative consequences.

It took a few times of feeling like absolute crap after eating junk (tired, fatigued, run-down, foggy brain, etc.), regardless of the fasting, to remember that I'm on a health journey here.  I'm in this for the long haul.  I want to keep my body healthy, and not only look good but feel good.  Paleo has become a lifestyle for me, and I want to keep it that way.  I think it's okay to indulge on treats every great once in awhile, but not make it a habit, and definitely not make excuses for it by fasting around it.

So now, at this point in my journey, I'm being careful with it.  Yes, if we wind up going out and I overindulge on not-so-healthy food, I will fast afterward to help my body along.  But I'm careful with my mindset - it's not an excuse to eat junk, and I'm not going to make a habit of it.  However I am human, and sometimes I just want to taste junk food.  Otherwise, I fast when it's convenient.  I don't do it daily, but usually 2-3 times a week.  Sometimes I'm rushed in the morning and it's just easier if I don't have to think about my own breakfast, then I wind up waiting until lunch to eat.  I've been continuing to lose weight, inches, and body fat, so whatever I'm doing is working for me.

Is This For You?

Intermittent fasting is not for everyone!  If you have a health concern, like diabetes or hypertension or whatnot, you should probably talk with a health care professional first (preferably someone with an open, holistic mindset!).  Especially if you have a blood sugar-related disease, IF-ing isn't for you.  Of course if you're pregnant or nursing, you should hold off on trying it as well.  Also, if you're happy with where you're at in life, your current diet and exercise plan is working great for you, and your body and health is right where you want it, then you probably don't need to mess with IF.  Though according to the research, a good 24-hour fast a few times a year may not be a bad idea!

Also, I came across a couple articles about how IF-ing may not be the best thing for women.  I haven't found any issues while trying it, but it's worth mentioning too.

Here's a very good article about possible health concerns regarding women and IF-ing:  http://paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/

And here's a very interesting story about one woman's demise with IF-ing: http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/reviews/how-intermittent-fasting-saved-mewhile-slowly-killing-me/

I'm sharing that with you because it's not a perfect approach.  Yes, it can be "too good to be true", especially if used incorrectly.  I could have wound up where Kaleigh, the author of the last article I just shared, wound up.  Luckily I had a wake-up call before it got out of control.

Be Smart

Don't obsess over it.  LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.  That's the number one important thing!  Nourish your body with healthy foods found in nature, not processed junk from factories.  Fasting can have wonderful health benefits, if you're doing it with the right intentions and the right goals.

I'm going to stick with this IF lifestyle, I'm really liking it!  Especially now that I feel that I'm doing it for the right reason - to obtain the health benefits from it, not six-pack abs.  I'm not fasting every day, but rather at the most convenient times throughout the week, between 1-3 times a week for 16 hours at a time, or a full 24 hours if I really feel I need a recharge (but that's only maybe once a month).  I break fast with clean, Paleo or mostly-Paleo foods, I don't binge on gigantic platefuls of food when I break fast, and I stick with clean foods throughout the days between fasting.  I try to focus on eating when I'm hungry, and stopping when I'm full.  Plain and simple.  And IF has actually helped with my stress levels too, as when I fast it usually involves skipping breakfast, which allows me more time in the morning to get the boys' breakfasts made and while they're eating I can prepare lunches for the day or get caught up on some cleaning or whatever - who doesn't like extra free time in the morning??

So I'm happy with where I am right now.  If you decide to try it, let me know what you experience!  But most of all BE SMART and BE SAFE about it.  Obsessing over it or using it as an excuse to eat poorly can ruin everything.  Make your health your priority, and find what works for you!

For more information about IF, check out this article on NerdFitnes.com, it's a good one!

Emotional Eating

Hello strangers!  I think about my blog quite often... and I've just accepted the fact that there aren't enough hours in the day to get around to it.  But that's okay because it's SUMMER!  My favorite season!  It's the opposite of COLD (I strongly dislike the cold), and there's so much to DO! But I can talk about that later.  If I have time...

I actually have something specific to talk about today.  Food.  Okay, I know I always talk about food, but I want to talk about the emotional component of food this time.  Actually there are a lot of components.  And I'm certainly not a psychologist, but I've experienced emotional eating first-hand.  I'm still guilty of it!  I think we all are, right?  It's when we eat to fill our hearts, not our stomachs.  Or when we eat because we're bored and it's a habit.  Or because we're addicted to something (usually sugar) and it tastes soooo gooood that we can't just stop at one.

Harlee loves Big Hero 6, so I felt this shot worked well for this post!

Food is fuel, and food is medicine.  I've discussed this before, and finally more and more people are becoming aware of how important a healthy diet is to true wellness.  But so many people use food as a crutch or a comfort measure, and that's where it gets a bit unhealthy.  Comfort food is different for everyone - it can be a warm, buttery bread roll, a slice of pizza, a fast food cheeseburger, a piece of cake, or, if you're like me, a chocolate candy bar.  For a lot of people, it takes a lot of work to consciously avoid these comfort foods.  If we're unhappy or stressed or even simply bored, it's even harder. And for most people, it's not a bad habit - it's an addiction.  And you need to treat it, and beat it, like an addiction.  I'll elaborate on that topic in a future post.

I was addicted to chocolate and junk food starting with Halloween last year and all the way into Easter this year. I totally fell off the Paleo wagon and could not get back on.  Junk food was engrained in my brain!  I started personal training, hoping that would motivate me to make changes, but I still could not stop thinking about chocolate.  I felt like my exercising was going to waste.  I was sabotaging my own progress.

What helped me was realizing I should stop being so hard on myself.  So instead of beating myself up for ruining my progress toward a healthy lifestyle whenever I ate too much chocolate, I'd say to myself, "That tasted good, I enjoyed it, and that was enough.  I'm done, and my clean eating starts NOW."  I'd remember I'm human, I make mistakes just like all humans, and that's okay.  Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.  I'll learn from this, and move on.

And with that mindset it became easier and easier each day to say no.  I cut out gluten completely, which was starting to become an addiction too when we'd go out to eat.  When I cracked down on that, I was starting to feel a LOT better. I was happier, my mind was clearer, I had more energy through the day, things didn't stress me out so much, my workouts were going better, and my cravings were becoming more for healthy foods rather than junk food, and I finally got off my weight loss plateau and started losing again!

Then, after the few experiences I had with eating dairy and it flaring up my pollen allergies, which I wrote about in my last post, I cut that out too.  That's when it finally clicked for me - it's not worth it to enjoy the flavor of food only to feel like crap for days after eating it.  And that was the breakthrough I needed to stick to eating healthy on a regular basis.

Take the time to recognize your eating habits.  Are you really hungry?  Or are you just giving yourself something to do?  Or are you upset about something and since that cupcake tastes so good maybe it'll make you feel good too?  Think about the consequences.  Are you going to feel like crap for eating that?  How many calories is that?  Is it worth it?

Reread my post about Motivation if you'd like a few more tips on how to break your habits and make a healthy lifestyle change.

It took awhile, but I got there.  You can get there too.  Just start by being kind and gentle with yourself.  Allow yourself time, because you need to form new habits, and break an addiction.  It takes work, self-discipline, determination, and perseverance.  And if you have a goal, whether it be to look better or to feel better, you can get there.

Hope you're all having a great summer so far!  I'm hoping to find time to blog more - I have lots of ideas.  But in the meantime, follow me on Instagram @NaturallyJami or Like me on Facebook to see what I'm up to!

Mother's Day Weekend Wrap-Up, Motivation, Lemon Caprese Pasta Salad and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Recipes

Hope all you moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  I had the best one yet (out of all four I've celebrated so far).  It was my first one as a mom of two, and my first one as a complete family.  I kicked it off with a trip to Paducah, KY, to run the Iron Mom 1/2 Marathon Relay with a group of awesome gals, and it was a blast!  It was great to get away for an overnight trip too (and Justin did just fine with the boys on his own!).

On Sunday the four of us went out for sushi for lunch (well, Harlee and Elliot didn't have any but Justin and I indulged - we love sushi!), did a little shopping, and got frozen custard later.  Yum!  I'm pretty sure I added back all the calories and then some that I burned off on the run... but oh well.

Now I'm back to the grind.  I did a crossfit workout this morning, then I came across an awesome post by Felicia Newell, a nutrition coach I follow on Instagram and Facebook.  I wanted to share her post with you and reflect on it a bit, both for my own benefit and maybe yours, if it resonates with you.  Here's the link to her post, but I'll copy and paste it in case that link doesn't work.

One of the very first (and most difficult) steps to making a lifestyle change is finding the motivation.

Do you, like many others, struggle with self motivation? Having a hard time getting yourself to your regularly scheduled workouts? Finding more and more reasons to cheat on your healthy diet?

Guess what? You're not alone! We all struggle with motivation sometimes, but I have some tips that can help you self-motivate and reach your goals.

A healthy dose of motivation coupled with determination will get you almost anything in life. So how do you know if you’re genuinely motivated?

- Motivation will tell you to get to your workout no matter what.
- Motivation will nag you to put down the doughnut.
- Motivation makes passing on fries a reflex.
- Motivation makes a sweat drenched workout exciting.
- Motivation constantly reminds you why you do what you do.

Self-Motivating Tip #1: Find Your Motivator.

Motivation stems from having a goal. What is your goal? Why do you want to get into great shape and/or make a lifestyle change?

Once you uncover your personal motivator you’ll find that motivation flows quickly your way.

Take a minute to really uncover the reason that you want to lose the weight. Don’t say something vague like you want to 'Be thinner' or 'Look more attractive.' Dig deeper – there is a very specific motivator in your life, you simply need to uncover it.

Here are some possible motivators…
- I want to have more energy to keep up with the kids.
- I want to improve my health through weight loss to extend and improve my life.
- I want to lose 15 pounds before my vacation.
- I want to restore my confidence to wear sleeveless shirts.
- I want to regain my figure to impress and attract my significant other.

Self-Motivating Tip #2: Make It Official.

When you write something down it suddenly feels official, doesn’t it? Write down your motivator for getting into great shape, and post it where you will see it often—next to your alarm clock, on the bathroom mirror, or in your car.

Each time you see your written motivator take a moment to visualize yourself accomplishing your goal. Try to make the scene as clear in your mind as possible. This is a powerful tool for maintaining your focus and direction.

Self-Motivating Tip #3: Be Practical.

It’s game plan time. You know what you want, and now you need to map out exactly how you’ll achieve it. It is important to be practical in your planning, rather than throwing out ideas that you know you won’t stick with.

With any weight loss goal it is important to 1) maintain a healthy low-calorie diet, and 2) participate in a consistent and challenging exercise program.

Plan a routine that will fit into your schedule and you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Also choose an exercise program that you enjoy—don’t force yourself to jog everyday if you hate jogging.

Self-Motivating Tip #4: Call For Backup.

Enlist the support of your friends, family and co-workers. Tell everyone about your goal to lose weight and get fit, you’ll be surprised how supportive most people will be. By being open about your goals you’ll likely be an encouragement to others to make healthy changes in their own lives.

I really liked that post, and it got me thinking about my own motivation.  I struggle with motivation to work out on my own, to go for a run on my spare time, and to eat healthy as often as possible.  Swimsuit season is fast approaching and I've just felt kinda "eh" about it.  And I know I won't feel that way when it's time to actually go swimming, so to do something about that I need to start NOW.  Apparently I need to dig deeper than the swimsuit though.  What is my motivator?

Feeling good is a motivator.  I came to a realization in the last couple days - when I eat foods that contain a lot of gluten, I have allergy attacks out of this world.  I feel like I have glass in my eyes, my nose is constantly running, sneezing, the works.  If I watch what I eat, I can tolerate the great outdoors without much trouble.  And I've been finding that it's not worth the great taste of food with gluten in it to put up with allergy attacks like that.  Added to that, I feel better all over when I eat right.  I have more energy, I have more mental clarity, I have more balance when I eat right.  Motivation.  And that's my step #2 mentioned above - writing it down.

What is your motivation?  I don't often get comments on this blog.  Feel free to comment your motivation!  Let's work together and fulfill #4!

So how about a couple recipes?

Remember that vegetable spiralizer I mentioned in my last post?  Yeah, that thing has been getting a workout!  I made classic spaghetti (though I just took a shortcut and made meat sauce instead of meatballs) and it was like the real deal.  Honestly, now that I have this spiralizer, I doubt I'll ever mess with a spaghetti squash again.  These zucchini noodles are way closer to the real thing.  They're awesome.

Sorry about the bad lighting...

Yellow zucchini squashes turn out even closer to the look of real pasta!

Basic Spaghetti Meat Sauce

1/2 lb ground beef (or venison in our case)
~ 30oz tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp basil
1/2 tbsp oregano
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef in a skillet and drain off the grease.  Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat.  Add the beef and mix until well incorporated.

I added about two zucchinis worth of noodles to this recipe and cooked it all together until the noodles were soft enough to my liking.

And it was delicious.

So this morning I was feeling inspired and decided to pluck some of my basil growing outside and use up the last of my zucchini  noodles with some of cherry tomatoes we had in the fridge.  Allow me to share my recipe!

Lemon Caprese Pasta Salad

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2" pieces
2 zucchinis, peeled and cut into noodles

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper together (I used a glass measuring cup).  Add the basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese and stir until combined.  Let sit while cooking the zucchini noodles over medium heat in a dry skillet, about 3-5 minutes.  Don't overcook or the noodles will become mushy!  Once they get a bit of a transparent look to them take them off the heat immediately.  Let cool, drain off the water, and add in your lemon caprese mixture.  Toss until well combined and enjoy!

Cooking the noodles a bit

Lemon caprese mixture

Tossed together

Serve!  Yummy!