Every once in awhile, you just need a subtle little reminder to keep doing the right thing. You know? (Or am I alone in this?)
For example, the other day I was stressing about money. (That is a common occurrence right now as our expenses have changed so drastically over the last year.) Even though I do not believe in gambling and haven't ever bought a lottery ticket, I'll admit to you that the thought crossed my mind the other day: Maybe I just need a lottery ticket. I considered it for the ten minutes it took me to reach my next destination and then dismissed it from my mind.
God must have been watching. ;)
Later that afternoon I was listening to the radio and they were interviewing this lady talking about how she just felt like maybe God was leading her to buy a few lottery tickets. The hosts (obviously Christian) began to explain to her all of the reasons why they were certain that God was not leading her to buy a lotto ticket. I found myself agreeing right along with them and wondering what was wrong with Ms. Get Rich Quick when God reminded me of my very struggle that morning. I had just entertained that thought earlier that same day. No, I didn't act on it ... but I did entertain it. I flirted a bit with the danger.
God had to gently remind me to keep on doing the right thing even though I can't see the end of this tunnel right now. I got another gentle reminder this past weekend.
Julie was getting ready for school last Thursday and came to me telling me her tummy was hurting. I never know what to make of Julie's physical ailings though because sometimes they are a cry for attention and other times she actually has something wrong. So, I told her to drink some water and then tell me later how she felt. I totally forgot about it until I was taking photo's at my job later that day and began to notice my stomach was hurting.
We haven't been sick in so long that I wasn't sure if I was actually fighting something or if I had just eaten something that didn't agree with me or if I had nervous stomach.
Fast forward about six hours.
I picked the kids up from school only to discover Craig had been battling a stomach ache (and some bathroom issues) all day at school.
Lovely.
So, I prepared myself. I began making preparations for chicken noodle soup, crackers, ginger ale .... You know - all the basic necessities for a battle with the stomach flu. I gave myself a pep talk as I went to bed Thursday night knowing I'd probably be cleaning up body fluids during the night.
Fast forward twelve hours.
I wake up and realize no one has needed me ... or have they? I race into their rooms to discover they're both still asleep and there is no putrid smell. Hmmmmm...
My own stomach just felt slightly "off" so I went about my morning routine and waited on the kids to get up. Julie felt fine upon waking and Craig told me he had gotten up twice during the night and gone to the bathroom, but that he felt fine.
Julie and I spent the next two days feeling normal most of the time and then getting a slight stomach ache for a few minutes here and there. Other than that - there were no symptoms. No nausea. No fun bathroom excursions. Nothing.
Craig, however, had a little rougher time. Granted, it didn't take him down - but he struggled a little more. His lasted four days and affected his energy level slightly and took him on frequent (somewhat emergency) trips to the bathroom. It wasn't significant enough to call him officially "sick", but it was significant enough that I can still tell you every bathroom from here to Waller as I had to prepare adequately to travel with him on Saturday to the playoffs. He finally kicked it Sunday and was back to his normal self.
What's my take-away? What do I learn from any of that?
Well - we will never know for sure, but I think we had a little stomach virus. Given everything we have changed, me and Julie were able to fight it off with barely any symptoms. However, although Craig may look healthy - we still have a long road ahead of us. His body handled the exact same thing completely different. It didn't fight it off quite as fast nor quite as strong.
That's depressing in some regards because while Julie occasionally gets dairy (which she shouldn't have) or a citrus fruit (another no-no) and Rick and I occasionally eat Chuy's or something, the one person in the house who has not been allowed to "cheat" once on this journey has been Craig. Not once. Not for anything. So, you would think he'd be the healthiest among us.
This little virus showed me that I've got to keep being diligent. I've got to keep fighting the good fight. I've got to keep on doing the right thing. And in the meantime, I've got to stay away from Vegas!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Keepin' It Real, Yo
My friend Lana posted the other day on her blog, where she chronicles the life of a special needs family, that she wonders sometimes if their daughter Lily would be in the same place (developmentally) if they had not done the enormous amount of therapy they have with her. Would she have reached some of those milestones regardless? She then elaborates the next day explaining that they'll never know for sure and mentioning some of the things they have given up to be able to raise "The Bird" (their precious nickname for Lily). One of the things they're struggling with right now is a desire to take an extended family vacation this next year. Their oldest will graduate from high school and "leave the nest" and they wanted one last hoorah before they send her off. However, therapy is expensive (don't I know it?!) and medical expenses are their biggest expenditure currently.
(sigh)
I found myself tearing up as I read her posts. This is so where I am right now. I don't want you to know it because I want you to make the leap and start feeding yourself and your family food that is good for you instead of preservative-laden junk. And if I tell you how stinkin' hard this is, you'll never do it.
I worked from August of last year (2010) until February of this year (2011) doing something I really liked - serving at a church. However, we did not need any of the money. Granted, it was nice and we went to Disney and we played alot. But, when the church got rid of me in February we weren't a bit concerned about the money part of it. We learned a long time ago to NEVER depend on two incomes. It makes life so much less stressful!
However, what we didn't realize is that when we made the leap at the end of January to full-blown organic, preservative-free lifestyle - that it would increase our living expenses so significantly. It doubled my grocery bills. And our medical bills just continued to gradually climb until they were more than our health insurance payment each month. (Something feels very wrong about that to me!) Therefore, we didn't know it at the time, but I stopped bringing in any money and yet our expenses rose by about 40%.
Well, by May we realized that I couldn't just sit around and wait on the next church to call. I was going to have to start bringing in a little bit to help us stay afloat.
This has been the most gratifying and yet exhausting journey we have ever been on. I mean - nothing compares to getting your kid back. NOTHING. But, that's not the only blessing we've received on this journey. We've lost weight. Our daughter's asthma symptoms up and disappeared. Our family members all began taking steps toward healthier lifestyles. We've helped a number of other families. I could go on ...
And we would do it all again! However, that doesn't make working these little odd jobs that I loathe any easier. And it doesn't make scrimping and saving any easier.
I mean, I want some new boots. And I want to get my kid a DS for Christmas. And I want to get Rick an iPhone for his birthday.
And there's a few other things that maybe I don't necessarily "want" per se ... but that we probably need to do. (You know - since we're adults and we're supposed to be responsible.) The van needs new tires. I only made enough last month to replace one of them after everything else was paid. The fridge is making a really weird noise and I'm fairly certain that we're working on borrowed time with it. The poor baby is 11 years old and has been moved 6 times since we got it. Rick's car cannot pass inspection in this county without a little (ha) $1000 repair.
(huge sigh)
I reached the point about a month ago where I began having to force myself to go to work each day. I did not realize the blessing of loving your job until I was forced to work two different jobs this year that I have hated. I have hated them because they are not my calling ... they're not ministry. It's not that everyday was a good day in ministry. It's just that I never actually got to the point where I loathed my job. I so understand that now. Rick and I have trouble discussing it because while he has had teams he didn't prefer as much as others, he's never loathed the job. It's always been football and it's always been his passion. And I am deeply grateful for that. I pray he NEVER has to experience this side of it.
I also became aware this year that I am being leaned on in a way that I was never meant to be leaned on. God did not make me the bread winner of the family. That is Rick's job. He feels called to it. He accepts it. He prides himself in it. He is our provider. I could not handle that kind of pressure and I was never meant to handle it. Having to actually feel some of that pressure and continue on in this even though I hate it is new to me. It's made me even more thankful for the bread winner God provided for me. It's also reiterated the fact that we made the decision to lower our expenses 6 years ago and NEVER be in this trap again of having to depend on two incomes. It is miserable.
There is no end to the line of people who are quick to judge us in this either. We've heard it all. We've lost friends in this journey and some members of our family think we're insane. They just don't get it at all. I can hear their thoughts right now saying "If it's that tough financially - why don't you just back off on the whole organic thing?"
To be perfectly honest - we could.
As long as we were gluten-free, egg yolk - free, artificial sweetener free, salicylate LOW and sulfite free and kept Craig on his supplements, we could pull this whole thing off. Actually - we could just put Craig on the special diet and the rest of us could go back to the unhealthy stuff because it doesn't make us act a fool. We could just get the supplements from the chiro instead of actually having him adjusted. That would save a copay every week as well.
We named this blog (and our ministry) Body, Soul & Mind because food affects each of these areas. (I've said it once - I'll continue to say it as often as you'll read it .... You're gut and your brain are connected. What you put in your belly affects your actual brain. Your gut is known as your second brain and your brain as your second gut.) However, I wanted a way to incorporate a verse that sums it all up for us into the very core of this blog. I wanted it to be ever present. So, I built it into the web address. If you haven't looked it up, it says this in The Message:
"Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things." Romans 6:13
Do you get it? We prayed and searched for YEARS for these answers. We begged and pleaded. And God revealed His answer through TRUTH. Slowly, slowly, slowly He revealed the truth about food to us and how He gave us food not only to enjoy but to HEAL OUR BODIES. He's already made everything we need to heal. There's a plant or a food out there for everything that ails us.
I will not debate modern medicine with you. I am thankful for it and grateful for it and if I am having a heart attack - please rush me to the hospital. However, if I have a stomach ache - please don't feed me Tums. If I'm having a stroke - please carry me to the nearest E.R. However, if I complain of a headache - please don't offer me ibuprofen. If my appendix bursts, I'd like to think you'd call 911. However, I can get rid of strep throat without the use of antibiotics. So, if I catch it again, keep your distance and blow me kisses through the windows. I'll be good as new in a few days.
I've done the research. God led us to truth over and over and over. And my response to that?
My response should be uninhibited WORSHIP and PRAISE and a thankful heart. And that's precisely what it is. However, it should be obedience also. Obedience is a form of worship and love.
How could I possibly eat the very things that have made us so sick and nearly sealed my sons prison term when I know what is in them and the affect it has on our bodies? How could I possibly eat those things after all God has done for me? To do so feels very much (to me) like a slap to His face.
So, yes. This particular season right now is full of Thanksgiving and Worship and Praise and grateful hearts. But, it is hard. It is dang hard. I'm weary. I'm tired of hating my job/work. I'm tired of dreading the same thing everyday. I'm tired of not being able to play just a little bit. I'm tired of only shopping the sale items at the grocery store. I'm tired of not getting to go on dates with my husband.
But this I know: I know that 13 months ago, my Redeemer redeemed my sons life from the pit and therefore my family's life/future as well. He brought us to truth we had been searching for for many, many years. And if I need to walk through a valley for a little while, I will. Because sometimes His blessings come through raindrops and sometimes healing comes through tears. And sometimes the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise. (Laura Story)
(sigh)
I found myself tearing up as I read her posts. This is so where I am right now. I don't want you to know it because I want you to make the leap and start feeding yourself and your family food that is good for you instead of preservative-laden junk. And if I tell you how stinkin' hard this is, you'll never do it.
I worked from August of last year (2010) until February of this year (2011) doing something I really liked - serving at a church. However, we did not need any of the money. Granted, it was nice and we went to Disney and we played alot. But, when the church got rid of me in February we weren't a bit concerned about the money part of it. We learned a long time ago to NEVER depend on two incomes. It makes life so much less stressful!
However, what we didn't realize is that when we made the leap at the end of January to full-blown organic, preservative-free lifestyle - that it would increase our living expenses so significantly. It doubled my grocery bills. And our medical bills just continued to gradually climb until they were more than our health insurance payment each month. (Something feels very wrong about that to me!) Therefore, we didn't know it at the time, but I stopped bringing in any money and yet our expenses rose by about 40%.
Well, by May we realized that I couldn't just sit around and wait on the next church to call. I was going to have to start bringing in a little bit to help us stay afloat.
This has been the most gratifying and yet exhausting journey we have ever been on. I mean - nothing compares to getting your kid back. NOTHING. But, that's not the only blessing we've received on this journey. We've lost weight. Our daughter's asthma symptoms up and disappeared. Our family members all began taking steps toward healthier lifestyles. We've helped a number of other families. I could go on ...
And we would do it all again! However, that doesn't make working these little odd jobs that I loathe any easier. And it doesn't make scrimping and saving any easier.
I mean, I want some new boots. And I want to get my kid a DS for Christmas. And I want to get Rick an iPhone for his birthday.
And there's a few other things that maybe I don't necessarily "want" per se ... but that we probably need to do. (You know - since we're adults and we're supposed to be responsible.) The van needs new tires. I only made enough last month to replace one of them after everything else was paid. The fridge is making a really weird noise and I'm fairly certain that we're working on borrowed time with it. The poor baby is 11 years old and has been moved 6 times since we got it. Rick's car cannot pass inspection in this county without a little (ha) $1000 repair.
(huge sigh)
I reached the point about a month ago where I began having to force myself to go to work each day. I did not realize the blessing of loving your job until I was forced to work two different jobs this year that I have hated. I have hated them because they are not my calling ... they're not ministry. It's not that everyday was a good day in ministry. It's just that I never actually got to the point where I loathed my job. I so understand that now. Rick and I have trouble discussing it because while he has had teams he didn't prefer as much as others, he's never loathed the job. It's always been football and it's always been his passion. And I am deeply grateful for that. I pray he NEVER has to experience this side of it.
I also became aware this year that I am being leaned on in a way that I was never meant to be leaned on. God did not make me the bread winner of the family. That is Rick's job. He feels called to it. He accepts it. He prides himself in it. He is our provider. I could not handle that kind of pressure and I was never meant to handle it. Having to actually feel some of that pressure and continue on in this even though I hate it is new to me. It's made me even more thankful for the bread winner God provided for me. It's also reiterated the fact that we made the decision to lower our expenses 6 years ago and NEVER be in this trap again of having to depend on two incomes. It is miserable.
There is no end to the line of people who are quick to judge us in this either. We've heard it all. We've lost friends in this journey and some members of our family think we're insane. They just don't get it at all. I can hear their thoughts right now saying "If it's that tough financially - why don't you just back off on the whole organic thing?"
To be perfectly honest - we could.
As long as we were gluten-free, egg yolk - free, artificial sweetener free, salicylate LOW and sulfite free and kept Craig on his supplements, we could pull this whole thing off. Actually - we could just put Craig on the special diet and the rest of us could go back to the unhealthy stuff because it doesn't make us act a fool. We could just get the supplements from the chiro instead of actually having him adjusted. That would save a copay every week as well.
We named this blog (and our ministry) Body, Soul & Mind because food affects each of these areas. (I've said it once - I'll continue to say it as often as you'll read it .... You're gut and your brain are connected. What you put in your belly affects your actual brain. Your gut is known as your second brain and your brain as your second gut.) However, I wanted a way to incorporate a verse that sums it all up for us into the very core of this blog. I wanted it to be ever present. So, I built it into the web address. If you haven't looked it up, it says this in The Message:
"Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things." Romans 6:13
Do you get it? We prayed and searched for YEARS for these answers. We begged and pleaded. And God revealed His answer through TRUTH. Slowly, slowly, slowly He revealed the truth about food to us and how He gave us food not only to enjoy but to HEAL OUR BODIES. He's already made everything we need to heal. There's a plant or a food out there for everything that ails us.
I will not debate modern medicine with you. I am thankful for it and grateful for it and if I am having a heart attack - please rush me to the hospital. However, if I have a stomach ache - please don't feed me Tums. If I'm having a stroke - please carry me to the nearest E.R. However, if I complain of a headache - please don't offer me ibuprofen. If my appendix bursts, I'd like to think you'd call 911. However, I can get rid of strep throat without the use of antibiotics. So, if I catch it again, keep your distance and blow me kisses through the windows. I'll be good as new in a few days.
I've done the research. God led us to truth over and over and over. And my response to that?
My response should be uninhibited WORSHIP and PRAISE and a thankful heart. And that's precisely what it is. However, it should be obedience also. Obedience is a form of worship and love.
How could I possibly eat the very things that have made us so sick and nearly sealed my sons prison term when I know what is in them and the affect it has on our bodies? How could I possibly eat those things after all God has done for me? To do so feels very much (to me) like a slap to His face.
So, yes. This particular season right now is full of Thanksgiving and Worship and Praise and grateful hearts. But, it is hard. It is dang hard. I'm weary. I'm tired of hating my job/work. I'm tired of dreading the same thing everyday. I'm tired of not being able to play just a little bit. I'm tired of only shopping the sale items at the grocery store. I'm tired of not getting to go on dates with my husband.
But this I know: I know that 13 months ago, my Redeemer redeemed my sons life from the pit and therefore my family's life/future as well. He brought us to truth we had been searching for for many, many years. And if I need to walk through a valley for a little while, I will. Because sometimes His blessings come through raindrops and sometimes healing comes through tears. And sometimes the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise. (Laura Story)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Vaccination Debate
I've told you before that we are suspicious of the vaccinations Craig got when he was 18 months old. While we cannot prove that those vaccines caused his severe food allergies, they are one of the possible culprits. (There are others we are suspicious of as well for those of you doing your research: the epidural I got during his labor, the formula he drank almost his entire first year, a couple of illnesses he got before he turned 2, etc...)
I got this chart off of Mercola.com and it is quite interesting! Take some time and ingest some of this info today. I'm not asking you not to vaccinate your child. I'm simply asking you to become educated before you do it! We did - and it changed how we would do vaccinations in the future!
(Sorry this chart bleeds over the margins. One of these days I'll actually know how to work a computer correctly!)
I got this chart off of Mercola.com and it is quite interesting! Take some time and ingest some of this info today. I'm not asking you not to vaccinate your child. I'm simply asking you to become educated before you do it! We did - and it changed how we would do vaccinations in the future!
(Sorry this chart bleeds over the margins. One of these days I'll actually know how to work a computer correctly!)
| Health Condition | Prevalence in Vaccinated Children | Prevalence in Unvaccinated Children |
| Allergies | 40% report at least one allergy | Less than 10% |
| Asthma | 6% | 2.5% |
| Hayfever | 10.7% of German children | 2.5% |
| Neurodermatitis (an autoimmune disorder) | 13% of German children | 7% |
| ADHD | 8% of German children, and another nearly 6% with borderline cases | 1-2% |
| Middle ear infections | 11% of German children | Less than 0.5% |
| Sinusitis | Over 32% of German children | Less than 1% |
| Autism | Approximately 1 in 100 | Only 4 cases out of 7,800+ surveys (one child tested very high for metals, and another's mother tested very high for mercury) |
| Health Condition | Prevalence in Vaccinated Children | Prevalence in Unvaccinated Children |
| Allergies | 40% report at least one allergy | Less than 10% |
| Asthma | 6% | 2.5% |
| Hayfever | 10.7% of German children | 2.5% |
| Neurodermatitis (an autoimmune disorder) | 13% of German children | 7% |
| ADHD | 8% of German children, and another nearly 6% with borderline cases | 1-2% |
| Middle ear infections | 11% of German children | Less than 0.5% |
| Sinusitis | Over 32% of German children | Less than 1% |
| Autism | Approximately 1 in 100 | Only 4 cases out of 7,800+ surveys (one child tested very high for metals, and another's mother tested very high for mercury) |
| Health Condition | Prevalence in Vaccinated Children | Prevalence in Unvaccinated Children |
| Allergies | 40% report at least one allergy | Less than 10% |
| Asthma | 6% | 2.5% |
| Hayfever | 10.7% of German children | 2.5% |
| Neurodermatitis (an autoimmune disorder) | 13% of German children | 7% |
| ADHD | 8% of German children, and another nearly 6% with borderline cases | 1-2% |
| Middle ear infections | 11% of German children | Less than 0.5% |
| Sinusitis | Over 32% of German children | Less than 1% |
| Autism | Approximately 1 in 100 | Only 4 cases out of 7,800+ surveys (one child tested very high for metals, and another's mother tested very high for mercury) |
Monday, November 14, 2011
Craig's Meals - MUFFINS (without the muffin top)
Oh, my! Please excuse my absence last week. My Superwoman skills are not what they used to be. Until this ministry also brings in what we need it to financially, I must work a few other jobs. (Organic food and doctor bills add up, ya know?)
Last week I was working three jobs. They just all happened to hit at once. I'm grateful for the work, but mama can't keep everything going all at one time. So, I had to set down some of the balls I was juggling. I chose the laundry and Craig's Meals Delivered. (Rick was not real thrilled about the laundry ball being dropped!) ;)
However, have no fear! I'm back ... with a vengeance! (Do I ever come back any other way?)
This week, Craig's Meals Delivered is offering MUFFINS without the muffin top! (Urban Dictionary defines muffin top as "when a woman wears a pair of tight jeans that makes her flab spill out over the waistband, just like the top of a muffin sits over the edge of the paper case."
Oh dear. I just crossed a line with some of you, didn't I?
Well, for those of you still hanging around - these muffins are fantastic and they come in a variety of flavors. (I was only going to offer one flavor, but since Rick and I can't agree on the flavor - that's a pretty clear indication I need to offer multiple!) The best part about these muffins is that they are light and airy and they don't leave you with that full, fat, lead feeling in your gut after you eat them. (That's the gluten that does that.)
They come in groups of 12 and they are perfect for a family breakfast or a special treat at your office. (My kids are taking them to school this week as a sweet gift for their teacher.) I also always make a double batch and freeze the extras for those mornings when we have no eggs, no cereal and yet everyone still wants breakfast! (Ever have those mornings?)
They are available in blueberry, apple-cinnamon, pumpkin and orange-cranberry this week. Each dozen muffins are $10. While most Craig's Meals Delivered meals come frozen, you may specify this week if you want your muffins frozen or not. (Nobody wants frozen muffins if they're taking them straight up to work so we're offering a little flexibility this week!)
These are a great way to welcome in this Thanksgiving season! Why not order a few dozen for your friends & loved ones?
Last week I was working three jobs. They just all happened to hit at once. I'm grateful for the work, but mama can't keep everything going all at one time. So, I had to set down some of the balls I was juggling. I chose the laundry and Craig's Meals Delivered. (Rick was not real thrilled about the laundry ball being dropped!) ;)
However, have no fear! I'm back ... with a vengeance! (Do I ever come back any other way?)
This week, Craig's Meals Delivered is offering MUFFINS without the muffin top! (Urban Dictionary defines muffin top as "when a woman wears a pair of tight jeans that makes her flab spill out over the waistband, just like the top of a muffin sits over the edge of the paper case."
Oh dear. I just crossed a line with some of you, didn't I?
Well, for those of you still hanging around - these muffins are fantastic and they come in a variety of flavors. (I was only going to offer one flavor, but since Rick and I can't agree on the flavor - that's a pretty clear indication I need to offer multiple!) The best part about these muffins is that they are light and airy and they don't leave you with that full, fat, lead feeling in your gut after you eat them. (That's the gluten that does that.)
They come in groups of 12 and they are perfect for a family breakfast or a special treat at your office. (My kids are taking them to school this week as a sweet gift for their teacher.) I also always make a double batch and freeze the extras for those mornings when we have no eggs, no cereal and yet everyone still wants breakfast! (Ever have those mornings?)
They are available in blueberry, apple-cinnamon, pumpkin and orange-cranberry this week. Each dozen muffins are $10. While most Craig's Meals Delivered meals come frozen, you may specify this week if you want your muffins frozen or not. (Nobody wants frozen muffins if they're taking them straight up to work so we're offering a little flexibility this week!)
These are a great way to welcome in this Thanksgiving season! Why not order a few dozen for your friends & loved ones?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
How Do You Do ORGANIC Halloween?
About a month ago, I found myself asking how in the world we were going to pull off Halloween. I mean, for us, Halloween is about the candy and the costumes. There's no skulls or skeletons or ghosts or goblins .... just candy and some cute costumes. (Ok, there's a chance I might hide in a dark closet and scare Rick when he least expects it. But, that's the extent of the scariness!)
However, when you've banned food dyes, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives of all forms from your home, how (I mean - seriously, HOW) do you pull off Halloween?
Just. like. this.
These are Vanilla Meringue Cookies. They look like hershey kisses but they're white. They're made with egg whites, sugar and vanilla. (Gluten-free and made from cage free chickens as an added bonus!) They're super yummy and they melt on your tongue!
And then we have Sour Bats ... my personal favorites. (These taste just like Sour Patch Kids, but there's no dye in these.) These are not real great for you, but for once a year Halloween candy (in moderation), they'll be fine. They're made with corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, natural flavors, malic acid, sodium citrate, citric acid, colored vegetable extracts (red cabbage, paprika, turmeric), and saturated sunflower oil.
OH my yum! Here are your "Junior Mints" for you movie junkies out there! These are muy fabulouso. They're made with chocolate, sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar, organic cage-free egg whites, tapioca dextrin, glycerin, peppermint oil, and invertase. Again - not something you want to munch on everyday - but great for Halloween. (Or maybe even that occasional trip to the movies!) (Did I just confess to occasionally sneaking candy into the movies?)
These little babies took the place of the Snickers, the Milky Ways, and Peanut Butter Cups. (Ok, I don't know that anything could ever take the place of Peanut Butter Cups, but hey - you can't win 'em all!) These are Endangered Species Chocolate candy bars. They're made with milk chocolate. (Dark chocolate would be better for you, but sometimes you just have to splurge!)
These are possibly my best find yet! These suckers are to dye for! Yummy Earth has made Organic Lollipops safe for us because they're gluten-free and contain no artificial dyes or flavors. Whoo hoo! They're made from organic evaporated cane juice, organic rice syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, organic black carrots, organic black currant, organic pumpkin, organic apple and organic carrot. Possibly one of the best suckers I've ever put in my mouth!
Anyone need Gummy Bears? How about some Organic Gummy Bears by Yummy Earth? Look at this list and tell me these aren't awesome: gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, GMO-free, no artificial dyes, no corn syrup, tree-nut-free and no MSG. So, what DO they contain? organic rice syrup, organic cane sugar, gelatin, organic aronia juice, organic black currant juice natural flavor, citric acid, ascorbic acid, carnauba wax, and organic sunflower oil. That, my friends, is a good gummy!
And I'll confess that I was not prepared for this last one. However, we went to a little church carnival Sunday night and Craig won 3 (count 'em, THREE) sodas at the ring toss. (What the heck? I thought I only needed candy for Halloween!) So, I had to get some safe sodas so he could trade in his three unsafe sodas. These sodas made by Whole Foods only have four ingredients - (which is always a good indication that they're safe): filtered carbonated water, can sugar, natural cherry vanilla creme flavor and citric acid. They're gluten free, non-caffeinated and there is nothing artificial in them. Score!
However, when you've banned food dyes, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives of all forms from your home, how (I mean - seriously, HOW) do you pull off Halloween?
Just. like. this.
These are Vanilla Meringue Cookies. They look like hershey kisses but they're white. They're made with egg whites, sugar and vanilla. (Gluten-free and made from cage free chickens as an added bonus!) They're super yummy and they melt on your tongue!
And then we have Sour Bats ... my personal favorites. (These taste just like Sour Patch Kids, but there's no dye in these.) These are not real great for you, but for once a year Halloween candy (in moderation), they'll be fine. They're made with corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, natural flavors, malic acid, sodium citrate, citric acid, colored vegetable extracts (red cabbage, paprika, turmeric), and saturated sunflower oil.
OH my yum! Here are your "Junior Mints" for you movie junkies out there! These are muy fabulouso. They're made with chocolate, sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar, organic cage-free egg whites, tapioca dextrin, glycerin, peppermint oil, and invertase. Again - not something you want to munch on everyday - but great for Halloween. (Or maybe even that occasional trip to the movies!) (Did I just confess to occasionally sneaking candy into the movies?)
These little babies took the place of the Snickers, the Milky Ways, and Peanut Butter Cups. (Ok, I don't know that anything could ever take the place of Peanut Butter Cups, but hey - you can't win 'em all!) These are Endangered Species Chocolate candy bars. They're made with milk chocolate. (Dark chocolate would be better for you, but sometimes you just have to splurge!)
These are possibly my best find yet! These suckers are to dye for! Yummy Earth has made Organic Lollipops safe for us because they're gluten-free and contain no artificial dyes or flavors. Whoo hoo! They're made from organic evaporated cane juice, organic rice syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, organic black carrots, organic black currant, organic pumpkin, organic apple and organic carrot. Possibly one of the best suckers I've ever put in my mouth!
Anyone need Gummy Bears? How about some Organic Gummy Bears by Yummy Earth? Look at this list and tell me these aren't awesome: gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, GMO-free, no artificial dyes, no corn syrup, tree-nut-free and no MSG. So, what DO they contain? organic rice syrup, organic cane sugar, gelatin, organic aronia juice, organic black currant juice natural flavor, citric acid, ascorbic acid, carnauba wax, and organic sunflower oil. That, my friends, is a good gummy!
And I'll confess that I was not prepared for this last one. However, we went to a little church carnival Sunday night and Craig won 3 (count 'em, THREE) sodas at the ring toss. (What the heck? I thought I only needed candy for Halloween!) So, I had to get some safe sodas so he could trade in his three unsafe sodas. These sodas made by Whole Foods only have four ingredients - (which is always a good indication that they're safe): filtered carbonated water, can sugar, natural cherry vanilla creme flavor and citric acid. They're gluten free, non-caffeinated and there is nothing artificial in them. Score!
So there you have it. Halloween as organic as you're gonna get it! Stay tuned as now I must figure out how to do Thanksgiving completely organic!
P.S. So what did we do with all the candy we got Trick-or-Treating? We came back home and handed it out to all the little monsters, ballerina's, and cowboys that rang our doorbell! Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Crisis Averted
I don't always get things recorded (or blogged) when I should as life gets in my way sometimes. (The nerve!) However, I want to always make an attempt to get each detail of our story out there as I know that a) I won't remember them for long and b) you may be struggling in the same area.
So, my "update" of sorts for you today is actually about a month old. However, it may be better that I'm telling you now as it squelches all chances of simply coincidence (and lack of evidence).
We started school this year without a bang. I know, that's supposed to be "with a bang". But see, we've banged every other year, so it was nice to have a year with no bang. Actually though - our bang just came late. Dang it.
Remember when I wrote this about how awesome the first week of school had been? It was the first year EVER that I hadn't had to have a teacher-parent conference the first week of school to "develop a plan" for "how we were going to deal" with Craig. It was GLORIOUS! When I arrived to pick him up from school each afternoon that first week, the teacher didn't look at me with that look that says "TAKE HIM NOW PLEASE!!". It was a first for us ... and it was really awesome.
However, the other shoe dropped. (It always does, right?) And the second week of school, Craig started acting a fool. We were having trouble at home, so I knew something was up but I couldn't pin-point it. We were following (rigidly) our diet plan and he was getting all of his supplements, but he was seriously struggling. We had back-talk and emotional drama and just a general bad attitude. (I realize some of that may sound normal, but when I talk about it with Craig I'm talking about an escalated scene.)
Then, things went from bad to worse and we began to see actual aggression. He grabbed hold of some kid's neck on the playground in a friendly (ha) game of football. He turned over some desks in his classroom in a moment of rage. He ran away from his teacher over a sports sticker.
Things hit rock bottom when, after spending 2 days in ISS, the school called and told us they were getting ready to revoke his transfer. (My children go to a school on the other side of town as transfers. We chose it for them because it has excellent test scores and the staff is incredible. Great school.) We panicked knowing that the school our kids are technically "zoned" for is not muy bueno and that we would be in a pickle if he wasn't allowed to attend this stellar school. (A pickle meaning "home school".) ;)
Our chiro had discovered two weeks into Craig's fool behavior episode that he could eat the mayonnaise on his sandwich everyday and he could eat the Pirate's Booty "popcorn" that I was sending him in his lunchbox everyday. However, he could not do both. When you combined the two of these, his body reacted to them. (behavior issues) We thought that this was the answer to what was going on and we were HEARTBROKEN when we removed both the mayo and the Booty and he only improved mildly. :(
So, after the threat from the school, we got uber serious. We made a visit to the chiro with an ultimatum: Fix it or die. Ok - that may be slightly exaggerated. (Or then again, I've been known to make serious threats when it comes to my children's health and safety.) We spent a good long while with Mr. Chiro that day and finally (FINALLY) were able to figure out that none of Craig's meds were working.
Now, let me stop for a moment and just try and explain the amount of panic that engulfed my heart when I heard those words. The chiropractor kind of chuckled (which means he's figured it out) ... but there was no chuckling in my world. Absolute panic. If these meds don't work - WHAT are we going to do?
We learned that day that Craig is highly allergic to "something" right now. However, that's the not-so-beautiful part: we have no idea what. The doc said it could be something in the air, something in his school, or another food that has popped up out of nowhere. He guessed it was something blowing in the air because of how dry this year has been and the horrible cases of allergies that he is seeing in his office. However, my momma instincts tell me different. I know that he is allergic to something in his school. It may be the pesticides or one of the commercial cleaners or something that has accumulated in the air vents over the summer. However, whatever it is - it's in that school.
Here's my reasoning: We had an absolutely GLORIOUS summer with the child. We have never enjoyed him more. He was a complete and total joy to be around. Then, he went back to school and his first week went fine, but then that second week started a downward spiral that just went out of control. I don't think that's merely coincidence. (Plus, I was noticing that on the weekends, he was better.)
So - if you're still with me, then I would imagine you have two questions. I would if I were reading this for the first time:
#1) So what now? What do you do? If the meds aren't working do you just put him (and yourself) out of misery?
#2) Why don't you just take him out of that school/building? If you're so sure that's it, just remove him.
Well - the chiropractor was able to add two new things into Craig's mix that "fixed" the problem. He described it as a smoldering fire. Craig's current meds were able to squelch the flames and the overall heat, but they couldn't completely douse it. So, we were getting flare ups in the form of aggression. Sure enough, within six hours of adding the two new supplements to Craig's mix of pills, he was back to normal. (And he's been "normal" ever since.) (And we're liking him again.) (That's always nice - ya know - to like your own kid.)
Removing Craig from that school building is the obvious choice. However, I just don't feel like I have that option right now. I don't have another school for him to go to and with me having to work right now, I don't have the option of homeschooling him. Believe me, we made phone calls and discussed ideas til we were blue in the face. I just don't see any way around it. So, for now - he stays and we use the extra supplements to control whatever it is he's allergic to in that school. Not ideal - but, it'll have to do for right now.
What does that mean for you?
Well, maybe this was just a great story for you today (your welcome). Or - maybe you take away a few new things:
1) Who would've known that two foods - separately - could be fine, but when COMBINED could cause a reaction? (!!!)
2) Sometimes our current meds/supps need some additional help to fight the good fight.
3) Right about the time you think you have this all figured out ... you realize that life is full of curve balls. (sigh)
However, if you gotta have curve balls - then I like what Casey Affleck had to say about them:
"For people who have... had curve balls thrown at them, it is easier to digest change and digest change in other people. Change only scares the small-minded. The small-minded and me."
So, my "update" of sorts for you today is actually about a month old. However, it may be better that I'm telling you now as it squelches all chances of simply coincidence (and lack of evidence).
We started school this year without a bang. I know, that's supposed to be "with a bang". But see, we've banged every other year, so it was nice to have a year with no bang. Actually though - our bang just came late. Dang it.
Remember when I wrote this about how awesome the first week of school had been? It was the first year EVER that I hadn't had to have a teacher-parent conference the first week of school to "develop a plan" for "how we were going to deal" with Craig. It was GLORIOUS! When I arrived to pick him up from school each afternoon that first week, the teacher didn't look at me with that look that says "TAKE HIM NOW PLEASE!!". It was a first for us ... and it was really awesome.
However, the other shoe dropped. (It always does, right?) And the second week of school, Craig started acting a fool. We were having trouble at home, so I knew something was up but I couldn't pin-point it. We were following (rigidly) our diet plan and he was getting all of his supplements, but he was seriously struggling. We had back-talk and emotional drama and just a general bad attitude. (I realize some of that may sound normal, but when I talk about it with Craig I'm talking about an escalated scene.)
Then, things went from bad to worse and we began to see actual aggression. He grabbed hold of some kid's neck on the playground in a friendly (ha) game of football. He turned over some desks in his classroom in a moment of rage. He ran away from his teacher over a sports sticker.
Things hit rock bottom when, after spending 2 days in ISS, the school called and told us they were getting ready to revoke his transfer. (My children go to a school on the other side of town as transfers. We chose it for them because it has excellent test scores and the staff is incredible. Great school.) We panicked knowing that the school our kids are technically "zoned" for is not muy bueno and that we would be in a pickle if he wasn't allowed to attend this stellar school. (A pickle meaning "home school".) ;)
Our chiro had discovered two weeks into Craig's fool behavior episode that he could eat the mayonnaise on his sandwich everyday and he could eat the Pirate's Booty "popcorn" that I was sending him in his lunchbox everyday. However, he could not do both. When you combined the two of these, his body reacted to them. (behavior issues) We thought that this was the answer to what was going on and we were HEARTBROKEN when we removed both the mayo and the Booty and he only improved mildly. :(
So, after the threat from the school, we got uber serious. We made a visit to the chiro with an ultimatum: Fix it or die. Ok - that may be slightly exaggerated. (Or then again, I've been known to make serious threats when it comes to my children's health and safety.) We spent a good long while with Mr. Chiro that day and finally (FINALLY) were able to figure out that none of Craig's meds were working.
Now, let me stop for a moment and just try and explain the amount of panic that engulfed my heart when I heard those words. The chiropractor kind of chuckled (which means he's figured it out) ... but there was no chuckling in my world. Absolute panic. If these meds don't work - WHAT are we going to do?
We learned that day that Craig is highly allergic to "something" right now. However, that's the not-so-beautiful part: we have no idea what. The doc said it could be something in the air, something in his school, or another food that has popped up out of nowhere. He guessed it was something blowing in the air because of how dry this year has been and the horrible cases of allergies that he is seeing in his office. However, my momma instincts tell me different. I know that he is allergic to something in his school. It may be the pesticides or one of the commercial cleaners or something that has accumulated in the air vents over the summer. However, whatever it is - it's in that school.
Here's my reasoning: We had an absolutely GLORIOUS summer with the child. We have never enjoyed him more. He was a complete and total joy to be around. Then, he went back to school and his first week went fine, but then that second week started a downward spiral that just went out of control. I don't think that's merely coincidence. (Plus, I was noticing that on the weekends, he was better.)
So - if you're still with me, then I would imagine you have two questions. I would if I were reading this for the first time:
#1) So what now? What do you do? If the meds aren't working do you just put him (and yourself) out of misery?
#2) Why don't you just take him out of that school/building? If you're so sure that's it, just remove him.
Well - the chiropractor was able to add two new things into Craig's mix that "fixed" the problem. He described it as a smoldering fire. Craig's current meds were able to squelch the flames and the overall heat, but they couldn't completely douse it. So, we were getting flare ups in the form of aggression. Sure enough, within six hours of adding the two new supplements to Craig's mix of pills, he was back to normal. (And he's been "normal" ever since.) (And we're liking him again.) (That's always nice - ya know - to like your own kid.)
Removing Craig from that school building is the obvious choice. However, I just don't feel like I have that option right now. I don't have another school for him to go to and with me having to work right now, I don't have the option of homeschooling him. Believe me, we made phone calls and discussed ideas til we were blue in the face. I just don't see any way around it. So, for now - he stays and we use the extra supplements to control whatever it is he's allergic to in that school. Not ideal - but, it'll have to do for right now.
What does that mean for you?
Well, maybe this was just a great story for you today (your welcome). Or - maybe you take away a few new things:
1) Who would've known that two foods - separately - could be fine, but when COMBINED could cause a reaction? (!!!)
2) Sometimes our current meds/supps need some additional help to fight the good fight.
3) Right about the time you think you have this all figured out ... you realize that life is full of curve balls. (sigh)
However, if you gotta have curve balls - then I like what Casey Affleck had to say about them:
"For people who have... had curve balls thrown at them, it is easier to digest change and digest change in other people. Change only scares the small-minded. The small-minded and me."
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Craig's Meals - PIZZA
I don't know what you're "go-to" meal is when you don't feel like cooking dinner or just need something simple and plan-free. Sandwiches? Cereal?
Mine is pizza. That is precisely why this week's Craig's Meals Delivered meal is PIZZA!
Pizza's are $10 this week and here are your choices:
Chicken Ranch Pizza - If you shy away from the traditional pizza, this one may work for you! Combining the flavors of chicken and ranch and bacon ... Do I really need to say more?
So, take a trip to Italy this week (in your mind and tummy anyway) with a Craig's Meals Pizza!
Mine is pizza. That is precisely why this week's Craig's Meals Delivered meal is PIZZA!
Before "the change" (our eating/lifestyle change ... not menopause) - I would simply run to the deep freeze, pop open the box, stick the frozen pie on a pizza pan and WHALLA! Thirty minutes later you have dinner! (If I was feeling fancy, I'd make a little salad to go with it and call it gourmet.)
However, when we began eating differently, I noticed something really fast: I had NO "go-to" meal. Since my kids eat sandwiches for lunch everyday and eating cereal for dinner seems silly to me - I had to come up with a different plan. So, I learned how to make gluten-free, egg-yolk-free, dye-free, nitrite-free, salicylate-low, artificial-sweetener-free pizza.
Pizza's are $10 this week and here are your choices:
Cheese Pizza - A perfect blend of white cheeses combined with the best pizza sauce you've ever tasted!
Pepperoni Pizza - Pepperonis are loaded with nitrites! But, you won't find any in this Pepperoni Pizza! Safe, nitrite-free pepperoni on a bed of perfectly baked crust and cheese blend - it doesn't get any better than this!
Veggie Pizza - For your inner-vegetarian! (Or for those of you that want to pretend pizza is healthy) This pizza comes with a blend of white cheeses, onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and olives.
Chicken Ranch Pizza - If you shy away from the traditional pizza, this one may work for you! Combining the flavors of chicken and ranch and bacon ... Do I really need to say more?
What's the best part about these pizza's? I'm glad you asked! The biggest discovery we made when we switched to this version of pizza is that they don't leave a heavy feeling in your stomach after you finish eating. You know that sluggish, I-just-ate-a-rock, feeling you get after you pig out on pizza? It doesn't exist with these because you're not ingesting nitrites, loads of gluten, preservatives and dyes! Yummy pizza without the guilt and fat-feeling - WIN WIN! :)
Thursday, October 27, 2011
I Think I'm Allergic to My Ovaries
I hesitated to title this post what I did. You see, we have alot of traffic hitting the blog right now because of our new services: Craig's Meals (menu & grocery list), Craig's Meals Delivered (organic meal prepared FOR you), and Craig's Meals Catered (organic meal catered for you and your guests). I don't want some innocent pastor clicked on romans6-13.blogspot for the first time and being offended by the word ... (Ssshh, I'm going to whisper it) ... ovaries.
However, the truth is sometimes a little confrontational and uncomfortable. And, if someone out there could be helped by me sharing our newest story with you, then a few saints are going to have to put up with ... well ... that word.
Remember when I told you about how my rib was making my eyeball hurt? What about the time I told you that my cough was actually caused by grief? Or the time I explained that gluten was making me grumpy. Well, this is just as weird so bring your open mind ...
Two and a half weeks ago, I was at work (taking pictures) and started sneezing. I get what I refer to as "allergy attacks". I used to get them about once every month and they would absolutely send me to bed (or the couch). I'd lay there all day sneezing my head off and holding a kleenex to my nose. M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E, I tell you. Well, now (after changing our lifestyle) I only get them about once very 3-4 months. However, they are still just as terrible. So, when I started sneezing on this bright and sunny Tuesday morning, I knew exactly what was going on and I was not impressed!
I left work early and headed home to camp out on the couch with my roll of toilet paper (we were out of tissues) and the remote. Dinner got reduced to soup and sandwiches and I went to bed around seven.
The great thing about my allergy attacks is that they're always gone the next day and life can go on. So, imagine my absolute FURY when I was still sneezing my head off and miserable on Wednesday. I'll spare you the agony of me reliving each horrid day and just go ahead and tell you that I went for 10 days straight. (!!!) Right about the time I'd think it was subsiding, I'd start sneezing and here we'd go again.
Ladies, I'm gonna go ahead and let you know - the house went to pot. The laundry piled up 7 baskets full. We were eating pizza and hot dogs. (Gluten-free, egg-free, dye-free, bla, bla .... but still pizza and hot dogs none the less!)
Finally on Day 11 I went to our chiropractor and told him I couldn't live anymore like this. (I have a flare for the dramatic side.) He spent over an hour with me as we tried to determine why my all-natural allergy meds were no longer working and why my 1-day-allergy-attacks had turned into 10-day-allergy attacks. (I'll secretly tell you that I think it helped that I arrived at the end of the day and he knew I wasn't leaving until he figured out the answer. I can be pretty threatening when I'm covered in snot.)
However, I will confess that I was NOT prepared when he announced that he knew what the culprit was.
I started this new photography job in August and while I enjoy having the camera/equipment and the actual picture-taking part of the job, the job is taxing in that I have to leave my house each morning by 6 a.m. and I am traveling about 400 miles each week. I have noticed that I am more tired than I have ever been in my life. I usually finish at a school around three and immediately pick up our children from school or from the sitter's. Then, I rush home to help them complete homework, cook dinner and get everything ready for the next day. With it being football season, I do all of it by myself and Rick usually walks in around 8 p.m. (His job is worst in the morning as he has to get everyone up and dressed and lunches packed, folders signed, vitamins taken, etc...) We have absolutely been burning the candle at both ends.
And last Friday in the chiropractor's office I found out that I'm no spring chicken and that there are consequences for that. (Dang it.)
Apparently, I have depleted my adrenal glands and in order to function, my body has been pulling hard on my pituitary gland and my thyroid (for more energy). However, in the process, this has drained my pituitary which controls my hormones. Therefore, when I take my supplements - regardless of what function they are supposed to serve, they are high-tailing it to my adrenals, my pituitary and my thyroid. They are completely ignoring my allergies because there isn't enough to go around. Therefore, you get 10 days of SOLID sneezing.
Here's the great thing about natural medicine though: Instead of treating the symptoms (my sneezing), it treats the cause: my hormones. So, in a sense, my hormones (or lack of) are causing my allergies to go crazy. Fix the hormones, you fix the allergies.
I'd love to tell you that he gave me some magic uterus pills and that I was fixed within 24 hours. However, it didn't work that way. It's comical now, but at the time - it wasn't super funny. He gave me some all natural hormone-fixers and I was OUT LIKE A LIGHT within an hour. No, not even kidding. Three hours of hard, drool-all-over-the-pillow sleep accompanied by panic when my phone alarm dinged that the children were getting out of school and I was still snoozing away on the couch. I raced to the school and picked up the kids and brought them back home only to konk out again and wake up to them wanting dinner. I absolutely could NOT hold my eyes open. I put them to bed early and fell fast asleep in my bed and slept twelve more hours. WHAT THE HECK?! I wasn't sneezing ... but I could NOT stay awake!
The next day I took a four hour nap and went to bed at 7 p.m.
The next day (Sunday), I took another four hour nap and went to bed early.
Finally, on Monday I emailed the chiro and told him what was going on. He assured me (although I was skeptical) that the meds were doing their job and my body was healing - thus, it required more sleep.
I'll spare you the details, but I went another 2 days just as groggy as if I'd taken NyQuil or Benadryl. And then, FINALLY - finally, on Day 6, my body began to cooperate. (And not a moment too soon I'd like to add!!)
So, I have a couple of questions for you:
1) Are your allergies going berserk right now? (If you live in Austin, they probably are!) It could very well be that there is something else going on and your body's attempts to fix that something else are more important than your allergies .... Thus - you're sneezing. (Thyroids and pituitaries are more important than allergies. Your body prioritizes.) Who would've thought that our bodies were so intimately tied together that ovaries could cause sneezing?
2) What is another ailment that you struggle with? Could your body be more focused on healing another part of you than on that ailment and therefore, you're not getting relief? (For example, my thyroid needed everything my body was getting in terms of nutrition MORE than my allergies.)
3) Third and last question: Who do you know that needs this information today?
However, the truth is sometimes a little confrontational and uncomfortable. And, if someone out there could be helped by me sharing our newest story with you, then a few saints are going to have to put up with ... well ... that word.
Remember when I told you about how my rib was making my eyeball hurt? What about the time I told you that my cough was actually caused by grief? Or the time I explained that gluten was making me grumpy. Well, this is just as weird so bring your open mind ...
Two and a half weeks ago, I was at work (taking pictures) and started sneezing. I get what I refer to as "allergy attacks". I used to get them about once every month and they would absolutely send me to bed (or the couch). I'd lay there all day sneezing my head off and holding a kleenex to my nose. M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E, I tell you. Well, now (after changing our lifestyle) I only get them about once very 3-4 months. However, they are still just as terrible. So, when I started sneezing on this bright and sunny Tuesday morning, I knew exactly what was going on and I was not impressed!
I left work early and headed home to camp out on the couch with my roll of toilet paper (we were out of tissues) and the remote. Dinner got reduced to soup and sandwiches and I went to bed around seven.
The great thing about my allergy attacks is that they're always gone the next day and life can go on. So, imagine my absolute FURY when I was still sneezing my head off and miserable on Wednesday. I'll spare you the agony of me reliving each horrid day and just go ahead and tell you that I went for 10 days straight. (!!!) Right about the time I'd think it was subsiding, I'd start sneezing and here we'd go again.
Ladies, I'm gonna go ahead and let you know - the house went to pot. The laundry piled up 7 baskets full. We were eating pizza and hot dogs. (Gluten-free, egg-free, dye-free, bla, bla .... but still pizza and hot dogs none the less!)
Finally on Day 11 I went to our chiropractor and told him I couldn't live anymore like this. (I have a flare for the dramatic side.) He spent over an hour with me as we tried to determine why my all-natural allergy meds were no longer working and why my 1-day-allergy-attacks had turned into 10-day-allergy attacks. (I'll secretly tell you that I think it helped that I arrived at the end of the day and he knew I wasn't leaving until he figured out the answer. I can be pretty threatening when I'm covered in snot.)
However, I will confess that I was NOT prepared when he announced that he knew what the culprit was.
I started this new photography job in August and while I enjoy having the camera/equipment and the actual picture-taking part of the job, the job is taxing in that I have to leave my house each morning by 6 a.m. and I am traveling about 400 miles each week. I have noticed that I am more tired than I have ever been in my life. I usually finish at a school around three and immediately pick up our children from school or from the sitter's. Then, I rush home to help them complete homework, cook dinner and get everything ready for the next day. With it being football season, I do all of it by myself and Rick usually walks in around 8 p.m. (His job is worst in the morning as he has to get everyone up and dressed and lunches packed, folders signed, vitamins taken, etc...) We have absolutely been burning the candle at both ends.
And last Friday in the chiropractor's office I found out that I'm no spring chicken and that there are consequences for that. (Dang it.)
Apparently, I have depleted my adrenal glands and in order to function, my body has been pulling hard on my pituitary gland and my thyroid (for more energy). However, in the process, this has drained my pituitary which controls my hormones. Therefore, when I take my supplements - regardless of what function they are supposed to serve, they are high-tailing it to my adrenals, my pituitary and my thyroid. They are completely ignoring my allergies because there isn't enough to go around. Therefore, you get 10 days of SOLID sneezing.
Here's the great thing about natural medicine though: Instead of treating the symptoms (my sneezing), it treats the cause: my hormones. So, in a sense, my hormones (or lack of) are causing my allergies to go crazy. Fix the hormones, you fix the allergies.
I'd love to tell you that he gave me some magic uterus pills and that I was fixed within 24 hours. However, it didn't work that way. It's comical now, but at the time - it wasn't super funny. He gave me some all natural hormone-fixers and I was OUT LIKE A LIGHT within an hour. No, not even kidding. Three hours of hard, drool-all-over-the-pillow sleep accompanied by panic when my phone alarm dinged that the children were getting out of school and I was still snoozing away on the couch. I raced to the school and picked up the kids and brought them back home only to konk out again and wake up to them wanting dinner. I absolutely could NOT hold my eyes open. I put them to bed early and fell fast asleep in my bed and slept twelve more hours. WHAT THE HECK?! I wasn't sneezing ... but I could NOT stay awake!
The next day I took a four hour nap and went to bed at 7 p.m.
The next day (Sunday), I took another four hour nap and went to bed early.
Finally, on Monday I emailed the chiro and told him what was going on. He assured me (although I was skeptical) that the meds were doing their job and my body was healing - thus, it required more sleep.
I'll spare you the details, but I went another 2 days just as groggy as if I'd taken NyQuil or Benadryl. And then, FINALLY - finally, on Day 6, my body began to cooperate. (And not a moment too soon I'd like to add!!)
So, I have a couple of questions for you:
1) Are your allergies going berserk right now? (If you live in Austin, they probably are!) It could very well be that there is something else going on and your body's attempts to fix that something else are more important than your allergies .... Thus - you're sneezing. (Thyroids and pituitaries are more important than allergies. Your body prioritizes.) Who would've thought that our bodies were so intimately tied together that ovaries could cause sneezing?
2) What is another ailment that you struggle with? Could your body be more focused on healing another part of you than on that ailment and therefore, you're not getting relief? (For example, my thyroid needed everything my body was getting in terms of nutrition MORE than my allergies.)
3) Third and last question: Who do you know that needs this information today?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Introducing Craig's Meals CATERED
You know about Craig's Meals and you know about Craig's Meals Delivered. However, today we're introducing [drum roll please] Craig's Meals CATERED! [This is where you applaud and cheer.]
Let's get everybody on the same page just in case you're new to Body, Soul & Mind:
Craig's Meals is a weekly menu, grocery list, and treasure box of recipes for those looking for a way to eat completely organic (free of all preservatives and additives) and also follow the diet we've been on for over a year: gluten-free, egg yolk-free, dye-free, nitrite-free, sulfite-free, salicylate-free (or low), and artificial sweetener free. (If you are simply looking for a way to eat healthier, this menu would work for you as well as you could buy organic without buying gluten-free and egg yolk-free. The same recipes would still work, just with white or wheat bread and entire eggs instead of just the whites.)
Craig's Meals Delivered is your chance at trying out this new way of thinking/eating without committing to the monthly meal plan (Craig's Meals) yet. Every week we offer a main dish at a discounted rate that we prepare for you and deliver to you for your enjoyment. (Dishes like chili, mexican casserole, and barbecued chicken.) Each dish feeds 4-8 and is completely organic as well as free of the seven items above that we avoid. (Most are also dairy free as we have one in the family who is dairy intolerant.) The dish arrives completely frozen and with full instructions for cooking. (It's a great dish to keep in your freezer for that night when you don't feel like cooking.) Or - as some of our friends do - order 2-3 and pull one out each week. That's one less meal you have to plan and prepare each week!
Craig's Meals Catered is specifically for groups. While we are targeting small businesses, church staff, and school staff (because they are at their place of employment each day) - we also cater parties, meetings and family get togethers. The sky is the limit on menu items as we can prepare almost anything you would eat "normally" in a new & healthy way. However, below you will find some examples of possible menu items to get you started. There are three tiers/choices to choose from:
Obviously you don't have to use a Tier 3 meal at an evening setting. You might choose to serve a meal classified as "formal" for lunch. And the opposite is true. Maybe you're throwing a dinner party that is extremely casual and want to serve chili or taco salads. The tiers are simply there for pricing - not to suggest what time of the day to serve those items nor what you should serve.
As with Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered - you can contact us using the contact information on this page. Simply scroll to the bottom.
We are currently booking for November & December. Would you help us spread the word?
Let's get everybody on the same page just in case you're new to Body, Soul & Mind:
Craig's Meals is a weekly menu, grocery list, and treasure box of recipes for those looking for a way to eat completely organic (free of all preservatives and additives) and also follow the diet we've been on for over a year: gluten-free, egg yolk-free, dye-free, nitrite-free, sulfite-free, salicylate-free (or low), and artificial sweetener free. (If you are simply looking for a way to eat healthier, this menu would work for you as well as you could buy organic without buying gluten-free and egg yolk-free. The same recipes would still work, just with white or wheat bread and entire eggs instead of just the whites.)
Craig's Meals Delivered is your chance at trying out this new way of thinking/eating without committing to the monthly meal plan (Craig's Meals) yet. Every week we offer a main dish at a discounted rate that we prepare for you and deliver to you for your enjoyment. (Dishes like chili, mexican casserole, and barbecued chicken.) Each dish feeds 4-8 and is completely organic as well as free of the seven items above that we avoid. (Most are also dairy free as we have one in the family who is dairy intolerant.) The dish arrives completely frozen and with full instructions for cooking. (It's a great dish to keep in your freezer for that night when you don't feel like cooking.) Or - as some of our friends do - order 2-3 and pull one out each week. That's one less meal you have to plan and prepare each week!
Craig's Meals Catered is specifically for groups. While we are targeting small businesses, church staff, and school staff (because they are at their place of employment each day) - we also cater parties, meetings and family get togethers. The sky is the limit on menu items as we can prepare almost anything you would eat "normally" in a new & healthy way. However, below you will find some examples of possible menu items to get you started. There are three tiers/choices to choose from:
- CASUAL - Tier 1 is the least expensive and most casual of our menus. Some of the menu items included in this price range are Taco Salads, Chili, Soup Bar and Gourmet Pizza. We are able to provide an organic meal free of gluten, egg yolks, dyes, nitrites, sulfites, salicylates, and artificial sweeteners for a price less than your average fast food meal. Tier 1 - Casual Catered Meals - are priced at $6 / person.
- BUSINESS - Tier 2 is for our friends who want a "sit down" lunch. (Comparable to what you might get at a Chili's or an Olive Garden.) Some of the menu items included in this section are Baked Potato Bar, Grilled Chicken Salad, Barbecued Chicken, and Mexican Casserole. We are able to provide this meal for less than your average sit-down lunch (and you don't have to leave a tip!). Tier 2 - Business Catered Meals - are priced at $8 / person.
- FORMAL - Tier 3 is for our formal dinner parties, evening church banquets or business luncheons. Some of the menu items included in this tier are slow cooked Roast (with all the sides), chicken fried steak, Fettuccine Alfredo w/ Chicken, and Barbecued Ribs. These meals vary in price, but are comparable to dinner out at a steakhouse. Tier 3 - Formal Catered Meals - are priced between $12 - $20 / person.
Obviously you don't have to use a Tier 3 meal at an evening setting. You might choose to serve a meal classified as "formal" for lunch. And the opposite is true. Maybe you're throwing a dinner party that is extremely casual and want to serve chili or taco salads. The tiers are simply there for pricing - not to suggest what time of the day to serve those items nor what you should serve.
As with Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered - you can contact us using the contact information on this page. Simply scroll to the bottom.
We are currently booking for November & December. Would you help us spread the word?
Monday, October 24, 2011
Let Me BBQ Yo' Chicken!
The Craig's Meals Delivered meal for this week is Barbecued Chicken. I cannot get over how good this chicken turns out. If you like your chicken on the bone, you're out of luck because nine times out of ten this barbecue chicken ends up falling right off. Pair this bird with a salad and some mashed potatoes and you've got yourself a meal the Colonel would be jealous of!
The Specifics:
This Craig's Meals Delivered comes with 4 WHOLE chicken legs. (A whole chicken leg is a drumstick-thigh combination.) Technically, I would say this dish feeds 4. However, if you've got "littles" in your family (or big ones that don't eat alot) - then each leg could feed two. (A thigh for one person and a drumstick for the other.) (You'll just have to gage it based on the needs of your family.) (My children eat gigantor portions, so this feeds the four of us nicely.)
I baste these babies with an organic barbecue sauce and slow cook them for a flavor that's incredible. (I don't like bones in my chicken either so I love it when I get it right and the meat falls right off!)
This week, you can get your Craig's Meals Delivered Barbecued Chicken (for four) for just $10! Want to make it a meal? This week I'm offering to mash your potatoes for you and pair it with a salad for only $20 total. (You'll be responsible for your own salad dressing.) Where are you going to feed your family of four in Austin for twenty bucks? Hmmmm?
The chicken is organic, grass fed and cage-free and the barbecue sauce is 'safe' making this a gluten-free, egg-free, dye-free, salicylate-low (if not free), nitrite-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener, dairy-free meal.
Bon Appetit Y'all!
For instructions on how to order, please go here. For those of you who have ordered Craig's Meals grocery lists, Week 3 is ready and should be in your Inbox soon. It's not too late to get started on receiving Craig's Meals grocery lists. Go to the link above and read up on it and then shoot me an email.
The Specifics:
This Craig's Meals Delivered comes with 4 WHOLE chicken legs. (A whole chicken leg is a drumstick-thigh combination.) Technically, I would say this dish feeds 4. However, if you've got "littles" in your family (or big ones that don't eat alot) - then each leg could feed two. (A thigh for one person and a drumstick for the other.) (You'll just have to gage it based on the needs of your family.) (My children eat gigantor portions, so this feeds the four of us nicely.)
I baste these babies with an organic barbecue sauce and slow cook them for a flavor that's incredible. (I don't like bones in my chicken either so I love it when I get it right and the meat falls right off!)
This week, you can get your Craig's Meals Delivered Barbecued Chicken (for four) for just $10! Want to make it a meal? This week I'm offering to mash your potatoes for you and pair it with a salad for only $20 total. (You'll be responsible for your own salad dressing.) Where are you going to feed your family of four in Austin for twenty bucks? Hmmmm?
The chicken is organic, grass fed and cage-free and the barbecue sauce is 'safe' making this a gluten-free, egg-free, dye-free, salicylate-low (if not free), nitrite-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener, dairy-free meal.
Bon Appetit Y'all!
For instructions on how to order, please go here. For those of you who have ordered Craig's Meals grocery lists, Week 3 is ready and should be in your Inbox soon. It's not too late to get started on receiving Craig's Meals grocery lists. Go to the link above and read up on it and then shoot me an email.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Craig's Meals - CHILI
The first cold front of the season is due in TONIGHT here in Central Texas! That means it's going to be perfect weather for chili. Order yours now!
This chili is made with organic-grass-fed beef, organic onions and garlic and organic tomatoes (as well as a few other ingredients .... completely organic). It feeds 8 so bring your appetite! This week, you can get your Craig's Meals CHILI for $15. (That's less than $2 per person if you're into digits.)
You can have your Craig's Meals CHILI delivered right to your front door, come pick it up at my casa, or plan to meet me somewhere. (Just read the post directly below this one for ordering instructions.)
Happy Fall, Y'all! :)
(Also, I still have three Mexican Casserole's left if you need an extra meal this week!)
This chili is made with organic-grass-fed beef, organic onions and garlic and organic tomatoes (as well as a few other ingredients .... completely organic). It feeds 8 so bring your appetite! This week, you can get your Craig's Meals CHILI for $15. (That's less than $2 per person if you're into digits.)
You can have your Craig's Meals CHILI delivered right to your front door, come pick it up at my casa, or plan to meet me somewhere. (Just read the post directly below this one for ordering instructions.)
Happy Fall, Y'all! :)
(Also, I still have three Mexican Casserole's left if you need an extra meal this week!)
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered
Introducing Craig's Meals and Craig's Meals Delivered!!!
I mentioned on Facebook a few months back that we were looking to expand our services and thus our ministry and we are FINALLY READY! :) You've heard of E-Mealz and The Grocery Game and those are great services. (I've used both!) However, I have not been able to find anything out there offering gluten-free, dye-free, egg-free, dairy-free, salicylate-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener-free and nitrite-free menus. Well, after a year of creating my own, I think I'm ready to offer them to you! Thus, we are launching Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered!!
WHAT IS CRAIG'S MEALS?
Craig's Meals is a menu (including recipes) and grocery shopping list that is sent to you once a week. It includes menus (and recipes) for a week (5 days) for a family of four. You will find breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner recommendations that are gluten-free, dye-free, egg-free, dairy-free, salicylate-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener-free and nitrite-free. Craig's Meals tells you where to find the menu items, how much they will run you and what your total grocery bill will be (approximately) for the week. (Obviously prices will vary slightly depending on where you live and what store you choose to shop at.)
WHEN DOES MY CRAIG'S MEALS MENU AND GROCERY LIST ARRIVE?
That's the best part! You choose when to receive your Craig's Meals Menu & Grocery List for the week. It can be sent any day of the week so you don't have to change your shopping schedule a bit! Normally grocery shop on Saturday's? No problem. Arrange to have your Craig's Meals email sent on Friday and you'll be ready to roll Saturday morning.
HOW MUCH DOES CRAIG'S MEALS COST?
We are offering Craig's Meals Menu's and Grocery Lists free for your first two weeks so you can decide if Craig's Meals is right for you! All you have to do is become a follower of this blog! After your introductory first two weeks, you can continue for $5 a week or $20 for the month. (Please Note: Monthly subscriptions will still arrive in weekly emails, not monthly emails.)
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
If you are interested in beginning a two week trial period for Craig's Meals, simply sign up as a follower of the Body, Soul & Mind blog and send your email address to body_soul_mind at yahoo dot com and we'll email your first week of menu's right back! When your two week trial is nearing an end, we'll give you the opportunity to sign up for weekly or monthly Craig's Meals using cash, check or Paypal. You can choose to continue on or simply bow out after the two week grace period - your choice.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
Below is a sample of what you would get in your Craig's Meals weekly email:
Day 1: Breakfast - EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp Cereal, Almond Milk, 1/2 organic banana
Lunch - Ham Sandwich, Potato Chips, 1/2 Pear, Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato
Soup
Snack - Peanut Butter Sandwich (add organic jelly if you are not salicylate sensitive)
Dinner - Roast (red potatoes, carrots, onions) and Tossed Salad
(Day 2 - Day 5 would follow right here as well as recipes for any of the above that were not self-explanatory (like cereal and peanut butter sandwiches).)
Grocery List for Week 1: (For this example - Monday only is included)
EnvironKidz Organic Koala Crisp Cereal - $4/WF or Sprouts (currently on sale for $3 at WF)
Almond Milk (could substitute rice milk or coconut milk) (organic milk could be substituted here if there is not a dairy intolerance/allergy) $2.50ish/WF or Sprouts
1 bunch organic bananas - $2ish/WF (price will vary depending on weight)
Applegate Farms Uncured Ham (or any other nitrite free ham) - $5/WF or Super Target
Organic Valley Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or any other organic white cheddar sliced cheese) - $4/WF
Udi's Gluten Free White Bread - $6/WF (or any other gluten free bread of your choice)
365 Everyday Value Organic Mustard (or any other organic mustard) (mayo could be substitute here if there is not an egg intolerance/allergy) - $2/WF
Kettle Brand Potato Chips - Flavor: Sea Salt (or any other organic potato chip) - $2/bag/WF (Note: The other flavors of Kettle Brand contain ingredients you need to examine carefully if trying to stick to the same program/diet we are using.)
organic pear - $1/WF or Sprouts (Pears are LOW in salicylates)
Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup - $3.75/WF or Sprouts (SALICYLATE WARNING! Tomatoes are HIGH in salicylates! Substitute Pacific Foods Butternut Squash Soup if needed.)
Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Peanut Butter (or any other organic peanut butter) $5.00/WF or Sprouts
Hormone-free, antibiotic-free roast - Price will vary based on size/weight - Roughly bank on $12ish
4 Organic Red Potatoes - $4/WF
1 large Organic Onion - $1/WF
1 bag organic carrots - $2/WF
Organic Girl Mixed Salad - $6/WF or Sprouts
1 organic tomato - $1ish/WF or Sprouts
1 organic purple onion - $1/WF or Sprouts
organic salad dressing of choice (I recommend Drew's Caesar Romano) - Be careful of EGGS in salad dressings!!)
TOTAL: $63.25 (Please Note: This total is extremely high because you are having to buy "in bulk". For example, you only need 2 of the bananas, but the price above was for 5-6 in a bunch. You bought an entire container of peanut butter. The salad will last all week as will the purple onion. The cereal will last all week. Etc, etc. .... .... The recipes you receive for the week would use up most if not all of the remainder of the ingredients so that you did not waste them. Your average grocery bill would be about $200 - $250 weekly depending on how strictly you stuck to the list. You could choose to save money in any area depending on your budget needs and allergy needs.)
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!!
You may have forgotten by now, but at the beginning of the post I mentioned 2 new services we were offering: Craig's Meals and also Craig's Meals Delivered.
Each week we will be picking one menu item and offering it as a made-to-order (PRE-MADE) dinner item (frozen) that you can pick up or have delivered to your home. (Austin area residents only please.) You can choose to order more than one and store the extra in the deep freeze to pull out a few weeks later.
Each made-to-order item is made with organic ingredients, preservative free, and comes in a disposable container that is oven safe and lists specifically what it contains for those of you dealing with more than just an intolerance. It is the perfect gift item for a new mom! It also works well for that emergency go-to back-up meal for that night you don't feel like cooking! (Also a great way to see if your kids like the new diet / lifestyle before jumping in feet first!)
For example, this first week (October 10-14), we are offering one of our all-time favorites:
Mexican Casserole (gluten-free, dye-free, egg-free, salicylate-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener-free and nitrite-free) (PLEASE NOTE: THIS CASSEROLE IS NOT DAIRY FREE)
This yummy casserole feeds 4+ and contains organic corn chips, organic sour cream, organic salsa, organic cream of chicken soup, hormone-free / anti-biotic free / grass fed ground beef, organic white cheddar cheese, and green chilies.
Combine it with a salad and DINNER IS SERVED!
Mexican Casserole is available for $15 (or $25 for 2) this week if ordered for pick-up or meet-up. (Meet-up means you will be in the same place I am at some point during the week - in which case I would be happy to bring your casserole to you. Simply ask!) Delivery is available at $.50 / mile. (You can map it using the center of Pflugerville as your starting point and your house (or any other destination) as the ending point to get an estimate of your cost. (Remember to map it back to Pflugerville to cover the round trip expense.))
HOW DO I ORDER?
Simply email us at body_soul_mind at yahoo dot com to place your order. Indicate what day you would like your Craig's Meals Delivered to be ready and how you would like to receive it (pick-up, meet-up, or delivery). We'll send you a confirmation and then see you later in the week with your yummy dinner/s. Your money isn't due until you have dinner in your hands! The cooking instructions will be included so all you have to worry about it when you want to enjoy your casserole!
We are pretty excited about these new options and hope you'll give them a try and give us some feedback! We'd love to hear from you! As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at the contact information listed at the bottom of this page. Spread the word - Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered!
I mentioned on Facebook a few months back that we were looking to expand our services and thus our ministry and we are FINALLY READY! :) You've heard of E-Mealz and The Grocery Game and those are great services. (I've used both!) However, I have not been able to find anything out there offering gluten-free, dye-free, egg-free, dairy-free, salicylate-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener-free and nitrite-free menus. Well, after a year of creating my own, I think I'm ready to offer them to you! Thus, we are launching Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered!!
WHAT IS CRAIG'S MEALS?
Craig's Meals is a menu (including recipes) and grocery shopping list that is sent to you once a week. It includes menus (and recipes) for a week (5 days) for a family of four. You will find breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner recommendations that are gluten-free, dye-free, egg-free, dairy-free, salicylate-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener-free and nitrite-free. Craig's Meals tells you where to find the menu items, how much they will run you and what your total grocery bill will be (approximately) for the week. (Obviously prices will vary slightly depending on where you live and what store you choose to shop at.)
WHEN DOES MY CRAIG'S MEALS MENU AND GROCERY LIST ARRIVE?
That's the best part! You choose when to receive your Craig's Meals Menu & Grocery List for the week. It can be sent any day of the week so you don't have to change your shopping schedule a bit! Normally grocery shop on Saturday's? No problem. Arrange to have your Craig's Meals email sent on Friday and you'll be ready to roll Saturday morning.
HOW MUCH DOES CRAIG'S MEALS COST?
We are offering Craig's Meals Menu's and Grocery Lists free for your first two weeks so you can decide if Craig's Meals is right for you! All you have to do is become a follower of this blog! After your introductory first two weeks, you can continue for $5 a week or $20 for the month. (Please Note: Monthly subscriptions will still arrive in weekly emails, not monthly emails.)
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
If you are interested in beginning a two week trial period for Craig's Meals, simply sign up as a follower of the Body, Soul & Mind blog and send your email address to body_soul_mind at yahoo dot com and we'll email your first week of menu's right back! When your two week trial is nearing an end, we'll give you the opportunity to sign up for weekly or monthly Craig's Meals using cash, check or Paypal. You can choose to continue on or simply bow out after the two week grace period - your choice.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
Below is a sample of what you would get in your Craig's Meals weekly email:
Day 1: Breakfast - EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp Cereal, Almond Milk, 1/2 organic banana
Lunch - Ham Sandwich, Potato Chips, 1/2 Pear, Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato
Soup
Snack - Peanut Butter Sandwich (add organic jelly if you are not salicylate sensitive)
Dinner - Roast (red potatoes, carrots, onions) and Tossed Salad
(Day 2 - Day 5 would follow right here as well as recipes for any of the above that were not self-explanatory (like cereal and peanut butter sandwiches).)
Grocery List for Week 1: (For this example - Monday only is included)
EnvironKidz Organic Koala Crisp Cereal - $4/WF or Sprouts (currently on sale for $3 at WF)
Almond Milk (could substitute rice milk or coconut milk) (organic milk could be substituted here if there is not a dairy intolerance/allergy) $2.50ish/WF or Sprouts
1 bunch organic bananas - $2ish/WF (price will vary depending on weight)
Applegate Farms Uncured Ham (or any other nitrite free ham) - $5/WF or Super Target
Organic Valley Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or any other organic white cheddar sliced cheese) - $4/WF
Udi's Gluten Free White Bread - $6/WF (or any other gluten free bread of your choice)
365 Everyday Value Organic Mustard (or any other organic mustard) (mayo could be substitute here if there is not an egg intolerance/allergy) - $2/WF
Kettle Brand Potato Chips - Flavor: Sea Salt (or any other organic potato chip) - $2/bag/WF (Note: The other flavors of Kettle Brand contain ingredients you need to examine carefully if trying to stick to the same program/diet we are using.)
organic pear - $1/WF or Sprouts (Pears are LOW in salicylates)
Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup - $3.75/WF or Sprouts (SALICYLATE WARNING! Tomatoes are HIGH in salicylates! Substitute Pacific Foods Butternut Squash Soup if needed.)
Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Peanut Butter (or any other organic peanut butter) $5.00/WF or Sprouts
Hormone-free, antibiotic-free roast - Price will vary based on size/weight - Roughly bank on $12ish
4 Organic Red Potatoes - $4/WF
1 large Organic Onion - $1/WF
1 bag organic carrots - $2/WF
Organic Girl Mixed Salad - $6/WF or Sprouts
1 organic tomato - $1ish/WF or Sprouts
1 organic purple onion - $1/WF or Sprouts
organic salad dressing of choice (I recommend Drew's Caesar Romano) - Be careful of EGGS in salad dressings!!)
TOTAL: $63.25 (Please Note: This total is extremely high because you are having to buy "in bulk". For example, you only need 2 of the bananas, but the price above was for 5-6 in a bunch. You bought an entire container of peanut butter. The salad will last all week as will the purple onion. The cereal will last all week. Etc, etc. .... .... The recipes you receive for the week would use up most if not all of the remainder of the ingredients so that you did not waste them. Your average grocery bill would be about $200 - $250 weekly depending on how strictly you stuck to the list. You could choose to save money in any area depending on your budget needs and allergy needs.)
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!!
You may have forgotten by now, but at the beginning of the post I mentioned 2 new services we were offering: Craig's Meals and also Craig's Meals Delivered.
Each week we will be picking one menu item and offering it as a made-to-order (PRE-MADE) dinner item (frozen) that you can pick up or have delivered to your home. (Austin area residents only please.) You can choose to order more than one and store the extra in the deep freeze to pull out a few weeks later.
Each made-to-order item is made with organic ingredients, preservative free, and comes in a disposable container that is oven safe and lists specifically what it contains for those of you dealing with more than just an intolerance. It is the perfect gift item for a new mom! It also works well for that emergency go-to back-up meal for that night you don't feel like cooking! (Also a great way to see if your kids like the new diet / lifestyle before jumping in feet first!)
For example, this first week (October 10-14), we are offering one of our all-time favorites:
Mexican Casserole (gluten-free, dye-free, egg-free, salicylate-free, sulfite-free, artificial sweetener-free and nitrite-free) (PLEASE NOTE: THIS CASSEROLE IS NOT DAIRY FREE)
This yummy casserole feeds 4+ and contains organic corn chips, organic sour cream, organic salsa, organic cream of chicken soup, hormone-free / anti-biotic free / grass fed ground beef, organic white cheddar cheese, and green chilies.
Combine it with a salad and DINNER IS SERVED!
Mexican Casserole is available for $15 (or $25 for 2) this week if ordered for pick-up or meet-up. (Meet-up means you will be in the same place I am at some point during the week - in which case I would be happy to bring your casserole to you. Simply ask!) Delivery is available at $.50 / mile. (You can map it using the center of Pflugerville as your starting point and your house (or any other destination) as the ending point to get an estimate of your cost. (Remember to map it back to Pflugerville to cover the round trip expense.))
HOW DO I ORDER?
Simply email us at body_soul_mind at yahoo dot com to place your order. Indicate what day you would like your Craig's Meals Delivered to be ready and how you would like to receive it (pick-up, meet-up, or delivery). We'll send you a confirmation and then see you later in the week with your yummy dinner/s. Your money isn't due until you have dinner in your hands! The cooking instructions will be included so all you have to worry about it when you want to enjoy your casserole!
We are pretty excited about these new options and hope you'll give them a try and give us some feedback! We'd love to hear from you! As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at the contact information listed at the bottom of this page. Spread the word - Craig's Meals & Craig's Meals Delivered!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Julie VS The School Nurse
My daughter is about as confrontational as a Cocker Spaniel puppy; however, she and the nurse at her school had a little showdown yesterday.
It all started when Julie complained of a sore throat to her teacher. Therefore, the teacher sent her to the school nurse. (This is not unusual as Julie visited the nurse about once a week last year for various boo-boo's. She's a slight hypochondriac. ha)
So, Julie appeared in the nurses office and told her that she had a sore throat. The nurse took her temperature and when it was concluded that she had no fever, she offered her a cough drop. Julie took the cough drop and then gasped handing it back to the nurse immediately and saying loudly, "I can't take that! It has red dye!!"
The nurse seemed slightly surprised, but decided that maybe a peppermint out of her purse would get Julie back to class. Another gasp ... "I can't take that!! That has aspartame in it!"
[sigh]
At this point, two other children had come into the office complaining of sore throats and the nurse was running out of options. So, she disappeared into the teachers lounge and came back with the table salt. She mixed a little in a cup of water and handed it to Julie telling her to gargle.
GASP! "I can't take that!! That's not organic sea salt!"
At this point, the nurse threw her hands in the air and said "I GIVE UP!!!" She then wrote Julie a note to go back to class and sent her on her way. However, Julie can read and she wasn't too impressed with what the nurse wrote on her hall pass:
"Will not take anything to get rid of sore throat."
Thankfully my little one is too little to know she completely exasperated her school nurse.
However, little one - you're not too little to know what is healthy and what is not for your body! Good job, Julie Ann! Proud of you!
It all started when Julie complained of a sore throat to her teacher. Therefore, the teacher sent her to the school nurse. (This is not unusual as Julie visited the nurse about once a week last year for various boo-boo's. She's a slight hypochondriac. ha)
So, Julie appeared in the nurses office and told her that she had a sore throat. The nurse took her temperature and when it was concluded that she had no fever, she offered her a cough drop. Julie took the cough drop and then gasped handing it back to the nurse immediately and saying loudly, "I can't take that! It has red dye!!"
The nurse seemed slightly surprised, but decided that maybe a peppermint out of her purse would get Julie back to class. Another gasp ... "I can't take that!! That has aspartame in it!"
[sigh]
At this point, two other children had come into the office complaining of sore throats and the nurse was running out of options. So, she disappeared into the teachers lounge and came back with the table salt. She mixed a little in a cup of water and handed it to Julie telling her to gargle.
GASP! "I can't take that!! That's not organic sea salt!"
At this point, the nurse threw her hands in the air and said "I GIVE UP!!!" She then wrote Julie a note to go back to class and sent her on her way. However, Julie can read and she wasn't too impressed with what the nurse wrote on her hall pass:
"Will not take anything to get rid of sore throat."
Thankfully my little one is too little to know she completely exasperated her school nurse.
However, little one - you're not too little to know what is healthy and what is not for your body! Good job, Julie Ann! Proud of you!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Joy Comes in the Morning
What truth!
We're experiencing the sunrise here now and it is GLORIOUS! Pure joy!
I don't know if I would say that the years leading up to the diagnosis were the "night" or if trying to fight our way through the diagnosis to a new way of life was the "night". It's a toss up. Both have been challenging for different reasons.
I mean, there were some extremely rough times before Craig was diagnosed last September. He locked our babysitter out of our house. He stuck random things in his nose that required trips to the emergency room. He ran away from home. He swam in the school toilet. There were times we'd go to a hotel and we literally couldn't keep him in the room. We'd go out to dinner and he'd make a scene. We'd be at the grocery store and have to haul him out kicking and screaming. It was rough.
However, after diagnosis there were rough times as well. He was getting better, but our lives were flipping and flopping all over the place. I was having to learn to cook things I'd never heard of like quinoa. Rick was having to learn which pills to administer when. We were having to search far and wide for organic food, grass-fed beef, hormone-free chicken, soaps free of dyes, etc... It required me to go back to work since our food bills average $1500 / month.
I used to stay awake at night wondering what we were going to do about Craig. However, after the diagnosis, I would stay awake at night researching .... trying to figure out the things I didn't understand about food and food allergies. I drove Rick insane with my list of questions and my constant analyzing. I would make him sit with me and pour over the food journal searching for the culprit until we were both cross-eyed.
We are BY NO MEANS at the finish line and I BY NO MEANS have it all figured out. However, the enormous ... let me just emphasize that word ... ENORMOUS amount of work we have done this last year is paying off. Want some examples? (I'm glad you asked!)
~ I dropped the kids off for school Tuesday morning and didn't worry about what stunt Craig would pull. First year (out of 7 school / day care / mother's day out dropoffs) that I've ever done that.
~ His teacher hasn't pulled me aside ANY these first few days to request a conference. First year EVER! She didn't even look relieved to see me coming Tuesday afternoon (or any of these other days) as if she needed to offload Craig for awhile to regroup. She just looked at me like she looked at all the other parents. (Whoa!!)
~ One of our dear friends at church wrote this about Craig on Facebook recently: "I was in Craig's SS class Sunday and took note of his interactions with people. Julie's has always been my sweetie, but now Craig makes eye contact and has conversation with me!! I'm sorry you have had to endure everything through the years, but so happy that you pursued a diagnosis and then have been willing to follow up with the entire diet situation."
~ His teacher wrote this in an email to me: "Craig has had a wonderful day! ... Please brag on him for an excellent day. (He is sitting with me as I type this and is quite proud) :)"
There are other examples I could give you that won't mean quite as much - but they mean the world to me.
~ I no longer find myself planning trips to the store (or any other place) around him. (Before, I always needed to make sure he was in a good mood, had something to entertain him, and always needed a reward to offer if he would just behave until I could get the groceries and get out.)
~ He now laughs when we play jokes on him (instead of crying and stomping) ... which in turn means that we have alot more fun with him. (For example, yesterday I honked the horn when he walked in front of the van making him jump. He in turn jumped into the van giggling and attacked me. The day before I locked the doors to the van with me and Julie inside and made him dance outside the van before we'd let him in. He laughed hysterically as he did a Michael Jackson move and then we let him in.)
~ We attended an Express game awhile back and he played basketball with a large group of boys. This would have NEVER happened 14 months ago. He would have been kicked out of the game because he couldn't play well with others.
~ He told me yesterday that he has organized a tag football game at school. It's his team against Langston's (his friend) team each day at recess.
I will be the first to stand up and tell you this has been by far the roughest journey of my life. I have cried more tears, had more sleepless nights, and lost more meals over this than any other single event I've been through. I also know that we are not typical. We are extreme, and yes, I'm aware of it. However, I've never been anything else. I don't know anything BUT all the way.
And I found great encouragement when Craig's former preschool teacher (who has kept up with his progress) wrote to me this week and said this: "God gave YOU this challenge because he knew you would rise to the occasion and become an advocate for your children and children everywhere." Talk about speaking a blessing over my life!
So, while the night has been one heck of a night and it has been long and I'd be a fool to think that there aren't more nights around the bend, joy has come ... and it's morning.
We're experiencing the sunrise here now and it is GLORIOUS! Pure joy!
I don't know if I would say that the years leading up to the diagnosis were the "night" or if trying to fight our way through the diagnosis to a new way of life was the "night". It's a toss up. Both have been challenging for different reasons.
I mean, there were some extremely rough times before Craig was diagnosed last September. He locked our babysitter out of our house. He stuck random things in his nose that required trips to the emergency room. He ran away from home. He swam in the school toilet. There were times we'd go to a hotel and we literally couldn't keep him in the room. We'd go out to dinner and he'd make a scene. We'd be at the grocery store and have to haul him out kicking and screaming. It was rough.
However, after diagnosis there were rough times as well. He was getting better, but our lives were flipping and flopping all over the place. I was having to learn to cook things I'd never heard of like quinoa. Rick was having to learn which pills to administer when. We were having to search far and wide for organic food, grass-fed beef, hormone-free chicken, soaps free of dyes, etc... It required me to go back to work since our food bills average $1500 / month.
I used to stay awake at night wondering what we were going to do about Craig. However, after the diagnosis, I would stay awake at night researching .... trying to figure out the things I didn't understand about food and food allergies. I drove Rick insane with my list of questions and my constant analyzing. I would make him sit with me and pour over the food journal searching for the culprit until we were both cross-eyed.
We are BY NO MEANS at the finish line and I BY NO MEANS have it all figured out. However, the enormous ... let me just emphasize that word ... ENORMOUS amount of work we have done this last year is paying off. Want some examples? (I'm glad you asked!)
~ I dropped the kids off for school Tuesday morning and didn't worry about what stunt Craig would pull. First year (out of 7 school / day care / mother's day out dropoffs) that I've ever done that.
~ His teacher hasn't pulled me aside ANY these first few days to request a conference. First year EVER! She didn't even look relieved to see me coming Tuesday afternoon (or any of these other days) as if she needed to offload Craig for awhile to regroup. She just looked at me like she looked at all the other parents. (Whoa!!)
~ One of our dear friends at church wrote this about Craig on Facebook recently: "I was in Craig's SS class Sunday and took note of his interactions with people. Julie's has always been my sweetie, but now Craig makes eye contact and has conversation with me!! I'm sorry you have had to endure everything through the years, but so happy that you pursued a diagnosis and then have been willing to follow up with the entire diet situation."
~ His teacher wrote this in an email to me: "Craig has had a wonderful day! ... Please brag on him for an excellent day. (He is sitting with me as I type this and is quite proud) :)"
There are other examples I could give you that won't mean quite as much - but they mean the world to me.
~ I no longer find myself planning trips to the store (or any other place) around him. (Before, I always needed to make sure he was in a good mood, had something to entertain him, and always needed a reward to offer if he would just behave until I could get the groceries and get out.)
~ He now laughs when we play jokes on him (instead of crying and stomping) ... which in turn means that we have alot more fun with him. (For example, yesterday I honked the horn when he walked in front of the van making him jump. He in turn jumped into the van giggling and attacked me. The day before I locked the doors to the van with me and Julie inside and made him dance outside the van before we'd let him in. He laughed hysterically as he did a Michael Jackson move and then we let him in.)
~ We attended an Express game awhile back and he played basketball with a large group of boys. This would have NEVER happened 14 months ago. He would have been kicked out of the game because he couldn't play well with others.
~ He told me yesterday that he has organized a tag football game at school. It's his team against Langston's (his friend) team each day at recess.
I will be the first to stand up and tell you this has been by far the roughest journey of my life. I have cried more tears, had more sleepless nights, and lost more meals over this than any other single event I've been through. I also know that we are not typical. We are extreme, and yes, I'm aware of it. However, I've never been anything else. I don't know anything BUT all the way.
And I found great encouragement when Craig's former preschool teacher (who has kept up with his progress) wrote to me this week and said this: "God gave YOU this challenge because he knew you would rise to the occasion and become an advocate for your children and children everywhere." Talk about speaking a blessing over my life!
So, while the night has been one heck of a night and it has been long and I'd be a fool to think that there aren't more nights around the bend, joy has come ... and it's morning.
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