Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Healthy Drinking Water - Quick Review

The following is a handout that I got from my Kinesiologist, Dr. Alenov.

Anything in the article referred to as "I" or "my" is referring to Dr. Alenov.

----

What is healthy drinking water? I refrain from using the phrase "pure" when discussing water since this term can be misleading. Just because you have taken everything out of your water does not make it healthy. I will attempt to summarize my 5+ years of water research into key points below. For a more thorough understanding of water please read "Water & Salt" by Barbara Hendel & Peter Ferreira.

While a discussion on healthy drinking water could easily fill 10-20 pages, I wish to simply state what healthy drinking water is, that everyone on the planet needs it, and how you can obtain it for you and your family. In order for your body to use the water you drink for healing and regeneration the following things must be true. There are no exceptions.

  • It must have a pH between 7.35 and 7.8
  • It must be cleared of the hundreds of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, bacteria, viruses, prions and other unwanted matter that is present in tap water today. (If you think water treatment facilities are doing this for you...think again.)
  • If must have a "clean memory". To better understand the concept of water memory please visit http://naturalactionwater.com.
  • It must contain the proper minerals and elements. Consuming water that is void of minerals (such as Reverse Osmosis Water) will cause your body to LOSE MINERALS.

If even 1 of the 4 is not true of your water supply, you are not drinking truly healthy water. Water is the MOST IMPORTANT nutrient that you feed your body each and every day and it deserves the very best if you wish to be healthy.

Water pH
Water pH is so important because your body MUST bring the water pH to between 7.35 and 7.4 before it can travel through your blood stream. 7.34 is the pH of your blood and if it goes up or down by 0.1 you die. This is the main reason why people can drink liters of water day, but none of it will enter the body, it merely "passes through" and leaves via your kidneys. You can drink plenty of water and still have cellular dehydration.

Filtration
No one disputes that we should clean the water from our tap. That is a no brainer. However, most water "purifiers" also take out the minerals, make the water more acidic, and do not clear the water memory. In other words, doing 1 of the 4 listed above still leaves you with very low quality water.

Water Memory
Water has the ability to "remember" everything that it has come into contact with. This is known as the "memory of water". If you put tap water through a reverse osmosis purifier you will remove 99.9% of the stuff you don't want in your water, however, it will still have a memory of all the junk that was in it. The "memory" can be just as damaging to your cells as the real thing. This is a very new scientific understanding that requires some quantum physics to explain. I will refrain from doing so here.

Healthy Minerals
Your body needs "healthy minerals" to survive. Most minerals we consume from animal proteins, dairy, poor quality supplements, and water are indigestible to the human body. This means your body must work hard to get rid of them because they cannot be used. Healthy minerals are ionized. Artesian waters and plants are the best source of ionized minerals. Well water typically has very hard (non-ionized) minerals that we cannot use in our bodies. They can cause kidney stones, arthritic joints, hardening of the arteries, and many other health issues.


Let's quickly review the types of water available to us and what we can do to fix them.

Tap Water: Does not meet any of the 4 requirements. Very little tap water has a pH above 7.0. If it does, that is because it is being artificially raised by a contaminant or the treatment plant. Purifying the water will most likely drop the pH. Tap water MUST be filtered through carbon or Reverse Osmosis.

Carbon Filtration: Sink top filters, bucket drip filters, refrigerator filter, etc are all carbon filters. These are better than nothing, but nowhere close to what you need. The most effective carbon filters are larger and contain more carbon than the above mentioned systems. They usually go under the sink or in the basement and take up a considerable amount of space. Again, this alone only looks at 1 of the 4 requirements.

Reverse Osmosis: Reverse Osmosis is more thorough than carbon filters. It removes almost everything including all the minerals. For this reason Reverse Osmosis water is usually very acidic (pH of 6.5 or lower) and is very hard for your body to absorb. In order for your cells to use this water you must raise the pH by taking minerals from your body and adding them to the fluids, then your body must clear the memory of the water. Both processes rob you of energy and valuable resources. Many studies from around the world have found that regular use of Reverse Osmosis water can cause mineral deficiency issues.

In order to make Reverse Osmosis or carbon filtered water less of a stress on your body you must do the following:
  1. Add a pinch of high-quality sea salt to each gallon.
  2. Add a few drops of quality colloidal minerals to each gallon.
  3. Run your Reverse Osmosis water through a structured water device or attach a water structuring unit to your house's water main in order to clear the "water memory". See http://www.naturalactionwater.com for details - units can be purchased at Alenov Wellness Center.
Bottled Water: Buyer beware! What is in that bottle? Most bottled water is 1 of the 3 types listed above. Reverse Osmosis, Carbon Filtered, or even Tap Water. If it is coming from a "spring" somewhere, here is the dirty little secret. Most of these springs are contaminated. So the water has to be filtered, ozonated and processed before it is bottled. What are you paying for?

Artesian Water: The only truly healthy natural waters come from Artesian Wells. These are not "springs" that run out in the open or through contaminated soils. Artesian Wells are moving streams of water locked deep in the earth. After the water has been "cleaned"by the earth and the memory has been erased the waters eventually return to the surface. Many natural artesian wells can be found around the world. There are several in the Twin Cities area. The water is clean, the minerals in it are ionized and ready to use and of course the pH is favorable, usually between 7.3 and 7.8. It is almost as if the earth new exactly what the human body needed most. The only verifiable artesian water that is bottled and sold in stores in mass if "Fiji Water". It comes from the Fiji islands and yes is very expensive. A gallon will run you about $8.

Great Glacier Natural Artesian Water: Great Glacier water is a natural artesian well in the center of Wisconsin. It has won worldwide awards for taste and purity. Being an artesian water means it fills all 4 requirements for healthy water. I have spoken to the CEO in length on several occasions. Their philosophy and standards for care are excellent. The water comes from the ground pure and uncontaminated. It requires no filtering or disinfections. It is tested daily and bottled at the source. You can purchase it and have it delivered to your door in 5 gallon jugs or 1 gallon jugs for $1.40 per gallon. Finken Water is the distributor for the Twin Cities area. Their contact information is: 763-389-5466; http://greatglacierwater.com

I personally use Great Glacier water at my home and office. I also have a water structuring unit attached to my house's water main. This eliminates the need for a water softener.


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Food Rules & the Skincare Giveaway Winner!

Hi Everyone!

Hope your holidays treated you well. I've been laid up in bed since Christmas Day recovering from the stomach flu. No fun.

Being laid up helps me get some reading and online time done, though.

I found this article in NY Times called, "The Food Issue" in which Michael Pollen posted a request for people's "food rules" on a blog and got over 2,500 answers!

Here are my favorites & also one's I try to live by:

"You don't get fat on food you pray over." This is from a friend who points out that meals prepared at home, served at the table and given thanks for are more appreciated and more healthful than food eaten on the run. ~Carol Jackson

"Don't eat anything that took more energy to ship than to grow." ~Carrie Cizauskas

"Never eat something that is pretending to be something else; e.g., no "textured vegetable protein" or veggie burgers (fake meat), no artificial sweeteners, no margarine (fake butter), no "low fat" sour cream, no turkey bacon, no "chocolate-flavor sauce" that doesn't contain chocolate, no "quorn". If I want something that tastes like meat or butter, I would rather have the real thing than some chemical concoction pretending to be more healthful." ~Sonya Legg

"Make and take your own lunch to work." My father has always done this, and so have I. It saves money, and you know what you are eating." ~Hope Donovan Rider

"If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you are not hungry." ~Emma Fogt

"Avoid snacks with the "Oh" sound in their names: Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Hostess Ho Ho's, etc" ~Donna David

"Don't eat anything you aren't willing to kill yourself." ~Lorene Lavora

"When drinking tea, just drink tea." I find this Zen teaching useful, given my inclination toward information absorption in the morning, when I'm also trying to eat breakfast, get the dog out, start the fire and organize my day. I believe that it's so much better for our bodies when we are present to our food. ~Michelle Poirot

"After spending some time working with people with eating disorders, I came up with this rule: "Don't create arbitrary rules for eating if their only purpose is to help you feel in control." I try to eat healthfully, but if there's a choice between eating ice cream and spending all day obsessing about eating ice cream, I'm going to eat the ice cream! ~Laura Usher

And my personal favorite...

"It's better to pay the grocer than the doctor" was the saying that my Italian grandmother would frequently use to remind us of the love and attention to detail that went into her cooking. ~John Forti

What are your food rules?
----

Congratulations to Lynne from MKM! You have won the Karen's Botanicals giveaway! Please email me at foodie4healing@gmail.com with your full name & address and I'll be sure to get that in the mail to you!


Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Life Change Steps: Step One (redone) - Know Your Why

At the end of August, I started writing a series of posts about how I changed my life called, "Life Change Steps".

Step One was about the food you will eat. But, I realized that is actually not step one; that is The Goal. Ideally, you'll eventually want to get to that and have that be how you're doing life on a (mostly) daily basis. But, a lot happened between the start and that for me, so, I've reworked those posts and will actually be giving you Step One today.


----

STEP ONE - Know Your Why

I'm sure you've heard this before. "Make a list of your goals", "Write down all the reasons you want to get healthy", etc. However, when asked to do this in the past, it always fell flat for me. My reasons were always superficial, "So, I can feel good about myself" or "So, I can look thin" or "So I can (unrealistically) weigh 103 lbs" etc. But reasons such as those never held up for me when faced with a donut or candy or any sort of stress or detour. I'd much rather eat that cookie dough than look thin. The phrase, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels" is totally a lie!

No, to change my life, took much more. My "Healthy Tipping Point" was the day I had my 3rd endometriosis surgery in less than 2 years. I felt hopeless and depressed. Here I was, a girl in her late 20's with her whole life ahead of her... or did she? Facing 2 incurable diseases with no end of surgeries in sight will change you, that's for sure. I knew the only answer from traditional western medicine was to have surgery every 1.5 years to remove it. I wasn't satisfied with that. I simply wasn't going to accept that. That day, I got my hands on any and all research I could about natural treatments for PCOS and endometriosis. That day, little did I realize, was the start of my new life.



See, you have to dig deeper than surface. You have to find the thing that terrifies you (see, sometimes fear as a motivator can be good!). The thing that tells you, "There is no other way" - your health matters and must be put first. You matter. Your body matters. You must learn to appreciate it and take care of it. Love yourself.

So, my first tip is simply this: get a physical, ask your family about their health history, get food sensitivity testing, etc. Do whatever you need to do to find a health condition or something that will shock you into realizing you must make a life change today!

My favorite episode of the show "The Biggest Loser" is when they go see the Dr who reveals to them all the health conditions they face (diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc). It opens their eyes to what they're doing to themselves. It gives them their why! In this season, after only 8 weeks of making daily healthy choices, one of the contestants got completely rid of his diabetes!!! That, my friend, will keep you motivated far more than fitting into any former jeans you've owned.



So, with that, here are my "Why"s for a healthy lifestyle & for staying away from things like soy, sugar, gluten & chemical-treated food:
1. Physically don't feel good (headaches, stomachaches, more endometriosis & PCOS pain, tougher menstrual cycles, etc)
2. Weight gain of - pure fat!
3. Increases my risk of Type 2 diabetes
4. Creates bondage to the devil and barriers to my closets family/friends and God
5. It causes me to not feel good about myself & the choices I'm making
6. Triggers feelings of depression & hopeless in me
7. I start hearing whispers like "You can't write a health blog, you're a fraud!"
8. I believe God has told me that I am "Healed, Healthy, Whole"; I want to live as if that's true.
9. I look noticeably "run down" or "tired" to others
10. My body doesn't work optimally because it's not fueled properly (overwhelming fatigue, workouts are harder than usual, etc)
11. I'm not in tune with myself and my body. How things are affecting me.
12. Increases my risk of kidney stones
13. My tastebuds get clouded. I'm no longer able to enjoy the good-tasting flavors of foods in their natural state.
14. It triggers old binge eating habits & causes everything to come crashing down (including my hormones, insulin levels, etc)
15. It costs too much money to eat junk food!
16. I'm unable to feel satisfied because I'm never truly full eating empty calories.
17. I don't want to face another surgery!
18. I want to see what my body can do at it's full potential!
19. I want to inspire others to experience truly loving themselves, regardless of weight
20. Its easier to keep saying "No, thank you" than to try to use restraint after 1 bite or 1 "free" meal
21. ...and counting... (I'm constantly adding to my "why" list)

Take some time to really find out your why. I'd love to hear from you all on what your why's are. Leave me a comment with your list of why's & let me know if there anything I can do to help you with your lifestyle goals & changes!

Once you've got your list, carry it with you. When temptation arises, pull out your list & start reading your reasons! That should do the trick. And one last thing... should you choose to eat something that goes against your "why" list, don't sweat it. Enjoy it and move on - guilt free!


This is life, after all, and you won't be able to be perfect.

Healthy & Happy Holidays to You and Yours!
Amykinz


Monday, December 19, 2011

Skincare Giveaway: Karen's Botanicals

I am so excited to do my first giveaway!



Karen's Botanicals 1-2-3 Facial Care (for normal to oily skin)
*Lemon Mint Cleanser
*Fennel Sage Toner
*Rehydrating, Oil-Free Aloe Vera Lotion
Note: These are sample-size products.

Karen's Botanicals is a plant based skin and body care system made from pure botanicals and certified organic herbs. 

Here's a description of each product:
(info taken from the Karen's Botanicals website)

Lemon Mint Cleanser - A refreshing face & body cleanser that reduces oiliness and leaves skin feeling clean, dry, and oil-free. Essential oils of Peppermint & Lemon lend a subtle but stimulating fragrance and they are gently drying. Rosemary & Melissa extracts are antibacterial, and helpful for skin prone to acne or infection. Best choice for oily skin. Highly concentrated; a little dab will do.
Ingredients: Pure Castile soap*, Distilled water, Extracts of Melissa (Lemon Balm)* and Rosemary Oil, essential oils blend. *Denotes certified organic.

Fennel Sage Toner - A refreshing astringent lotion formulated to reduce oiliness, tighten pores & deep clean the skin. The unsusal blend of Fennel & Sage creates a rich scent reminiscent of anise & an herb garden in the mid-day summer sun.
Ingredients: Sage leaf*, Calendula blossom*, Marshmallow root*, Nettle leaf*, Rosemary leaf*, Comfrey*, Fennel seed*, and fresh Parsley leaf* all infused with gentle heat and light from the sun and moon in Distilled water and Witch Hazel; Aloe Vera*, Benzoin gum extract, selected essential oils. *Denotes certified organic.

Rehydrating, Oil-Free Aloe Vera Lotion - A clean, light & cooling moisturizing lotion that absorbs quickly & leaves skin feeling moisturized & supple without greasiness. Formulated for all skin types, it is especially effective for acne or oily skin because it contains no oils or butters. It is the perfect for all skin types during the summer or in hot climates when oil based moisturizers are too heavy. Aloe vera lotion is also an excellent & soothing treatment for sunburn, insect bites & other dry or irritated skin as Aloe itself is both moisturizing and anti-bacterial.
Ingredients: Aloe Vera*, pure vegetable Glycerine, Melissa extract*;  Bergamot, Tea Tree, and other selected essential oils. *Denotes certified organic. Use within one year of purchase.




Would you like to win these products?

To enter the giveaway:
For 1 entry: "Like" Karen's Botanicals on Facebook
For 1 entry: "Follow" Karen's Botanicals on Twitter
For 1 entry: "Like" Foodie4Healing on Facebook
For 1 entry: "Follow" Foodie4Healing on Twitter
For 1 entry: "Follow" Foodie4Healing on Pinterest
For 1 entry: Tweet the following - "I want to win skincare in the @Foodie4Healing Karen's Botanicals Giveaway"
For 1 entry: Post this giveaway on your blog & leave a link to it

You must leave a separate comment below for each entry you do! 

For instance, if you"Like" Karen's Botanicals on Facebook, then you'd leave a comment on this blog post saying, "I liked Karen's Botanicals on Facebook", etc

Contest Ends: December 22nd!

Disclaimer: Karen's Botanicals has not provided me with samples of their products. I simply ordered too many samples for myself and wanted to give away the other set. I was under no obligation to host a giveaway and received nothing from Karen's Botanicals to do so.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Two Week Hiatus

I've been kidnapped.

By my schedule and everything else.

Where are your "after" pictures, Amykinz?


I ate them.

No, really, though. I've been on a two week hiatus from my exercise plan and not by choice.

Last week was filled with emotional stress, physical pains, migraines, etc. I decided to take the week off from my workouts and call it a "mental health" week.

This week, my schedule attacked me.

All my workouts have been on the schedule, yet something inevitably came up to sabotage them, like my 4-month-old baby developing RSV. Oy.

I've successfully made to the gym once this week and plan on going tomorrow as well.

I've learned that even with the best of intentions, life can and will catch up with you. So, when it does, how are you going to handle it?

In the past, I would've given up. I would've said something in my head like, "Well, I've missed two weeks, so what's the point? I may as well give up now. Oh look, a Heath bar managed to jump in my mouth in the meantime, too!" Yup, my all-or-nothing mindset got me a whole lot of nothing.

So now, I've learned, instead of giving up, you adapt.

So what if my 5 workouts per week don't land perfectly within a 7-day timeframe! Five workouts consist of my goals for 1 block of circuit training. If those 5 workouts take me 2-weeks, then so be it.

But, I'm not giving up. I will finish this!

My next "after" post, will be when I complete the next 4 parts of my 5-part workout. It may be in 4 days, it may be in 4 weeks.

Until then, don't give up on your goals because of some measly obstacles. You are capable of great things!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Circuit Training: Week 1

Week one is (almost) done!

I took my 2nd rest day earlier this week, so I need to use today as a make-up day. But, otherwise, I've completed 3 days of intense circuit training and 1 day of Zumba! I love Zumba!

Here's the latest and greatest circuit training workout I did on Friday.


Friday





Week 1

Weight
CIRCUIT ONE
Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
Notes

5# DB
DB Chest Press
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
Rt elbow pain?

15# Bar
Hack Squats
15 / 15
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT TWO





5# DB
DB Chest Flys
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight

6# DB
Sumo Squats
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT THREE





-
Bench Dips
15 / 15 
15/ 15
13 / 15 
Hypnobirthing!

30# M
Leg Extensions
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT FOUR





15# M / 5# DB   
Shoulder Press
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
Problem w/Seat

-
Jumping Jacks
35s / 1m
45s / 1m
1 / 1m
Hypnobirthing!

-
Basic Crunches
15 / 15
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT FIVE





6# DB / 3# DB
Kick-backs (L)
15 / 15 
x / 15
15 / 15
Wrong Move!

6# DB
Kick-backs (R)
15 / 15 
x / 15
15 / 15
Cramp in Rt Back

-
Jump Rope
1 / 1m
1 / 1m
1 / 1m


-
Reverse Crunches
15 / 15      
15/ 15      
15 / 15    
Separate Knees














This was a tough workout and for some reason my joints hurt the day after: ankles, elbows, wrists and fingers. Any suggestions? 
  • I used my notes from the last time I did a few of these exercises, like the Leg Extension, and increased weight on a lot of them. As you can see, I was pretty right on! 
  • I still needed to use Hypnobirthing to get through my Bench Dips and Jumping Jacks. Man, are those hard! 
  • I was having problems with adjusting the seat on the machine for the Shoulder Press and the least amount of weight you can lift on the machine was 15#. I was having a hard time even getting through 5 reps and felt like my form wasn't correct because of the seat. So, I improvised... I grabbed 5# DB's and did the shoulder press that way instead. 
  • I got to the Kick-backs and halfway into my 2nd set I realized I was doing One-Arm Lawnmower Rows instead of Kick-backs. So, on the 3rd set I switched to 3# DB's and did the Kick-backs. Oops. 
  • Initially, I wasn't feeling my Reverse Crunches in the abs but rather in the legs; but then realized that if I separate my knees a little bit, instead of keeping them together when I bring them up, I started to feel it in the right spot. 


Ok, now...


Are you ready for the before and after progress photos? I am so excited to show them to you!

 


 

 

The Results:

  • Gained 1 lb of muscle
  • Lost 1/2" off my waist
  • Lost 1" off my hips
  • Lost 1/4" off my right arm

So, just looking at the pictures, it doesn't appear like anything has changed, correct? And if I was merely going by my weight, it would appear that I've gained weight this week, correct? This is why I'm doing all three: weight, measurements and pictures. Sure, I gained 1 lb, but look at the inches I've lost in places! That can only mean that weight that I've gained is pure muscle! That I can get excited about!!!

Too many people focus solely on what the scale says. That gets you in trouble. This journey for me is about my health, not my weight. And I admit, I randomly weighed myself throughout the week and started to get discouraged by the number I was seeing. I have contemplated getting rid of my scale altogether, because in the past, that number determined my success and would send me into binge-eating and an all-or-nothing mentality. Thank God I didn't do that this time! Transforming your body takes hard work, effort and time. It's a great lesson in patience.

Bottom line is: my goal in all of this is be healthy and transform my body into working at it's optimal potential. I'd say I'm well on my way!


How do I keep away from all the Christmas cookies and birthday cake (Happy Birthday to my sweet Izzy, who turns 5 today!)?

Answer: I don't. Ok that's not entirely true. I find healthy alternatives, too, that satisfy.

Here's a couple examples from this week:

1. My in-laws brought a huge Sam's Club round Chocolate Cake with whipped frosting to our house so they could celebrate my DD's birthday with her. I allowed myself 1, very small sliver, of the cake. Guess what? I didn't like it. The frosting is not my favorite. The cake was just ok. So, the cake has been sitting on my counter ever since and I've had no desire to touch it again. In the past, I would've devoured it, just because it was sugar. Not anymore. I only indulge in the sweets that I really want.

2. My in-laws brought 2 large containers full of Christmas goodies. First thing I did was ask my husband to take them to work or to hide them. When I felt strong enough to handle it, I asked him to get my 1 specific treat out of the goodie bin. It was a "cake pop" without the "pop" part. It was good. And I savored it. Until... I found the stash. Darn. I proceeded to take 1 bite from every single treat in there. (Yes, I did leave them in the container with a bite out of them. LOL) Reason? I wanted to know what I really liked and what I didn't. Then I ate 3 different cookies. Only the ones I truly liked. Did I feel guilty? A little bit. But, I got over it really fast. Just like with the cake, I was able to only eat the sweets that I really wanted and leave the rest. In the past, I would've had one of each kind of cookie and finished them off, even if I didn't really like them. I'd say that's a success.

Here's the deal: I truly believe it's unrealistic to think you'll never indulge in a food again that maybe isn't the healthiest. The key is to be in control of the treat and not the sugar/salt be in control of you. Only eat the things you really want and everything in moderation. Allow yourself the treat, but stop. If you can be satisfied with just a bite, then do it. If you're like me and you can't, then ask someone to take the tempting food items away from you. I had my treats and now they're hidden again.

So, the other part of the answer above was that I find healthy alternatives. I love Peanut Butter Cookies and I love Brownies. Not the healthiest. So, when I crave them, I make these instead.

Katie's Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cookies
















Substitutions: Usually I make these exactly according to the directions, but I ran out of peanuts and substituted walnuts instead. They were just as delicious!

Katie's Hot Fudge Brownie Larabars

 


Substitutions: I leave out the optional chocolate chips.

----

Katie's recipe even inspired me to make one into one of my Meal-In-A-Glass!















Hot Fudge Brownie MIAG
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup dates, chopped
1 handful spinach, fresh
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 T cocoa powder
pinch of sea salt (optional)
ice

Blend all in your blender until smooth.


Friday, December 2, 2011

Natural Healing for Postpartum Depression

Have you ever suffered with postpartum depression?

I have. With both babies.

The first time, I knew exactly what it was. The usual: don't want to do anything except cry, feel melancholy, etc and showed up when DD was around 2 weeks old.

This time, not so much. This time didn't show up until my DD turned about 3 months old. It started out as me doing irrational things, like yelling and swearing at her because I thought she should've eaten more. Ridiculous. From there, it just got worse. Major high and low mood swings, anxiety attacks surrounding everyday tasks, social anxiety/withdrawal, lots of yelling, lots of crying, inability to remember anything, starting to type/write like I'm dyslexic, nightmares, intense irritability and anger, overwhelming fatigue (despite getting 9+ hours of sleep at night), feelings of inadequacy as a wife and mother, etc.

I knew I needed help, once my beloved Homemakers small group ladies lovingly pointed out what they thought it was (postpartum depression). Not having peace about going on an anti-depressant, I sought out the help of my holistic Dr.

I'm currently taking a progesterone cream (which also is said to help PCOS and Endometriosis), 5-HTP and a flower essence (Iris and Tiger Lily). As always, these are remedies for my specific body. Please consult with your Dr before starting any new supplement.

Yesterday I went in for what the clinic calls an, "EmoBalance". You put on this glove that measures the Bio Energy of your emotions. Here's what the website says about it: Spectra Vision, Bio Energy Balancer.

Anyway, my scan came back and the negative emotions that came back were no surprise: melancholy, anger, anxiety, etc. Everything I've been battling with the postpartum depression.

The remedy? A flower essence supplement with the flowers to help combat my specific issues.

Here are mine:

Iris
Positive Qualities: inspired artistry deep soulfulness which is in touch with higher realms
Patterns of Imbalance: lack inspiration: feeling weighed down by the ordinariness of the world
Cross-references: eating disorders, frustration, home and lifestyle, inadequacy, mother and mothering, spiritual opening

As the physical body needs air to breathe so the soul needs inspiration in order to live. Many modern individuals lack soul vitality: a gray pallor stifles them. They suffocate in the mundane and mechanical. Iris is a fundamental remedy for restoring and revitalizing the soul. It is not only for those who are on a specific artistic path, but also for those individuals who need to bring passionate creativity to their life work. Iris essence impels the soul to create and cultivate beauty within itself and within the world.


How It Applies to Me: I'm a Stay-at-home-Mommy who could definitely use some inspiration in my life work!

~~~


Tiger Lily
Positive Qualities: inner peace and harmony as a foundation for outer relationships
Patterns of Imbalance: overly aggressive, hostile attitude
Cross-references: aggressiveness, community life and group experience, hostility, leadership, lower self, personal relationships

The positive healing of ourselves and the larger world depends very much on the ability to shift from competitive, aggressive models of behavior to those which are cooperative and inclusive. Tiger Lily is an extremely beneficial remedy for helping the soul to transmute overly hostile or aggressive tendencies into positive social impulses. It helps the consciousness to move from a limited personal perspective towards values that include the greater whole. This essence especially benefits those who see themselves as separate from others, or as striving against others rather than working for the common good.

How It Applies to Me: I've been battling social anxiety and withdrawal. I also lead a Homemakers group at my church once a week. This past year has also been a year of cutting out some unhealthy friendships from my life.

~~~


Dill
Positive Qualities: experiencing and absorbing the fullness of life, especially the sensory aspects
Patterns of Imbalance: overwhelm due to overstimulation, hypersensitivity to environment or to outer activity, sensory congestion
Cross-references: clarity, eating disorders, irritability, moderation, overwhelm, relaxation, restlessness, stress

Modern living conditions can stun and even stifle the sensory capacities of most persons. With the advent of the technological age, the soul is literally bombarded with countless sense impressions - what one sees, hears, tastes, smells and touches in the course of a day can be quite staggering. In prior times, those who wished to develop spiritually sought remote environments which diminished sensorial stimulation and freed the soul for higher spiritual work. Dill flower essence helps to harmonize the psychic life within the context of daily work and modern living. Through the Dill flower, the soul learns not only to discriminate and regulate sense experience, but even more importantly to allow the sense life itself to become a vehicle for enlightenment.

How It Applies to Me: I've felt like I can't keep up with the speed of life lately and get very overwhelmed. And I've had to cut back my technology time. I also make it a point to get some "quiet time" away to spend with God.

~~~

Shooting Star
Positive Qualities: humanized spirituality, cosmic consciousness warmed with caring for all that is human and earthly
Patterns of Imbalance: profound feeling of alienation
Cross-references: alienation, awkwardness, body, children, earth healing and nature awareness, environment, escapism, life direction, personal relationships, rejection

These souls suffer in a profound way - an affliction which often receives little understanding from family and friends, or even from therapists. Shooting Star helps such individuals come to understand the meaning of love.

How It Applies to Me: I've always felt alone, alienated and like "something is wrong with me". Feelings of rejection are surely felt on a weekly, if not daily, basis for me. I've been known to say lately, "I want to run away."

~~~


Walnut
Positive Qualities: freedom from limiting influences, making healthy transitions in life, courage to follow one's own path and destiny
Patterns of Imbalance: overly influenced beliefs and values of family or community, or by past experiences
Cross-references: adolescence, authority, breakthrough, co-dependence, concentration and focus, desire, eating disorders, escapism, freedom, habit, patterns, immune disturbances, influence, life direction, protection, sensitivity, strength, transition, true to self

The human soul is akin to the plant in its patterns of growth. It grows slowly, almost imperceptibly from day to day, but there are moments when it makes radical, metamorphic changes, moving beyond its current form to something utterly new. Thus the plant transforms from root, to shoot, to leaf, to flower, to fruit, to seed. Walnut flower essence is an important remedy for times of great life transition. It is indicated for those life passages when the Self must be completely and irrevocably transformed in order to continue its evolution. At these moments, the soul must be unwavering in its sense of inner purpose and conviction. If the mind experiences doubt or confusion, the progress of the Self is impeded, if not imperiled. Walnut is particularly helpful for those who may be easily influenced by family ties, community mores, social conventions, strong personalities, or past habits, and who are unable to muster the strength to make a break with the past and with the ideas of others. This remedy can be broadly applied and is valuable for all life transitions including birth, ending or beginning relationships, etc.

How It Applies to Me: I not only just had a baby, but I went from being a Mommy of 1 to a Mommy of 2! I've also been facing a tough choice for my DD-4yr who will be starting K next year: to homeschool or not to homeschool?

Source: Kaminski, Patricia, and Richard Katz. Flower Essence Reperory: A Compreshensive Guide to North American and English Flower Essence for Emotional and Spiriutal Well-Being. California: The Flower Essence Society, 1996.


Interesting stuff, isn't it?!


Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Circuit Training Underway

Well, I did it.

I started my 12-week Jillian Michaels circuit training program on Monday.

Here's how it's going:

Monday





 Week 1

Weight
 CIRCUIT ONE
Set 1
 Set 2
 Set 3
  Notes

0
 Push-ups
15 / 15 
 15/ 15
 11 / 15 


5# DB
 Squats
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
 15 / 15 
^ weight









CIRCUIT TWO





5# DB
Chest Flys
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 


5# DB
Sumo Squats
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight









CIRCUIT THREE





0
Bench Dips
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
13 / 15 
Hypnobirthing Helped!

20# M
Leg Extensions
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight









CIRCUIT FOUR





4# DB
Lateral Raises
15 / 15
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight

0
Jumping Jacks
1 / 1 min
1 / 1 min
1 / 1 min
Hypnobirthing Helped!

0
Basic Crunches
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT FIVE





5# DB
Tricep Extensions
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight

0
Jump Rope
1 / 1 min
1 / 1 min
1 / 1 min


0
Scissors
15 / 15     
15/ 15      
15 / 15 








My legs seem to be stronger than I gave them credit for. I need to increase the weight on all my leg exercises next week! Also, as you can see, I was able to focus on my breathing and close my eyes while doing the bench dips and jumping jacks to get my through them. 


Tuesday





Week 1

Weight   
CIRCUIT ONE
Set 1
Set 2
 Set 3
Notes

30# M
Wide-Grip Lat Pull Downs
15 / 15
15/ 15 
11 / 15
^ weight

15# Bar
Still-Leg Dead Lifts
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT TWO





20# M
Medium-Grip Seated Cable Rows
 15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight

5# DB
Static Lunges (left)
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 


5# DB
Static Lunges (right)
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT THREE





20# M
Back Extensions
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
13 / 15 
^ weight

15# M
Seated Hamstring Curls
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 










CIRCUIT FOUR





4# DB
DB Bicep Curls
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
 15 / 15 
^ weight

0
Jumping Jacks
35 s / 1 min    
50 s / 1 min  
 1 / 1 min


0
Bicycle Crunches
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
Too Easy?









CIRCUIT FIVE





6# DB
Concentration Curls (left)
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight

6# DB
Concentration Curls (right)
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15 
^ weight

0
Jump Rope
1 / 1 min
1 / 1 min
1 / 1 min


4# Ball
Russian Twists
15 / 15 
15/ 15 
15 / 15       


I was still pretty sore from yesterday and felt like I was dragging. My biceps and back are stronger than I gave them credit for. I had a really hard time getting through the jumping jacks. The bicycle crunches felt like I didn't do anything. Any suggestions? And I also discovered that I actually really enjoy doing Russian Twists!

Tonight I was planning on yoga, but I think I'll listen to my body and just rest.

----

As far as diet goes, I'm trying to eat gluten-free right now, but we're also eating up the last of what we bought for this month, so I'm still eating it here and there.

Here are two really amazing recipes that we made Monday and Tuesday.

Jessica's Loaded Baked Sweet Potato Soup

 

Substitutions: We used Brown Rice Flour and Almond Milk, to make it gluten-free.

For a Complete Meal: serve with Fruit and Salad


----


And rarely do I give a recipe the "orgasmic" status, but this next recipe definitely deserves it!

Jessica's Roasted Butternut and Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Lasagna

 


Substitutions: We used Enriched White No Boil Lasagna Noodles and (not freshly) Grated Parmesan Cheese. I would prefer using Whole-Wheat Noodles or even Gluten-Free, but I have not yet found these options in my area. Next time, we think we'll add less butter, since it seemed to be swimming in it.

For a Complete Meal: serve with Mixed Steamed Vegetables