Babystep #1 - Add kefir daily or at least several times a week.
Babystep #2 - One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week.
Babystep #3 - Introduce fermented veggies.
Babystep #4 - Streamline kitchen
Babystep #5 - Add detox baths
Babystep #6 - Add omega 3 supplements
Babystep #7 - Purchase some more local raw honey.
Babystep #8 - Ginger tea - My day doesn't feel complete without it.
Babystep #9 - Magnesium supplements - James needed the inhaler when RSV went through the house. I was able to use Mucinex and sinus rinses and forgo the inhaler.
Babystep #10 - Sourdough starter - I reduced it to one starter after holidays but then my one starter fizzled out for some reason. Will be getting one started back up shortly.
Babystep #11 - Drink water first thing in the morning.
Babystep #12 - Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - The soap savers are working great!
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - I am actually emptying the fridge throughout the week. Every meal has been planned. Extras go in the freezer and very little ruins in the back of the fridge. Once shopping day comes, my drawers are emptied and ready for fresh meat and veggies.
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - One of the productivity recommendations is to Eat the Frog. It comes from the idea that if you ate a frog in the morning, everything else would be easy after that. Your frog is the hardest thing for you to do. Exercise is the hardest thing for me to follow through with but I want to be productive so my frog is getting to the gym or on the Wii Fit. I must eat it before breakfast.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - We've had some major Artic chill. I have had no joint pain and my husband has had minimal.
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes
Babystep #18 - Fresh and frozen over canned veggies - My pantry looks a little strange and we've gone through bags of carrots like never before. Looking forward to summer and the farmers market.
Babystep #19 - Be calm
Babystep #20 - Enzymes
Babystep #21 - Avoid MSG
Babystep #22 - use sinus rinses proactively Especially after vacuuming or any decluttering project. Dust is my nemesis. I clean, get sick, don't clean, dust piles up more, get worse next time I clean, etc. It's a vicious cycle. Working on cleaning regularly and minimizing clutter but dust is really hard to escape. Looking at getting a face mask for when I clean like Nony.
Babystep #23 - Extra Vit C and Vit D3 during flu season
Babystep #24 - Gluten free pasta
Babystep #25 - Ditch the table salt - Making soup every week and cooking with whole foods is really making us go through the salt faster. Not much has been preseasoned so I need to add adequate seasoning and sodium is required for our bodies. But the chemically processed stuff in the stores isn't very healthy. After reading some on different salts, I learned sea salt is misleading because every salt is the result of a sea at one point of time or another. Although I do like my Celtic sea salt especially for Salted Caramel Mochas. The color is apparently what indicates the mineral content. I found some dark pink Himalayan salt on Amazon and it came in the mail today. It can have up to 84 trace minerals and elements. Very fascinating!
Showing posts with label Babysteps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Babysteps. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Babystep #24 - Gluten-free pasta
I forgot to include how I did the parsnips in yesterday's posts. I've roasted them with olive oil, salt and pepper before. This time, I put a bit of coconut oil in my hand and rubbed it all over the parsnips then seasoned with salt and pepper. The coconut oil paired really well with the sweetness of the parsnips.
I'm discovering how quickly I can get a healthy meal on the table when the decisions are already made. Christmas Eve, we had a busy afternoon of baths, painting nails, costumes and Mass. I knew I had some leftover chicken cornbread dressing but it needed a side. So I would steam some brussel sprouts and season with salt, pepper and a couple pats of butter. I had supper on the table in less than 15 minutes. Chicken nuggets and fries and pizza are not even that fast.
The good decisions come when we make the decision ahead of time instead of when we're short on time. A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning out the pantry and used up a couple boxes of wheat pasta. Pasta is third on the things that make me feel the worst behind cauliflower and fast food milkshakes. So why did I have wheat pasta in my pantry? I know that Tinkyada pasta is gluten free and delicious. We can even get it at Walmart. But I get in the store and I'm thinking of how to get the most bang for my buck. I can't justify in that moment spending a couple dollars more on pasta when I'm not being strictly gluten free anyhow.
I shopped at Target last week and they didn't have Tinkyada so I got Ronzoni Gluten free for the homemade mac and cheese. It's a suitable alternative. So I'm going to use brand loyalty to help keep the good decision consistent. From here on out, it's Tinkyada or Ronzoni gluten free pasta.
I learned something interesting on Amazon. The price of Tinkyada varies by shape.
But the spirals here are only $28.20. Spirals work fine with spaghetti and mac and cheese. In the earlier days of gluten free when products were not so accessible, spirals might be all you could find. I'm not hung up on a particular shape especially when there is a 10-20 dollar difference in the price of a box of 12. Even cheaper when you use Subscribe and Save.
I'm reducing the amount of italian pasta dishes that we eat. I like my predictable weekly schedule and there isn't an italian night. I can make lasagna occasionally on Sunday and use roasted veggies like eggplant and squashes instead of noodles. However, I will need pasta for mac and cheese to go with salmon or ham. A box of 12 should last about 3 months.
I'm discovering how quickly I can get a healthy meal on the table when the decisions are already made. Christmas Eve, we had a busy afternoon of baths, painting nails, costumes and Mass. I knew I had some leftover chicken cornbread dressing but it needed a side. So I would steam some brussel sprouts and season with salt, pepper and a couple pats of butter. I had supper on the table in less than 15 minutes. Chicken nuggets and fries and pizza are not even that fast.
The good decisions come when we make the decision ahead of time instead of when we're short on time. A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning out the pantry and used up a couple boxes of wheat pasta. Pasta is third on the things that make me feel the worst behind cauliflower and fast food milkshakes. So why did I have wheat pasta in my pantry? I know that Tinkyada pasta is gluten free and delicious. We can even get it at Walmart. But I get in the store and I'm thinking of how to get the most bang for my buck. I can't justify in that moment spending a couple dollars more on pasta when I'm not being strictly gluten free anyhow.
I shopped at Target last week and they didn't have Tinkyada so I got Ronzoni Gluten free for the homemade mac and cheese. It's a suitable alternative. So I'm going to use brand loyalty to help keep the good decision consistent. From here on out, it's Tinkyada or Ronzoni gluten free pasta.
I learned something interesting on Amazon. The price of Tinkyada varies by shape.
But the spirals here are only $28.20. Spirals work fine with spaghetti and mac and cheese. In the earlier days of gluten free when products were not so accessible, spirals might be all you could find. I'm not hung up on a particular shape especially when there is a 10-20 dollar difference in the price of a box of 12. Even cheaper when you use Subscribe and Save.
I'm reducing the amount of italian pasta dishes that we eat. I like my predictable weekly schedule and there isn't an italian night. I can make lasagna occasionally on Sunday and use roasted veggies like eggplant and squashes instead of noodles. However, I will need pasta for mac and cheese to go with salmon or ham. A box of 12 should last about 3 months.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Babystep #21 -#23
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. - Joseph has become a pro with using a straw and drinks it up at only 15 months old. This stuff really helps us to get back to normal when we've eaten processed foods.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. - I'm adding bay leaves to my chicken soup. That savory flavor seems to make the White Bean and Kale soup irresistible.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. - Still using kraut with soup and relish in deviled eggs and such.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Need a bit of a reboot. It's trying to creep back into disarray.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - finished one bag of epsom salt
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - Even have my husband taking it.
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. - on my third bottle since starting Babysteps
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Walmart was out of ginger! How terrible! Will get some on my next milk run.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Both James and I are not using our inhalers. This is awesome!
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - One seemed to be wearing out. I used it for biscuits and put the other on my counter. I'm feeding it immediately after using. I'll be baking, making pizza, making cinnamon rolls, or making beignets daily. This way I can put extra bread into the freezer for trips and busy times.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Yep!
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Finished 4 soap saver for stocking stuffers and one for myself.
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - I have been following a six week plan that I made in November. I am loving the predictability.
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - Still not at it. I think I am going to make it a goal to get to the gym daily but if I just make it 4 days, I'll call it a success.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - Very helpful.
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt - My third batch flopped. I think I added the starter when the milk was too hot. So use a candy thermometer. I had picked the tutorial that I did because it didn't require measuring temperature. But I would rather check the temperature than waste a half gallon of milk. I'm also using organic milk now.
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes - Yep, becoming a challenge with all the Christmas candy that is around.
Babystep #18 - Fresh and frozen over canned veggies - It's actually a lot easier to open bags of frozen veggies than to open cans.
Babystep #19 - Be calm - I think it's helping. I have had other sinus symptoms but I have been able to fight it off rather quickly. My son that supposedly had an ear infection only has fluid in his ears. He has gobs of snout coming from his nose which could be a bit distressing. But it's really a good thing. That fluid has to come out. Keeping calm and supporting with diet and allergy meds seem to be helping us avoid tubes in his ears in the immediate future.
Babystep #20 - Enzymes - Gone through our bottle of enzymes so looking at different brands to determine which to use that is a bit broader than what we had.
Babystep #21 - Avoid MSG - I shopped at Save-a-lot last week. My husband was a manager for their stores for many years and I'm impressed with their dedication to quality in their private label foods. I found their brand of smoked sausage, Farmington brand. They had beef sausage available which was gluten free and MSG free. Awesome! Now the second ingredient is corn syrup but I'll take sugar in moderation over MSG. It is delicious. We've eaten two packs already.
There is a lot of controversy about MSG. I've seen a lot of discussion about MSG in the autism community. But for me, MSG as a culprit in some of our digestion problem would completely explain how I can make things at home with no reaction and then eat the same thing from the store and react severely. It explains how the gluten-free diet sometimes didn't seem to be working since sometimes we were just trading one set of processed foods for a different type of processed foods. This video was very interesting and informative.
Babystep #22 Use sinus rinses proactively - I ended up with a really bad sinus headaches about 24 hours after the white seeds flying in the air and tickling my nose at the zoo as well as the cat getting inside the house and van. I cleared it up pretty quickly but it occured to me that I could have avoided entirely if I had just used a sinus rinse. I really don't like them. They don't feel good but a couple minutes of discomfort is better than a day or two of sinus pain.
Babystep #23 Extra Vit C and D3 for the flu season - We've heard of people having the flu already so giving an extra boost to help keep us healthy.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. - I'm adding bay leaves to my chicken soup. That savory flavor seems to make the White Bean and Kale soup irresistible.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. - Still using kraut with soup and relish in deviled eggs and such.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Need a bit of a reboot. It's trying to creep back into disarray.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - finished one bag of epsom salt
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - Even have my husband taking it.
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. - on my third bottle since starting Babysteps
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Walmart was out of ginger! How terrible! Will get some on my next milk run.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Both James and I are not using our inhalers. This is awesome!
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - One seemed to be wearing out. I used it for biscuits and put the other on my counter. I'm feeding it immediately after using. I'll be baking, making pizza, making cinnamon rolls, or making beignets daily. This way I can put extra bread into the freezer for trips and busy times.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Yep!
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Finished 4 soap saver for stocking stuffers and one for myself.
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - I have been following a six week plan that I made in November. I am loving the predictability.
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - Still not at it. I think I am going to make it a goal to get to the gym daily but if I just make it 4 days, I'll call it a success.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - Very helpful.
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt - My third batch flopped. I think I added the starter when the milk was too hot. So use a candy thermometer. I had picked the tutorial that I did because it didn't require measuring temperature. But I would rather check the temperature than waste a half gallon of milk. I'm also using organic milk now.
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes - Yep, becoming a challenge with all the Christmas candy that is around.
Babystep #18 - Fresh and frozen over canned veggies - It's actually a lot easier to open bags of frozen veggies than to open cans.
Babystep #19 - Be calm - I think it's helping. I have had other sinus symptoms but I have been able to fight it off rather quickly. My son that supposedly had an ear infection only has fluid in his ears. He has gobs of snout coming from his nose which could be a bit distressing. But it's really a good thing. That fluid has to come out. Keeping calm and supporting with diet and allergy meds seem to be helping us avoid tubes in his ears in the immediate future.
Babystep #20 - Enzymes - Gone through our bottle of enzymes so looking at different brands to determine which to use that is a bit broader than what we had.
Babystep #21 - Avoid MSG - I shopped at Save-a-lot last week. My husband was a manager for their stores for many years and I'm impressed with their dedication to quality in their private label foods. I found their brand of smoked sausage, Farmington brand. They had beef sausage available which was gluten free and MSG free. Awesome! Now the second ingredient is corn syrup but I'll take sugar in moderation over MSG. It is delicious. We've eaten two packs already.
There is a lot of controversy about MSG. I've seen a lot of discussion about MSG in the autism community. But for me, MSG as a culprit in some of our digestion problem would completely explain how I can make things at home with no reaction and then eat the same thing from the store and react severely. It explains how the gluten-free diet sometimes didn't seem to be working since sometimes we were just trading one set of processed foods for a different type of processed foods. This video was very interesting and informative.
Babystep #22 Use sinus rinses proactively - I ended up with a really bad sinus headaches about 24 hours after the white seeds flying in the air and tickling my nose at the zoo as well as the cat getting inside the house and van. I cleared it up pretty quickly but it occured to me that I could have avoided entirely if I had just used a sinus rinse. I really don't like them. They don't feel good but a couple minutes of discomfort is better than a day or two of sinus pain.
Babystep #23 Extra Vit C and D3 for the flu season - We've heard of people having the flu already so giving an extra boost to help keep us healthy.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Babystep #20 Enzymes
The littlest threes' digestion took a hit over the Thanksgiving holidays. One reason was lack of planning which was purposeful. Last year, we missed all holidays because either us or people back home were sick. I purposed to not plan anything until the day of. It sounds counterproductive but it sure seems like we jinx anything we want to do if we make big plans. Spontaneous seems to happen better.
I need to plan for spontaneity. I need to have breakfast, lunch and snack options that are easy to grab and go. And that's hard to do when everyone seems to do better on homecooked foods. I'll be looking into some ideas and post more on that later.
We left for Mississippi earlier than I had planned. I called my aunt who was on the road as well and discussed picking up something for lunch. She would stop and get hotdogs, chips and lactose-free milk for the little ones. It had been over a month since they had hotdogs so I thought this would be a nice treat. I didn't give them buns and they didn't have rolls at supper. I didn't forsee anything major bothering them.
Thanksgiving Day, John Micah had eaten his weight just about in turkey and potatoes. He's my anti-green kid so he didn't eat the brussel sprout salad. That night, his stools were a little loose but was fine the next morning. That afternoon, they were pale and looser. Katie Rose and Joseph had the same problem.
Now, the good news is that I got them home and gave them kefir and enzymes. We got back to our homecooked diet. The issues were cleared up very quickly.
But I wondered, "What in the world is the culprit?" They did have a couple of cookies and a little debbie snack but they've had way more gluten at home without that kind of reaction. Could it be the location or processed food or what?
I decided that at Christmas we would do a lot more enzymes to support their digestion and then it struck me. What if that's the issue? I looked up a lot of information on enzymes and I think I found part of the problem. We hadn't been eating potatoes much at all over the past 6 weeks. I was cooking more soups and dishes that didn't require them. I wasn't relying on chicken nuggets and hotdogs so we weren't going through a huge bag of tater tots or fries a week. So it turns out that potatoes are a seed and naturally have enzyme inhibitors. No wonder with our Irish heritage and potato cravings that we have trouble with digestion.
So here's the plan:
1) Take enzymes regularly so that our enzyme banks aren't depleted
2) Take enzymes with us wherever we go.
3) Eat foods that are high in enzymes like raw fruits and veggies in particular bananas, avocado and mango.
4) Limit potatoes and other enzyme inhibiting foods. Look into sprouting and other means of making these foods more digestible. Sourdough is one method of making enzyme-inhibiting foods more digestible so I'm heading down the right track.
I need to plan for spontaneity. I need to have breakfast, lunch and snack options that are easy to grab and go. And that's hard to do when everyone seems to do better on homecooked foods. I'll be looking into some ideas and post more on that later.
We left for Mississippi earlier than I had planned. I called my aunt who was on the road as well and discussed picking up something for lunch. She would stop and get hotdogs, chips and lactose-free milk for the little ones. It had been over a month since they had hotdogs so I thought this would be a nice treat. I didn't give them buns and they didn't have rolls at supper. I didn't forsee anything major bothering them.
Thanksgiving Day, John Micah had eaten his weight just about in turkey and potatoes. He's my anti-green kid so he didn't eat the brussel sprout salad. That night, his stools were a little loose but was fine the next morning. That afternoon, they were pale and looser. Katie Rose and Joseph had the same problem.
Now, the good news is that I got them home and gave them kefir and enzymes. We got back to our homecooked diet. The issues were cleared up very quickly.
But I wondered, "What in the world is the culprit?" They did have a couple of cookies and a little debbie snack but they've had way more gluten at home without that kind of reaction. Could it be the location or processed food or what?
I decided that at Christmas we would do a lot more enzymes to support their digestion and then it struck me. What if that's the issue? I looked up a lot of information on enzymes and I think I found part of the problem. We hadn't been eating potatoes much at all over the past 6 weeks. I was cooking more soups and dishes that didn't require them. I wasn't relying on chicken nuggets and hotdogs so we weren't going through a huge bag of tater tots or fries a week. So it turns out that potatoes are a seed and naturally have enzyme inhibitors. No wonder with our Irish heritage and potato cravings that we have trouble with digestion.
So here's the plan:
1) Take enzymes regularly so that our enzyme banks aren't depleted
2) Take enzymes with us wherever we go.
3) Eat foods that are high in enzymes like raw fruits and veggies in particular bananas, avocado and mango.
4) Limit potatoes and other enzyme inhibiting foods. Look into sprouting and other means of making these foods more digestible. Sourdough is one method of making enzyme-inhibiting foods more digestible so I'm heading down the right track.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Babystep #18
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - I added the blender back to the counter since I was taking it in and out a little too often with making smoothies. I'm also keeping a small basket on the floor to toss stray toys and shoes to keep the floor clear.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements In a Facebook group, someone was asking for help with little bumps on their skin. Someone commented that they also had them on the backs of their arms and that it was a fatty acid deficiency. Some of the children and I have had this as well but they're almost gone since starting these supplements back.
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey.
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - I've started keeping a mason jar of it in the fridge to add to my water.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - I've had this cold which is hopefully all wrapped up. I've used my inhaler 3 times in the past two weeks. Disappointing but still that's less than I was using it when I wasn't sick.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - I love using coconut oil as a moisturizer. No worries about avoiding any nicks or scrapes. There are no worries about irritating ingredients.
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - took a walk in between taekwondo classes. Getting better about catching opportunities for extra movement.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - My knees are feeling great!
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt - Fixing to have to start my third batch. Love it!
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes
Babystep #18 - Fresh and frozen over canned veggies. - I would stock up on canned veggies on trips to Savealot or Aldi's. I liked knowing that they aren't going to go bad on me. The past few weeks, I've been getting frozen or fresh. This article from Eating Well has some great info like how tomatoes and pumpkin are the exception as far as canned foods that lose nutrients during the preservation process. Meal planning is helping with this. If I happen to not use the produce I bought one week, then I know I must have it on the next week's menu plan. Produce is not ruining in the fridge because I have a plan!
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - I added the blender back to the counter since I was taking it in and out a little too often with making smoothies. I'm also keeping a small basket on the floor to toss stray toys and shoes to keep the floor clear.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements In a Facebook group, someone was asking for help with little bumps on their skin. Someone commented that they also had them on the backs of their arms and that it was a fatty acid deficiency. Some of the children and I have had this as well but they're almost gone since starting these supplements back.
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey.
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - I've started keeping a mason jar of it in the fridge to add to my water.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - I've had this cold which is hopefully all wrapped up. I've used my inhaler 3 times in the past two weeks. Disappointing but still that's less than I was using it when I wasn't sick.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - I love using coconut oil as a moisturizer. No worries about avoiding any nicks or scrapes. There are no worries about irritating ingredients.
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - took a walk in between taekwondo classes. Getting better about catching opportunities for extra movement.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - My knees are feeling great!
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt - Fixing to have to start my third batch. Love it!
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes
Babystep #18 - Fresh and frozen over canned veggies. - I would stock up on canned veggies on trips to Savealot or Aldi's. I liked knowing that they aren't going to go bad on me. The past few weeks, I've been getting frozen or fresh. This article from Eating Well has some great info like how tomatoes and pumpkin are the exception as far as canned foods that lose nutrients during the preservation process. Meal planning is helping with this. If I happen to not use the produce I bought one week, then I know I must have it on the next week's menu plan. Produce is not ruining in the fridge because I have a plan!
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Babystep #17 Avoid food dyes
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. We are fighting a cold. James started with it and Katie Rose, Joseph and I joined with the sniffles. The turmeric milk helped me and the older boys to feel better or avoid worsening. But I couldn't get the little ones to take it. I think I will try making a paste of it so that it isn't so grainy and hopefully more pleasant for the little ones. Katie Rose woke this morning with gunky green drainage from her nose. About mid-morning, I gave her some kefir and within ten minutes, it was lighter in color and thinner. We can't avoid every germ but this cold is much milder.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. I absolutely love my large slow cooker for cooking a massive amount of broth and soup without having to monitor the stove.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Done! I set up one counter for all things sourdough and coffee. My sugar container is there along with the rice cereal that I use to feed my starter. My measuring cups is in the cabinet above. My marble slab and rolling pin are ready for rolling out the cinnamon rolls tonight to rise overnight. I have one counter for prep work with bowls and cutting boards below. One small counter is completely empty for slow cookers and crockpots. The last counter has extra space for prep along with the dish drain and basket of sippy cups and water bottles. I am so very pleased with how well it looks and functions. The boys and I were all able to work in there this morning with space to spare.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths check
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements check
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. check
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - check
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - check
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - So enjoying fresh bread, pizza crust and anticipating cinnamon rolls tomorrow morning without the tummy upsets of regular bread.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Most mornings!
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - saving up baby food jars in a basket in the kitchen and researching ideas online
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - Followed it almost to a T this past week. A few adjustments had to be made when the boys wanted to go to taekwondo event and I needed to move the breakfast burritoes to that day so I could feed them quickly and get them out the door.
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - check
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - check
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt - Done and got a starter for kefir
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes - This babystep happened as a result of other choices rather than a planned effort. Hopefully that means more natural and more likely to stick.
Last week, I went grocery shopping. I shopped the perimeter for the most part. I ended up with some meats and lots of veggies amongst the other items on my list for only $60. I couldn't believe it! I decided I could get a few items at Sam's and we had another milk run so it ended up closer to $100 for the week for 7 people. Still pretty good! I noticed a fruity cereal on sale. I did get some plainer cereals but I just couldn't buy something that looked so unhealthy. Same went for fruit snacks as I opted for raisins instead.
This week, I got a few more items including laundry detergent and ended up spending $140 but the same thing happened. The froot loop or fruity cheerios cereal was on sale but I couldn't buy it. So I figure that I should add this unexpected babystep to the list.
Of course, we're not going to be militant about it. In fact, I'm sure that the vitamin gummies we have probably have food dyes. That may be something to research further and see what non-dyed options there are. It's a start. Just another one of many small, seemingly insignificant choices that add up to make a big difference.
I feel so much better. I have more energy. I am more focused. I have less anxiety. I'm in a better mood. Just hard to believe how a few simple choices can make such a big difference.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. I absolutely love my large slow cooker for cooking a massive amount of broth and soup without having to monitor the stove.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Done! I set up one counter for all things sourdough and coffee. My sugar container is there along with the rice cereal that I use to feed my starter. My measuring cups is in the cabinet above. My marble slab and rolling pin are ready for rolling out the cinnamon rolls tonight to rise overnight. I have one counter for prep work with bowls and cutting boards below. One small counter is completely empty for slow cookers and crockpots. The last counter has extra space for prep along with the dish drain and basket of sippy cups and water bottles. I am so very pleased with how well it looks and functions. The boys and I were all able to work in there this morning with space to spare.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths check
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements check
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. check
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - check
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - check
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - So enjoying fresh bread, pizza crust and anticipating cinnamon rolls tomorrow morning without the tummy upsets of regular bread.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Most mornings!
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - saving up baby food jars in a basket in the kitchen and researching ideas online
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - Followed it almost to a T this past week. A few adjustments had to be made when the boys wanted to go to taekwondo event and I needed to move the breakfast burritoes to that day so I could feed them quickly and get them out the door.
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - check
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - check
Babystep #16 - Homemade yogurt - Done and got a starter for kefir
Babystep #17 - Avoid food dyes - This babystep happened as a result of other choices rather than a planned effort. Hopefully that means more natural and more likely to stick.
Last week, I went grocery shopping. I shopped the perimeter for the most part. I ended up with some meats and lots of veggies amongst the other items on my list for only $60. I couldn't believe it! I decided I could get a few items at Sam's and we had another milk run so it ended up closer to $100 for the week for 7 people. Still pretty good! I noticed a fruity cereal on sale. I did get some plainer cereals but I just couldn't buy something that looked so unhealthy. Same went for fruit snacks as I opted for raisins instead.
This week, I got a few more items including laundry detergent and ended up spending $140 but the same thing happened. The froot loop or fruity cheerios cereal was on sale but I couldn't buy it. So I figure that I should add this unexpected babystep to the list.
Of course, we're not going to be militant about it. In fact, I'm sure that the vitamin gummies we have probably have food dyes. That may be something to research further and see what non-dyed options there are. It's a start. Just another one of many small, seemingly insignificant choices that add up to make a big difference.
I feel so much better. I have more energy. I am more focused. I have less anxiety. I'm in a better mood. Just hard to believe how a few simple choices can make such a big difference.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Babystep #16 Homemade yogurt
I made yogurt! And it was very easy! I looked at many recipes. I used this process from Whole Foods Mom on a Budget. I used a half gallon cause that was all that would fit in my crockpot. My adjustment was to use only 2 T of greek yogurt as my starter instead of 1 cup since I had read another recipe that said that 2 T was all you needed and that was all I had. I also used my oven that was still a bit warm after baking a cake to put the entire crockpot inside.
Having a half gallon of yogurt is pretty thrilling. The uses are limitless with smoothies and baking. But I've never just eaten plain yogurt or flavored it myself so I had to learn a bit there. I'm going to get some more frozen fruit to make syrups but in the meantime, I'm using what I have.
My mom gave me a half a box of apples that were starting to turn. I took four apples; peeled, cored and diced. I put a dab of water in a saucepan with them and cooked til they softened. I added some honey and spices. I overdid the spice a bit for the little ones so next time, I'll take theirs out first and then spice it to my tastes.
James gave it a 10 right away and said, "We've had a week of 10's, good food!" How wonderful! We are eating healthier and he believes it's tastier. He can be one of my pickiest eaters so this is awesome!
We've also sliced bananas with it. David ate it that way unsweetened. The bananas added some sweetness but I think we should add a drizzle of honey next time. I broke up my bananas so I could get a bit of banana with each bite but I still had a bit left in my bowl. I had a sweet potato that I was eating with just a pat of butter. I took a forkful of sweet potato and dipped it into the yogurt. Delicious! So I dumped the rest of the yogurt into my bowl of sweet potato. I think I could do without the butter if I added a couple tablespoons of yogurt.
I'm going to make a goal of a half gallon of yogurt every couple of weeks minimum. It may need to be weekly with the baking for the holidays. Here's a great article about the cost benefits. Here's an article about the health benefits of yogurt. I love that it helps kids grow. Not necessarily a problem that we are dealing with since David will be passing me in height in no time (and I'm taller than average) but it gives me a good feeling to know that this is something that will help make nutrients more available to their bodies.
Having a half gallon of yogurt is pretty thrilling. The uses are limitless with smoothies and baking. But I've never just eaten plain yogurt or flavored it myself so I had to learn a bit there. I'm going to get some more frozen fruit to make syrups but in the meantime, I'm using what I have.
My mom gave me a half a box of apples that were starting to turn. I took four apples; peeled, cored and diced. I put a dab of water in a saucepan with them and cooked til they softened. I added some honey and spices. I overdid the spice a bit for the little ones so next time, I'll take theirs out first and then spice it to my tastes.
James gave it a 10 right away and said, "We've had a week of 10's, good food!" How wonderful! We are eating healthier and he believes it's tastier. He can be one of my pickiest eaters so this is awesome!
We've also sliced bananas with it. David ate it that way unsweetened. The bananas added some sweetness but I think we should add a drizzle of honey next time. I broke up my bananas so I could get a bit of banana with each bite but I still had a bit left in my bowl. I had a sweet potato that I was eating with just a pat of butter. I took a forkful of sweet potato and dipped it into the yogurt. Delicious! So I dumped the rest of the yogurt into my bowl of sweet potato. I think I could do without the butter if I added a couple tablespoons of yogurt.
I'm going to make a goal of a half gallon of yogurt every couple of weeks minimum. It may need to be weekly with the baking for the holidays. Here's a great article about the cost benefits. Here's an article about the health benefits of yogurt. I love that it helps kids grow. Not necessarily a problem that we are dealing with since David will be passing me in height in no time (and I'm taller than average) but it gives me a good feeling to know that this is something that will help make nutrients more available to their bodies.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Babysteps #14 & 15
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. check
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. If you've ever seen Ratatouille, you'll recognize this quote, "They like the soup!" After my first soup, my second child asked if there were any leftovers because he enjoyed it. I said to my husband, "He likes the soup....wait where have I heard that before...oh, Ratatouille!" So that is our running comment now when we have a good comment on a new soup. We like the soup!
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Working on keeping it from staying a mess....washing big things immediately even if they might fit in the dishwasher. Those big bowls, crock pots and stock pots can pile up quick. I want to get the pantry rearranged more efficiently because I still have way too much stuff on my counters.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - I traveled 2 hours there and 2 hours back to visit family in Mississippi. I was downright sore the next morning. I've gotten so spoiled with having most everything I need within a 5 mile radius. How in the world did I drive so much once upon a time? Anyhow, the epsom salt bath really helped to get rid of the muscle pain.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements check
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. check
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Got a kettle full steeping now.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Still haven't needed my inhaler and I am very much more focused.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - Both going well and baking up a storm
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Getting better. I drink my water and then tend to the children and any kitchen tasks before sitting down for my breakfast.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Haven't seen what I need in stores so going to look online for some options for containers.
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - It's really helping me keep on track
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - I have a terrible time sticking to a schedule with exercising. I allow any upset in our schedule from a change in my husband's work schedule to an illness to derail me. I may not always be able to make it to the gym so I need to have a plan to make something happen at home so that I am more consistent. I need to have Katie Rose practicing her pushups and crunches for taekwondo so I'm going to try to set aside some time every day to do just a few reps. I will do at least 1 plank and several crunches while the older boys and I give an example to Katie Rose on how to do her exercises. You would think that with all the work I do tending to five kids, physical fitness wouldn't be an issue. But it is going to take some concentrated effort to build up more strength.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - My husband has arthritis which is a blessing that it isn't the rheumatoid arthritis that we feared. We're both getting older because the cold weather started and our knees started hurting. I'm sure eating soups with more of the connective tissue from the bones will naturally help rebuild the protective parts of our joints and it will get better. In the meantime, we already had a big jar of glucosamine that hasn't been used much. So both of us are taking it.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. If you've ever seen Ratatouille, you'll recognize this quote, "They like the soup!" After my first soup, my second child asked if there were any leftovers because he enjoyed it. I said to my husband, "He likes the soup....wait where have I heard that before...oh, Ratatouille!" So that is our running comment now when we have a good comment on a new soup. We like the soup!
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Working on keeping it from staying a mess....washing big things immediately even if they might fit in the dishwasher. Those big bowls, crock pots and stock pots can pile up quick. I want to get the pantry rearranged more efficiently because I still have way too much stuff on my counters.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - I traveled 2 hours there and 2 hours back to visit family in Mississippi. I was downright sore the next morning. I've gotten so spoiled with having most everything I need within a 5 mile radius. How in the world did I drive so much once upon a time? Anyhow, the epsom salt bath really helped to get rid of the muscle pain.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements check
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. check
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Got a kettle full steeping now.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Still haven't needed my inhaler and I am very much more focused.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - Both going well and baking up a storm
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Getting better. I drink my water and then tend to the children and any kitchen tasks before sitting down for my breakfast.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Haven't seen what I need in stores so going to look online for some options for containers.
Babystep #13 - Menu planning each week - It's really helping me keep on track
Babystep #14 - Exercise daily - I have a terrible time sticking to a schedule with exercising. I allow any upset in our schedule from a change in my husband's work schedule to an illness to derail me. I may not always be able to make it to the gym so I need to have a plan to make something happen at home so that I am more consistent. I need to have Katie Rose practicing her pushups and crunches for taekwondo so I'm going to try to set aside some time every day to do just a few reps. I will do at least 1 plank and several crunches while the older boys and I give an example to Katie Rose on how to do her exercises. You would think that with all the work I do tending to five kids, physical fitness wouldn't be an issue. But it is going to take some concentrated effort to build up more strength.
Babystep #15 - Glucosamine for arthritis - My husband has arthritis which is a blessing that it isn't the rheumatoid arthritis that we feared. We're both getting older because the cold weather started and our knees started hurting. I'm sure eating soups with more of the connective tissue from the bones will naturally help rebuild the protective parts of our joints and it will get better. In the meantime, we already had a big jar of glucosamine that hasn't been used much. So both of us are taking it.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Babystep #13
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. check
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. This week, the soup bones looked old at Publix so I got back rib bones instead.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - removed everything from one counter so that it is always ready for the large slow cooker or the electric griddle.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - We all got 20 minutes in a detox bath.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements check
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. check
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Done!
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Done! No need for my inhaler for two weeks and counting. I haven't heard any coughing or wheezing from James since we've started him on magnesium. I won't call it a cure-all and I can't be certain what effect other changes are having on our health. But magnesium is definitely a contributing factor to our improved health.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - I have two starters going so that I can bake every 1-2 days rather than 3-4 days.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Spotty success. I'm thinking about it more often but still missing it some days.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Thinking about using baby food jars with decoupaged lids and/or colored ribbons or labels for the moisturizer but I will need something bigger for the body wash. Still looking.
Baby Step #13 - Menu planning each week - I'm finding that cooking some of the GAPS foods doesn't require so much extra time or even expense. It really doesn't take much time to put some bones in a pot and cover them with water. It does however require a great deal more thought. Not only do I need to plan what to eat but some parts of meals start 24 hours or so before you eat them. This morning I spent an hour and half in the kitchen but that including all prep for supper other than putting the bread in the oven and ladling the soup from the crockpot plus breakfast, dishes and tending to kids.
There are many menu planning printables online or can just use a notebook. The prep time has to be documented as well. If broth needs to be simmered, yogurt fermented or beans soaked then these all must start 12-24 hours before the meal so I need to write down what prep needs to be done to keep things running smoothly.
I'm accustomed to getting a general idea in my head of a menu plan (occasionally it gets written down) and rolling with it. But this diet won't work unless I write down a plan and actually stick to it. This past week, I was 12 hours late starting a couple things so instead of having supper for breakfast the next morning, my plan had to be reworked.
I've created a notebook with a guide to the intro diet so that I can plan the soups, stews, casseroles, snacks, etc for each week as I learn more about cooking GAPS foods. It times out pretty good for the first of the year. If we do a week for each stage, we'll be adding baked goods back just in time for James and John Micah's birthdays. Good timing!
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. This week, the soup bones looked old at Publix so I got back rib bones instead.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. check
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - removed everything from one counter so that it is always ready for the large slow cooker or the electric griddle.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - We all got 20 minutes in a detox bath.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements check
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. check
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Done!
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Done! No need for my inhaler for two weeks and counting. I haven't heard any coughing or wheezing from James since we've started him on magnesium. I won't call it a cure-all and I can't be certain what effect other changes are having on our health. But magnesium is definitely a contributing factor to our improved health.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - I have two starters going so that I can bake every 1-2 days rather than 3-4 days.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. - Spotty success. I'm thinking about it more often but still missing it some days.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Thinking about using baby food jars with decoupaged lids and/or colored ribbons or labels for the moisturizer but I will need something bigger for the body wash. Still looking.
Baby Step #13 - Menu planning each week - I'm finding that cooking some of the GAPS foods doesn't require so much extra time or even expense. It really doesn't take much time to put some bones in a pot and cover them with water. It does however require a great deal more thought. Not only do I need to plan what to eat but some parts of meals start 24 hours or so before you eat them. This morning I spent an hour and half in the kitchen but that including all prep for supper other than putting the bread in the oven and ladling the soup from the crockpot plus breakfast, dishes and tending to kids.
There are many menu planning printables online or can just use a notebook. The prep time has to be documented as well. If broth needs to be simmered, yogurt fermented or beans soaked then these all must start 12-24 hours before the meal so I need to write down what prep needs to be done to keep things running smoothly.
I'm accustomed to getting a general idea in my head of a menu plan (occasionally it gets written down) and rolling with it. But this diet won't work unless I write down a plan and actually stick to it. This past week, I was 12 hours late starting a couple things so instead of having supper for breakfast the next morning, my plan had to be reworked.
I've created a notebook with a guide to the intro diet so that I can plan the soups, stews, casseroles, snacks, etc for each week as I learn more about cooking GAPS foods. It times out pretty good for the first of the year. If we do a week for each stage, we'll be adding baked goods back just in time for James and John Micah's birthdays. Good timing!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt was an acquired taste for me. I really didn't care for it when I first tried it. It is more expensive but with twice the protein of regular yogurt, it is one of those foods that really pack a punch nutritionally. The children love it. I usually use Great Value or Yoplait brand depending on what's on sale and which store I happen to be shopping at.
We do buy individual portions of greek yogurt with the fruit on the bottom or the blended Yoplait brand. But we also get the quarts of vanilla flavored greek yogurt. I normally use these in smoothies. I have found that too much juice or milk in a smoothie makes it upsetting to our stomachs so I have simplified it.
Christy's smoothies
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana (frozen is best but room temp will work as well)
1 T chia seeds (benefits here)
1/4 tsp stevia
a splash of vanilla
about a quart of water until it blends to the desired consistency
I usually make two blenders full to have enough for the whole family.
Last night, I made blueberry pancakes. I had run out of frozen strawberries and didn't make as many smoothies as I had planned. I needed to use up the greek yogurt in a different way. Years ago, I would buy the plain yogurt before greek yogurt became popular and water it down to use in baked goods like muffins or cornbread. I'm really not sure why I stopped. I don't really recall it being a conscious decision. I just somehow got out of the habit.
I needed 2 1/4 cups of milk for my recipe. I used 1 cup of yogurt and 1 and 1/4 cup of water. These pancakes turned out to be the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes. The children loved them! The little ones almost ate more than the big boys. I was barely able to save a few for Mike to eat when he got home from work.
Here's an article about some of the benefits of greek yogurt. Give it a try, or a second try, or try it in a different way. Delicious and nutritious!
We do buy individual portions of greek yogurt with the fruit on the bottom or the blended Yoplait brand. But we also get the quarts of vanilla flavored greek yogurt. I normally use these in smoothies. I have found that too much juice or milk in a smoothie makes it upsetting to our stomachs so I have simplified it.
Christy's smoothies
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana (frozen is best but room temp will work as well)
1 T chia seeds (benefits here)
1/4 tsp stevia
a splash of vanilla
about a quart of water until it blends to the desired consistency
I usually make two blenders full to have enough for the whole family.
Last night, I made blueberry pancakes. I had run out of frozen strawberries and didn't make as many smoothies as I had planned. I needed to use up the greek yogurt in a different way. Years ago, I would buy the plain yogurt before greek yogurt became popular and water it down to use in baked goods like muffins or cornbread. I'm really not sure why I stopped. I don't really recall it being a conscious decision. I just somehow got out of the habit.
I needed 2 1/4 cups of milk for my recipe. I used 1 cup of yogurt and 1 and 1/4 cup of water. These pancakes turned out to be the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes. The children loved them! The little ones almost ate more than the big boys. I was barely able to save a few for Mike to eat when he got home from work.
Here's an article about some of the benefits of greek yogurt. Give it a try, or a second try, or try it in a different way. Delicious and nutritious!
Monday, November 3, 2014
Babysteps to health and wellness
I changed the title to Babysteps to health and wellness. I'm not sure exactly how far I will go with the GAPS diet and it may be a combination of several things since Paleo, SCD and GAPS overlap a lot. Pursuit of health encompasses more than just preparation for GAPS.
I am feeling great with just the small changes we have made. I've dealt with IBS for as long as I can remember. I swing between two extremes although most of the time it stays in the mild to moderate range. This week, I came very close to normal. Can't remember when I have been normal. Have I ever been normal? Exciting!
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. Still at it! Target has four flavors so I got Strawberry, Raspberry and Blueberry for this week.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. Took the turkey neck and tried to make broth out of that. Turned out too weak and not really something I could drink straight up. I took the white meat and legs from the turkey for a meal and a couple leftover meals. I left most dark meat on the turkey carcass and divided it into two bags and stuck it in the freezer. I used the weak turkey broth, half a turkey carcass, ten carrots, one onion, three sweet potatoes, celtic sea salt and pepper to make a soup. It was a very orange soup! But my toddler who has a wierd aversion to anything red or green, eats up orange. Whatever works! Don't forget to pick out the bones before serving or better yet, before adding the veggies.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. Still eating sauerkraut with my soup.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Work in progress!
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - Got some epsom salts since I had run out. Pinned several recipes on Pinterest. Epsom salts add minerals and draws out toxins. Baking soda purifies the water. Looking at trying some essential oils like lavender and lemon.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - Done!
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. Done! Funny story here.....I decided to add honey to my coffee one day. I normally drink 2-3 cups of coffee daily. This is weak coffee. I do use Dark Roast to get a good flavor but I only use 2 Tablespoons when the recommended amount is 10 Tablespoons. Caffeine relaxes me and helps me focus. I drink coffee or drink colas late in the evenings with no problem. I once drank a Red Bull. The only time I've gotten jittery was with a sample of caffeine accelerator that came with a Plexus Slim sample. But with honey instead of sugar in my coffee, my hands were shaking and I felt jittery. I wondered what in the world was going on. I'm guessing it is proof that honey is definitely absorbed faster than sugar. Makes me wonder what effect metabolism plays in ADHD and treatments.
This week's babysteps
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Ginger is a great help for digestion and immune support. I had some ginger tea bags that we have used a few times this past week. I need to get ginger root to have on hand. David and James drank the ginger tea but it was a bit strong even watered down for the little ones. Saturday evening, I was feeling the effects of the Halloween sweets and a busy couple days with All Saint's Day celebrations and Taekwondo tournament. We had a light supper and I drank some broth and ginger tea. I felt much less bloated and blah the next morning. I feel empowered because let's face it, nobody's perfect and even with the best of intentions, plans get derailed. We need tricks to help us back on track so we aren't tempted to just give up on living healthier.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Magnesium was one of the supplements mentioned at the autism support meeting. I had researched it after David had not done well on two ADHD medicines and we needed something to help him stay focused on the task in front of him. This was about the time that I was pregnant with Joseph and I didn't give it to him long enough to see if it would make a difference. I added it back to my supplements about a week and a half ago. I noticed a big difference in how well I could focus on what I needed to accomplish. I also haven't needed my inhaler at all the past 10 days or so. Turns out that asthma along with ADHD and epilepsy is on the list of disorders that may be linked to chronic magnesium deficiency. So for myself and the two older boys (David for ADHD and James for asthma), this will be supplemented for a while.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - I borrowed Southern Living's Christmas Idea book for 2014 from the library. It definitely put me in the holiday mood. I want to have some delicious food for my family. I want to try some of the GAPS-legal fudges and such but we aren't following GAPS fully until after the holidays. Sourdough has worked well for us in the past. The fermenting process breaks down the gluten and makes it much easier to digest. It also make some of the most fabulous bread, cinnamon rolls, beignets and pizza crust. I let my starter die with the busyness of a new baby. I've been wanting to start one back for months so I started one a couple days ago. It will be ready to start in a couple days. I'm going to start another today so that I can have one available every day or two. With this family and with all the yummy ways of using sourdough, every three days just isn't enough. I use this recipe from Living on a Dime and use rice baby cereal instead of potato flakes.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. I usually start the children off with milk and I start with coffee or tea. A quick google search will uncover a myriad of reasons why to start with water and most recommend adding lemon to your water. I will add lemon to our grocery list but the purpose of this babystep is to establish the habit.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Last year, we got character labeled body wash and bubbles for fun stocking stuffers. This year I want to find bottles and jars that are in their colors (blue for David, green for James, pink for Katie Rose, red for John Micah and light blue for Joseph) or can be colored with a lid or maybe a label. I bought some mild castille soap at Target. I'm researching how to use my essential oils and mild soap for an effective body wash. I want to switch to using coconut oil as a moisturizer instead of lotion. As we run out of storebought cleaners and health/beauty supplies, I want to try to replace them with a homemade version.
We know that some cleaners have caused rashes for David and Katie Rose. Scrubbing Bubbles is especially troublesome which is disappointing since it does clean so well. Joseph has had two allergic skin hives/rashes so far. Doctors don't know what he is reacting to and experience tells me that we will probably never know. He is just a sensitive guy like his older brother and sister and we'll have to be as mild as possible with everything we use.
I am feeling great with just the small changes we have made. I've dealt with IBS for as long as I can remember. I swing between two extremes although most of the time it stays in the mild to moderate range. This week, I came very close to normal. Can't remember when I have been normal. Have I ever been normal? Exciting!
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. Still at it! Target has four flavors so I got Strawberry, Raspberry and Blueberry for this week.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. Took the turkey neck and tried to make broth out of that. Turned out too weak and not really something I could drink straight up. I took the white meat and legs from the turkey for a meal and a couple leftover meals. I left most dark meat on the turkey carcass and divided it into two bags and stuck it in the freezer. I used the weak turkey broth, half a turkey carcass, ten carrots, one onion, three sweet potatoes, celtic sea salt and pepper to make a soup. It was a very orange soup! But my toddler who has a wierd aversion to anything red or green, eats up orange. Whatever works! Don't forget to pick out the bones before serving or better yet, before adding the veggies.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. Still eating sauerkraut with my soup.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - Work in progress!
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - Got some epsom salts since I had run out. Pinned several recipes on Pinterest. Epsom salts add minerals and draws out toxins. Baking soda purifies the water. Looking at trying some essential oils like lavender and lemon.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - Done!
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. Done! Funny story here.....I decided to add honey to my coffee one day. I normally drink 2-3 cups of coffee daily. This is weak coffee. I do use Dark Roast to get a good flavor but I only use 2 Tablespoons when the recommended amount is 10 Tablespoons. Caffeine relaxes me and helps me focus. I drink coffee or drink colas late in the evenings with no problem. I once drank a Red Bull. The only time I've gotten jittery was with a sample of caffeine accelerator that came with a Plexus Slim sample. But with honey instead of sugar in my coffee, my hands were shaking and I felt jittery. I wondered what in the world was going on. I'm guessing it is proof that honey is definitely absorbed faster than sugar. Makes me wonder what effect metabolism plays in ADHD and treatments.
This week's babysteps
Babystep #8 Ginger tea - Ginger is a great help for digestion and immune support. I had some ginger tea bags that we have used a few times this past week. I need to get ginger root to have on hand. David and James drank the ginger tea but it was a bit strong even watered down for the little ones. Saturday evening, I was feeling the effects of the Halloween sweets and a busy couple days with All Saint's Day celebrations and Taekwondo tournament. We had a light supper and I drank some broth and ginger tea. I felt much less bloated and blah the next morning. I feel empowered because let's face it, nobody's perfect and even with the best of intentions, plans get derailed. We need tricks to help us back on track so we aren't tempted to just give up on living healthier.
Babystep #9 Magnesium supplements - Magnesium was one of the supplements mentioned at the autism support meeting. I had researched it after David had not done well on two ADHD medicines and we needed something to help him stay focused on the task in front of him. This was about the time that I was pregnant with Joseph and I didn't give it to him long enough to see if it would make a difference. I added it back to my supplements about a week and a half ago. I noticed a big difference in how well I could focus on what I needed to accomplish. I also haven't needed my inhaler at all the past 10 days or so. Turns out that asthma along with ADHD and epilepsy is on the list of disorders that may be linked to chronic magnesium deficiency. So for myself and the two older boys (David for ADHD and James for asthma), this will be supplemented for a while.
Babystep #10 Sourdough starter - I borrowed Southern Living's Christmas Idea book for 2014 from the library. It definitely put me in the holiday mood. I want to have some delicious food for my family. I want to try some of the GAPS-legal fudges and such but we aren't following GAPS fully until after the holidays. Sourdough has worked well for us in the past. The fermenting process breaks down the gluten and makes it much easier to digest. It also make some of the most fabulous bread, cinnamon rolls, beignets and pizza crust. I let my starter die with the busyness of a new baby. I've been wanting to start one back for months so I started one a couple days ago. It will be ready to start in a couple days. I'm going to start another today so that I can have one available every day or two. With this family and with all the yummy ways of using sourdough, every three days just isn't enough. I use this recipe from Living on a Dime and use rice baby cereal instead of potato flakes.
Babystep #11 Drink water first thing in the morning. I usually start the children off with milk and I start with coffee or tea. A quick google search will uncover a myriad of reasons why to start with water and most recommend adding lemon to your water. I will add lemon to our grocery list but the purpose of this babystep is to establish the habit.
Babystep #12 Work on creating a natural bath set for the children - Last year, we got character labeled body wash and bubbles for fun stocking stuffers. This year I want to find bottles and jars that are in their colors (blue for David, green for James, pink for Katie Rose, red for John Micah and light blue for Joseph) or can be colored with a lid or maybe a label. I bought some mild castille soap at Target. I'm researching how to use my essential oils and mild soap for an effective body wash. I want to switch to using coconut oil as a moisturizer instead of lotion. As we run out of storebought cleaners and health/beauty supplies, I want to try to replace them with a homemade version.
We know that some cleaners have caused rashes for David and Katie Rose. Scrubbing Bubbles is especially troublesome which is disappointing since it does clean so well. Joseph has had two allergic skin hives/rashes so far. Doctors don't know what he is reacting to and experience tells me that we will probably never know. He is just a sensitive guy like his older brother and sister and we'll have to be as mild as possible with everything we use.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Babystepping to GAPS diet - progress report
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week. Success! The children love it and my husband tried it as well.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. Fail! I made the mistake of getting my bones at Walmart. They didn't smell good to begin with. They never put off any scum that I could skim off the top. This helps remove impurities and strange flavors. I let it cook for about 30 hours in the hope that it would eventually smell and taste good but no such luck. If I could barely stomach it, the kids weren't gonna have any of it. I couldn't start with a bad experience so I tossed it.
Take 2 - I got bones from Publix. The broth had a much better smell. I cooked some mixed veggies and lima beans. I added the broth, salt and pepper. I added some kale from my potted garden on the front step. It turned out really well. I put of spoonful of sauerkraut on top. Very tasty! Total Success!
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. Success! I went to Whole Foods and got Bubbles relish and sauerkraut. I love relish and this brand was one of the best. I tried the sauerkraut and it's pretty good. I think I will enjoy it more as I get more accustomed to the taste. Not saying I would eat any sauerkraut but this brand is pretty delicious. Everyone had a spoonful in their soup except for the baby.
I also learned that sauerkraut is just one of many options. Here are some more ideas! 85 ways to add fermented foods. You could add a different fermented food once a week for nearly the entire GAPS diet. I'm going to add the sauerkraut (just a teaspoon) to the children's plates to eat with their veggies. Proclaim it as extra flavoring.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - There is going to be a lot of food prep with this diet. I need to remove almost everything from my counters so that I am sure to have the room to prep food when needed.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - Now this is not a new thing for us. We have done epsom salt baths for David since he was very small. The frequency has varied and become much less frequent now that he takes showers. Gonna start with shooting for once a week for all of us. May assign each of us a day of the week. When we start the diet officially in January, we may have to do it more frequently but having a baseline habit will help.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - We have done this in the past. So this is a simple addition to get the supplement and add it to their medicine dispenser. We use a seven day am/pm medicine dispenser for each of us. Most of us take our vitamins and allergy meds at night but some have other allergy meds and whatnot needed for mornings. Having them all arranged for the week helps so much to keep us on track.
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. Thankfully the bee farmer is just down the road. I've read a lot about honey and sweeteners. There are conflicting views. Some say only honey because it is so natural and has all the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Others say that honey has a similar affect on the blood sugar so avoid it as well. I gained a bit more understanding this week. Sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup and such allow the sugar to enter the intestines and feed the pathogenic bacteria and yeast. Honey is easily absorbed so that yes, it will affect your blood sugar and still needs to be limited to avoid adding to your waistline. But it won't feed the yuckies that have found their way into your gut and cause them to become overwhelming for the good guys.
Gonna try to eliminate the sugar as much as possible when we have run out. Sweet tea and coffee will need to be replaced with more water, ginger tea and other herbal teas. I find honey much more palatable in hot tea than coffee. Need to research more about the roles of stevia and xylitol. Will need some alternative sweeteners for cakes for the children's birthdays. And while hot tea is good and well for the winter months, some cold tea will be needed for next summer.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week. Fail! I made the mistake of getting my bones at Walmart. They didn't smell good to begin with. They never put off any scum that I could skim off the top. This helps remove impurities and strange flavors. I let it cook for about 30 hours in the hope that it would eventually smell and taste good but no such luck. If I could barely stomach it, the kids weren't gonna have any of it. I couldn't start with a bad experience so I tossed it.
Take 2 - I got bones from Publix. The broth had a much better smell. I cooked some mixed veggies and lima beans. I added the broth, salt and pepper. I added some kale from my potted garden on the front step. It turned out really well. I put of spoonful of sauerkraut on top. Very tasty! Total Success!
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies. Success! I went to Whole Foods and got Bubbles relish and sauerkraut. I love relish and this brand was one of the best. I tried the sauerkraut and it's pretty good. I think I will enjoy it more as I get more accustomed to the taste. Not saying I would eat any sauerkraut but this brand is pretty delicious. Everyone had a spoonful in their soup except for the baby.
I also learned that sauerkraut is just one of many options. Here are some more ideas! 85 ways to add fermented foods. You could add a different fermented food once a week for nearly the entire GAPS diet. I'm going to add the sauerkraut (just a teaspoon) to the children's plates to eat with their veggies. Proclaim it as extra flavoring.
Babystep #4 Streamline kitchen - There is going to be a lot of food prep with this diet. I need to remove almost everything from my counters so that I am sure to have the room to prep food when needed.
Babystep #5 Add detox baths - Now this is not a new thing for us. We have done epsom salt baths for David since he was very small. The frequency has varied and become much less frequent now that he takes showers. Gonna start with shooting for once a week for all of us. May assign each of us a day of the week. When we start the diet officially in January, we may have to do it more frequently but having a baseline habit will help.
Babystep #6 Add omega 3 supplements - We have done this in the past. So this is a simple addition to get the supplement and add it to their medicine dispenser. We use a seven day am/pm medicine dispenser for each of us. Most of us take our vitamins and allergy meds at night but some have other allergy meds and whatnot needed for mornings. Having them all arranged for the week helps so much to keep us on track.
Babystep #7 Purchase some more local raw honey. Thankfully the bee farmer is just down the road. I've read a lot about honey and sweeteners. There are conflicting views. Some say only honey because it is so natural and has all the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Others say that honey has a similar affect on the blood sugar so avoid it as well. I gained a bit more understanding this week. Sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup and such allow the sugar to enter the intestines and feed the pathogenic bacteria and yeast. Honey is easily absorbed so that yes, it will affect your blood sugar and still needs to be limited to avoid adding to your waistline. But it won't feed the yuckies that have found their way into your gut and cause them to become overwhelming for the good guys.
Gonna try to eliminate the sugar as much as possible when we have run out. Sweet tea and coffee will need to be replaced with more water, ginger tea and other herbal teas. I find honey much more palatable in hot tea than coffee. Need to research more about the roles of stevia and xylitol. Will need some alternative sweeteners for cakes for the children's birthdays. And while hot tea is good and well for the winter months, some cold tea will be needed for next summer.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Babystepping to GAPS diet
I read about the GAPS diet years ago. I really didn't consider it very much because it completely eliminated so many things including bread and potatoes that my husband and I would be happy to eat three times a day. It just seemed too hard.
Still seems very hard.
But I'm tired. Tired of battling one virus after another. Tired of digestive issues. Tired of focus problems associated with ADHD. Just tired.
And I know part of it is having young children that won't keep their hands off things and out of their mouths. I've told myself it was normal. The average person gets 6-12 colds a year. Multiply that by 7 people. NOT FUN! I don't want to be normal.
GAPS has many applications for autism, ADHD, allergies and more. All those things that we battle as well as the fact that 70% of our immune system is in our gut. I think this may be very beneficial to the whole family.
But it's SO difficult. Maybe not difficult but definitely different from the eating habits we have become accustomed to. Maybe that's the point. Our current eating habits aren't serving us very well. And maybe we should switch to a focus of nourishing and healing our bodies as opposed to eating for pleasure.
One thing that I do like is that the strict portion of the diet only lasts for 1 1/2-2 years. Then starches can be added back to the diet. Hopefully tastes will have changed and we never desire to go back to the Standard American Diet. Temporary might be doable.
Starting the GAPS diet right before the holidays seems a recipe for failure. So I think I will slowly work through adding more GAPS-approved foods and as we run out of regular food replacing it with better options. Then evaluate things in January to see if this is something we can do as a family.
I've been doing more smoothies with water rather than juice or milk. Gonna try to add more probiotics to those. Also look at a few bottles of kefir a week to add more cultures to our guts to begin their healing.
I'm going to look at getting some beef bones but if nothing else, use chicken to make broth. I enjoy drinking broth by itself but we'll make soup at least once a week. Get ourselves in the habit of having broth and soup often since that is one of the backbones of the Introduction diet.
I also need to introduce fermented veggies like sauerkraut to the kids. And reintroduce it to myself. I hated sauerkraut as a kid. My grandparents made it with cut up hotdogs in it. I made the mistake once of thinking I could get away with eating just the hotdogs. Then I had to eat all the sauerkraut by itself. But a lot of things I thought I hated as a kid, I have come to enjoy. Here's hoping!
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies.
Hopefully that can begin the path to healing our gut and hopefully reduce the number of bugs we succumb to this fall/winter.
Still seems very hard.
But I'm tired. Tired of battling one virus after another. Tired of digestive issues. Tired of focus problems associated with ADHD. Just tired.
And I know part of it is having young children that won't keep their hands off things and out of their mouths. I've told myself it was normal. The average person gets 6-12 colds a year. Multiply that by 7 people. NOT FUN! I don't want to be normal.
GAPS has many applications for autism, ADHD, allergies and more. All those things that we battle as well as the fact that 70% of our immune system is in our gut. I think this may be very beneficial to the whole family.
But it's SO difficult. Maybe not difficult but definitely different from the eating habits we have become accustomed to. Maybe that's the point. Our current eating habits aren't serving us very well. And maybe we should switch to a focus of nourishing and healing our bodies as opposed to eating for pleasure.
One thing that I do like is that the strict portion of the diet only lasts for 1 1/2-2 years. Then starches can be added back to the diet. Hopefully tastes will have changed and we never desire to go back to the Standard American Diet. Temporary might be doable.
Starting the GAPS diet right before the holidays seems a recipe for failure. So I think I will slowly work through adding more GAPS-approved foods and as we run out of regular food replacing it with better options. Then evaluate things in January to see if this is something we can do as a family.
I've been doing more smoothies with water rather than juice or milk. Gonna try to add more probiotics to those. Also look at a few bottles of kefir a week to add more cultures to our guts to begin their healing.
I'm going to look at getting some beef bones but if nothing else, use chicken to make broth. I enjoy drinking broth by itself but we'll make soup at least once a week. Get ourselves in the habit of having broth and soup often since that is one of the backbones of the Introduction diet.
I also need to introduce fermented veggies like sauerkraut to the kids. And reintroduce it to myself. I hated sauerkraut as a kid. My grandparents made it with cut up hotdogs in it. I made the mistake once of thinking I could get away with eating just the hotdogs. Then I had to eat all the sauerkraut by itself. But a lot of things I thought I hated as a kid, I have come to enjoy. Here's hoping!
Babystep #1 Add kefir daily or at least several times a week.
Babystep #2 One batch of broth and subsequently soup a week.
Babystep #3 Introduce fermented veggies.
Hopefully that can begin the path to healing our gut and hopefully reduce the number of bugs we succumb to this fall/winter.
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