Hormone Hell...can i say that?

Alas, I am 40 years old.  When did that happen?  This year hit me hard with small health issues that I didn't see coming.  Just after celebrating last summer and claiming that I'll be young forever (yeah, right)....things changed!  First, my knees....my next door neighbor can hear my knees "crunch" when I walk, while she is sitting at her kitchen table...cuz it's SO loud!  It's like the cushion in my joints have just vanished.  Some how that relates to my 'falling out of nowhere' syndrome.  For example, when I went on a nice easy jog one morning, I sprained my ankle...what?  About a week after that incident, I was bent over in abdominal pain one morning...thinking it was "gas"....turns out I had 3 kidney stones!  Where did that come from?  I drink a lot of water....eat very little red meat...so, 'what up' with the stones?

After getting through ALL that, I noticed my sleeping patterns had been off for a few months.  I had insomnia.  I would wake up in the middle of the night, and lay awake for hours.  After months of struggle and popping too many Tylenol PMs, I decided to get a full check up.  I did the mammogram, pap, blood work...everything my maw told me to do.  All turned up fine.  Thank you, Jesus.  But, still......insomnia.  So, then a friend of mine told me about a local compound pharmacy that tests hormone levels.  This is something that your OB normally doesn't do.  They will test cholesterol, etc.....but not your progesterone, estrogen, cortisol, testosterone, and other levels. I had hope!

Here are the things I learned:

1.  At the age of 30, a woman's progesterone levels start to drop.  They will continue to drop every year, but not enough to tell.....until you are 40, seeing symptoms you didn't see before.  Symptoms may include:  trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritability, trouble losing weight, thinning hair, heavier periods, etc.  These symptoms could be related to another (more serious) diagnosis...so be sure to get your thyroid and the 'biggies' checked first.  Like I said, I was healthy in the eyes of my OB, but they didn't check my hormones!

2.  At the age of 30, a woman loses 1/2 pound of muscle per year.  At the age of 40, she can lose up to a 1 pound per year!  What happens to the muscle?  It turns into fat if you don't do anything about it.  So lift weights!!  This will stop the atrophy and speed up the metabolism.

3.  Natural Progesterone lotion.  I don't recommend using it unless you have had your hormone levels checked.  You can buy this over the counter....buy a GOOD brand!  Be conservative...more is not always better!

4.  Calm RX.  This is a miracle worker.  This is a compounded, over the counter, black lotion that you put on your wrist, before going to bed.  It is not a drug.  It is made up of  amino acids.  It gives your body what it needs to sleep.  It was developed by a neurologist, in Austin, Texas who specialized in Autism and other neurological disorders.  He discovered that many people who have insomnia, are lacking in certain amino acids.  I sleep like a baby every night.  Again, thank you, Jesus!

We are all different...yet, we are the same in many ways.  I share my personal experiences with you to give you encouragement and hope.  I have met so many woman with the same struggles but with no answers.  If this helps you in any way, then I've obeyed my Father in Heaven by giving you my testimony.

Don't Believe Everything You Think

I heard this phrase last week, "Don't believe everything you think".  When I heard it, immediately, it hit me over the head as if my 3 year old just whacked me with her barbie doll.  How profound!  We are told over and over to not believe everything people say, or what we read, or hear.  But, the same goes for what we think.  That's hard!  I mean, we know everything, right?  What we think is ....what we think!  Well, what if you were wrong in what you thought?  Wouldn't you want someone to tell you?  That would take humbling yourself and opening yourself up to the truth.  I believe that this stems from "strongholds".

Definition of Stronghold

strong·hold  (strônghld)n.

1. A fortified place or a fortress.

2.

a. A place of survival or refuge: one of the last strongholds of an age-old tradition.

b. An area dominated or occupied by a special group or distinguished by a special quality

Here is a wonderful link, explaining what strongholds are and how you can conquer it, through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
http://www.vvchristianchurch.net/Articles/battling_strongholds.htm

We all have strongholds.  What are yours?  Is it food addiction?  nicotine?  exercise?  shopping?   I think I've had them all throughout my 40 years on this earth.  I've battled them and have conquered.  I am weak, but through Him I am strong.  I could not have conquered anything on my own....maybe temporarily, but not with finality and purpose. 

I want nothing more to have people released from their bondage of strongholds and begin living a more abundant life.  Through years of training others, I have learned that people are their own worst enemy....the lies that they believe in their head!  Like:   "I can't"  "I'm not strong enough"..."I'm too fat".."I'm too tired".  Sound familiar?  Just yesterday, after telling two clients that we were going to do some sprints.....their friendly demeanor became very different.  Already, they were looking for a way out...with lots of excuses.  Well, after the sprints were over, you could see the glow of achievement on their faces and sense of accomplishment that they had made.  They were so motivated they went out and bought new running shoes to do it again!!  You can change.  Believe it!! 

Sprint Workout

Check out this link for some great HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and see how it can add to your weekly workouts.  Great for your abs, glutes, and hamstrings.  It can really rev up the metabolism and burn a lot of calories in a short period of time.

http://www.bodytransformationblackbook.com/insiders/sprint-workouts-for-getting-ripped-abs/

 

Glue-Ton or Gluten Free

I don't believe that I know it all, sheesh, that would be SCARY!  What I do know is that there is solid information about how good/bad foods affect our bodies.  Such as, why to go gluten-free, and/or dairy-free and/or sugar-free.

Here is why I have changed to a more organic/sugar-free/gluten-free family diet:

1.  Kid with auto-immune disease

2.  Two kids who have HAD a weight issue.  (past tense now!)

3.  I want to continue to be the best I can be.

4.  Hubby with health issues.

5.  I love to eat, especially sweets.  So, I want to eat foods that I can enjoy and are good for me.

6.  Prompted to know more about the foods God intended us to eat.


Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in wheat and barley.   Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of  bread.  Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain gluten.  Examples of grains that do not have gluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, oats, soybeans, and sunflower seeds.

Benefits of gluten-free:  According to some coeliac specialist researchers, everyone has some  reaction to gluten, but non-coeliacs recover quickly. Many people report  feeling better on a gluten-free diet.  All it means is eating fresh fruit, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and non gluten grains.    How can that be unhealthy?

Why not eat it if I don't have celiac disease, thyroid disease, GI problems, wheat allergies, autism?

For me, it keeps our diet on track.  It helps in the prevention of hypothyroidism, osteoporosis, and GI issues, which run in my family.  Lastly, avoiding gluten helps me avoid carbs, which if I have too much, it will be stored as fat.

Sugar
Sugar depresses your immune system, so you  won't fight off infections so easily, and affects your brain chemistry. Here's a list  of the effects of taking in too much sugar - see how many you recognize:

    Weight gain
    Loss of appetite control
    Confusion
    Forgetfulness
    Attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity
    Depression
    Muscle cramps
    Pre-menstrual syndrome
    Joint pain
    Fatigue
    Insulin resistance

You should remove refined sugar from your diet, although you are not  advised to remove it all at once - that will simply make you feel  dreadful. Instead, cut down gradually. Once your body has recovered from  its sugar addiction, you will find that fresh fruit tastes superb and  naturally sweet.

Don't be tempted to replace the sugar in your diet with artificial  sweeteners. Instead, try Molasses or Stevia, both of which are natural  sweeteners that have added health benefits.

Stevia comes either as a liquid or in crystals and has been shown to:  lower blood pressure; treat diabetes; have no side effects; is  well-tolerated; can be used by diabetics and those with Phenylketonuria  (PKU).

Molasses may protect against heart disease and contains: iron; copper;  calcium; chromium; magnesium; potassium; selenium; vitamin B6; PABA (one  of the B vitamins); and vitamin K.

Honey has many beneficial nutrients, enzymes, and  antioxidants... raw honey is best as typical honey processing (the kind  of honey you'll find at your grocery store) destroys many of the enzymes  and antioxidants that give the benefits of raw honey.   Also,  another benefit of honey (raw) is that it has been shown in several  studies to improve the body's ability to process glucose, whereas  refined sugar negatively affects your body's ability to process glucose  over time.

Dairy
This is an unbiased website:   http://milk.procon.org.  It lays out both sides of the coin.  Some people believe it is beneficial, others do not.   My family is not dairy free.  We drink organic milk and eat raw cheese.  I have friends that are dairy-free and I agree with them wholeheartedly.  I'm not ready to tackle that animal, just yet.

With today's fad of eating like this, there are foods you can find at your local grocery store, that can make your life simpler.  Be sure to always check labels and see what is actually in it!    Some products put "organic", "sugar-free", or "gluten-free" on the labels just to push their products.

God gave you your body, your family, and your life to take care of.  We are all called in different ways, making choices that effect who we are for the future.  I pray that no matter what you choose, you choose God.  Choose goodness.  Choose light.  He is the lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path.  With Him, you are a Light.  Take that Light and be a vessel for God.  Let Him use you to bless others.  That is fulfillment, satisfaction, joy, and peace.  As humans, we can stray.  We tend to look to things, other than Him, to fill us up.  Like Robbie quoted a few weeks ago, "Filling yourself up with anything other than the Lord, is like quenching your thirst with sand."  Brilliance.

Lots of Love coming your way!  Let me know if any of you have prayer requests.

Food Matters

Food!  What a hot topic, huh?  I get asked all the time about what I eat, prepare for the family, meal planning, desserts, etc. 

I love food!  Who doesn't?  I've tortured myself through months of eating just chicken, brown rice, fish, and broccoli.  If that is your goal, then, there you have your list.  If you want to try new recipes, introduce new and enjoyable foods to your family....then keep reading! 

Competition diets are boring and are for one purpose only.  It is to coincide with a training program and get you ready for a competition.  If you are looking to compete, a great book to start reading is, "The Eat Clean Diet", by Tosca Reno...and "The Eat Clean Diet: Recharged".  She is an amazing woman that transformed her body later in life.  She has competed on a national level and is a contributor to Oxygen Magazine. 

To change:  Change for your health, for your kid's health.  Once you start working from the inside out, you will see the changes come.  This was the most inspiring for me, because I was motivated by the Holy Spirit to change our lifestyle, as a family.....not just so Carrie can be a smaller person.  Once I did it for all of us, and for the right reasons, I couldn't stop learning and researching different foods....and trying new recipes.

I KNOW about TIME CRUNCHES!!  Remember, I have four kids.  We are involved at school, football, soccer, tumbling, play dates, etc.  I don't have someone that shops for me or cooks for my family.  So, elaborate recipes do not work in our house.  Although!  Some recipes seem slower when you are not used to using certain foods or processes.  Now I can throw a Vanilla Bean Cake together in no time....because I know how to use my food processor and have staples handy that once seemed very intimidating.  Most of the staples that I have, I use in lots of recipes....so there won't be a particular item that sits on your shelf forever.

Here are my top ten changes, in regards to food:

1.  Mountain Valley Spring Water in the bottle.
2.  Organic, all the time.
3.  NO GMO's (Genetically Modified)....please watch Food, Inc. and INFORM YOURSELF!!
4.  NO WHITE SUGAR.  Use:  Local Honey, Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, Liquid Vanilla Stevia, Truvia.  These are natural sweeteners, GOD given, that have enzymes and nutrients locked in them!!
5.  Simmer down on the Gluten.  Gluten means that your eating something that is going to spike your insulin and break down you immunity.  Not all people are gluten-sensitive.....but I feel better not having it.  Careful on the gluten-free products, they can be packed with sugar...read the labels!!!
6.  Free Range
7.  Grass Fed Beef.  The corn being fed to cattle is putting the GMO's and hormones into their bodies...which you are eating.
8.  Super Foods:  Chia Seeds, Shelled Hemp Seeds, Dark Chocolate, Green Tea, Berries, Seaweed, and more!!
9.  Cold Pressed Oils, no more non stick anything.
10. Cookware:  Stainless Steel, Cast Iron, Tempered Glass, and Porcelain Coated.

Recommended reading:  The Bible (Book of Genesis, Daniel, Isaiah, Proverbs, New Testament); Food, Inc.; Foodmatters; The Seven Pillars of Health by Don Colbert; The Daniel Fast; The Paleo Diet

Is Raw Cheese Beneficial For You?

Many raw milk fans  believe that it has health benefits, which include clearing up asthma and ear infections in children, improving osteoporosis in seniors, and even helping autistic kids with behavioral and mental function.

Allergy Help
One of the benefits found within research on raw milk is its ability to help people reduce their allergies. According to an article on the US News website, a European study of nearly 15,000 children published in the May 2007 issue of "Clinical and Experimental Allergy" found that raw milk greatly reduced asthma and hay fever in children. The Los Angeles Times site also stated that a study of about 100 children in Crete, published in the journal "Clinical and Experimental Allergy" in 2001, found that raw milk significantly reduced rate of allergies among urban children. Additional benefits of raw milk cheese comes from omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid, an important immune system booster.

Eczema Prevention
There is strong evidence that the nutrients in raw milk may help reduce eczema symptoms. US News reports that aside from the reduction in allergies associated with raw milk, the June 2006 issue of the "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" study analyzed the diets of 4,767 children in Shropshire, England, and found that those who lived on farms and drank raw milk had significantly fewer symptoms of eczema. The kids who ingested raw milk were 40 percent less likely to develop eczema. Cheeses containing raw milk include these powerful bacterial and enzymes that may help you improve or prevent eczema.

Muscle Building
Traditionally treated milk is pasteurized, which means heating the milk to a level that destroys some of the nutrients contained within it. Raw cow's milk has all 8 essential amino acids in varying amounts, and your body uses amino acids as building blocks for protein. According to the Raw Milk Facts website, we need between 20 and 22 amino acids to complete this task. Eight of the amino acids are essential, meaning that we must get them from the foods we eat. About 80 percent of the protein is casein and the other 20 percent is whey protein. If you look at the content of some of the best muscle building supplements, these two proteins are most commonly used, as they are associated with playing a large role in increasing muscle mass. Eating cheeses containing raw milk will increase your daily intake of not only protein in general, but specifically quality protein and essential amino acids needed to form them.
Lactose Intolerance

If you love cheese, but you are sensitive to the lactose contained in it, then eating raw milk cheese may be the answer you are looking for. Raw milk contains a lactose-digesting Lactobacilli bacteria, which is normally killed off during pasteurization in traditional milk. Unheated milk contains its full complement of enzymes and lactase-producing bacteria needed by our bodies to break down and assimilate the milk sugar lactose. These helpful bacteria are killed in the pasteurization and homogenization processes.

References and article taken from:

    Livestrong article:  Raw Cheese Benefits
    Raw Milk Facts: The Benefits of Raw Milk
    Real Milk: Raw Milk
    Los Angeles Times: Raw Milk Debate Rages On
    US News: Raw Milk Is Gaining Fans, but the Science Says It's Dangerous


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/276267-what-are-the-benefits-of-cheese-made-from-raw-milk/#ixzz1cIvUirQC



The following is one of my favorite recipes, using organic raw cheese.

SUPER FOOD TACO Recipe

 
Ingredients:

1 Ezekiel 4:9 Tortilla
Raw cheese (If I'm going to eat raw cheese, I prefer Organic Valley)
Broccoli micro greens
Any chopped and raw veggies
Protein alternatives to add:  beans, turkey, fish, chicken, etc.

This combination of food is so satisfying!  Toast the tortilla on the stove, grate raw cheese to melt.  Add protein, if desired, in any combination.  After removing from the heat, add veggies.  I like to add broccoli micro greens, chopped tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and whatever else I have in the fridge to add.

What makes this incredibly satisfying is the warm crunch of the tortilla, melted cheese, and the fresh crisp from all the veggies.  I feel no guilt when eating this, and I know that all of the ingredients is optimal for my health!  To top it off, it is so easy to make.  Keep the tortillas in the freezer and pull them out to heat over the stove .... in your stainless steel or cast iron pan, of course.