Turmeric and Pork Herbal Soup

When my husband feels down I make him soup. The last time I made a totally new creation with stuff I had in my kitchen. I didn't go to the grocery store and prep for this meal. It turned out amazing and has many nutritional benefits! This will be a lasting recipe in our family.

Here are the ingredients:

Pork

Broccoli 

Cauliflower 

Carrots

3 cloves of garlic

Chopped tomatoes 

Spinach

Fresh collard leaves

Turmeric 

Sea Salt

Pepper

Rosemary

Basil

I threw all the ingredients together, brought the soup to boiling and then let it simmer for 20 minutes. This makes a quick, easy, hearty and nutritional meal.

You can also add essential oils, like Lemon, Pepper, Basil or Oregano oil, for added health benefits. Oregano is great to add if you have a cold or flu. 

Benefits of Herbs

Rosemary- good source of iron, calcium and vitamin B6

Basil- loaded with vitamins, minerals; also acts as an anti inflammatory 

Turmeric- has been widely used in traditional medicine for centuries; also has been known to help with 

for arthritis, heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, stomach bloating, loss of appetite, jaundice, liver problems and gallbladder disorders.

Oregano oil- "the antibiotic of herbs"; is known to kill bad bacteria in the body

I hope you enjoy!

Gluten-Free: Just another Diet Fad?

Before I had to go gluten-free for health purposes, I actually thought many people were doing it because it seemed like a new fad. People tend to be followers, so I wrote off the gluten-free diet as another hoax... Until I had to go gluten-free myself.

Let's take a closer look at what gluten actually is.

Gluten is :

- The mixture of proteins, including gliadins and glutelins, found in wheat grains, which are not soluble in water and which give wheat dough its elastic texture.

- Any of the prolamins found in cereal grains, especially the prolamins in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, that cause digestive disorders such as celiac disease. But celiac is not the only disorder associated with gluten.

When a person is gluten intolerant it creates an abnormal immune response when the gluten is broken down in the digestive tract causing stomach issues. Celiac is the most well known form of gluten intolerance, but scientists are now discovering that individuals can also be gluten sensitive without having Celiac disease. In those who are sensitive it can cause skin, respiratory and digestive problems. Many gluten sensitive individuals may also experience symptoms related with Celiac Disease which include, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue, but there intestines are not as damaged as someone who has Celiac.

For some, going gluten-free is about following the newest diet, but for others it is not a choice. It's comparable to a food allergy because your body reacts the same way it would by producing histamines. Many people are discovering more and more everyday that living without gluten has diminished many symptoms they had for years. I went gluten free because I have an enlarged thyroid (Goiter) and hypothyroidism. Once I went gluten free, weight that I struggled with started falling off. I have had stomach issues since I was a young preteen.

 I saw a gastroenterologist when I was twenty years old. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy done. The doctor found inflammation in my colon and said I had Bacterial Colitis. All he sent me away with was instructions to take Imodium daily because I had diarrhea every day, sometimes multiple times per day.  I didn't like the idea of ingesting those chemicals everyday for the rest of my life. Since I have gone gluten free my symptoms have subsided. But if I accidentally have a no-no item, they come flushing back. My hope for you reading this is that you will be educated concerning the gluten-free diet. Don't follow the crowd. Do your research. Your health is in your hands.

For more information, check out the links below:

http://www.livescience.com/39726-what-is-gluten.html 

http://glutenintoleranceschool.com/gluten-intolerance-symptoms/
http://celiac.org/celiac-disease/non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity/

The Link between Gluten and Thyroid Disorders
http://chriskresser.com/the-gluten-thyroid-connection
http://www.livestrong.com/article/481322-gluten-free-diet-hypothyroidism/ 

Sinners Go To Church

Now before I begin I would like to post a disclaimer: In no way am I saying that churches are bad and no one should go. Churches have done wonderful things for the less fortunate and many in their congregation. If I found a great church then I would go, but the one I am going to talk about shocked my young heart when I was full of faith.

I first started attending church when I was sixteen years old. I loved going! I didn't know anyone in the area, so I really enjoyed getting involved in the different activities. I was a singer in a Christian band, I volunteered for many events, I counted and recorded the offerings and I was a part of a girls Bible Study. I was very intrigued by the Bible and was reading all the time. I developed standards in my mind of what "Christian" people where supposed to act like and be. If I saw "Christians" acting contrary, they were hypocrites to me. I was very young in my faith and didn't realize than the Church is made up of sinners. Regardless of how many times they go to church, they all sin. That's really why they all go. Perfection is non-existent in the human body, therefore there will always be problems and sin within the Church. That's where grace and forgiveness come into play.

This church was really founded by people who had known eachother for years. All the children grew up together. So, me, being the new girl, had a difficult time be accepted into the "club". Yes, I got involved because I always wanted to help, but they gave others opportunities because they had been there longer. I never felt truly accepted by my peers there. I would've thought if anywhere, the church would accept me. When it came time to choose colleges, I chose the one I felt was the best for me and most affordable. My peers however chose the colleges within the same denomination as our church. Later I was called a Rebel. Why? Because I chose a different Christian University to attend? Since when did Christ create denominations? The fact is he didn't, people did. People created their own rules. If you didn't agree with all of these you were to find a different denomination. The Bible teaches that the church is ONE and nothing should divide them. When people ask me what denomination I am, I don't even want to answer because I don't believe in these separate sects within the church. It causes arguments and strife within the community.

When I went off to college, I rarely went back to this church. People gossiped to me of the division taking place in the church. I was told one pastor lost his job and the head pastor still expected him to tithe (pay 10% of his income to the church). God doesn't need our money, its the people running the show that do. The people who run churches provide for water, electricity and they need income to live off of too since they are always teaching. But to be so legalistic and to demand money from an individual is just wrong in my opinion.

The church I started out loving I later almost despised because of the lack of Christ I saw under their roof. No, I will not go to church because Christian's think its the right thing to do. I will go if I feel it is actually led by the spirit and love of Christ himself. One thing you do have to remember when looking for a church is that they are all run by imperfect sinners, just like the rest of us. Just because they have read the Bible twenty times doesn't mean they can actually fulfill every requirement in it. In case you haven't read the Bible, the bar is set pretty high.

The church I would love to find is one that strives to do good and love, but also admits when they have wronged another. Be honest, be true. None of us are near perfect. There they will find grace and forgiveness instead of resentment. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to lower my standards of the church to that of realism.

***It is completely fine if you think I am wrong or don't like what I write, but that's the wonderful thing about having a blog. I can write whatever I want. You are welcome to share your own view in the comments section***

Sleep Training for the New Mom

This past week I have been sleep training Leia. I think I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but we were both suffering from poor sleep. She was only going to bed if she was breastfed and then would wake up 6-10 times in the night searching for her human pacifier. I have suffered from lack of sleep for months, to the point of where I feel shaky, irritable and lethargic during the day. You know the yucky feeling you have when you stay up all night? Multiply that by seven months. Something needed to change.

The first night was the worst, just like everyone says. When it was time for bed, I breastfed her and then set her down in her bed. She cried for a long time but I went in every few minutes to comfort her. I would rub her hair and say "shhh,shh" and she would calm down until I would leave. I fed her another time because she became accustomed to eating at night. I made sure she didn't fall asleep on me. She finally turned over and went to sleep. I hated hearing her cry, but I needed to do what was best for both of us.

The second night was much easier. She fell asleep within 10 minutes! My husband and I were relieved! We probably should have been doing this months ago, but I always cave to my little one's cries. The third night was even easier. She didn't even cry for 2 minutes. Honestly, getting her down in the beginning of the night was the easy part.

Leia was still trying to feed many times every night. Even to the point where she wouldn't eat as much during the day. In efforts to get her back on track I have started weaning her night feedings. The first night I tried this I only fed her for a few minutes each time to get her through the night. Last night I didn't feed her past midnight. She still woke up every couple hours, like a newborn. I then fed her in the morning when she awoke and was ready to get up. I am hoping that she will be hungrier during the day and be able to sleep longer stretches at night without getting hungry. This is definitely a day by day plan. I had to take drastic measures because we both have been suffering from poor sleep. My poor husband has been having to deal with two cranky cry babies.  When Leia was between 2-3 months, she was sleeping 6-8 hours every night, so I know she is capable of it.

How To Have a Sweet Valentine's Without All The Sweets

What comes to mind when you think about Valentine's Day? For many people it means boxes of chocolates and candy. This year was mine and my husband's first Valentine's with a baby. We also have been fasting from sugar and other things this month. So when Valentine's came up I still wanted to make it fun and tasteful.

DINNER

For Dinner I made, what I like to call, "Real Shrimp Cocktail". I learned this recipe from a latin woman years ago. Now and again I will add my own spin to it. Here's what I used:

-Deveined and peeled Shrimp
-Tomatoes
-Cucumber
-Cilantro
-Onions
-Lemon and lime ( I also added Doterra's Lemon essential oil)
-Clamato Juice
-Avocados

This is a super simple recipe. All I did was chop all the vegetables, add the shrimp, lemon and lime juice and Clamato juice. I am not strict about the quantity I use of each. I like to be creative with it. After everything has been mixed, I top off with avocados and  let the dish chill for about an hour. You can eat this dish with Tostadas or tortilla chips. For  low calories meal you can skip the Tostadas. And there you are! Super simple healthy dinner thrown together!

Now for Dessert!

Now I said we were fasting from sugar. That means added sugar and artificial sugars, but natural sugars are okay. With that being said you can make chocolate dipped strawberries. All you need is strawberries and 100% cocoa bars. These have no added sugar and are 100% cocoa. The 100% cocoa is normally fairly bitter, but the sugar from the strawberries will balance it out. You can heat the cocoa in a pan (stir often to avoid burning) or microwave. Once it becomes liquid, just dip and eat. You can also dip the strawberries and let the cocoa harden by chilling in the fridge. A great alternative to drinking heavy alcohol is to have a glass of red wine because it has less than a gram of sugar per serving. Red wine and cocoa dipped strawberries go perfect together.

Looking for a yummy snack to have while finishing the night with a movie and your lover?
Try gluten-free, sugar-free popcorn! There are a lot of great tasting flavors without all the unnecessary extras. 

No that's a SWEET Valentine's (or Date Night)!

A New Passion

This last month has been very transforming. I am learning so much about myself and my health that I never knew. Before I found out I had hypothyroidism I had a poor diet. I ate healthy sometimes, but I was addicted to sugar. I had so much sugar everyday. I loved Mcdonald's ice coffees. I usually had a stash of sweets for when I got a craving. Before I got pregnant I was much more disciplined, but during my pregnancy I gave into all my cravings. I used the famous pregnancy excuse. Hey, I'm getting fat anyways, why not eat whatever I want? Well, that backfired. Those habits became extremely hard to break after I gave birth. I still wanted my iced coffees and heavy carbs.

I needed to change. I had lost all willpower and self-discipline. Gluten was the first thing to go. That was very difficult at first. I like dark beer, haha. I started decreasing my sugar intake. I started noticing my stomach issues subsiding and I wasn't feeling as bloated. I lost six pounds last month. Now, my husband and I are both doing a 30 day fast from dairy, sugar, artificial sweeteners, legumes and gluten. Our intention was to clean our guts because we both have had stomach issues for years. But since we have started, many things are coming back into balance. My stomach is shrinking so I don't need huge meals to get full. My body is healing quicker. My stomach is starting to flatten more. I don't have caffeine headaches anymore. Before I started this lifestyle change I loved using dark chocolate almond milk in my shakes. I tried it the other day and now it tastes way too sweet. I am totally detoxing from sugar! I feel great about it! This whole lifestyle change has ignited a new passion within me: healthy living!

People think you need a miracle pill to lose weight or heal an ailment. I bet everyone could accomplish their health goals by changing what they eat. But people say...I couldn't live without this or that...yes you can...but you don't want to. That sugar high lasts only a few minutes but the effects on your health last much longer. The benefits of eating healthy are numerous! Once you start your journey to health it's addicting! Now I want veggies and nuts and chicken. I don't even care for heavy meals anymore. I eat small meals throughout the day now. It's been less then 2 weeks since we started the fasting. I can't wait to see what else changes in the next two weeks!

Dear Leia Jasmine...

Dear Leia Jasmine,

I know someday you will read this and everything will have changed from how things are today. You will never remember this time in your life, so I am going to tell you how life was when you were an infant. Right now you are a little over seven months old. You are the cutest thing I have ever seen. People stop to say how cute you are every time I go out. Every night I put you to sleep after breastfeeding you. You do not sleep through the night, not even close. You wake up very often just to see if the booby is still next to you and then you pass back out. I do not know why you do this. I actually don't know why you do a lot of things, but I continue to try and figure you out. I don't mind that you don't let me sleep. I love opening my eyes and seeing you there sleeping next to me. You look like a precious angel.

When you wake up in the morning you are super happy! You baby talk and smile. You turn towards your father and scratch his face and grab his nose while he is sleeping. Then you get bored. You get bored easily and it won't surprise me if you still get bored easily when you are older. By then I will have more things to keep you busy, like doing dishes and helping me around the house, haha. Who knows? You might even have a little brother to play with. You absolutely love going on walks, but today we won't go because someone stole your stroller. Don't worry though. We are going to get a new one and be out walking again in no time. Sometimes that is the only place you will nap. You don't like naps either. You like being awake and playing. We just started taking you in the community pool this winter. The pool is heated so you love it! You already show signs that you are going to be a great swimmer one day. You splash so much you drench my hair. You also love bathtime. You will sit and talk to yourself and play with your rubber ducky. At the end of the day I wait for you to get sleepy and we do it all over again. I love spending time with you. I know that we will never have this time together again like we do now and I cherish it. Our breastfeeding relationship has given us a close bond.  I am not even sure when I am going to stop. I want you to get this goodness as long as you can. But my hormones need to go back to normal eventually. I love you Leia Jasmine. You are getting more beautiful and sweet everyday. Don't grow up too fast now, ya hear.

Love Always,
Your Mama

Sincerely, The Lost Mom

As a new mother I am torn in so many different directions. I try to go with my "instinct" but sometimes it seems like everything is opposite. The delimma I am dealing with concerns Leia. She feeds many times in the night, but they are very short. I am not sure if she is getting any himdmilk. She also eats less during the day than at night. Some people say that this is normal for breastfeeding babies. Some say she needs to cry it out because she has formed a bad habit. I want to nurse her when she wants. Yes I miss sleep but I'm actually used to it. I hate letting her cry if it's not necessary. So I am torn to go against the grain and be stubborn or completely cut off her night feedings and endure her cries. The pediatrician insists that these are bad habits and that I need to fix them or they will get worse. On the other hand, other breastfeeding mothers say their child did the same thing until they stopped nursing...what to do...what to do

Let's Go Back... Back to the Beginning

My husband reminded me that our journey for something more began long before we moved into our RV.
When my husband and I first got married we moved out of the house we were renting to Corona. He worked in Corona at the time and I started a new job in Riverside. The most affordable place we could find in Corona was a guetto back house that we rented for $900/month. I don't know if that's what you would even call it. It was separate from the house. It had a bedroom, bath and kitchen. That was when I first started doing coin laundry. The area was so ghetto I didn't go on walks alone. The space was tiny. We piled our things everywhere and used a surfboard for a computer table. The entire time we lived there we slept on an inflatable mattress. 

While we were living in Corona we had a 25 ft sailboat in the Dana Point Marina. That was our getaway from our 9-5. We went every weekend,. sometimes even during the week. We had some amazing times on that boat. We would set sail when the sun was about to set and drift out a little past the marina. When I was first learning the tiller, I chased after a herd of birds because I thought there was a feeding frenzy going on. Maybe dolphins were close. We saw many dolphins when sailing. We made some great friends on that dock too. They were some of the coolest people I have ever met. My husband and I would stay up late, drinking and playing music. I remember one night watching Pirates of the Caribbean on the laptop in the boat. One night when we went to Dana Point we forgot all our blankets and pillows. All we had there was beach towels, so that's what we used to sleep with until about 4am when we decided we couldn't handle the cold anymore. We decided to drive back home. We did many spontaneous things before we had Leia. Now we run a tight ship, haha.

We ended up selling that sailboat and getting a 35ft wooden sailboat. My husband was making plans and dreams for us to sail around the world. He read books and stories of how other couples did it. He was very serious about embarking on this journey and he still is. My husband was growing tired of working in a freezing office when he just worked on a computer all day. He talked his employer into letting him work remotely. Since my husband could work anywhere, he decided he wanted to live on our 35ft boat, especially since I had recently lost my job. Time for an adventure!

The next adventure was going to be bigger than we expected. We went down to where our new boat was in Chula Vista for the weekend. That friday night me, my husband and brother in law went out for a night on the town in San Diego. Earlier that day I told my husband that I missed my period and it's always on time. That night when I went out I knew there was a possibility I could be pregnant, but we had been trying for a year, so I was just guessing. For some reason I wanted to let loose that night. We went to a bar and they asked ladies to get up and dance. I thought to myself, "I am going to regret not doing this", so I took off my heels and jumped up on the bar. That was my last hurrah. That was the last night I went out dancing. That evening my husband and I sat on top of the boat together. He said to me, " Sweetface, you could actually be pregnant this time." I nodded my head and smiled. A part of me jumped inside at the possibility.

Sunday evening I took three pregnancy tests and found out that I was pregnant! We were beside ourselves and so excited. We soon moved out of Corona. We gave away most of our belongings. My husband sold his quad, dirtbike, and computer. We only kept what could fit in our cars. We decided to actually live in our 35ft sailboat. That lasted about two weeks. The boat wasn't in great condition. The transmission needed a lot of work and everything seemed to be breaking. The decks were even getting soggy. But she was beautiful. My husband believed in her potential and I believed in his dream. We decided we couldn't live on her, so we went and stayed with my grandmother in Apple Valley.

We tried to keep the boat for as long as we could. But it became hopeless. She was too damaged by her previous owners and we needed money to pour into her that we didn't have, especially with a baby on the way. It was a very difficult decision, but my husband decided we needed to sell her. He actually wanted to sink the ship but I begged him not too. To him it was a dream dying. What he didn't realize was that the timing was just not right. His dream will happen, in time.

While living at my grandmother's we decided we needed a getaway. I actually wanted a way out. I love my grandma like crazy but I couldn't handle her husband. We bought a 1985 RV and moved out. We recently were able to upgrade to an 1999 with two slideouts. Now Leia is seven months old and we are still drifters, but we love it! The adventures never end.

Shout out to the MOMMIES!

Ever since we moved into a new motorhome, Leia has been very fussy and sensitive. I can't set her down or she starts crying. She's been getting very angry and swinging her arms everywhere. She actually seems to be throwing a lot of tantrums. If I take something away from her she screams her lungs out. She did this the other day at Target. I am sure the whole store heard her, but I didn't give the toy back to her. I let her cry because she needs to realize she can't have everything and anything whenever she wants. Normally in the mornings she's the happiest, but she gets fussy after about 30 minutes of waking.. I am not sure why she has been hypersensitive lately, except for that the move affected her more than I realized. The move has even affected me. It's like when we are in a new environment, our brains have to get used to that new environment and develop a new routine. I know that Leia is eating enough because I offer her breastmilk and solids often. She could be teething, but then again we have been thinking that for months. I just wish I knew how to help her through this phase she is in. I am not sure if I should comfort her every time because she is going through something or if she is just being demanding.

If any mothers have any similar stories about moves affecting infants please share! Also, I have a very active and alert baby. She constantly wants to be doing something and gets bored very easily. What kind of things do you do to keep your baby entertained?  Leia gets bored with toys quickly, so we are always trying something new. She has been taking better naps since we moved, which is great. But she still needs to be rocked, nursed or taken on a walk to fall asleep. I sneak away once she falls asleep. I put the TV on for background noise because others noises seem to wake her very easily. If you have an active sensitive baby, feel free to share what you do.

Why I Regret Getting An Epidural

During my pregnancy I was planning on not getting an epidural. When I started experiencing birth pains at 2am on July 3rd I began to understand why most women get epidurals. This was the worst pain I could ever imagine. I can't even describe it. I was yelling all the way to the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital I told myself I wouldn't get an epidural until I absolutely couldn't handle it anymore.

Around 10am I requested the epidural. I didn't want to move or walk or change positions. The pain was just too great. I tend to be a bit more on the sensitive side as well. My pain tolerance has always been low. Once the epidural took effect I felt great! I was laughing and joking with my mother and the nurses. I was really able to enjoy my labor. When it was time to push I knew. I still retained all my urges to push this baby out of me. Afterwards my legs were still numb, so I couldn't walk for a while.

Now, when I look back on the choices I made, I think I made a poor choice in choosing an epidural. Yes, it helped me enjoy my labor but I definitely experienced side effects. Where the needle was injected, I have chronic back pain and tingling. It also feels cool/hot often, so I know it affected my nerves. I didn't make the best choice for myself considering the long term effects. Not all women experience side effects with an epidural, but I did.

Every woman should be educated when making decisions about their body. Here are some known possible side effects of epidurals:
-Increased risk of fever
-Increased risk of blood pressure drop
-severe headaches
-Problems with urination
-weakness
-weakness and numbness in legs and feet
-Interference with the natural production of oxytocin, which helps with bonding and breastfeeding
-Possible low breastmilk supply
-Triples the risk of vaginal tearing
-Increases the risks of pelvic floor problems
-Potential for permanent nerve damage

There are also possible risks for baby as well, but I don't even want to go there. It's just too sad to think about my epidural affecting my daughter. If I could do it over I would have taken advantage of natural pain relief options or had someone there to help me achieve this goal. Now that I have experienced an epidural, the after shocks, for me, are just not worth it. To each her own, but be educated. Obviously there are positive and negative things that come from choosing an epidural.

Our First Night

Our first night in our new RV was awesome! When you go from living in a 1985 to a 1999 motorhome, it makes a huge difference. We were used to walking on old wooden floors that were collapsing. There's even a heel print. We were always climbing around and over eachother. When we slept we slept in a full size bed. My husband would be against the wall. Leia was in the middle, while I fell off the side. We crammed everything everywhere. When I showered I had to stand on one leg while shaving.

 

The extra space that we have now is like living in a mansion. Leia has enough space to play on the clean carpet floor. We have tons of space and don't have to climb over eachother. Our bed is now a queen size. Our bed is so comfortable now with more space than we are used to. I have a closet with sliding doors! Now that's a dream come true. There is enough storage space for all our possessions, plus some. 

We couldn't believe our new RV was ours. We dreamed about the day we would get a new one for months and the day finally came. We celebrated by ordering gluten free pizza! It was surprisingly good, especially since I loaded up on the toppings. I can't wait for the journeys to come in our new home. The memories will last a lifetime.