Exclusive Pumping

Not everyone has a 'journey' to exclusively pumping there can be more than one reason others may 'choose' to exclusively pump.  I think its important to note this because in the beginning I was completely naive to this concept. I just assumed ALL mothers wanted to either formula feed or breastfeed their babies. This is not the case.  There are also mothers out there who want to feed their babies breast milk without breastfeeding. 

My journey to EPing was not an easy one.  Lucia had issues latching. We worked with numerous lactation consultants. She did not have a lip or tongue tie.  She had a small mouth, was very eager to eat and lacked some coordination to do so.  The thing is breastfeeding isn't as natural of a process for some as society may lead us to believe.  

I began hand expressing colostrum and spoon feeding her and she would have an occasional latch for a very short period of time. On the second day I began pumping. I continued attempting to feed her from my breast. I was constantly ringing the LC's for assistance.  

We left the hospital two days after Lucia's birth. The pediatrician was a little reluctant to release us as she lost a little bit more than the acceptable 10% weight loss but agreed to do so after we agreed to a weigh-in two days later.  

My milk came in on the third day just as we had hoped. This was huge as I had a few risk factors in issues with delayed lactation including a long induction, cesarean section and large amount of blood loss after delivery.  It was at this point I came to grips with the fact that my heart was set on breastfeeding, but in the end my heart and mind were truly set on feeding Lucia my milk or breast milk (I would have considered donor milk) until she was one year old.

I continued to try and breastfeed Lucia for a couple of weeks after we were home, but also continued to pump every 2.5 hours to maintain and grow my supply. When I was not pumping I was practicing skin to skin and attempting to have Lucia latch. 

After many sleepless nights and numerous lactation consultant visits I decided to exclusively pump.  

Was I disappointed? I was and still am a bit sad, but I am also thrilled I have had enough milk to feed Lucia from day 1. 

I have been exclusively pumping for 6 months and 18 days and have been blessed to be able to feed Lucia solely my breast milk. It has not been easy, but it hasn't been extremely difficult neither. The pros outweigh the cons. When I see her thriving and enjoying mamas milk it makes me beam with happiness. 

Do you have any questions regarding exclusively pumping?   

  

Winter in Chicago

has arrived!

It's kind of funny, how all of us Chicago-ans relished in the "warm" temps this December and began to believe winter wasn't coming this year or was that just me being optimistic?

Ya, not! Bring out the ice scrapers (thank goodness, I go from one garage to the next) and Uggs. Chicago winter is here to stay, but hopefully not for long. 

It's been a cold couple of weeks in Chicago, and we have been prepared for it thanks to MegaFood. I have mentioned MegaFood vitamins about 324343 times in this blog because I love them for more reasons than one. 

Shaker bottle, DIY calendula oil, Zinc, Daily-C, Vitamin D3, Dream Release and Complex C

Why do I love Mega Food vitamins and supplements?

They are made with organic real food, no synthetic garbage when it comes to MegaFood!

They also work closely with their producers/farmers to ensure a GMO free product. Win!

Jump on over to their website to read more about the partnership they have with GMO free farms across the country. 

The vitamins my husband and I take are always changing whether it is due to where we are in an IVF cycle, season or how we are feeling. We always ramp up our Vitamin D dosage a bit in the winter and add in some Vitamin C and Zinc to support our immune system and keep us chugging through the cold weather temps. No matter how cold it is - life does not stop in Chicago. 

It is important to remember self-care during the winter months. My favorite winter indulgences are hot baths, weekend at home facials and sleeping in when I realize my body needs a few extra zzzzz's. 

Here are a couple of winter wellness tips from MegaFood

My pack of MegaFood goodness also came with a DIY calendula oil recipe and supplies to make it (blog post to come!)

**I received these samples in exchange for a review. All of the opinions in this post are mine. 

Hynt Beauty Must Haves

I have said it before, and I will say it again

What we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in them.

Your skin is your largest organ, it absorbs everything you put on it. So think twice about using products containing toxic, hormone disrupting carcinogens.  These chemicals contribute to various internal issues such as infertility, cancer and hormone imbalances.  Just to name a few.

When I found out of my MTHFR mutations, I became even more cognizant of what I was using because of my bodies methylation issues.  The biggest impact you can have on your methylation is eliminating some of the toxins in your overall toxic load.

So, getting back on topic I am always trying new natural products and finding the best of the best.  I am a pretty loyal customer once I find something that I like, and I am positive I found a couple of products to add to my natural nontoxic makeup arsenal. The area of makeup has been most difficult in terms of finding nontoxic products, so when I received some goodies from Hynt Beauty I was anxious to give them a try!

Libre Luxurious Lip Gloss in Copper Glow -  I have a very difficult time finding lip glosses that do not make my super sensitive lips burn and or breakout after a use.  This gloss passed those tests with flying colors. The color of this gloss is so ridiculously rich and fairs well with my fair complexion, which to be honest surprised me. It glides on smoothly and doesn't feel sticky or thick. It's a hydrating gloss with lots of depth and staying power. Hynt swears by their lip pampering ingredients and I can attest to them. It feels like a lip treatment rather than a lip gloss.

Forte High Definition Eye Liner in Black - I am not going to lie. I had a hard time believing that this eye liner was free of toxins. I have been using the same Cover Girl eyeliner since high school (shame on me!) and I have finally found a "better for you" replacement. This eyeliner glides on like silk and has incredible staying power. I am not a smudger, but the pencil does have a smudger on one end if you are one who likes to smudge. In conclusion, you need this eye liner. In terms of green beauty, it is very difficult to find an eyeliner that glides on smoothly and has staying power. Trust me, I have quite a few collecting dust in my makeup case. I am in love with this eye liner, and cannot wait to try the mascara! Also, irritant free. This means I wasn't clawing at my eyes after a few hours of wear.

Velluto Pure Powder Foundation in Light Beige - I received a sample size of this powder foundation and will be purchasing a full size foundation ASAP. Seriously, this foundation is impressive. The first time I used it, I used it where I needed more coverage under my BB Cream.  I then realized it wasn't the type of powder foundation that settles into your creases and makes you look ten years old than you are! It is the best powder foundation I have ever used. It leaves your skin look flawless not FULL OF FLAWS.

Overall I think I will be adding a few items from Hynt Beauty to my Christmas list! I was impressed with the quality of the products and the fact that they are free of questionable ingredients.  It's a win -win!  For more information, visit Hynt Beauty's website here.

Disclosure:  I received these products in exchange for my honest review.  This blog was not compensated for this positing.  All thoughts and opinions are those our my own and were not influenced in any way. 

Sierra Sage Organics

Sierra Sage is one of the oldest hand salve companies in America, founded in 1971.  How is Sierra Sage different than other salve companies?  Each recipe is carefully designed using traditional herbal medicine guidelines.  All of the ingredients used by Sierra Sage are organic and free of "bad for you" additives.

Sierra Sage was generous enough to send me some products for review.  Specifically their Green Goo line, but they offer so much more. I love finding new "good for you" personal care products that work! I urge you to check out their plethora of products which are made with many years of expertise and a whole lot of love.

Here are my thoughts and experiences with a few of the products we received:

Sierra Sage Lip Balms - I have been using the Cool Mint flavor for the past couple of weeks.  I make sure to have a lip balm with me all the time, but especially in the Summer and Winter months.  I found this balm to really condition your lips, not just repair them.  The conditioning probably comes from the added Vitamin E oil  Also, I struggle with lip balms aggravating my lips or causing lip breakouts. I have had neither of these issues. The balms are made with coconut oil, which is a natural sun protectant. At under $4 a pop these will definitely be my go to lip balm

Dry Skin Daily Moisturizing Salve - I was most excited about this salve, because my husband suffers from calloused/dry hands.  He in in love with this salve.  I asked him what he exactly loves about it, and this was his answer:

"Its not as greasy as other salves I have used, and soaks into my hands instead of laying on top of them.  There is very little fragrance to it, and doesn't leave my hands sore or red."

He has been using the salve for the past couple of weeks and is nearing the end of the tin.  He is already asking me to order another.  He does a lot of hand shaking in his profession and is always very self conscious of his hands.  They have made drastic improvements the last couple of weeks with his use of this salve.

Skin Repair Skin Salve - This is what I have been using for the last week for a couple of small sun spots that I have. It is uber moisturizing. I will update with the progress of them fading.  I have also used it for the ridiculous amount of injection and blood draw wounds I have collected from my last IVF cycle.  I did notice a much quicker healing time after using this salve.

I also received the First Aid Salve that I passed on to a friend that fell in love with it after using it for her dried hands. She plans on purchasing a tin or two for herself.

Overall, I was very impressed with these products and look forward to trying a few other products in their line like the Calendula Infused Face Wash and Arnica Salve. 

If you would like to experience some Sierra Sage Organics yourself use coupon code Sage25 to save 25%

An Oily Summer

It has been a year since I got serious about essential oils and signed up with Young Living.  

I must say I am pleased, very pleased.  I cannot imagine facing any season without essential oils, but wanted to chat a bit about how we are using essential oils in our lives this summer. 

I have already blogged about my DIY after sun spray using lavender, peppermint and elemi or frankincense.

The mosquitoes are thriving in Chicago with all of the record rain we have received.  We are loving my DIY bug spray made with witch hazel, distilled water, lemongrass, citronella, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus and lavender. 

When we do get an unexpected mosquito bite, because seriously I get one if I just open the patio door once and put my arm out to check the temperature - we use Melaleuca or Lavender to calm the itch. 

I diffuse in the summer just as much as the winter.  Here are a few of my favorite summer diffusing blends:

• Lemon and Ylang Ylang
• Lavender and Joy 
• Stress Away, Peace and Calming and Grapefruit
• Lemon and Spearmint 

How do you use essential oils in the summer? 

A Weekend to Me

It's Sunday (boo!!)

This weekend was so simple but so needed.  I need my alone time. I am not one that needs to have a full schedule to feel content and last month was just too much for me.

Friday was spent walking the trails of our neighborhood dog park. I am trying to move more whether its fitting in neighborhood walks with my aunt, walking during lunch with friends or taking Baci for way more walks than usual. 

I woke up Saturday and had decided that I would do as I please this weekend. No pressure. No time constraints. I wanted to see where the day took me.  

It started off with my husband and I foraging through our poorly maintained garden and picking oodles of tomatoes. Needless to say sauce will be made this week. I also quickly meal planned and planned my week ahead. I absolutely adore my Happy Planner. 

Happy Planner

I wound up stopping off at Naperville's Farmers Market prior to my 9 am appointments. It was my first time, and I loved it.  It was full of flowers, veggies and fruits rather than miscellaneous stands with a few fruit/veggie stands strewn in between.  I will definitely be returning.

My chiropractor and acupuncture appointments were divine - per the usual. I always feel ridiculously relaxed after acupuncture on Saturday mornings.  Even more relaxed than my weekday appointments.  

I decided to do some grocery shopping at Whole Foods and a neighborhood produce store because I am officially obsessed with Lemon Drop Melon. I took my time and didn't rush. I perused the aisles picking up much more than I needed, but this my friends is enjoyment for me.  Judge away. 

I stopped back at home to retrieve my IVF meds from our doorstep because (HOLY ANXIETY that is a lot of money on our doorstep) and take Baci for a long walk around the neighborhood.  

I then felt the need for some retail therapy and visited the Promenade where I picked up a couple of items from Macy's and a few of the book recommendations I had received on Instagram (Divergent, Still Missing, The Husband's Secret and Crazy Rich Asians). I was bummed none of the memoirs that were recommended were available, but its probably best I get through these first. 

I went back home just in time to make dinner (tacos, of course!) and my first try at homemade pickles. 

I slept in on Sunday morning, well later than usual (7:30 am). Thank you acupuncture! We decided a morning trip to Target was in order where we filled our cart with nonsense and sipped on Starbucks (my weekly tall iced coffee with coconut milk).

Followed up Target with a trip to Downtown Naperville.  It was the perfect time and day - early and not so perfect weather.  The crowds were minimal.  We stopped by Snap Kitchen.  The place is ridiculously awesome, but a bit pricey.  I absolutely love the concept (fresh, healthy takeaway) and hope to try more of their goodness out soon.  This time I picked up two soups.  The soups were priced reasonably when compared to a can of Amy's and look much more appetizing. 

Butternut Squash Soup & Spicy Coconut Chicken Soup 

Sunday has been spent doing laundry and tending to a broken freezer (yes, again!)  I am currently waiting for G to come home, as we have dinner plans at a local tried and true restaurant. 

Relaxed and revived for Monday which happens to be my first day of stims. 

Nothing but Bone Broth

I didn't plan on doing absolutely nothing this weekend, but had no choice because of the discomfort I have been experiencing post egg retrieval. I took today off work to recover fully and am finally feeling and looking much more like myself. Phew. 

So this weekend was full of nothing, but I did muster enough energy to make my first batch of bone broth. I had planned on making it prior to retrieval, but life happens.  

I ordered a plethora of goodies from Green Meadow Farms including a bag of raw grass-fed beef bones with the intention of making my first batch of bone broth. 

I had heard of bone broth in the past, but haven't really thought much of it.  I actually hate bones.  I will not eat meat from a bone.  I know it was once attached to a bone, but I just cant eat it that way.  I know I am a bit crazy.  So, bone broth was not something that interested me.  That was until my acupuncturist made one nutritional recommendation to me which was adding bone broth to my diet for both its nutritional benefits and warming my QI and blood from the inside out.

The benefits of bone broth are endless but include gut healing, immune support, energy, inflammation reduction, skin health, joint health, digestion and the list goes on. Bone broth is chock full of calcium and magnesium.  It is also full of the amino acids, proline and glycine. Proline and glycine are very important in a variety of things such as DNA synthesis, gut healing and blood sugar regulation among other things. 

So ya, a lot of benefits.  How could I not give it a try? Bones and all.  

Here is the recipe I used. I adapted it from a recipe given to me by my acupuncturist. 

Beef Bone Broth

2.5 lbs of grass-fed beef bones

1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

water to cover bones (about 3 quarts)

1 Tbsp peppercorns

4 celery stalks chopped

4 carrots chopped 

1/2 onion with skin on 

Parsley

1.  Roast bones for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

2.  Place bones in a stock pot, cover with water and vinegar.  Soak the bones in this mixture for 30 minutes. 

3.  Add celery, carrots and onion.  Bring to a boil. 

4.  Skim foam from the top and dispose

5.  Add peppercorn

6.  Reduce heat to a low, low simmer for 36 hours (I transferred from the stock pot to the crockpot at night)

7.  Add parsley 30 minutes before finished

8.  Strain through a mesh strainer or cheese cloth

9.  Store in mason jars for enjoyment over the next 7 days 

Once the mixture is cooled there will be a layer of fat (if from grass-fed bones this is healthy for you)  You can either leave it or pull it off.  I personally pulled it off and kept it in a separate container for cooking.  

Drink up!

5 Steps to a More Natural Lifestyle

Any improvements you make to living a more natural lifestyle are steps in the right direction.  I am nowhere near perfect myself, but I started by making small changes. 

Here are my top 5 changes to a more natural lifestyle

1.  Eliminate plastics! Take inventory of the plastic you have that are used in your kitchen.  Especially those which you heat or freeze and get rid of them! Do you want toxins with your food? I would guess not.  Replace the plastic with glass or stainless steel.  I am a big fan of Pyrex but another cheaper alternative is mason jars.  I use mason jars to store nuts, flours, chia seeds, fresh fruit and the list goes on. Pick up a glass storage container every time you are out shopping . They will add up and your cabinets will be full of non-toxic glass containers that will last much longer than those nasty toxic plastic containers.   

2.  Replace toxic (non-stick) cookware with much safer alternatives such as cast iron and ceramic cookware.  It has been proven the non-stick coating on cookware breaks down over time which in turn emits multiple toxic gasses into the air.  Appetizing? Ya, not so much.  I recently found these awesome alternatives on Amazon and am quite pleased with how they have been working out. Check out Lodge Cast Iron and Wearever Ceramic Cookware.  Stainless steel cookware is another option to look into.  I cant live without my Wolfgang Puck chicken fryer.

3.  Personal care products in the US are minimally regulated which should cause you great concern.  You really need to be your own "police" when it comes to what you use in terms of personal care products.  Your personal care products are full of chemicals.  A solution?  Make your own! The Internet is full of recipes to make your own personal care products. I am planning on putting together a blog post of the top chemicals to avoid when choosing personal care products.  You can also  research what you buy through websites like Skin Deep.

4.  Follow the dirty dozen and clean fifteen, organic dairy and grass fed beef when available. It is personally impossible for me to buy all organic. I do my best!  If you are looking to switch over to a more chemical free lifestyle, I would suggest following the above guidelines at the grocery store. 

5.  Avoiding fragrances at all costs. These suckers are everywhere and in the U.S. they are simply called fragrances or natural fragrances.  We all know how worthless the word "natural" is in the U.S.  The fresh rain fragrance in your dryer sheets is probably derived from petrochemicals.  More often than not fragrances contain phthalates and you can read more about them here.  It's in your best interest to avoid all products labeled with a fragrance whether "naturaly derived" or not.  The word fragrance is synonymous for loophole.  Fragrances can be found in detergents, candles, perfumes, lotions and the list goes on.  Essential oils are a great alternative to avoiding the nasty chemicals.  I use them on my dryer balls in place of dryer sheets, diffuse in place of candles or air fresheners, as perfumes, added to coconut oil as a lotion and in my bath salts.  In addition to avoiding the nasty chemicals of "fragrances" you are also benefiting from their therapeutic qualities.

What steps have you made to living a more natural lifestyle?

Current Loves

Happy Tuesday, loves! Today is the last day of my staycation, but I am not complaining.  It was a great few days relaxing, spring cleaning and unwinding from a couple of busy, busy months.  I figured it was time for a fluffy blog post and what better than a blog sharing my current loves.

1.  All things coconut.  I have never been a big fan of coconut water, but I would use it as a mixer for my wheat grass juice or as a liquid for my smoothies.  My sister-in-law introduced me to Amazonia Coconut Water and White Tea and at first I was hesitant because of my dislike of coconut water, but this is the perfect mix of coconut water and white tea. Amazing and refreshing. She also introduced me to Coconut Rolls made by Tropical Fields which are also cripsy and delicious. I ran out to Costco to pick these both up because you all know how unpredictable Costco is with stocking your favorites!

2.  Young Living Elemi Essential Oil often called "Poor Man's Frankincense".  I cant remember if I have blogged about Elemi before, but I love it. I am attempting to become better at maintaining a skincare regimen, and Elemi has been used in many of Europe's high-end age defying skin care products and by Egyptians for skincare concerns. It's also a grounding oil, and with my main goal of becoming more mindful its one of my favorite oils of the moment.

3.  Headspace proves there is an app for everything.  Headspace is an app providing guided meditation.  I love the user friendliness of the app. I have just started, but so far so good.  I may even sign up after the free 10 day trial.

4.  When Things Fall Apart:  Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron is a book you will read and re-read whether you are or are not going through a difficult/trying time.  I am savoring the pages of this book because the lessons are so simple, but often difficult to grasp.  Go buy yourself a copy. You will not regret it.

5.  Lilly for Target what more can I add? My husband and I woke up early Saturday morning to grab a spot in line at Target.  We may or may not have went to an additional couple of Targets to see if there were any returns I could scoop up.  Lilly is cheerful and Lilly from Target is inexpensive.  These two things are a necessity for me right now - cheer and cheap!

6.  Did quite a bit of spring cleaning the last couple of days and Thieves Household Cleaner did the dirty work.  Soap scum, toilets, oven top, counters - you name it!  Thieves can handle it.  This stuff is magic and toxin free.  Absolutely love this stuff. I will never, ever go without.

What are you currently loving?

MTHFR

I am all about throwing around acronyms lately and today's acronym of the day is "MTHFR". MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase.  MTHFR is an enzyme that is responsible for the methylation process of every cell in your body. There are mutations of this important genetic piece that can disturb the way your body works and inhibit detoxification of toxins causing issues with cell repair, immune system function, disease, etc.

Heterozygous mutations are the most common/less severe. This means you have one normal gene and one mutated gene.  The mutations will either be on the 1298 or 677 gene.  Heterozygous mutations occur in approximately 35% of the population.

Homozygous mutations are when you have two affected genes on either the 1298 or the 677 gene.  This is less common than a heterozygous mutation and is more severe.  A Homozygous C677T occurs in approximately 5-10% of the population.  A Homozygous A1298T is more common, but less dangerous.

Compound Heterozygous mutations are not a common and more concerning then a hetoerzygous mutation or a homozygous A1298T mutation.  This is when you have one mutation on the 1298 and one mutation on the 677 gene.  This combination occurs in approximately 17% of population.

As you can see MTHFR mutations should not be considered a rarity.

This test is often given as a part of the RPL panel because of blood clotting tendencies and lack of folic acid absorption due to these mutations. I recently due to the RPL panel found out I am compound heterozygous. Unfortunately, this is considered the most worrisome combination with the potential of leading to chronic illness, blood clotting and pregnancy loss.

Our pregnancy losses were chromosomal, therefore we are unsure if the MTHFR gene mutations could have or could have not been a secondary cause.  This doesn't mean that the mutations will not be an issue in future pregnancies, so treating it accordingly is crucial.

What am I currently doing to help assist my body with its bumps in the methylation process due to MTHFR?

• I am no longer taking folic acid, but rather folate.  The MTHFR A1298C gene mutation inhibits my body from breaking down folic acid.  Therefore, I need to take folate rather than folic acid.  I am also attempting to fill my diet with plenty of natural folate. I am also avoiding folic acid found in food, because my body cannot use it.  The excess folic acid will sit in my body as a toxin.
• Supplementing with Zinc, B Vitamins (natural/methyl form) and Magnesium.
• Avoiding toxins - I have always been pretty good at this as I avoid almost all toxins in our household and personal care products.  I am even more cognizant of avoiding them now.  I truly believe since switching to my more natural lifestyle 5+ years ago I have seen an improvement in my health (allergies, psychological/emotional state, headaches).  After reading more about MTHFR I believe it is due to a "cleaner" less chemical ridden lifestyle.
• Eliminating dairy and gluten. I promised that I would do this on a trial basis to see how I feel. It is suggested those with my mutations forgo dairy and gluten.  My RE also mentioned her concern regarding inflamation, so eliminating these two is worth a shot. I have always dealt with some serious stomach bloating and headaches/sinus headaches. I will never forget growing up and my Mom telling me she thought I had allergies to cheese because she noticed a pattern of my ridiculous cheese eating and headaches and mood changes.  My particular mutations more often than not lead to auto-immune disorders if not treated.  Avoiding dairy and gluten will hopefully prevent me from an autoimmune disorder in the future. Wish me luck, because I love cheese and bread
• Working on managing stress and practicing mindfulness.  Stress inhibits methylation.
• Avoiding alcohol - Alcohol is a toxin and your body has an even more difficult time detoxing the alcohol if you have MTHFR gene mutations.  In addition, you are much more sensitive to alcohol depending on how well your body is methylating. (Aha! Finally an answer to those nights where I lost my pants)
• Daily baby aspirin

MTHFR has been more empowering than scary.  I have gained so much knowledge over the last months when it comes to MTHFR and myself.  When it comes to MTHFR doing your research, listening to your body and being proactive through a healthy/toxic free/well supplemented lifestyle is the best medicine.  I am confident I have a solid understanding on the best way to live my life from hear on out.   

This blog covers the very, very bare minimum of MTHFR.  Here is a great article and blog to get you started in your research, if you choose to learn more.  You can also test your own DNA using a home kit from 23andme.

Grocery Haul

I do not loathe nor love grocery shopping.  If I have time to spend and a plan; I tend to enjoy it.  If the store is busy, have very little time and I have no list; I tend to loathe it. Alas, it’s something that needs to get done.  If I left it up to my husband we would have pounds of lunch meat, Italian bread, crab legs, peanuts and cherries. Nothing else.

I figured I would share some of my typical buys and ‘give it a whirl’ impulse buys from Trader Joes and Whole Foods.  This week shopping wasn’t as typical as usual because of my crazy hours which equals much less cooking time. 

 

 

Whole Foods – The Usual

Mama Chia Products – I love Mama Chia Products.  I stocked up on a bunch of their Chia Squeeze Green Machine pouches when they were on sale at Target a couple of weeks ago, so I have plenty of those.  I really like these for an afternoon snack and an added bonus 1200 Omega 3-s!  I also love their Vitality Beverages, which I picked up a couple of those to change things up a bit.

Whisnant Family Farms Grassfed/Uncured Beef Hot Dogs – Grassfed and free of nitrates.  These are the premium of hot dogs my friends.  My husband love, love, loves them.  Did you know Grassfed beef is much higher in Omega-3s.  We all know how much I love my Omegas.  Supporting a family farm is an added bonus to purchasing these delicious links.

Horizon Organic/Organic Valley dairy products – Whole Foods is less expensive than Jewel or Meijer for organic dairy.  I picked up some Colby Jack Stringles (snacks), Mexican Taco Cheese (Taco Thursday!) and Heavy Whipping Cream (Shrimp Alfredo).

Evol Frozen Meals (not pictured) – I grabbed a few of these for lunches throughout the week (if I have time to eat!).  I am not a huge fan of frozen meals, but this week is  all about convenience!  Evol promises meals free of GMOS and rBGF/rBST.  The ones I picked up were also soy free (trying to stay clear of Soy for health reasons) and a couple week gluten free (I am on the fence about eliminating gluten from my diet for health reasons – and its baby steps around here).  The best thing about Evol is they actually taste good!

365 Organic BPA Free Canned Beans – Great price and BPA free can; can’t beat that.

**This was an odd week, but some other usual purchases for me at Whole Foods are seafood and bulk spices/beans/lentils/trail mix.

Whole Foods – Impulse Busy

Grass Fed Bacon – We rarely eat bacon because of my inability to cook it without almost burning the house down.  I decided to give it a whirl this week and purchased some grass fed bacon which I cooked on Sunday (without fail!) and it was absolutely delicious.  Bonus: seasoning for my cast iron cookware.

Jovial Checkerboard Einkorn Organic Cookies – I needed a cookie which was soy free and a *tad* better for you.  These are made with Einkorn wheat which is less processed than regular wheat (baby steps).  They are fabulous. I would definitely buy them again. 

365 Veggie Straws – Definitely not the best thing in the world for you, but soy free and something to snack on.

Whisnant Family Farms Italian Sausage – The hot dogs are amazing, and I am sure these won’t disappoint.

Trader Joes – The Usual

Dried Fruit & Nuts – This time I purchased some dried fruit, trail mix and brazil nuts

Trader Joe’s Apple Fruit Bars – just fruit!  soy free and a great afternoon snack.  I am particularly fond of the Apple & Coconut variety

Kind Bars – My husband loves the dark chocolate cherry variety

Organic Basmati Rice

Produce – This particular trip included plums, asparagus, lemons and cherry tomatoes

Miscellaneous Organic Frozen Veggies

Breaded Cod Filets – Another husband favorite

Bool Kogi (Korean Sesame Marinated Boneless Beef Ribs) – This is the second time I am purchasing.  The first time I bought them, my husband loved them but I didn’t try them.  I figured for a quick weekday meal this week with some basmati rice.  I am extremely strange when it comes to meat; so I may or may not try them this time

GrassFed Ground Beef – Great price and great taste!

Trader Joe’s Ubiquinol 100 mg – I am taking 300 mg of Ubiquinol (not CoQ10 - Yes, there is a huge difference) a day.  This stuff gets extremely expensive.  TJ’s price is extremely reasonable at $19.99 for a 60 count which means I am paying $30 a month for Ubiquinol not bad at all considering I was paying $80 for a 1.5 month supply.  I ordered some NOW brand 200mg Ubiquinol and will supplement the additional 100 mg with the TJ Ubiquinol.  One less pill to swallow!

Trader Joe’s -  Impulse Buys

Turkey Corn Dogs – for my husband

Trader Joe’s Reduce Guilt Air Popped Popcorn – purchased for my husband who was a much bigger fan of the new Baconesque but too much of a good thing is a bad thing, and I didn’t pick that up this trip.

 

Not many impulse buys, but what I really wanted to buy consisted of Speculous Cookie Butter Cheesecake Bites, Cookie Butter and Baconesque popcorn.  Ya, it was oh so very tempting!

 

What are your favorite TJ/Whole Foods must haves?

A Year of Oils

 

Since introducing Young Living essential oils into your lives, we have...

Not suffered a cold/flu in a year - not kidding. In the past, we have had about two cold/flu/viruses a year. I would suffer through a couple of sinus colds that would almost always escalate into full blown sinus infections. Every other year my husband's colds would often escalate into pneumonia/bronchitis.  It has been a year and nothing. No sniffles. No sneezes. No coughs. Nada. Zilch. 

Eliminated the purchase of costly and harmful household products such as hand sanitizer, bug spray, hand soap, dish soap and household cleaner.  I make the majority of our household products using vinegar and essential oils or use the concentrated Thieves Household Cleaner.  

Eliminated many of our costly natural personal care items with items I make homemade using essential oils. This began with my sister-in-law introducing me to her homemade deodorant.  Have you used a natural deodorant? Expect to pay $5+  for a stick that works 50% of the time and leaves an icky sticky residue.

Did you know you can poison yourself 30 ways before even sitting down for breakfast??

Are essential oils magic? Absolutely not, but can be when used the correct way; in conjuction with a healthy lifestyle! I cringe when I see ridiculous claims all over instagram, facebook and other social media forums.  Educate yourself!

It's also important to remember, essential oils work when one uses them. They are not a "one size fits all".  What works for one person may not work for others just like any drug or herb.  If you claim that a single oil will work for everyone for the same condition, you are using essential oils like you would an over the counter or prescription drug - a "band-aid" to the real problem.  Essential oils should be used in conjunction with a holistic, healthy lifestyle including clean/whole eating, stress relief and exercise. 

Young Living Essential Oils can do amazing things in the body, with your body and its natural ability to heal iteself.   

What have you experienced since introducing Young Living into your life?

An Ode to Joy

Joy has always been my least favorite Young Living Premium Starter Kit oil until now.  I now love Joy. 

 

Joy is a Young Living blend of Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Lemon, Coriander, Tangerine, Jasmine, Roman Chamomile, Palmarosa and Rose.

 

Just because I wasn’t a fan of Joy, doesn’t mean you will not instantly fall in love with Joy. It’s a good friends favorite oil in the kit.  Proof everyone’s likes/dislikes when it comes to scents are different.  What I find interesting is I have grown to really enjoy Joy over the last few months. In my opinion, proof that oils you often dislike are oils you actually need in your life.  

 

My favorite use for Joy thus far has been overcoming heaps of emotions specifically "the sads", and it really helps. I have enjoyed adding Joy to my lukewarm baths and daily over my heart.  I also have found myself applying it when I am very irritable and it turns my “frown upside down” as cheesy as that sounds. 

 

How do you use Joy?

 

K Went to the Health Food Store and Bought - Volume 2

I almost frequent the neighborhood health store as much as I do Target.  Here is what I scooped up this time!

1.  Garden of Life Wheat Grass Juice Powder - I would love to grow my own wheat grass, but seeing that's not in the cards right now I picked up some Garden of Life Organic Wheat Grass Juice Powder. Garden of Life Wheat Grass Juice Powder is a powder made from juicing wheat grass and extracting the water creating a concentrated powder.  Wheat Grass has a plethora of health benefits which you can read more about here. I decided to add it to my diet for energy. I added it to my smoothie this morning and did feel a very big oomph in energy. 

2. Navitas Naturals Maca Powder - Maca is a root that belongs to the radish family. Maca Powder is a great source of Vitamins A, C and E in addition to tons of healthy minerals like magensium (which was highly suggested by my RE).  It is a also said to be great for mood balance and energy.  These are definitely current struggles of mine.

3.  Rainbow Light Men's One Multivitamin - A simple, inexpensive food based vitamin for G which includes live plant based enzymes and probiotics.

4.  Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw B Complex - Through my research for the perfect B Complex vitamin I found this particular Raw B complex which includes all natural food based forms of the B's. A good B complex vitamin promotes metabolism, regeneration, emotional wellness, energy, stress reponse etc.  This particular supplement also uses Folate rather than Folic Acid. Can you tell I love Garden of Life products?

5. Now L-Carnitine - A supplement for G, because men need vitamins too. L-Carnitine is an excellent vitamin for male fertility and increases energy.  I figure, why not?

6. Amazing Grass Organic Wheat Grass - I bought these simply for convenience, when I am not looking to consume a smoothie/juice for my wheat grass fix.  These have excellent reviews online.  The serving size is a bit overwhelming at 5 tablets.

7.  derma e Hydrating Day Cream - I was out of my usual day cream, so I decided to try something new.  I have heard good and bad things about derma e products and figured I would give the day cream a whirl. This particular cream includes Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E and green tea extract. Most importantly is free of parabens, sulfates and mineral oil!

K Went to the Health Food Store and Bought...

I love haul blog posts, so figured I would do one of my most recent trip to the neighborhood health food store.   The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. I always walk away with a new tid-bit of nutritional knowledge. 

1.  not nuts! Beach Bash Seed and Fruit Mix by Enjoy Life - I love this mix and it contains sunflower seeds, which are a great source of Vitamin E (important antioxidant to preserve egg quality).  They also so happen to be wheat and soy free.  

2. Blue Diamond Honey Cinnamon Nut Thins - This is the first time I have purchased these, but sampled them in the store.  Holy Yum.  Almonds are also a great source of Vitamin E, and these are also wheat and soy free. 

3.  Brazil Nuts - Great source of selenium another antioxidant that protects you and your eggs from free radicals.  Free radicals can cause chromosomal damage. One nut contains 100% of the RDA of selenium.  

4.  NOW Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus and Bifidus - My probiotic of choice. I love NOW brand vitamins, the ease of only taking 1 pill and the price.

5. Carlson Super Daily D3 2000 IU Liquid Drops - I needed D3 and they were sold out of my usual D3, so I picked up this liquid D3 by Carlson. Carlson is a family business, and I have heard nothing but great things about the integrity of their products.  

6.  Life Extension Optimized Folate - Through my never ending research I discovered folate > folic acid. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate and not everyone metabolizes folic acid as they would folate. I picked this one up because it has the dosage I needed and was the brand recommended by the sales associate.  I am not going to reinvent the wheel but here is a great blog if you are interested in learning more about folic acid vs folate.

7.  Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal - My prenatal of choice for many reasons including the fact that it is food based, contains a small amount of probiotics, folate rather than folic acid and was not listed in the top 10 prenatals containing lead. YIKES.

8.  Nordic Naturals Omega 3-s - This supplement fulfilled my EPA/DHA requirement of 1,000 mg and artificial color/flavor free.  Nordic Naturals is an awesome brand that actually uses 3rd party testing on all of their supplements and also choose their fish according to super strict international standards for purity and freshness. I have used their DHA supplement in the past, and was impressed with its lack of fishy flavor. 

9.  Bragg Nutritional Yeast Seasoning - I have been up in the air about purchasing nutritional yeast seasoning, but decided to give it a try due to its chromium content which is supposed to be excellent for lowering cholesterol and improving insulin resistance.  

**Not pictured Enjoy Life Plentil Chips & GT's Enlightened Kombucha Multi-Green which were consumed on my way home.