I headed to my gyno this morning for some issues I've been having. Turns out I probably have pockets of endometriosis in my uterus wall which have been causing blood to pool causing severe cramping, clotting, and bleeding during my periods. It's been wholly unpleasant. She says that we could treat with birth control hormones (The Pill, Mirena, Depo Shot), however, since I have never responded to the pill well it is probably not a good option. I always feel sick and miserable on any sort of hormonal birth control: very nauseous, bleeding, etc. An ablation is an option, but will not relieve the pain I have every month. Looks like the best option, for me, anyway, is a Hysterectomy. She thinks a partial will be okay since my ovaries feel normal, but will not know until she is in there for sure. She thinks she can do it Laparoscopically/Vaginally. I hope so. The recovery on that is so much easier.
I have been so focused on getting healthy the past 2 years of my life. I am eating better - less processed and healthier foods. I exercise at least 4-6 days a week. I've lost weight the right way. I have eliminated some of the stressors in my life. I try very hard to be positive mentally. I have very much been focused on healthful living. It is very hard not to see a major surgery as a pretty significant setback. It is hard to stay positive mentally when they are removing a pretty major organ from my body. Granted, it is an organ that I am done with. Four children is *plenty* for me. And the thought of never having a period again is a glorious proposition. But I have never had major surgery and the thought of slowing my life down enough to do so is pretty daunting. Three-Six weeks without Taekwondo at all feels like a prison sentence.
Before the Hysterectomy can happen, I first I have to have Urodynamics testing done to see why I am having some of the other issues. Some of those may be correctable by surgery as well, so I may be looking at two surgeries instead of one.
I also found out (when the doc looked up whether or not my allergy med might be causing some of the urinary issues I've been having) that my allergy med may be causing some of the GI issues I've had over the past while. Sigh. So, I will be switching allergy medications and researching side effects better.
I was very upset and boohooed at the doctor. I feel so bad about being so emotional. I really am done with the pain and the bleeding. I was/am just so overwhelmed with the prospect of taking time off from my life to do something so major. I know in the long run, I will probably feel better. I won't have the misery that has been part of my life for the past 5 years. But I am frightened, emotional, and anxious. And right now, I don't have a "plan". I don't have a calendar I can look at to say, "Okay, Urodynamics testing is this day, my annual exam is this day, and my hysterectomy is this day..." I don't like not having a plan in place. It makes my anxiety so much worse.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
So I've been doing research this morning regarding diets for IBS. There is so much conflicting information out there. Web MD says one thing. Mayo says something similar but slightly different. This other web site says a lot more and contradicts some of what Mayo says... It boils down to this - cutting red meat, only eating white meat poultry no skin or lower fat fish. No nut butters, but if I finely ground nuts, I can have them, so they say??? No coffee, not even decaf. No caffeine. No beans unless I blend them up. No solid chocolate, only cocoa powder. No veggies unless they are cooked. Some websites say to peel the skins off fruit to make them easily digestible. Others say to leave them on for the fiber. One web site recommends a severely limited diet with very few foods. Another recommends eating veggies of all sorts for fiber. Can't I just eat what tastes tasty as long as it is 'healthy'?
All I know is that I am tired of being afraid of wandering too far from a bathroom. The things I am doing consistently do nothing, though have reduced my headaches. Others I am doing inconsistently definitely aren't working. I'm about to give up and go back to enjoying food and damning the consequences.
Food and the way it affects my body has become this horrible enemy that I want to conquer. But according to some web sites it may not be a food issue at all. It might have more to do with anxiety. If that is the case, why have my doctors not suggested this. I had no idea IBS triggers were stress and anxiety. Duh?!?! I have generalized anxiety disorder!!! Could all of my digestive problems be solved by me taking a stupid antidepressant or anti anxiety med? Seriously?
I am in pain daily. My stomach hurts daily. For the past several months I have had diarrhea at least 2-3 days a week. Sometimes my digestive system stops working and I don't go for several days. I oscillate wildly between an overworked digestive tract and one that doesn't work at all.
I am seriously at my wits end with all of this. I need answers. I need some real solutions. I want to enjoy food again. I want to enjoy life. I don't want to be so consumed with what I can or can't eat. I just want to live... And dang it, I want a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich on my favorite Arnold Oatnut bread with a giant glass of skim milk. I miss real milk. I miss real bread.
All I know is that I am tired of being afraid of wandering too far from a bathroom. The things I am doing consistently do nothing, though have reduced my headaches. Others I am doing inconsistently definitely aren't working. I'm about to give up and go back to enjoying food and damning the consequences.
Food and the way it affects my body has become this horrible enemy that I want to conquer. But according to some web sites it may not be a food issue at all. It might have more to do with anxiety. If that is the case, why have my doctors not suggested this. I had no idea IBS triggers were stress and anxiety. Duh?!?! I have generalized anxiety disorder!!! Could all of my digestive problems be solved by me taking a stupid antidepressant or anti anxiety med? Seriously?
I am in pain daily. My stomach hurts daily. For the past several months I have had diarrhea at least 2-3 days a week. Sometimes my digestive system stops working and I don't go for several days. I oscillate wildly between an overworked digestive tract and one that doesn't work at all.
I am seriously at my wits end with all of this. I need answers. I need some real solutions. I want to enjoy food again. I want to enjoy life. I don't want to be so consumed with what I can or can't eat. I just want to live... And dang it, I want a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich on my favorite Arnold Oatnut bread with a giant glass of skim milk. I miss real milk. I miss real bread.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Top 10 Reasons Why Parenting just sucks some days
10. When your kids hurt and there is nothing you can do to fix it.
9. Smart alecs.
8. Overflowing stinky diapers.
7. Late night wake up calls for sick children.
6. Late night wake up calls for sick children - when you are sick as well.
5. When they say, "I'm boooorrreeed."
4. "Are we there yet?"
3. Mount Laundry.
2. Projectile Vomit that isn't your own... not that it is good when it is your own.
1. Cleaning projectile vomit off of car carpets, walls, sheets, stuffed animals, toys, hair, clothes, floors, and pretty much anywhere else at 2:00 a.m.
As I gaze over at my beautiful sleeping child - whose little red head is peeking out over the arm of the couch, I see how all the things that suck are worth it. This little person who grew inside of me is so amazing. Even when I am cleaning the messes in the middle of the night, he's still amazing and beautiful... and a little bit pitiful at this point in time.
I am so ill myself tonight. When he woke me to tell me he had puked in his bed, I was dripping in sweat and shivering. Now I'm just shivering, but I wouldn't miss being able to be here for my kids for anything. However, I think, for tomorrow, at least, my husband may have to take over sick duty for a while so I can get some sleep.
9. Smart alecs.
8. Overflowing stinky diapers.
7. Late night wake up calls for sick children.
6. Late night wake up calls for sick children - when you are sick as well.
5. When they say, "I'm boooorrreeed."
4. "Are we there yet?"
3. Mount Laundry.
2. Projectile Vomit that isn't your own... not that it is good when it is your own.
1. Cleaning projectile vomit off of car carpets, walls, sheets, stuffed animals, toys, hair, clothes, floors, and pretty much anywhere else at 2:00 a.m.
As I gaze over at my beautiful sleeping child - whose little red head is peeking out over the arm of the couch, I see how all the things that suck are worth it. This little person who grew inside of me is so amazing. Even when I am cleaning the messes in the middle of the night, he's still amazing and beautiful... and a little bit pitiful at this point in time.
I am so ill myself tonight. When he woke me to tell me he had puked in his bed, I was dripping in sweat and shivering. Now I'm just shivering, but I wouldn't miss being able to be here for my kids for anything. However, I think, for tomorrow, at least, my husband may have to take over sick duty for a while so I can get some sleep.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Dairy Free & Gluten Free
As I said in my last post, I've altered my diet, eliminating Gluten and Dairy to try and help my health issues. My stomach issues along with severe migraines had gotten really awful. The dairy free stuff I have had a couple of months to adjust to, but I am still exploring what gluten free products actually taste good. I have established a shelf in my cabinet specifically for GF/DF stuff that I've forbade my children from touching without permission. Without going gluten free, I was able to find many of my normal products that were dairy free. Adding in the gluten free aspect, I am finding it more challenging to find... da-da-duuuummmmm... Junk food - that actually tastes good.
Eliminating Reese's Cups at first was the most difficult thing I've ever done! I know that sounds ridiculous, but Reese's Cups are my favorite food on the planet. I've probably spent thousands of dollars over the course of my lifetime on Reese's cups. I love them that much. I've had ONE since November. Within hours of consuming it, I had a splitting migraine headache. Lesson learned - My body doesn't like them even if my mouth craves their tasty-chocolatey-peanutbuttery goodness. If I could hire Reese's to make me a Reese's Cup with no dairy, I would! Other peanut butter cups pale in comparison to the real thing. It's depressing.
Reese's puffs cereal, has been something I've been enjoying. It isn't listed as GF/DF, but doesn't list anything with gluten or dairy as an ingredient. It gives me the Reese's flavor without the actual Reese's Cups. It may have cross contamination with wheat though at this point my whole house is a cross contamination risk. My family still eats gluten and there is just no way to eliminate cross contamination at this point. I'd have to either move all my cooking for myself upstairs to our other kitchen, then I'd have to stop my 14 year old from taking food up there (he lives in the upstairs "apartment"). So I cheat a bit with the Reese's Puffs for now.
Oreo's are dairy free. Which was nice when I was still eating Gluten. The Glutino brand Chocolate Vanilla Creme cookies are decent, but are almost too chocolatey. They aren't quite the right texture. Dipped in Pacific Foods Hazelnut Milk makes them work for me. They need to make a "double-stuf" version of these because really, the chocolate cookie is just a carrier for the cream for me!
Van's has a "Lots of Everything" crackers are really good dipped in Hummus, dressing, salsa, or even crumbled into Chili. They are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free, Soy Free, GMO free. Their ingredients: Oats, Brown Rice, Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth, Non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or sunflower oil, potato starch, brown sugar, rice flour, sesame seeds, salt, yeast extract, poppy seeds, dried onion, dried garlic, sunflower Lecithin, Caraway seeds. They are delicious.
Rice Crispies for cereal is always good as are Rice or Corn Chex. Cereal is very important to me.
Other things that have become commonplace in my diet these days: Avocado (on everything from a sandwich spread to guacomole, to a veggie dip), Hummus, Fruit, Greens (Collards, Spinach, Swiss Chard), Baby Carrots, Celery, Nuts, Bananas, Citrus fruits, etc. I've been really pushing myself to explore real foods as well as finding substitutes for the junk foods I loved up until they began giving me migraines.
However, I have had to find some dairy substitutes to at least let me alter some of my comfort food recipes. I think for now, I have mastered being Dairy free. I hope to do a similar post on what has worked for me in the Gluten Free arena as well soon. But right now I have too much still to try out. Right now, I am still here: http://youtu.be/k9QbC41oQRo
For now, I give you - What works for this crazy mom - the dairy free version:
I have not found a Yogurt Substitute that I like yet, but I am still trying. Almond, Coconut, Soy... None of them have that Greek Yogurt texture I really like. If you like Yoplait or other non-greek yogurts, then the substitutes will work. I am pondering "squeezing" some of the plain soy yogurt in cheese cloth to see if I can get a thicker texture. It's just too thin for my purposes!
MimicCreme is my favorite Heavy Cream Substitute. I use it to make Cream of Broccoli Soup, Potato Soup, Chocolate Truffles (made with Trader Joe's Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips and also Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips), and Mashed Potatoes. Any recipe that calls for cream, evaporated milk, or milk can use MimicCreme instead. It is made from Cashew Cream and comes in sweetened and unsweetened varieties. Both are tasty. They also have a wonderful Hazelnut Biscotti Coffee Creamer that is delicious in my morning coffee. I was so happy to find it at my health food store the other day when I went. I really wanted to try it before I bought a case of it online.
Pacific Foods Hazelnut milk is my drinking milk substitute of choice. I use it on Cereal, to dip my cookies, or just to drink. It is pretty thick tasting, more like whole milk than skim. It is slightly sweet, but not overly so. The chocolate version tastes a bit like drinking Nutella. It makes a more milky coffee creamer, but I don't use it for that unless I have to.
I like the Tofutti brand "american cheese", but it has kind of a crumbly texture. The flavor is right though, which is what matters to me. It does okay on a grilled cheese sandwich made with Udi's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread and tastes just fine on a ham sandwich.
Tofutti also has a "Better than..." line that I like. Their Sour Supreme better than sour cream is pretty darn close to the real thing. The Better Than Cream Cheese is quite tasty as well, though it doesn't make a great NY cheese cake. They also have a Ricotta that is pretty passable in Pastas and such. I haven't tried it in Lasagna yet, but I did use it as an ingredient in a quiche.
I love the Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Chive and Garlic Cream Cheese Alternative. It is just tasty. It's good on sandwiches, bagels, spread on toast. I also used it in my no-dary-broccoli cheese soup and in a quiche.
Daiya has some completely Soy Free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free imitation Cheese shreds that "melt and stretch". These are the best that I've found, though I wouldn't call them cheese, they do taste pretty good. They have Pepper Jack, Cheddar, and Mozzarella varieties. I've used these in Cream Soups as pizza toppings, taco filling, etc. The mozzarella kind of melts a bit slimy which sounds gross, but works as a pizza topping with other veggies and meats. The cheddar works quite well in cream soups.
There are probably more products I could list, but these are the big ones that I have been using. It really makes a huge difference in the variety of my diet to be able to find dairy substitutes that work for me. I'll end this post with my Dairy Free Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe that I've adjust and altered quite a bit. The "Cream Sauce" makes a good pasta topping as well. If you switch the cheddar shreds with the mozzarella and add some of the Tofutti Ricotta, it makes a tasty Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp grape seed or olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2-3 cups fresh broccoli chopped to small size.
About 2 cups Vegetable broth, Chicken Broth, or Water
Cream Sauce
1 container of unsweetened MimicCreme
4 tbsp Corn Starch
1 Package of Daiyo Cheddar shreds
1 package Vegan Chive and Garlic Cream Cheese
Heat grape seed oil in a large pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Sauté until tender. Add Broccoli, garlic and Broth and steam until tender. In a separate pot, prepare cream sauce. Heat Mimic Creme and Corn Starch until it thickens stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until melted. I have had to use an immersion blender to get the Daiyo Cheddar shreds to combine completely. Add the cream sauce to the broccoli and other vegetables and stir to combine. Stir on low heat until the flavors are combined.
Eliminating Reese's Cups at first was the most difficult thing I've ever done! I know that sounds ridiculous, but Reese's Cups are my favorite food on the planet. I've probably spent thousands of dollars over the course of my lifetime on Reese's cups. I love them that much. I've had ONE since November. Within hours of consuming it, I had a splitting migraine headache. Lesson learned - My body doesn't like them even if my mouth craves their tasty-chocolatey-peanutbuttery goodness. If I could hire Reese's to make me a Reese's Cup with no dairy, I would! Other peanut butter cups pale in comparison to the real thing. It's depressing.
Reese's puffs cereal, has been something I've been enjoying. It isn't listed as GF/DF, but doesn't list anything with gluten or dairy as an ingredient. It gives me the Reese's flavor without the actual Reese's Cups. It may have cross contamination with wheat though at this point my whole house is a cross contamination risk. My family still eats gluten and there is just no way to eliminate cross contamination at this point. I'd have to either move all my cooking for myself upstairs to our other kitchen, then I'd have to stop my 14 year old from taking food up there (he lives in the upstairs "apartment"). So I cheat a bit with the Reese's Puffs for now.
Oreo's are dairy free. Which was nice when I was still eating Gluten. The Glutino brand Chocolate Vanilla Creme cookies are decent, but are almost too chocolatey. They aren't quite the right texture. Dipped in Pacific Foods Hazelnut Milk makes them work for me. They need to make a "double-stuf" version of these because really, the chocolate cookie is just a carrier for the cream for me!
Van's has a "Lots of Everything" crackers are really good dipped in Hummus, dressing, salsa, or even crumbled into Chili. They are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free, Soy Free, GMO free. Their ingredients: Oats, Brown Rice, Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth, Non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or sunflower oil, potato starch, brown sugar, rice flour, sesame seeds, salt, yeast extract, poppy seeds, dried onion, dried garlic, sunflower Lecithin, Caraway seeds. They are delicious.
Rice Crispies for cereal is always good as are Rice or Corn Chex. Cereal is very important to me.
Other things that have become commonplace in my diet these days: Avocado (on everything from a sandwich spread to guacomole, to a veggie dip), Hummus, Fruit, Greens (Collards, Spinach, Swiss Chard), Baby Carrots, Celery, Nuts, Bananas, Citrus fruits, etc. I've been really pushing myself to explore real foods as well as finding substitutes for the junk foods I loved up until they began giving me migraines.
However, I have had to find some dairy substitutes to at least let me alter some of my comfort food recipes. I think for now, I have mastered being Dairy free. I hope to do a similar post on what has worked for me in the Gluten Free arena as well soon. But right now I have too much still to try out. Right now, I am still here: http://youtu.be/k9QbC41oQRo
For now, I give you - What works for this crazy mom - the dairy free version:
I have not found a Yogurt Substitute that I like yet, but I am still trying. Almond, Coconut, Soy... None of them have that Greek Yogurt texture I really like. If you like Yoplait or other non-greek yogurts, then the substitutes will work. I am pondering "squeezing" some of the plain soy yogurt in cheese cloth to see if I can get a thicker texture. It's just too thin for my purposes!
MimicCreme is my favorite Heavy Cream Substitute. I use it to make Cream of Broccoli Soup, Potato Soup, Chocolate Truffles (made with Trader Joe's Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips and also Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips), and Mashed Potatoes. Any recipe that calls for cream, evaporated milk, or milk can use MimicCreme instead. It is made from Cashew Cream and comes in sweetened and unsweetened varieties. Both are tasty. They also have a wonderful Hazelnut Biscotti Coffee Creamer that is delicious in my morning coffee. I was so happy to find it at my health food store the other day when I went. I really wanted to try it before I bought a case of it online.
Pacific Foods Hazelnut milk is my drinking milk substitute of choice. I use it on Cereal, to dip my cookies, or just to drink. It is pretty thick tasting, more like whole milk than skim. It is slightly sweet, but not overly so. The chocolate version tastes a bit like drinking Nutella. It makes a more milky coffee creamer, but I don't use it for that unless I have to.
I like the Tofutti brand "american cheese", but it has kind of a crumbly texture. The flavor is right though, which is what matters to me. It does okay on a grilled cheese sandwich made with Udi's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread and tastes just fine on a ham sandwich.
Tofutti also has a "Better than..." line that I like. Their Sour Supreme better than sour cream is pretty darn close to the real thing. The Better Than Cream Cheese is quite tasty as well, though it doesn't make a great NY cheese cake. They also have a Ricotta that is pretty passable in Pastas and such. I haven't tried it in Lasagna yet, but I did use it as an ingredient in a quiche.
I love the Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Chive and Garlic Cream Cheese Alternative. It is just tasty. It's good on sandwiches, bagels, spread on toast. I also used it in my no-dary-broccoli cheese soup and in a quiche.
Daiya has some completely Soy Free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free imitation Cheese shreds that "melt and stretch". These are the best that I've found, though I wouldn't call them cheese, they do taste pretty good. They have Pepper Jack, Cheddar, and Mozzarella varieties. I've used these in Cream Soups as pizza toppings, taco filling, etc. The mozzarella kind of melts a bit slimy which sounds gross, but works as a pizza topping with other veggies and meats. The cheddar works quite well in cream soups.
There are probably more products I could list, but these are the big ones that I have been using. It really makes a huge difference in the variety of my diet to be able to find dairy substitutes that work for me. I'll end this post with my Dairy Free Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe that I've adjust and altered quite a bit. The "Cream Sauce" makes a good pasta topping as well. If you switch the cheddar shreds with the mozzarella and add some of the Tofutti Ricotta, it makes a tasty Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp grape seed or olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2-3 cups fresh broccoli chopped to small size.
About 2 cups Vegetable broth, Chicken Broth, or Water
Cream Sauce
1 container of unsweetened MimicCreme
4 tbsp Corn Starch
1 Package of Daiyo Cheddar shreds
1 package Vegan Chive and Garlic Cream Cheese
Heat grape seed oil in a large pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Sauté until tender. Add Broccoli, garlic and Broth and steam until tender. In a separate pot, prepare cream sauce. Heat Mimic Creme and Corn Starch until it thickens stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until melted. I have had to use an immersion blender to get the Daiyo Cheddar shreds to combine completely. Add the cream sauce to the broccoli and other vegetables and stir to combine. Stir on low heat until the flavors are combined.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Dietary Changes, Homeschooling (Or lack thereof), and Kicking People, preferably in the head.
My ability to write lately has waned due to my incessant busy schedule. I so want to write daily, but honestly, when I do have time, all I really want to do is rest. Between health issues, homeschooling, Taekwondo, and preparing for my spring garden, I don't have time to think about much else. I've been sharing most of my issues with my favorite ladies in a support group which has been there for about 10 years now. They are a huge source of friendship and helpful advice.
I have been suffering, in various degrees, since late July with severe IBS symptoms and for 3 years with severe migraines. I was diagnosed with IBS when I was pregnant with my last child, though I am sure I had it well before then. I've had digestion issues all my life. Since July, it has gotten a whole lot worse. There have been nights where I am up all night with stomach cramps and can't move far from the toilet let alone leaving the bathroom. It has hindered my ability to go to my normal activities, slowed my weight loss progress, and really just put me in an all around grumpy mood. I have both stomach pains and lower abdominal pains that are just horrific. I oscillate between... well... let me just say that I can either go for days without visiting a bathroom or I bring a book and stay a while when I do go.
In November, after Taekwondo camp, I decided to try to cure myself by eliminating Dairy. The food journal I was keeping saw a pattern where I would have IBS symptoms after consuming milk, soft cheese, or regular yogurt. Greek Yogurt and Harder cheeses didn't seem to bother me too much but I went cold turkey. Let me just say - giving up dairy (especially Reese's Cups and Starbucks Doublshots with Energy) was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I felt like such an addict. I had withdrawal symptoms and I still get occasional cravings for specific foods. Sometimes the smell of cheddar cheese or just seeing the bright orange packaging of a Reese's Cup makes my mouth water. Just call me Pavlov's Pooch...
So after kicking Dairy for about 3 weeks, my migraine headaches, which I'd been experiencing for 3 years several times a month, disappeared. I don't mean they lessened or just got mildly better... They went away completely. I've had only a few migraines since, but only when I've eaten out someplace questionable. I slipped up and ate a Reese's Cup this month in a fit of PMS induced craziness and suffered for 2 days after. The only problem - I eliminated dairy to solve my IBS issues. It didn't solve those issues in the slightest. I am still suffering daily stomach pain and cramping.
I scheduled appointments with the Gastroenterologist and had an Upper Endoscopy. They ruled out H-Pylori, mostly, and ruled out gallstones. It showed Gastritis, the lining of my stomach was very red, but I've not received the test results back. Since I've had the blood work, the biopsies, and all the other testing done, I decided to take matters into my own hands this week and have eliminated gluten as well as the dairy. So far so good. This transition has been much easier than the transition from dairy. I've found a couple of alternatives that I like, that aren't too expensive. So we will see if it helps after a few months of eliminating gluten.
With all the health issues and the holidays, our school schedule has been annoyingly sparse. I keep reminding myself that we homeschool for a reason and that I am not trying to get my kids "caught up" we have until they are 18 to get them through High School or later if necessary. But not having a schedule means we all suffer from feeling very disjointed. I'm hoping that next week we can get back to our regularly scheduled three weeks on one week off program. That schedule was working quite well for us in the fall.
I am struggling with Isaac and reading, but I figure he will eventually catch up when Oz starts catching on to it. He is just one of those kids who learns differently and I have to work with his strengths. Isaac is mostly working in 1st and 2nd grade, except for reading - he is finishing up the Kindergarten curriculum. Oz is working on Kindergarten on Time4Learning.com.
Evie has discovered a passion for reading anything she can find. She loves Science, especially, and is really working hard this year in it. She moves a little more slowly in Math, but is using Saxon 6/5 which combines 5/6 grades together. If she takes a little longer on it, I am okay with that!
Asher lacks just a few more assignments to complete 9th grade and has already begun some of his 10th grade stuff. He is focusing this semester on completing the 9th grade English and History and 10th grade Geometry. In June/July he will begin his 10th grade in full swing. I have focused this year on improving his writing skills and he has come such a long way from where he was just a few months ago. I am developing templates that he (and the other kids) can use throughout their lifetimes for certain kinds of assignments. It seems to be working out rather well and I am trying to develop it into something other homeschoolers can use.
The other busy thing in our lives is Taekwondo. We are getting ready for rank testing. Our current ranks are: Asher - 1st Senior, Evie - 1st Decided, Isaac - Senior Blue, Oz - Dragon Orange, Josh - Senior Brown, and I am a Red Belt. We participated in the National Tournament in Kissimmee, FL last weekend. Josh took double 3rd for forms and Sparring, Evie and I each took 2nd in Sparring in our divisions, Isaac got a spirit medal, Oz got a Dragon Gold Medal. Asher was injured the day before the tournament and unfortunately did not get to participate. He is still recovering and will not be testing this time around. Poor guy. Josh was Student of The Year for 2012 at Taekwondo. He worked really hard and has lost around 60 pounds since starting Taekwondo. It is great exercise.
I've lost several inches and about 15 pounds since I began and several inches in my legs and hips. But the way men can drop weight sometimes perplexes me. It is frustrating to be working very hard and not seeing the results I want. After watching my form video from the tournament, I determined 2 things: 1. I need to learn how to jump. 2. To learn how to jump, I *have* to lose probably 25 pounds.
I am going to push myself to do Weight Watchers again and really stick with it. It is so hard, when I have this weird love affair with food. I eat when I'm lonely, when I'm happy, or when I'm socializing. I tend to snack when I drive long distances if it is available. At home, I snack in the evenings. I really just *love* eating. Having stomach pains constantly, has also meant that I *hate* eating as well. I know it will hurt if I don't eat. But it also hurts if I do. I am trying to find a happy middle ground. Hopefully, removing gluten will settle my pains and I can get my portions under control as well with Weight Watchers.
I've had this great support structure for homeschooling, Taekwondo, and raising my children. I wish I had the same support structure for weight loss. I guess weight loss is something so internal that you have to do it on your own. I am not finding a community for it like I've found with other things.
I have started several plants indoors this winter and it is helping my seasonal depression issues a great deal. I have lettuce, cilantro, basil, and even potatoes growing indoors. It's a great feeling to know that I have this early start on my garden. I'll start my tomatoes and other plants in the coming weeks. I can't wait to have my garden again this season. It's going to be so neat to have it so much closer to my house. I hope it does well where I've moved it!
I wish I had all the time in the world to blog more regularly. Putting my thought from my head to my fingers, and onto a screen really does help me focus my energy and organize my thoughts. Perhaps I will make some time, perhaps I won't. But I won't feel guilty either way! :D
I have been suffering, in various degrees, since late July with severe IBS symptoms and for 3 years with severe migraines. I was diagnosed with IBS when I was pregnant with my last child, though I am sure I had it well before then. I've had digestion issues all my life. Since July, it has gotten a whole lot worse. There have been nights where I am up all night with stomach cramps and can't move far from the toilet let alone leaving the bathroom. It has hindered my ability to go to my normal activities, slowed my weight loss progress, and really just put me in an all around grumpy mood. I have both stomach pains and lower abdominal pains that are just horrific. I oscillate between... well... let me just say that I can either go for days without visiting a bathroom or I bring a book and stay a while when I do go.
In November, after Taekwondo camp, I decided to try to cure myself by eliminating Dairy. The food journal I was keeping saw a pattern where I would have IBS symptoms after consuming milk, soft cheese, or regular yogurt. Greek Yogurt and Harder cheeses didn't seem to bother me too much but I went cold turkey. Let me just say - giving up dairy (especially Reese's Cups and Starbucks Doublshots with Energy) was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I felt like such an addict. I had withdrawal symptoms and I still get occasional cravings for specific foods. Sometimes the smell of cheddar cheese or just seeing the bright orange packaging of a Reese's Cup makes my mouth water. Just call me Pavlov's Pooch...
So after kicking Dairy for about 3 weeks, my migraine headaches, which I'd been experiencing for 3 years several times a month, disappeared. I don't mean they lessened or just got mildly better... They went away completely. I've had only a few migraines since, but only when I've eaten out someplace questionable. I slipped up and ate a Reese's Cup this month in a fit of PMS induced craziness and suffered for 2 days after. The only problem - I eliminated dairy to solve my IBS issues. It didn't solve those issues in the slightest. I am still suffering daily stomach pain and cramping.
I scheduled appointments with the Gastroenterologist and had an Upper Endoscopy. They ruled out H-Pylori, mostly, and ruled out gallstones. It showed Gastritis, the lining of my stomach was very red, but I've not received the test results back. Since I've had the blood work, the biopsies, and all the other testing done, I decided to take matters into my own hands this week and have eliminated gluten as well as the dairy. So far so good. This transition has been much easier than the transition from dairy. I've found a couple of alternatives that I like, that aren't too expensive. So we will see if it helps after a few months of eliminating gluten.
With all the health issues and the holidays, our school schedule has been annoyingly sparse. I keep reminding myself that we homeschool for a reason and that I am not trying to get my kids "caught up" we have until they are 18 to get them through High School or later if necessary. But not having a schedule means we all suffer from feeling very disjointed. I'm hoping that next week we can get back to our regularly scheduled three weeks on one week off program. That schedule was working quite well for us in the fall.
I am struggling with Isaac and reading, but I figure he will eventually catch up when Oz starts catching on to it. He is just one of those kids who learns differently and I have to work with his strengths. Isaac is mostly working in 1st and 2nd grade, except for reading - he is finishing up the Kindergarten curriculum. Oz is working on Kindergarten on Time4Learning.com.
Evie has discovered a passion for reading anything she can find. She loves Science, especially, and is really working hard this year in it. She moves a little more slowly in Math, but is using Saxon 6/5 which combines 5/6 grades together. If she takes a little longer on it, I am okay with that!
Asher lacks just a few more assignments to complete 9th grade and has already begun some of his 10th grade stuff. He is focusing this semester on completing the 9th grade English and History and 10th grade Geometry. In June/July he will begin his 10th grade in full swing. I have focused this year on improving his writing skills and he has come such a long way from where he was just a few months ago. I am developing templates that he (and the other kids) can use throughout their lifetimes for certain kinds of assignments. It seems to be working out rather well and I am trying to develop it into something other homeschoolers can use.
The other busy thing in our lives is Taekwondo. We are getting ready for rank testing. Our current ranks are: Asher - 1st Senior, Evie - 1st Decided, Isaac - Senior Blue, Oz - Dragon Orange, Josh - Senior Brown, and I am a Red Belt. We participated in the National Tournament in Kissimmee, FL last weekend. Josh took double 3rd for forms and Sparring, Evie and I each took 2nd in Sparring in our divisions, Isaac got a spirit medal, Oz got a Dragon Gold Medal. Asher was injured the day before the tournament and unfortunately did not get to participate. He is still recovering and will not be testing this time around. Poor guy. Josh was Student of The Year for 2012 at Taekwondo. He worked really hard and has lost around 60 pounds since starting Taekwondo. It is great exercise.
I've lost several inches and about 15 pounds since I began and several inches in my legs and hips. But the way men can drop weight sometimes perplexes me. It is frustrating to be working very hard and not seeing the results I want. After watching my form video from the tournament, I determined 2 things: 1. I need to learn how to jump. 2. To learn how to jump, I *have* to lose probably 25 pounds.
I am going to push myself to do Weight Watchers again and really stick with it. It is so hard, when I have this weird love affair with food. I eat when I'm lonely, when I'm happy, or when I'm socializing. I tend to snack when I drive long distances if it is available. At home, I snack in the evenings. I really just *love* eating. Having stomach pains constantly, has also meant that I *hate* eating as well. I know it will hurt if I don't eat. But it also hurts if I do. I am trying to find a happy middle ground. Hopefully, removing gluten will settle my pains and I can get my portions under control as well with Weight Watchers.
I've had this great support structure for homeschooling, Taekwondo, and raising my children. I wish I had the same support structure for weight loss. I guess weight loss is something so internal that you have to do it on your own. I am not finding a community for it like I've found with other things.
I have started several plants indoors this winter and it is helping my seasonal depression issues a great deal. I have lettuce, cilantro, basil, and even potatoes growing indoors. It's a great feeling to know that I have this early start on my garden. I'll start my tomatoes and other plants in the coming weeks. I can't wait to have my garden again this season. It's going to be so neat to have it so much closer to my house. I hope it does well where I've moved it!
I wish I had all the time in the world to blog more regularly. Putting my thought from my head to my fingers, and onto a screen really does help me focus my energy and organize my thoughts. Perhaps I will make some time, perhaps I won't. But I won't feel guilty either way! :D
Saturday, December 29, 2012
35 New Years! - Revisited
Well, I am 35... These were my New Year's resolutions this past year... Let's see how I did... I accomplished 28 out of the 35 things I wanted to this year. That is about an 80%. I guess that isn't a great grade, but it is better than I expected. I also lost about 10 lbs this year on top of the 6 I had lost simply by taking TKD. *And* my body is 2 sizes smaller. I was in a 14 on Jan. 1, of last year. My 10s are now a snug but nice fit. So by focusing on health instead of purely on weight loss, I am making permanent changes that have helped me lose some weight and get a whole lot healthier.
1. Limit my fast food intake to once a week. Done - nothing like cutting dairy to make you stop eating cheap burgers and french fries.
2. Limit Dr. Pepper and/or caffeinated energy drinks to 3 cans a week. Done - I can't do my coffee drinks any more and Dr. Pepper just doesn't taste as good.
x3. Take my Vitamin supplements regularly. Well... This one's a total failure on my part. I hate taking vitamins. They make me queasy.
4. Eat fresh vegetables consistently and daily. Done.
5. Eat fresh fruit consistently and daily. And... Done.
6. Limit my red meat consumption to 1 day per week. I think I've gotten this one pretty much under control. Mostly...
7. Eat beans at least once a week. Done!
x8. Eat fish at least once a week. I wish I liked fish more...
x9. Cook at home at least 5 days per week. Umm... Still trying.
10. Decrease the number of Reese's Big Cups I eat. No dairy=No Reese's cups. I've not had one since early November.
11. Eat only when I am truly hungry. Done, unless I have PMS.
12. Do not eat past full. Most of the time I accomplish this. With all the gastrointestinal issues I've had the past several months, eating past full means a killer stomach ache, so that has helped.
13. Enjoy fatty sweet foods as special treats instead of occasional meals. Done!
14. Waste less food that I buy to stock my pantry and fridge. Done!
15. Find out how many calories I burn in a day on average. I joined Fitocracy and while I don't know how many calories I burn, I do know that a really good Taekwondo work out is between 500-800 points.
16. Worry less about how many calories and fat grams I take into my body and stop feeling guilty about it. Done. I am just trying to make better choices.
17. Consume more healthy foods that will give me energy naturally. Avocado has become a staple in my diet. I've also added Chia seeds and taken away dairy altogether. This has helped my energy level.
18. Find out which foods are high energy foods. I've not found a complete list, but Avocado, berries, nuts, and seeds are all on my list.
19. Drink more pure water. (as opposed to things like vitamin waters) Done. I still drink the vitamin waters, but not daily.
x20. Keep a food and activity journal consistently. Well... Not consistently.
21. Grow more vegetables and have the garden be the bulk of my spring/summer food intake. My garden was kind of crappy this year, but I did get a decent harvest of a lot of things.
x22. Visit the farmer's market more often. About once every couple of months doesn't count. Need to get out more often.
23. Buy more local meat. Accomplished this by just making a point of walking over to the drug store that has a freezer case full of local meats.
24. Find out which foods I am currently eating that negatively affect my workouts and replace them with foods that will positively affect my workouts. Dairy - It was causing my migraines. I cut it out altogether and it cured them. It did not cure my stomach issues. I am still working on solving those. I may have to cut gluten as well. Yay.
x25. Make meal menus. Um... Nope.
26. Use the crock pot more often. Done!
27. Eat less bread. Done!
28. Drink at least one glass of milk each day. I drink Hazelnut milk now, so I'm calling this accomplished.
29. Worry less often and relax more often. Subjectively, I think I've done better with this. It has been a matter of being mindful enough to force myself to stop worrying.
30. Stop allowing negative body image thoughts into my brain - even during PMS. Done. I still have a few now and then, but not nearly as many.
x31. Dress up and "look pretty" at least one day a week. Once a month? I don't think I can count this one.
32. Finish our school year by Mid spring so I can be outdoors more before it is super hot. (Done)
33. Get outdoors more often - even when it is miserably hot/cold. (Done)
34. Give my body a chance to detox from years of fast food and fatty food abuse. (In Progress)
35. Widen my palette and try new foods. (Done)
1. Limit my fast food intake to once a week. Done - nothing like cutting dairy to make you stop eating cheap burgers and french fries.
2. Limit Dr. Pepper and/or caffeinated energy drinks to 3 cans a week. Done - I can't do my coffee drinks any more and Dr. Pepper just doesn't taste as good.
x3. Take my Vitamin supplements regularly. Well... This one's a total failure on my part. I hate taking vitamins. They make me queasy.
4. Eat fresh vegetables consistently and daily. Done.
5. Eat fresh fruit consistently and daily. And... Done.
6. Limit my red meat consumption to 1 day per week. I think I've gotten this one pretty much under control. Mostly...
7. Eat beans at least once a week. Done!
x8. Eat fish at least once a week. I wish I liked fish more...
x9. Cook at home at least 5 days per week. Umm... Still trying.
10. Decrease the number of Reese's Big Cups I eat. No dairy=No Reese's cups. I've not had one since early November.
11. Eat only when I am truly hungry. Done, unless I have PMS.
12. Do not eat past full. Most of the time I accomplish this. With all the gastrointestinal issues I've had the past several months, eating past full means a killer stomach ache, so that has helped.
13. Enjoy fatty sweet foods as special treats instead of occasional meals. Done!
14. Waste less food that I buy to stock my pantry and fridge. Done!
15. Find out how many calories I burn in a day on average. I joined Fitocracy and while I don't know how many calories I burn, I do know that a really good Taekwondo work out is between 500-800 points.
16. Worry less about how many calories and fat grams I take into my body and stop feeling guilty about it. Done. I am just trying to make better choices.
17. Consume more healthy foods that will give me energy naturally. Avocado has become a staple in my diet. I've also added Chia seeds and taken away dairy altogether. This has helped my energy level.
18. Find out which foods are high energy foods. I've not found a complete list, but Avocado, berries, nuts, and seeds are all on my list.
19. Drink more pure water. (as opposed to things like vitamin waters) Done. I still drink the vitamin waters, but not daily.
x20. Keep a food and activity journal consistently. Well... Not consistently.
21. Grow more vegetables and have the garden be the bulk of my spring/summer food intake. My garden was kind of crappy this year, but I did get a decent harvest of a lot of things.
x22. Visit the farmer's market more often. About once every couple of months doesn't count. Need to get out more often.
23. Buy more local meat. Accomplished this by just making a point of walking over to the drug store that has a freezer case full of local meats.
24. Find out which foods I am currently eating that negatively affect my workouts and replace them with foods that will positively affect my workouts. Dairy - It was causing my migraines. I cut it out altogether and it cured them. It did not cure my stomach issues. I am still working on solving those. I may have to cut gluten as well. Yay.
x25. Make meal menus. Um... Nope.
26. Use the crock pot more often. Done!
27. Eat less bread. Done!
28. Drink at least one glass of milk each day. I drink Hazelnut milk now, so I'm calling this accomplished.
29. Worry less often and relax more often. Subjectively, I think I've done better with this. It has been a matter of being mindful enough to force myself to stop worrying.
30. Stop allowing negative body image thoughts into my brain - even during PMS. Done. I still have a few now and then, but not nearly as many.
x31. Dress up and "look pretty" at least one day a week. Once a month? I don't think I can count this one.
32. Finish our school year by Mid spring so I can be outdoors more before it is super hot. (Done)
33. Get outdoors more often - even when it is miserably hot/cold. (Done)
34. Give my body a chance to detox from years of fast food and fatty food abuse. (In Progress)
35. Widen my palette and try new foods. (Done)
Monday, October 29, 2012
Quick and dirty list of homeschooling resources for North Carolina
I've been asked a lot recently about how to get started what resources I can offer. It's so easy to get overwhelmed with what's available. Here is a quick and dirty list. Of course, the local public library is the most fantastic resource ever! Forgive the lack of links where I have not given them. Feel free to copy and paste. Crappy blogger program...
Homeschooling Free/Affordable Resource List:
General resources K-5:
http://onswipe.education.com/education/
This website has a great deal of resources, worksheets, projects, and articles on every level and subject. You have to get a membership but it is FREE!
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/
The NC Public School Standard Course of study is something I've used occasionally to guide what my kids are "supposed" to know by certain ages. As I've gotten more confident, I've found it less useful. I've discovered that my four kids are all learning different subjects on different levels at completely different ages. However, it was invaluable when I first started and I still occasionally refer to it when I begin feeling that I'm not doing my job properly. Mostly, it just makes me feel better about what I am doing!
www.time4learning.com
This product is $19.95 per month. As far as online Curricula go, it is pretty comprehensive and very affordable by comparison. I used it for several years with my older kids and my begin using it with my younger kids as well to get them really rolling on their school work. It only goes through 8th grade, but is quality stuff. If you supplement with some writing, writing practice, perhaps some spelling, and reading, you don't have to add too much else to it to make it sufficient to meet state standards. My kids have always tested well when using this curriculum. It also makes planning a breeze.
Math:
FREE: http://www.khanacademy.org/exercisedashboard
Khan Academy doesn't only have incredible Math and Science Videos for upper grades. This tool for doing math exercises and drills is great. You can set up an account for your child and yourself. Make yourself his coach and set him loose to try some of the exercises. This is also an excellent tool to see where your child's math proficiencies and weaknesses lie.
AFFORDABLE: Singapore Math
http://www.amazon.com/Primary-Mathematics-Workbook-U-S-Edition/dp/9810185049/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1351521503&sr=8-4&keywords=singapore+math+3a
Buy it used if you can - in the Charlotte area we a wonderful used curriculum resource: http://www.thehomeschoolroom.net/The_Homeschool_Room/Welcome.html
Science: Typical Elementary level science is a process of learning similar things again and again and building on them each time until you have a decent general knowledge that isn't too deep. I've found with my kids, allowing them to go as deeply as they want to go with whatever science subject, is a better tactic. Each child has found a science topic they really want to learn about and they learn about it deeply. I would rather them have a depth of knowledge in one subject, then the broad general knowledge that will come when they begin middle and high school science and delve deeply into certain types of science. Science field trips and activities abound in NC if you know where to find them.
Reedy Creek Nature Reserve and Park has loads of activities and classes: http://parkrez.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/Activities/Activities.asp?SCheck=448880174&SDT=39436.4265092593&ComplexId=112&NextPageValue=&RecordStart=1
http://www.wildwnc.org/become-a-member/become-a-member
A family membership to the Western North Carolina Nature Center is one of the best Science deals and educational opportunities in the state of NC. A family membership is $62 and covers 2 adults and up to 4 children. This membership gets you into a AZA and ASTC facilities (Zoo, Aquarium, Science Centers). This includes the Asheboro Zoo, Discovery Place, Charlotte Nature Museum, Schielle Museum, Aquariums at the beach, Greensboro Science Center, etc. You can't beat this deal - if you use it two or three times for field trips, you've paid for the membership. Also, Asheville is so beautiful and a day trip to the Western NC Nature Center is well worth the trip!
http://www.sciencenc.com/
North Carolina Science Olympiad (Grades 2-5). If you are in NC and can find or start a homeschool team in your area, do it. This non-profit organization is excellent. Elementary Science Olympiad is a tournament held in different regions throughout NC in late spring. Each team's members study for up to 3 out of 18 events ranging from Water Rockets and Gravity Cars to Astronomy, Physical, Life, and Earth Science. It is great fun socially, and the kids learn so much.
The Mythbusters - it's on Netflix Streaming watch it, discuss it, then use their book and other books to do experiments at home: http://www.amazon.com/MythBusters-Dont-Try-This-Home/dp/0787983691/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351521839&sr=1-2&keywords=science+projects+kids+mythbusters
http://www.amazon.com/Science-Seconds-Kids-Experiments-Minutes/dp/0471044563/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1351521710&sr=8-4&keywords=science+projects+kids
http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Eggs-Flying-Potatoes-Unforgettable/dp/160832060X/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1351521759&sr=8-10&keywords=science+projects+kids
History:
History is where I fall down on the job a lot. Joy Hakim has some decent US History books. And I love to listen to the audio books for Story Of The World. Mostly, I've let my kids follow whatever historical events spark their interests. The Rick Riordan series of books sparked interest for my oldest in Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. Doctor Who has also inspired them to do a passive study of a number of historical figures - Vincent Van Gogh, Charles Dickens, Madame Du Pompadour, and several others. We also watch a lot of Netflix streaming history and science documentaries.
Reading:
goodreads.com is a great way for you and your kids to keep track of what they are reading. Here are some pretty comprehensive reading lists by grade level:
Kindergarten
Reading List: http://www.cfsd16.org/schools/ventanavista/pdf/SummerReading2.pdf
1st Grade
Reading List: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/1st-grade-reading-list
2nd Grade
Reading List: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/2nd-grade-reading-list
3rd Grade
Reading List: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/3rd-grade
4th Grade
Reading List: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/4th-grade-reading-list
5th Grade
Reading List: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/5th-grade-reading-list
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