Matt was TDY in Orlando all week, and I'm happy to have him home! I look forward to simply relaxing this evening and catching up on a few things around the house. Isaac and I played a lot this week, which means this mama slacked on some of her domestic duties. I wouldn't trade it though; my youngster is growing up way too quickly! Here's a quick layout of our tentative weekend plans:
* Fettucini alfredo for dinner tonight, followed by an evening bike ride.
* Sourdough pancakes (oh, sooooo yummy!) and scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow. Shh... don't tell Matt; it's a surprise!
* Painting a few things for our guest bedroom. It's slowly coming together!
* I'm trying out a new sloppy lentil recipe sometime this weekend. I've heard rave reviews, so I'll link you to it if it's successful!
* Maybe a trip to the base pool?
* Apex 11:30am service on Sunday. We're going through the book of James.
* Finish laying our new mulch in our flower beds. So we're only just shy of 2 years behind!! Better late than never!
* Mainly I'm looking forward to being w/my two faves. I hope this weekend is full of love and laughter!
What are your plans for the weekend?
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Counter-Culture
One of my favorite sites for nutrition is Weston Price. Over the past few months, I've delved deeper into researching nutrition, disease prevention, and healing. I read this and this tonight, and it seems like our modern society does things completely opposite of well-documented research. Do you ever wonder what our lives would be like if we went back to "Grandma's cooking"? It is no secret that our ancestors were healthy, thriving people free from cancer, heart disease and all sorts of other ailments. Most doctors want to give us pills to take, but could it be (just perhaps!) that our problem is how we process our food to death and what we eat now as opposed to what people used to eat even just 100 years ago? Call me crazy, but I'm willing to do what I can within my limits to make my son's generation a healthy one. And to make my grandma proud.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Coconut Oil - It's quite good for you!
Recently, I began incorporating coconut oil into my diet on an everyday basis. The benefits of coconut oil are just too amazing to not use it.
During the onset of my sophomore year in college, I had a serious Crohn's flare. The symptoms began long before the flare ensued and were extremely painful. I did not eat. I did not sleep. I dropped weight rapidly. Many outsiders assumed I was anorexic. (What I would have given to simply eat a cracker!) I could not sit up straight due to the excessive amount of inflammation in my gut. I waddled around, rightfully earning the nickname "Penguin". I remember literally punching my mom's bed frame as I tried to fall asleep; the pain too cumbersome to mentally bear. Finally, I had surgery at Mt. Caramel in Columbus and took a quarter break from college.
This is a small glimpse of my story, but I want you to know why I'm passionate about it. Over the past 11 years, I've managed Crohn's disease to the best of my ability. Once I accepted Christ, I sought the Lord on how to care for my body. I know my life is in His hands. He has an allotted number of days for me. I believe this with my whole heart, and I trust Him. I can do nothing to add to the time He has set for me. Yet, I know He calls me to be a good steward of all things, including physical health. By nurturing my body, I'm better fit to serve and honor Him and hopefully prevent future flares. So here I am now in 2010 researching ways to actually heal my gut as much as possible. It may seem radical to some, but to me it's totally worth it. If I can use natural remedies to aid in better digestion, absorption, and immunity, you bet I'll take it! I've been able to reduce medication by 50% and hope to eventually stop taking it altogether. Will you hope with me?
I've read so much lately, but what I really desire to share with you is what I've learned about coconut oil. Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid, which means it's easily digested and absorbed. Many people who suffer from Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis claim that coconuts/coconut oil is a miracle remedy. While I'm not sure that this will actually cure my illness, I honestly believe it helps control symptoms including fatigue, weight loss, abdominal cramping, gas, frequent bowel movements, etc. This article lays out many benefits of using coconut oil. Coconut oil is healthy for us, and if you're human, you probably will benefit from using it on a regular basis. I incorporate it into my smoothies, and it is wonderful on pancakes or toast topped with some honey. I also use this recipe for homemade deodorant, and it is fantastic! Vitacost has great prices on coconut oil as well as other natural/organic products. If you're looking for a healthy boost to your diet, add some coconut oil. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
During the onset of my sophomore year in college, I had a serious Crohn's flare. The symptoms began long before the flare ensued and were extremely painful. I did not eat. I did not sleep. I dropped weight rapidly. Many outsiders assumed I was anorexic. (What I would have given to simply eat a cracker!) I could not sit up straight due to the excessive amount of inflammation in my gut. I waddled around, rightfully earning the nickname "Penguin". I remember literally punching my mom's bed frame as I tried to fall asleep; the pain too cumbersome to mentally bear. Finally, I had surgery at Mt. Caramel in Columbus and took a quarter break from college.
This is a small glimpse of my story, but I want you to know why I'm passionate about it. Over the past 11 years, I've managed Crohn's disease to the best of my ability. Once I accepted Christ, I sought the Lord on how to care for my body. I know my life is in His hands. He has an allotted number of days for me. I believe this with my whole heart, and I trust Him. I can do nothing to add to the time He has set for me. Yet, I know He calls me to be a good steward of all things, including physical health. By nurturing my body, I'm better fit to serve and honor Him and hopefully prevent future flares. So here I am now in 2010 researching ways to actually heal my gut as much as possible. It may seem radical to some, but to me it's totally worth it. If I can use natural remedies to aid in better digestion, absorption, and immunity, you bet I'll take it! I've been able to reduce medication by 50% and hope to eventually stop taking it altogether. Will you hope with me?
I've read so much lately, but what I really desire to share with you is what I've learned about coconut oil. Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid, which means it's easily digested and absorbed. Many people who suffer from Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis claim that coconuts/coconut oil is a miracle remedy. While I'm not sure that this will actually cure my illness, I honestly believe it helps control symptoms including fatigue, weight loss, abdominal cramping, gas, frequent bowel movements, etc. This article lays out many benefits of using coconut oil. Coconut oil is healthy for us, and if you're human, you probably will benefit from using it on a regular basis. I incorporate it into my smoothies, and it is wonderful on pancakes or toast topped with some honey. I also use this recipe for homemade deodorant, and it is fantastic! Vitacost has great prices on coconut oil as well as other natural/organic products. If you're looking for a healthy boost to your diet, add some coconut oil. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Friday, May 21, 2010
I think you'll enjoy her
Meet Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking. A friend recommended her blog, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all that I've read. She loves the Lord, which evidences itself in her respectful and wise manner of writing. She has some really great tips. Make sure you read some of her posts, and check out her recipes as well! I hope you glean some great insight from her experiences in the kitchen and in the home!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
For your digestive health...
If you or someone you know suffers from any type of digestive disorder, this article might interest you. Jordan Rubin was literally on his death bed due to Crohn's disease. He is the author of The Maker's Diet and wants to help others learn how to heal their digestive tracts naturally. I hope to incorporate as much of this into my diet as possible. I know it can only help, and hopefully I can kick medication to the curb for good!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Glenn Helen
Over the past three weeks, we've enjoyed the wild outdoors! We hiked through Glenn Helen last week after stopping for breakfast at the Sunrise Cafe in Yellow Springs. This is my very favorite breakfast spot. You really need to eat here. The food is fresh and delicious and filling enough to sustain you while you hike and explore!
Daddy and his son - two sweethearts!
Wiping off his hands so we can head back home!
Here are a few of shots of our outing. (We returned today from a three day trip to Hueston Woods. I'll post pictures and video soon!)
Smiling... sort of!
Daddy and his son - two sweethearts! Wiping off his hands so we can head back home!Thursday, April 8, 2010
Soaked Oatmeal Recipe
As I mentioned a few days ago, I've been reading up on health and wellness topics. Overall, I try to steer clear from as many preservatives, dyes, hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, etc. as possible, but I think there is always room for improvement in what I buy and prepare for our family to eat. (Especially, when it seems like every grocery store in America is chock-full of enticing processed food!) I haven't always been overly health conscious, but over the past three years I've read enough to convince me that some of our eating habits needed revamped. In general, I enjoy learning new things, and for some peculiar reason, health topics constantly pique my interest. And, to be honest with you, one of my goals is to eventually stop taking maintenance therapy drugs for Crohn's disease. I'm not quite ready to make such a drastic jump, but I have high hopes that sometime in the future I might be able to control this disease through diet alone. I hope so!
The week I read that 70 percent of our immune system is located in our digestive tract. Crohn's is considered an auto-immune disease, which in a nutshell means that my body's immunity overreacts and works against itself. Although I'm almost certain genetics plays some part in Crohn's (my brother and I both have it and were diagnosed only three months apart), it's interesting to know that I can make small changes in my diet to gain more nutritional benefits and absorb vital nutrients. I think my digestive tract might be happier with me if I change a few things!
So, this week I'm focusing my attention on whole grains. Whole grains naturally contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid, found in the hull or bran of grains. Phytic acid blocks the absorption of minerals including zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Soaking or sprouting grains helps reduce the amount of phytic acid, therefore enabling the body to absorb and easily digest the grains we consume. This is a wonderful site where you can learn more about traditional cooking and why soaking grains is beneficial. Not only is it beneficial, it's simple, too!
My first experience with soaking grains proved successful! I soaked oats and pecans (it's also good to soak nuts - here's why) in water with a little lemon juice for this tasty oatmeal. We all enjoyed it, and I'm making more this evening. If you and your family enjoy oatmeal, give this recipe a shot. Play around with it, and feel free to share your modifications with me. I'm always up for a new, tasty, and healthy recipe!
The week I read that 70 percent of our immune system is located in our digestive tract. Crohn's is considered an auto-immune disease, which in a nutshell means that my body's immunity overreacts and works against itself. Although I'm almost certain genetics plays some part in Crohn's (my brother and I both have it and were diagnosed only three months apart), it's interesting to know that I can make small changes in my diet to gain more nutritional benefits and absorb vital nutrients. I think my digestive tract might be happier with me if I change a few things!
So, this week I'm focusing my attention on whole grains. Whole grains naturally contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid, found in the hull or bran of grains. Phytic acid blocks the absorption of minerals including zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Soaking or sprouting grains helps reduce the amount of phytic acid, therefore enabling the body to absorb and easily digest the grains we consume. This is a wonderful site where you can learn more about traditional cooking and why soaking grains is beneficial. Not only is it beneficial, it's simple, too!
My first experience with soaking grains proved successful! I soaked oats and pecans (it's also good to soak nuts - here's why) in water with a little lemon juice for this tasty oatmeal. We all enjoyed it, and I'm making more this evening. If you and your family enjoy oatmeal, give this recipe a shot. Play around with it, and feel free to share your modifications with me. I'm always up for a new, tasty, and healthy recipe!
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