A Song for Friday

LURVE.  Enjoy!!




TGIF!

Food for Thought

Good morning!  It's Thursday already.  This week has flown by!  Which is why I wanted to share some food for thought with you...

People who suffer from anxiety, like I do, often don't live IN the moment.  We're always worried about what happened in our past (and dwell on it) or what's going to happen in our future (and plan, re-plan, and plan again).  I am guilty of doing both...and I'll be the first to admit it.  But you see, if you really think about it, all we have is NOW.  We don't have last year, we don't have next year.  All we have is NOW.  What we do, in this moment, right NOW, is all that matters.  The choices we make NOW is what affect our future, or what helps us learn from our past.  Think of being PRESENT.  Is it called being PRESENT because it's a gift?

To assist me in being PRESENT, I'm starting with my eating.  I don't understand why so many of us SCARF down our food.  Are we going to be chased by a bear, so we better eat quick to get out of harm's way?  No, probably not.  If we take the time to be MINDFUL, we will most likely make better food choices, give our system time to digest, and maybe even eat a bit less!  Take time to enjoy your food, and don't make it a mindless activity.  We ALL need a break during the day- enjoy it!

I was watching Eat Pray Love while I was sick this weekend.  (good movie, by the way)  It was interesting to see Juila Roberts go to these different countries to see how everyone lived so differently.  One scene in particular was talking about why American's just worked all the time and really didn't know how to play... but the Italian's know how to play!!  So while she was in Italy, she started really ENJOYING a meal (or two...or three).  She was 'getting it'.  She was learning how to be present and enjoy the moment.  (enter lightbulb going off in my head...)

So, being mindful while you eat is one way to be present, but certainly not the only way.  Maybe give it a try today.   It doesn't have to be for every meal- just try one!  Time flies.  Slow down!  Remember, the PRESENT is a GIFT.  Enjoy it.

xoxo

...it strikes again

Good Monday morning to you all.  I hope everybody had a nice Easter!  Mine was....not as nice.  Early Sunday morning I woke up with the dreaded food poisoning.  Ugh.  Now to most people, it's no big deal.  Sure it's not fun, but it's not debilitating either.  To me, however, it's the absolute worst thing on earth.  If you've been following me for a while, you know that I am an emetophobe.  And if I or someone in my house is sick like this, I FREAK OUT.  Majorly.  Needless to say I'm taking the day off to recuperate.  I am feeling much better (MUCH better), and oddly enough, I am very calm this morning.  Maybe it's because I'm taking the day off and have no real 'commitments' until this evening.  In any regard, I'm NOT worrying if I'll get sick or if I'll encounter something or someone that will make me sick.  This is a big step for me.  I ate food this morning (ok it was half of a banana and a piece of dry toast... so not really a gourmet meal...) and I feel good.  I did massive amounts of Rescue Remedy, Bioplasma, and a mix of lavender and geranium essential oils last evening.  Does the sense of calm I have this morning come from using all of that last night?  Quite possibly.  I was also EXHAUSTED so I slept pretty well.  That didn't hurt, I'm sure.

I'd like to share a recipe with you for a homemade electrolyte formula (use instead of Pedialyte, Gatorade, etc.- bad chemicals.... bad.)  This formula helps you get back on your feet after being sick, and it's so easy to make.  You might need to have someone run to the store for you to pick up a few normal goods, but we had most of it in the house already.  Source of Recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Qt Warm Water
1/4 t Salt
1/4 t Baking Soda
1 T Sugar
4 T Orange Juice
Ginger Ale (side note:  I like Reed's Natural Ginger Ale)

Mix together all of the ingredients except Ginger Ale
When ready to drink, mix 1 oz of electrolyte solution with 1 oz of Ginger Ale (side note: 1/8 C is an oz, so you should have a total of 1/4 C of liquid)
Give every hour for 10-12 hours
Keep unused portion of electrolyte solution in the fridge, keep Ginger Ale at room temperature

You know, this would be good to drink after a workout or working outside in the summer.   Just a thought!

Make it a great day, everyone!  I know I'm trying!

 

Travel Series- Staying Healthy While Traveling

Staying healthy is something that I STRIVE for while traveling.  Here's my general order of operations:

1 week leading up to travel:
Be SURE that I sleep 8 hours every night
Take my regular pills-  Vitamin D (5000 IU), Multi-Vitamin, Zinc, Magnesium (for my tremors), Probiotics
Drink a 'green drink' a few times that week with Amazing Grass, Banana, Orange, Spinach, and Rice Protein
Exercise
Massive amounts of water

Day before travel, day of travel:
Keep up with regular pills listed above and add Oregano Oil, 2nd Vitamin D pill (10,000 IU)
Drink a 'green drink'
Be sure to get 8 hours of sleep
Exercise
Massive amounts of water

At the airport, hand sanitizer/hand washing is KEY.  Be sure to wash your hands before eating or touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.  Airports and airplanes are DIRTY.  If you really think about it, imagine how many people are in and out of there every day... and how much the commonly touched areas are NOT cleaned.  ICK!  We always make sure we pack some plastic utensils to use to cut and eat our food with to help avoid having to actually touch the food.

Also, you're going to be sitting a LONG time.  It's beneficial to do some laps around the airport to get your circulation moving a bit.  Brenton and I often times walk laps.  Plus, I have an issue with claustrophobia, so getting up and moving around helps a lot.

Also there's no need to eat a heavy meal before a flight.  You'll feel icky!  Eat a snack a few times around the flight, and only eat a 'meal' if it's longer than 3-4 hours.   And even that, keep it light!  Salads are good.

Take a look at Jan McBarron's video about staying healthy while traveling.  She and I agree!!
xoxo

Travel Series- TSA Tips

Hellooooo everybody.  Continuing my travel series, I'd like to talk a bit about how to easily get through airport security.

One thing that I do, since I'm an opt-out of the the backscatter xray machines, is wear as little clothing as (tastefully) possible.  Even in the winter, I go by probably the best piece of advice that I have ever gotten.  "Dress AFTER you get through airport security".  This logic is more helpful than most people realize.  Here's what I wear, no matter the season, through security.

TSA won't have to pat what isn't covered.  Then once through security, I pull on a pair of wind pants and jacket that I have stashed into my carryon.  And of course I wear socks with this outfit and slip on shoes, too.    Works like a charm.  Brenton wears a t-shirt and shorts, and does the same thing with the extra clothes in the carryon.  We also stash any keys, wallets, coins, cellphone, ipod, etc. in the carryon and then once through, we load up our pockets like normal.

Speaking of carryon- what carryon do I use?  I tend to take my laptop, oh, EVERYWHERE, so I purchased one that would allow my laptop to stay IN THE BAG, rather than having to take it out.  Here's my pride and joy:  






I.LOVE.THIS.BAG.  So you put the laptop in a designated pocket, and you just unzip the top part to lay it flat on the conveyor belt.  It gets scanned in the bag and you're on your way.  It's AWESOME.  And CHEAP!!  I like, too, that there is a  pocket that doesn't zip in the front JUST BIG ENOUGH for your 1 qt size bag of liquids!!  Pull it out, plop it in the bin, throw your bag through the conveyor belt, pat pat pat, and go!  I'm glad I bought this bag.  I have used it on 2 trips (4 times through airport security) and it has worked like a charm.

Next post- my airplane comfort items.

xoxo

Travel Series- Comfort Items

Good day, all.  To continue this award winning (ha) travel series, I want to share some of the things that make me 'comfortable' while traveling.

First off, my bag-o-liquids for the carry-on:

Lavender Oil- induces relaxation
Peppermint Oil- helps with headaches, sore muscles
Rescue Remedy- to help ease panic attacks (yes, I get them)
Hand Sanitizer
Nasal Spray- to help keep my nasal passages moist and help trap airborne germs
Eye Drops- to help keep my eyes moist
Motion Eaze- to help prevent/ease motion sickness

If I check a bag, the regular toiletries are packed away.  If not, I add the normal toiletries like toothpaste, deodorant, etc.  And between Brenton and me, we can pack enough for us to be away for a week to 10 days.

Other comfort items I like to pack:

Eye Mask
Ear Plugs
Ipod, with podcasts, guided meditation, Dave Matthews (lol), and apps, with earbuds
Magazine, or two....or three
Ginger Pills, Sea Bands (more assistance with motion sickness)
Pill Bag- Chlorella tablets, Vitamin D, Oregano Oil, Zinc, Bioplasma, Multi-Vitamin, Advil (ugh.), Bonine (just for motion sickness emergencies - haven't needed it since my Motion Eaze, Ginger Pills and Sea Bands! WHOO!)
Snacks- fruit, granola bars, nuts, crackers

There you have it, my travel comfort items.  For long flights I like to wear long knee socks to help with circulation and a neck pillow so I can sleep.

It's important for me to get up and move around when I fly, especially because I have a problem with my ankles swelling.  Take a look at these two youtube videos that have exercises and information about moving around while flying. Enjoy! xoxo










Next up- staying HEALTHY while you travel!

Travel Series- Chia Fresca, TSA

Hello everyone!  Spring is in the air, flowers are popping up all over the place.  Great time of year!!  This gets me excited for summer, and more importantly, TRAVEL SEASON!!  YESSSSSSS!  I have had a love/hate relationship with travel.  When I was younger I used to love to go on vacations.  Then, as I got older, I started going on vacation with people other than my parents.  It was then that travel got a bit more stressful for me.  After more and more travel practice, however, I have become an old pro.   Because of this, I am starting a bloggie series of my best travel tips.  I know that these tips will be helpful to SOMEBODY out there, and even if it only helps one person, it's worth it.

Alright, here we go.  Chia Fresca.  When you travel, especially throughout the summer, you need to make sure you stay hydrated.  When you fly, the air on the plane is so dry that you tend to dehydrate faster than if you were on the ground.  What's really cool about chia is that, when mixed with a bit of water, it turns into a gel that is SUPER hydrating.  What I like to do when I travel is make Chai Fresca.  It's uber easy to do, and it keeps you very hydrated.  Not to mention that it's full of fiber so it helps with internal...discomfort... that often happens to people when traveling.

So here's what you need-
water
chia
lemon wedge (1/8th of a lemon is fine)

Fill up your water bottle (this is 12oz), add 1-2 T of chia seeds.

Mix well with the water and add the lemon juice.  The.End.

It'll be very gelatinous, and semi-thick like a milkshake.  It'll taste fresh, and will keep you energized and hydrated.  If flying, you can either get a bottle of water after you get through security and add the chia/lemon to it, or take your refillable water bottle through security (you may need to open it to prove that it's empty), and fill it up at the fountain.  I like to add goji berries, dried cherries, or raisins to encourage myself to drink all of my water throughout the flight.  You can pack the chia, lemon, and any extra dried fruit in a ziplock and it'll easily get through security.

SPEAKING of security...

SO, TSA.  My thoughts on the whole backscatter "naked body scanners" as they're so lovingly called.  I.DO.NOT.GO.THROUGH.THESE.MACHINES.  Pat away, TSA, pat away.  I simply do NOT trust that these machines are safe.  Any time you get an X-ray, you expose yourself to radiation.  "Experts" say that you  get more radiation by flying 2 minutes on a flight from NYC to LA, but you know what?  It's all CUMULATIVE.  It all adds up.  X-rays at the dentist.  X-rays at the doctor.  Radiation while flying.  Radiation while going through these machines at the airport.  If I have the option of avoiding one of these methods of radiation, I will.  Hence, I'm an opt-out.  My husband is an opt-out.  If TSA yells "OPT OUT!!", I'll yell it right back.  Negativity aside, in the next post I'll talk about what I wear through security to make the whole process easier.

The Sunday Newspaper- Bringing Snacks Your Way!

Every Sunday I look forward to looking at the newspaper ads.  I am not sure exactly why I like looking at them so much- I think it goes back to my childhood days of looking at them while eating a snack after church.  Nostalgia...

So this morning was like every other Sunday morning.  I woke up early (of course, because I CAN'T sleep in anymore) and went outside to grab the paper.  The bag that the paper came in had an ad on it (like normal) but it also had a little snack sample.  Check out this nutritious find!!!  Weight Watchers fans will fall in love!

Only 80 calories!!!  Real fruit bites made with yogurt and whole grain oats.  AWESOME!!!  ...right?

....I hope you can sense the sarcasm....

When you turn this little bag-o-death over, you can see that the pineapple chunks have ingredients in them.  Hello?  Why?  Just dry some pineapple and call it a day, ok?  

And then the yogurt has trans fat (aka that hydrogenated palm kernel oil), but not enough for it to be put on the nutrition facts, so no one would even know it unless you looked at the ingredients.  Thanks DOLE!  WAY TO PROMOTE HEALTHY SNACKING, DOLE!  COME ON.

Awesome.

I threw it away.

Last week there were Cinnamon Cheerios with extra fiber.  Because that's healthy.  ???

Rawr.

Yoga Spy

Hola chicos y chicas!  TGIF!  What a week this has been.  It'll be nice to enjoy the weekend without having to do a million things.  Last weekend was CrAzY busy.... this weekend....ahhhhh... not so bad.

I'm sitting here enjoying a loooovely breakfast.

YUM.  Perfect for a Friday morning.

So last night, I made these YUM-O vegan cookies.  Catch the recipe HERE.

Yes.... they were THAT good.  I only did a half-batch.... or else I would eat them alllllll.  These tasted like there was butter in them.... without the butter.  Crazy!

So last week and earlier this week, I was SICK.  I had caught a monster cold that I just couldn't seem to shake.  So, I heard about this:

Sweet, right?!  Homeopathic medicine to cure my cold.  I used 3 doses (or maybe 4?) and it zapped my cold in no time flat.  And then.... this happened...

See that active ingredient???

.....that's duck liver extract.

I think I died a little.  It worked so well.  SO WELL.  Nothing else worked to get rid of my cold.

I guess all I can say now is "thank you, mr. duck, for helping me get over my cold".  Knowing what the active ingredient in there is makes me not want to take it again.  But it helped.  A lot.  BAH!!

I ended the evening with some yoga.... and a spy came into the room (aka my hubby).  Attraaaaactive....

 


Awesome.

On a less embarrassing note, tt's going to be 59 in Central Ohio.... yay for spring preview!!

Make it a great day!  xoxo

Holy Crow... That's Some GOOD Pizza!!!

Happy Wednesday-almost-Thursday!  For the very first time this past week we tried Clever Crow Pizza.  I first heard of these pizzas being served at Circus in the Short North area when Anthony Bourdain went there on his "Heartland" episode.  HOLY CROW are these pizzas FANTASTIC!!!!!

We went to the Short North, as we do a lot, and picked up a Butternut pizza to take home and bake.  All of these yummy toppings on a cornmeal/sourdough crust (from their Facebook):  butternut squash puree, mozzarella, house-smoked provolone, red potato, roasted balsamic onions, corn.  I'm all about trying new things!!  This pizza was certainly a mix of new flavors... and it was SO GOOD.  I was a little hesitant about the red skin potatoes, but the mix of those and the onions were the best part!!!


Look how cute the box is!!!

Hand-written directions.... very easy!

Prior to baking- a baked crust with raw ingredients.  Chives on the side.

Post-baking yummy.

LOOOOK at all of the toppings!!!!!!!!

I have never had a more unique pizza.  It was SO good, and would go back to them in a heartbeat.  If you ever in Columbus, stop by the North Market or Circus and CHECK THEM OUT!  You won't be disappointed!!  Rumor has it that they're working on a gluten-free crust, too!  So my GF friends, sit tight!!!  You too will be able to enjoy their fantastic pizzas!!!






See the guy at the beginning of the video??? He wrote the baking instructions on my box! I was star-struck hehehehe!

Muffins!

Short post today!  I made some FANTASTIC blueberry muffins.  Check out the recipe here, and just sub blueberries for raspberries.  Simple, quick, vegan, and oh so good.  To make these muffins vegan, I substituted the egg from the recipe with soaked chia seeds (about 1 1/2 T- I just kind of eyeballed the amount that I thought an egg would be and hoped for the best hahahaha).  They worked BEAUTIFULLY!!

Soaked Chia Seeds:

Mix the dry ingredients.  This time I used 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour, 1/4 C Oats, and 1/4 C Flax Meal.

Mixed the 'wet' ingredients, including the Chia.

And mixed them all together.  Added blueberries.

THESE SMELLED SOOOO GOOD BAKING IN THE OVEN.  HOLY.  MOLY.

AWESOME.   Seriously.  I drizzled a little local honey on them.  MMMM.

See the honeycomb?  Y.U.M.

A Time to Reflect....

Happy Wednesday, everybody!  We got a snow day today, which gave me time to do some things around the house and kind of reflect a little bit.

I recently got a new job (and by recently, I mean Monday).  I didn't change job locations, but I changed departments.  My new job is a promotion from my old job, and it has been quite a transition.  I'm not finished with the transition yet- it's going to take a while for me to feel 'at home'.  My new co-workers are very nice, but I still have a LOT to learn.  Not to mention I miss my old office and my former co-workers very VERY much.  Almost too much.  But, I know that I needed to put on my 'big girl pants' and take this next step, and I'm glad that if a change had to be made, that I made it to this new department.

This transition (and time off from work) also made me reflect upon everything else in my life.  I'm not sure why I do this, but whenever I go through a change, it COMPLETELY consumes me and for whatever reason, everything else gets pushed aside.  Notice how long it's been since my last bloggie post?  I'm wanting to try to get back to a routine of normalcy.  So after this, I'm going to work on taxes (fun) and then see what I can do to get back into a routine.  Like the FlyLady song says "Routines routines, they keep me rockin'."

A lot has happened since December 28.  I went to Miami and had some FANTASTIC food.  We found all of the organic/veggie places in Dade County (so it seemed, anyway).

YUMMMMMMMMMMY!!!  We ate soooooo good that trip.  I wish those types of restaurants were in COLDER climates, too!  Oh well, eventually I will move to Florida.  Some day.

The whole reason we went to Miami was to celebrate this:

Brenton got his MBA!  Hurray!!!  NO. MORE. SCHOOL.

Have a beautiful day, everybody!  Is it spring yet??