This is more of a personal blog of the last few months....not a food related one :-)
After having a few very odd "cycles" in 2012....
I went to see a NP at an OB/GYN in December who told me in not so many words, that I didn't have a real job(which I did, just no insurance...which I guess doesn't count as a "real job" in her eyes), was very healthy with an odd cycle, and that I didn't want to be pregnant right now(because I didn't have a real job). She would not prescribe me the progesterone that I probably needed, and she told me to come back and see her next year.
That whole experience did NOT sit well with me at all. I could NOT believe how rudely I had been treated, simply for not having insurance (I did pay CASH, on the spot)...and people wonder why I hate the medical field so much! So I started doing my own research....What could I do to help myself without the "medical" interference. I started taking a more complete multivitamin, a half dose of B-vitamins, a vit-D suppliment....I changed my eating habits... almost strictly organic whenever I could, lots of eggs...soooo many eggs....and bacon too :-P I started researching "fertility" diets....I didn't even want to get pregnant necessarily, I just wanted to stabilize my body.
So this continued for a while...nearly sobbing as friends posted sonogram pictures on FB...wondering why with everything I had always done healthwise, I was having to take all of these extra steps to help myself...The 3 tests I had done in December all said I was perfectly normal and very healthy. And I still didn't "regulate"....
Then the house we signed a contract on, fell through...due to a ridiculous LEGISTICAL problem with the form of Daniel's employment.
Some of you may remember that very emotional post from February...when we lost the house we wanted so badly...and that I briefly mentioned problems with having a baby...well, what I didn't know then, was that there was a reason for my abundance of emotions...besides just disappointment.
I was about 3.5 weeks pregnant at the time.
I had been having "symptoms" but testing negative....I just chalked it up to crazy hormonal problems...or cancer...or a tumor...I was becoming quite concerned....
Then a couple days after the loss of the house, I took the last test I had...and seconds later, it was positive! I was elated! And terrified! All in the same moment! We just lost the house....where would we put the child? What if my crazy hormones reject the baby?
Daniel and I decided to wait till 12 weeks to "announce" anything...if I even carried the baby that long. I had my pregnancy confirmed when I was 6 and a half weeks via ultrasound....got to see the heartbeat! We told family and some close friends, mainly to ask for prayer...and some support...I needed someone to talk to :-)
I had a midwife exam at 10.5 weeks and heard the heartbeat:-D...and tested the usual...and so far, so good...
We still do not have insurance...we probably will shortly, through my job, but I do not know if I want to work full time AFTER the baby is born... a bridge we will cross later. But I have decided to go with a midwife and homebirth for my birth plan. Yes, I could end up in the hospital for one reason or another, but Lord willing, Baby H will be born at home!
Both of our families are very excited! The grandmas are already wanting to buy baby stuff :-) And the 2 great-grandmas are absolutely thrilled!
We still need a place to live though...our itty bitty apartment is busting at the seams WITHOUT a child in it...and all the extra things that children come with...let alone we have no washer/dryer in our apartment...and I know this sounds wimpy, but I REALLY do not want to do the laundromat thing with a baby carrier...loading and unloading a child every day with all the laundry...let alone the expense (3$ a load!)
So keep Daniel and I in your prayers as we continue this journey...please pray for a continuing healthy pregnancy and a new place to live!
Thanks for reading all!
In love,
Becca H.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Health Rant #2 of 1zillion: GMO's...what they are, and what they aren't!
Disclaimer, I write this, not as a fan of mainstream nutrition, but a self taught and researched woman who has been reading articles, books, and magazines on these topics for years. I have a bachelor's of science degree IN science education and my college is accredited. I do not write any of this in ignorance, rather concern for our nation.
As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of organics! This is not to say that I am not thankful for whatever food I'm blessed with, but I always have, and always will prefer organic foods. One of the reasons for that, is genetically modified organisms. This post is mainly about produce...Dairy, meats, and seafood CAN apply to a lot of these labels and principles...but that is a blog for another day!
3 types of food:
Organic: grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, non-gmo seeds(organic), etc. Organics info. Basically, as far as farming of food goes, organic is supposed to be "the way nature intended". Have some farmers gotten greedy and tweak the rules-yes. Have some food companies tried to exploit the "organics" market-yes. Is organic still better than "local"? That depends...some local produce, TALK TO THE FARMER, is grown organically, but isn't "certified"...some local produce is heavily sprayed, modified, and grown NOT "the way nature intended". Getting organic, local, produce is your best option! (better yet, grow it yourself!)
Conventional: this may, or may not, be genetically modified seed as there is no regulation on labels in the US right now. It could be "systemically" treated with pesticides...meaning, the seed, has been soaked in a super-strong pesticide in which the entire plant has grown. It doesn't wash off either...it is ingrained in the entirety of the plant and you cannot soak it off or rinse it off. It is there permanantly. Read this for more info.
It could be heavily sprayed with herbicides and pesticides. Now, many people say, "you aren't a plant, herbicides won't effect you." Here's my counter arguement. When you eat a plant, you receive the benefits of the nutrition in the plant cells, yes? If you are eating something designed to KILL other plant cells, could you then, be effected minimally or extensively by the plant cell killer? I think yes...plant cells aren't THAT different from human cells...the main differences are chloroplasts and the cell walls. A cell killer is a cell killer...and your cells COULD be affected...here's a great link about herbicides.
Also, conventional foods could treated with standard pesticides(which can also inlcude fungicides). These are usually sprayed on, or fed into the water line. Here's a great link that uses info on pesticides and you can look up what is potentially on your food at home : "What's on my food?"
To sum up, the fresh produce at the store, that is not organic, may actually be MORE damaging than it is nourishing. In my opinion, if you aren't going to eat organic vegetables, then you should seriously consider why you are eating them. Take a fiber suppliment if you need fiber, but if you need vitamins and minerals, and choose to ingest them via vegetables and fruits, make sure it is organic! There is a list called the "dirty dozen" that includes some of the most dangerous NON organic and some of the safer non-organic. In general, I have found OFTEN that a lot of organic produce is close to the same price as the regular...and the benefits of it far outweigh the cost. Check out your local wholesaler...my BJ's has tons of organics for great prices!
Genetically Modified Organisms(GMO) and often refered to as Genetically Engineered (GE): this is where everything gets really, really hairy. Controversy, greed, "scientific discovery", and law suits run amuck! I will try to sort it out for you as best as possible.
Controversy: The EU has put a ban on almost any GMO's...they have NOT been proven safe for human consumption, so they have taken preventative means to NOT allow them in EU countries...and ones they often trade with.(Interesting fact, Kraft and other big name food companies in the US have food for us, and food for them...the ingredient list for the UK's Kraft mac n' cheese, is drastically different than our's. Something to ponder...) The US takes the stance that they haven't been proven harmful (which is a lie, there are PLENTY of GMO's that have been proven harmful, but some scientist gets paid off to say they aren't harmful and find some ridiculous reason why).
Greed: Monsanto is the "big whig" of the GMO world. Multi-billion dollar corporation with clear ties in the US government. (Conflict of interest, I think yes). Monsanto SUES any farm that is near one of their farms that has any of the same DNA in their plants. So a local farmer, farms near a Monsanto farm....some of the GMO pollen floats through the air, travels on a bee, etc. onto their plants...and the product, is now laced with GMO's...Monsanto tests it, finds the genetic sequence to match slightly the ones in their GMO crops, sues the local farmer, and often, puts them out of business. Info worth reading.
Also in the greed category and law suits, is the fact that GMO seed self destructs! In the old days of farming, you would grow a crop, and save some of it to use as seed for the next year. With a GMO crop, the seed harvested, won't grow. Period. This means farmers using GMO seed have to BUY NEW SEED every year. This makes farming MUCH more costly having to buy new seeds yearly. Monsanto's biggest audience is 3rd world countries...they get so excited for pest-resistant, cold resistant, ____ resistant, fast growing crop....and then they have to buy it every year...and this really hurts the poor people who can barely afford it the first year! They take advantage of the fact that these people may not have internet, may not read English, and cannot learn for themselves that this "miracle seed" hurts them, not helps them. I highly recommend watching Food Inc on Netflix or online. Netflix also has a ton of foodie movies that help shed light on this issue.
side note: one of my friends recently bought an organic pepper and a conventional pepper. She gardens often and so she decided to GROW peppers from the seeds....the seeds from the organic pepper sprouted and grew plants....the seeds from the "conventional one" did NOT grow AT ALL! Many conventional foods are already genetically modified and/or irradiated...removing and denaturing a LOT of the nutrition that may or may not be present at that point.
Scientific discovery: "No one has proved that GMO's are harmful...they wouldn't be allowed in the food supply if they were!" - first of all, there is a lot, A LOT, of logical flaws there. One, just because you have not heard of their harmfulness, doesn't mean the info isn't there. Two, MANY MANY things have been proven harmful after the fact...Phenphen and Redux...two drugs that were allowed by the FDA killed many a person. How many times has a birth control, that has been tested and proven safe, caused millions of women reproductive and/or emotional problems? Let it be known, many of the "tests" are NOT thorough, done in haste, and paid for by the uber rich pharmaceutical(or biotech-like Monsanto) company that WANTS positive results...and that's exactly what they get. The fact that it is available in stores should be of no consequence. Soda is bad for you right? It is sold in stores! Cheetos are bad for you...and sold in stores...just because it is sold in a store for public consumption doesn't make it safe or healthy. If you believe that it does, you need to reevaluate what you define as "food" and "healthy". Mercola.com has GREAT info on all things nutrition and he has focused in on the GMO issue a lot. (he is a DOCTOR too...not some quack job with a blog) Here is a search I did on his site simply typing "gmo" and these are the results. Please read up! Mercola.com>search-gmo
Now, if you go to Monsanto's website, they will have a lot of lies on it saying how great and safe they are, but the deeper you dive into this issue, you will find this is simply not the case. Super weeds, super bugs, and all sorts of problems surround this GMO issue...and Monsanto is right in the middle of it. Also, the issue of declining bee populations, I would watch "Vanishing Bees" on Netflix or online. It very clearly points out that systemic pesticides and GMO crops are hurting the bee population...and recently, the butterfly population. Here's a great simple gmo site: natural news. Also on the topic of GMO's...they are NOT labeled...you WILL NOT KNOW when you are eating them. The only way to prevent them, is through eating organics. ALSO, if it says "natural"...that means nothing. The FDA has no regulation on what "natural" means...so if you are spending more for that "all natural" product, you are wasting your money (unless you have confirmed with the company that the product is deserving of that label). There is another good option which is the Non-GMO project. Great info there! Many foods now have the label which looks like a stamp with grass and a butterfly on it. That at least means that a 3rd party has tested the product for GMO's and has found it safe!
Now, why am I so passionate about this?! Why can't I just let things be?! Well, there's a few reasons...
1. I hate ignorance...if you KNOW all the bad things you are doing to your body, and are ok with that, that is totally your choice...but I hate the idea of people TRYING and WANTING to eat healthy, and they are truly hurting themselves in the end. This GMO and conventional foods thing is a whole lot of deception and heartache. People need to know what is going on with the food they eat! Especially in these treacherous days where healthcare will change dramatically, you need to know what is going into you...so you can understand what is going on with you!
2. Christians are called to take care of the earth. Conventionally raised crops and especially GMO's are NOT taking care of the earth at all....flooding rivers with harmful chemicals, killing fish and local wildlife, hurting humans by causing cancer and degenerative diseases....As a Christian, I absolutely feel called to one of the FIRST commandments in Genesis which is "to have dominion and subdue the earth"(Gen 1:28). Christians should be the "greenest" people...protecting the earth and its people more than anyone else. Recycle, compost, drive gas efficient vehicles, read by soy candlight(well, maybe that is a stretch...tehehe)...but at any rate, I challenge all Christian readers out there to think about the role they play in this world...and if it is harming or hurting this beautiful planet God has given us! We are also supposed to help the poor...and buying GMO crops from a poor society that can grow organic ones, but is forced into Monsanto's lies, doesn't help them. Buying more organics helps keep the prices lower at your local establishment and hopefully, provides more room for growth in the organics industry and that growth makes organics available to the poor who need it!
3. I love helping people! I LOVE when people stop me at the grocery store to ask me about a certain food, or why my basket is full of organics! I love the emails and facebook posts I receive (pretty regularly) when people are trying to get healthy and want a little advice or help in an area. I cannot cook for everyone...I barely have time to cook for myself these days! But I can certainly try to help educate my friends!
4. I am a living, breathing reason, why I don't like mainstream nutrition and medicine. I would love to share more of my story, but this post is so long already. Essentially, I have suffered great pains at the hands of aspartame(sweet and low), sucralose(splenda), and hydrogenated oils(crisco, margarine, etc.). AND, many of those things are not only deemed "safe" by the FDA, but by the medical field, grocery stores, and mainstream nutrition. I also nearly died from a reaction to a "safe" antibiotic that a doctor prescribed to me for strep throat....the strep throat would have eventually gotten better....or a lower dose would have been fine, but since the doctor wanted to kill it so quickly, he over dosed me, and nearly killed me. (Hense my distrust for doctors and the medical field)
Hope you enjoyed food rant #2 of a zillion!
Becca H.
As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of organics! This is not to say that I am not thankful for whatever food I'm blessed with, but I always have, and always will prefer organic foods. One of the reasons for that, is genetically modified organisms. This post is mainly about produce...Dairy, meats, and seafood CAN apply to a lot of these labels and principles...but that is a blog for another day!
3 types of food:
Organic: grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, non-gmo seeds(organic), etc. Organics info. Basically, as far as farming of food goes, organic is supposed to be "the way nature intended". Have some farmers gotten greedy and tweak the rules-yes. Have some food companies tried to exploit the "organics" market-yes. Is organic still better than "local"? That depends...some local produce, TALK TO THE FARMER, is grown organically, but isn't "certified"...some local produce is heavily sprayed, modified, and grown NOT "the way nature intended". Getting organic, local, produce is your best option! (better yet, grow it yourself!)
Conventional: this may, or may not, be genetically modified seed as there is no regulation on labels in the US right now. It could be "systemically" treated with pesticides...meaning, the seed, has been soaked in a super-strong pesticide in which the entire plant has grown. It doesn't wash off either...it is ingrained in the entirety of the plant and you cannot soak it off or rinse it off. It is there permanantly. Read this for more info.
It could be heavily sprayed with herbicides and pesticides. Now, many people say, "you aren't a plant, herbicides won't effect you." Here's my counter arguement. When you eat a plant, you receive the benefits of the nutrition in the plant cells, yes? If you are eating something designed to KILL other plant cells, could you then, be effected minimally or extensively by the plant cell killer? I think yes...plant cells aren't THAT different from human cells...the main differences are chloroplasts and the cell walls. A cell killer is a cell killer...and your cells COULD be affected...here's a great link about herbicides.
Also, conventional foods could treated with standard pesticides(which can also inlcude fungicides). These are usually sprayed on, or fed into the water line. Here's a great link that uses info on pesticides and you can look up what is potentially on your food at home : "What's on my food?"
To sum up, the fresh produce at the store, that is not organic, may actually be MORE damaging than it is nourishing. In my opinion, if you aren't going to eat organic vegetables, then you should seriously consider why you are eating them. Take a fiber suppliment if you need fiber, but if you need vitamins and minerals, and choose to ingest them via vegetables and fruits, make sure it is organic! There is a list called the "dirty dozen" that includes some of the most dangerous NON organic and some of the safer non-organic. In general, I have found OFTEN that a lot of organic produce is close to the same price as the regular...and the benefits of it far outweigh the cost. Check out your local wholesaler...my BJ's has tons of organics for great prices!
Genetically Modified Organisms(GMO) and often refered to as Genetically Engineered (GE): this is where everything gets really, really hairy. Controversy, greed, "scientific discovery", and law suits run amuck! I will try to sort it out for you as best as possible.
Controversy: The EU has put a ban on almost any GMO's...they have NOT been proven safe for human consumption, so they have taken preventative means to NOT allow them in EU countries...and ones they often trade with.(Interesting fact, Kraft and other big name food companies in the US have food for us, and food for them...the ingredient list for the UK's Kraft mac n' cheese, is drastically different than our's. Something to ponder...) The US takes the stance that they haven't been proven harmful (which is a lie, there are PLENTY of GMO's that have been proven harmful, but some scientist gets paid off to say they aren't harmful and find some ridiculous reason why).
Greed: Monsanto is the "big whig" of the GMO world. Multi-billion dollar corporation with clear ties in the US government. (Conflict of interest, I think yes). Monsanto SUES any farm that is near one of their farms that has any of the same DNA in their plants. So a local farmer, farms near a Monsanto farm....some of the GMO pollen floats through the air, travels on a bee, etc. onto their plants...and the product, is now laced with GMO's...Monsanto tests it, finds the genetic sequence to match slightly the ones in their GMO crops, sues the local farmer, and often, puts them out of business. Info worth reading.
Also in the greed category and law suits, is the fact that GMO seed self destructs! In the old days of farming, you would grow a crop, and save some of it to use as seed for the next year. With a GMO crop, the seed harvested, won't grow. Period. This means farmers using GMO seed have to BUY NEW SEED every year. This makes farming MUCH more costly having to buy new seeds yearly. Monsanto's biggest audience is 3rd world countries...they get so excited for pest-resistant, cold resistant, ____ resistant, fast growing crop....and then they have to buy it every year...and this really hurts the poor people who can barely afford it the first year! They take advantage of the fact that these people may not have internet, may not read English, and cannot learn for themselves that this "miracle seed" hurts them, not helps them. I highly recommend watching Food Inc on Netflix or online. Netflix also has a ton of foodie movies that help shed light on this issue.
side note: one of my friends recently bought an organic pepper and a conventional pepper. She gardens often and so she decided to GROW peppers from the seeds....the seeds from the organic pepper sprouted and grew plants....the seeds from the "conventional one" did NOT grow AT ALL! Many conventional foods are already genetically modified and/or irradiated...removing and denaturing a LOT of the nutrition that may or may not be present at that point.
Scientific discovery: "No one has proved that GMO's are harmful...they wouldn't be allowed in the food supply if they were!" - first of all, there is a lot, A LOT, of logical flaws there. One, just because you have not heard of their harmfulness, doesn't mean the info isn't there. Two, MANY MANY things have been proven harmful after the fact...Phenphen and Redux...two drugs that were allowed by the FDA killed many a person. How many times has a birth control, that has been tested and proven safe, caused millions of women reproductive and/or emotional problems? Let it be known, many of the "tests" are NOT thorough, done in haste, and paid for by the uber rich pharmaceutical(or biotech-like Monsanto) company that WANTS positive results...and that's exactly what they get. The fact that it is available in stores should be of no consequence. Soda is bad for you right? It is sold in stores! Cheetos are bad for you...and sold in stores...just because it is sold in a store for public consumption doesn't make it safe or healthy. If you believe that it does, you need to reevaluate what you define as "food" and "healthy". Mercola.com has GREAT info on all things nutrition and he has focused in on the GMO issue a lot. (he is a DOCTOR too...not some quack job with a blog) Here is a search I did on his site simply typing "gmo" and these are the results. Please read up! Mercola.com>search-gmo
Now, if you go to Monsanto's website, they will have a lot of lies on it saying how great and safe they are, but the deeper you dive into this issue, you will find this is simply not the case. Super weeds, super bugs, and all sorts of problems surround this GMO issue...and Monsanto is right in the middle of it. Also, the issue of declining bee populations, I would watch "Vanishing Bees" on Netflix or online. It very clearly points out that systemic pesticides and GMO crops are hurting the bee population...and recently, the butterfly population. Here's a great simple gmo site: natural news. Also on the topic of GMO's...they are NOT labeled...you WILL NOT KNOW when you are eating them. The only way to prevent them, is through eating organics. ALSO, if it says "natural"...that means nothing. The FDA has no regulation on what "natural" means...so if you are spending more for that "all natural" product, you are wasting your money (unless you have confirmed with the company that the product is deserving of that label). There is another good option which is the Non-GMO project. Great info there! Many foods now have the label which looks like a stamp with grass and a butterfly on it. That at least means that a 3rd party has tested the product for GMO's and has found it safe!
Now, why am I so passionate about this?! Why can't I just let things be?! Well, there's a few reasons...
1. I hate ignorance...if you KNOW all the bad things you are doing to your body, and are ok with that, that is totally your choice...but I hate the idea of people TRYING and WANTING to eat healthy, and they are truly hurting themselves in the end. This GMO and conventional foods thing is a whole lot of deception and heartache. People need to know what is going on with the food they eat! Especially in these treacherous days where healthcare will change dramatically, you need to know what is going into you...so you can understand what is going on with you!
2. Christians are called to take care of the earth. Conventionally raised crops and especially GMO's are NOT taking care of the earth at all....flooding rivers with harmful chemicals, killing fish and local wildlife, hurting humans by causing cancer and degenerative diseases....As a Christian, I absolutely feel called to one of the FIRST commandments in Genesis which is "to have dominion and subdue the earth"(Gen 1:28). Christians should be the "greenest" people...protecting the earth and its people more than anyone else. Recycle, compost, drive gas efficient vehicles, read by soy candlight(well, maybe that is a stretch...tehehe)...but at any rate, I challenge all Christian readers out there to think about the role they play in this world...and if it is harming or hurting this beautiful planet God has given us! We are also supposed to help the poor...and buying GMO crops from a poor society that can grow organic ones, but is forced into Monsanto's lies, doesn't help them. Buying more organics helps keep the prices lower at your local establishment and hopefully, provides more room for growth in the organics industry and that growth makes organics available to the poor who need it!
3. I love helping people! I LOVE when people stop me at the grocery store to ask me about a certain food, or why my basket is full of organics! I love the emails and facebook posts I receive (pretty regularly) when people are trying to get healthy and want a little advice or help in an area. I cannot cook for everyone...I barely have time to cook for myself these days! But I can certainly try to help educate my friends!
4. I am a living, breathing reason, why I don't like mainstream nutrition and medicine. I would love to share more of my story, but this post is so long already. Essentially, I have suffered great pains at the hands of aspartame(sweet and low), sucralose(splenda), and hydrogenated oils(crisco, margarine, etc.). AND, many of those things are not only deemed "safe" by the FDA, but by the medical field, grocery stores, and mainstream nutrition. I also nearly died from a reaction to a "safe" antibiotic that a doctor prescribed to me for strep throat....the strep throat would have eventually gotten better....or a lower dose would have been fine, but since the doctor wanted to kill it so quickly, he over dosed me, and nearly killed me. (Hense my distrust for doctors and the medical field)
Hope you enjoyed food rant #2 of a zillion!
Becca H.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
My momma always said "don't get your hopes up!"
This is not a pleasant post to read...it was written in a "diary" fashion...you were warned...
Oh my German-Scottish mother...she was always saying cute, annoying little colloquies..."don't get your hopes up", "don't put all your eggs in one basket", "don't tease your sister", "share your toys", "gargle this vinegar", "drink this willow bark extract"....you know, the usual...
Unfortunately, I would normally listen to the end statements, sometimes obey the middle ones...and rarely ever listen to the first ones...I can still hear my mom's tone of voice saying those words...but I still don't take them as seriously as I should...
Many of you know, Daniel and I put an offer on a house after being pre-qualified for a mortgage. The seller counter-offered, and we accepted! Oi! Did I get excited or WHAT?! This house is just what I've always wanted....down to weird details like a window in the master shower...a fire place....nice screened porch...plenty of room for chickens, game nights, kids, etc... I started contacting chicken coop makers, thinking about colors for the rooms, and how we would arrange our furniture...finally, we would be out of our super tiny, old, crappy apartment...
Well, I got my hopes up, put all my eggs in the basket, daydreamed much too much..... and when we contacted our lender, she asked about the W-2 for Daniel's courthouse job....well, he doesn't get a W-2...technically, he's a self employed contractor...and everything stopped....the lender apologized for not catching this sooner and that's the end...no more house, unless there's a different job...and certainly the house I fell in love with would definitely not be on the market if or when that "new job" day comes...we had to fight for it as it was...
My dad and many others said "well, God has a better house for you then...just be patient...God wants to give you the desires of your heart"...well, patience has never been my strongest virtue...God's plan isn't America's "ideal" for us....house, kids, car...but most of my friends have all those things, and we don't....well, we have a car that I am supremely thankful for! The desires of my heart may not be what God wants for me...I need to come to grips with that...and I'm not coping well with it. Most of the people who are trying to comfort me are sitting in their houses or holding their babies(or BOTH)....they don't understand the pain of not being able to have either the house or the baby and the end is NOT in sight...unless I see some seriously expensive doctors and Daniel gets a new job out of nowhere, we are stuck in this stage of life...wasting money on rent and crying everytime I see new ultrasounds of all my friends' babies.
Both house and kids really have been blacked out for us right now for unknown reasons...we thought us both having full time jobs, Daniel's good credit, the pre-qual, etc. the house could at least be part of our dream...but that's obviously not God's plan for our lives...People keep saying to "stay strong" "It'll happen, just need to wait..." But honestly, isn't that causing me to get my hopes up more and be more impatient?! Those "helpful" words are just putting useless thoughts in my head and stirring discontent in my heart even more!
So I immediately started looking up houses for rent...and found a ton of super expensive houses that we couldn't afford...and a bunch of super cheap ones in really bad neighborhoods...and a bunch of other ones that just aren't good options for us. Another dead end...MAYBE one will pop up soon, but not soon enough in my opinion...
So in the end...this is a letter for prayer...and comfort...having this big part of our dream as a couple ended for no obvious reason is so frustrating...when I found out that we would not get the house, I just wanted to weep...but I was in the lunch room in front of a bunch of clerks...and I have a long drive home...so tears will have to wait...today, was just more than I wanted to take...
"don't get your hopes up"....wish I listened better....
Oh my German-Scottish mother...she was always saying cute, annoying little colloquies..."don't get your hopes up", "don't put all your eggs in one basket", "don't tease your sister", "share your toys", "gargle this vinegar", "drink this willow bark extract"....you know, the usual...
Unfortunately, I would normally listen to the end statements, sometimes obey the middle ones...and rarely ever listen to the first ones...I can still hear my mom's tone of voice saying those words...but I still don't take them as seriously as I should...
Many of you know, Daniel and I put an offer on a house after being pre-qualified for a mortgage. The seller counter-offered, and we accepted! Oi! Did I get excited or WHAT?! This house is just what I've always wanted....down to weird details like a window in the master shower...a fire place....nice screened porch...plenty of room for chickens, game nights, kids, etc... I started contacting chicken coop makers, thinking about colors for the rooms, and how we would arrange our furniture...finally, we would be out of our super tiny, old, crappy apartment...
Well, I got my hopes up, put all my eggs in the basket, daydreamed much too much..... and when we contacted our lender, she asked about the W-2 for Daniel's courthouse job....well, he doesn't get a W-2...technically, he's a self employed contractor...and everything stopped....the lender apologized for not catching this sooner and that's the end...no more house, unless there's a different job...and certainly the house I fell in love with would definitely not be on the market if or when that "new job" day comes...we had to fight for it as it was...
My dad and many others said "well, God has a better house for you then...just be patient...God wants to give you the desires of your heart"...well, patience has never been my strongest virtue...God's plan isn't America's "ideal" for us....house, kids, car...but most of my friends have all those things, and we don't....well, we have a car that I am supremely thankful for! The desires of my heart may not be what God wants for me...I need to come to grips with that...and I'm not coping well with it. Most of the people who are trying to comfort me are sitting in their houses or holding their babies(or BOTH)....they don't understand the pain of not being able to have either the house or the baby and the end is NOT in sight...unless I see some seriously expensive doctors and Daniel gets a new job out of nowhere, we are stuck in this stage of life...wasting money on rent and crying everytime I see new ultrasounds of all my friends' babies.
Both house and kids really have been blacked out for us right now for unknown reasons...we thought us both having full time jobs, Daniel's good credit, the pre-qual, etc. the house could at least be part of our dream...but that's obviously not God's plan for our lives...People keep saying to "stay strong" "It'll happen, just need to wait..." But honestly, isn't that causing me to get my hopes up more and be more impatient?! Those "helpful" words are just putting useless thoughts in my head and stirring discontent in my heart even more!
So I immediately started looking up houses for rent...and found a ton of super expensive houses that we couldn't afford...and a bunch of super cheap ones in really bad neighborhoods...and a bunch of other ones that just aren't good options for us. Another dead end...MAYBE one will pop up soon, but not soon enough in my opinion...
So in the end...this is a letter for prayer...and comfort...having this big part of our dream as a couple ended for no obvious reason is so frustrating...when I found out that we would not get the house, I just wanted to weep...but I was in the lunch room in front of a bunch of clerks...and I have a long drive home...so tears will have to wait...today, was just more than I wanted to take...
"don't get your hopes up"....wish I listened better....
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Obedience? WHAT?! I have to OBEY!? *stomps feet*
It pains me to write parts of this...and I get much joy from other parts...
I have felt called towards obedience in a few areas in my life that I would like to share with you.
Obedience...
So often in America, I feel that the Christian has a pretty easy task at "obedience". Don't drink and drive, don't steal, don't kill anyone, listen to the Christian radio station, and keep your social media page "clean". Don't watch certain shows, don't see certain movies, don't smoke and take walks with your spouse/family...that's obeying God right? RIGHT!?
Recently, the Lord has tugged on my heart in a few ways...this is PERSONAL, not legalistic, judgemental, or martyristic.
I will not be opening the cafe. It has nothing to do with laziness or lack of desire...Daniel and I have prayed through this heavily. I feel the need to be a wife, (hopefully mother), ministering woman in my church, and homemaker...all of those things would be extremely difficult within the confines of the building that I would be working in with the obligations of running my own small business. I would literally be pulling 14hour days, 6 days a week...preventing me from ministering in church, being a devoted wife, bearing children, and certainly no time for "homemaking"(I want a garden, chickens, and an apiary...let alone the homemade stuff I love doing-cooking, working out, concocting new homemade products, etc.). I still want to get a license to cook for people, cater, and run a small(very small) part time business doing that...because I do love that...and would like to solely do that as work at some point.
The reasons I decided against the cafe are many....and you may ask me why via message if you are curious, I just don't want to disclose all things on a blog :-P.
Why do I feel that this is an act of obedience towards the Lord? - Answer: I feel the need to be a wife and mother(hopefully) more than a career woman. I also feel the need to provide SOME money for this marriage. Opening the cafe, I may not get a paycheck for quite a while, yet, work all the time. I feel that I would neglect everything that is important to me(except food(. Also, I have a health problem that is most likely directly related to the amount of stress in my life...opening my own cafe would NOT help that issue, but only make it substantially worse. I do not feel that the Lord wants me to go in the direction of "career woman" and forsake all the other things I'm a part of.
I have been offered a full time position at the court house, so that is what I will be doing for employment for the indefinite future. The Lord totally put that option in my hands recently and I believe that is the correct direction for my life.
A question I have gotten lately...."What's that thingy on your head?" or some version of that question. I have crocheted myself a head covering. Most of my life-long or at least long-time friends know that I worked with Amish and Mennonites and really enjoyed that culture. Also, after going to Romania, I enjoyed the representation of married women wearing head coverings in church...in BAPTIST churches, Assembly of God churches, AND Orthodox Romanian churches....now I understand their "culture is different"...but I appreciate that culture and have studied the main passage in First Corinthians 11 on head coverings and truly feel this is a point of obedience for my life and marriage...again, if you have questions, points of judgement, or comments-email or fb message me...I would request that the public comments be respectful and PRIVATE if they are NOT going to be respectful.(you may have a difference of opinion, and that's totally fine, but please don't insult me...I don't take public humiliation well:-P ) This is totally a Spirit-led calling for me and my joy and privilege to wear my covering. Ryrie describes the head covering as a theological symbol...and indeed, it is. I highly encourage you do research this passage...it is very interesting. ...."1 Corinthians 11:5 but every wife[b] who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head"...(ESV)
I also feel called towards helping people get healthy. If you don't follow my facebook page even a little, you know I'm often posting articles, pictures, and information about food, nutrition, and health overall. I want to officially get my coaching certificate to get paid to do this! I LOVE helping people get healthy and the segway that leads to ministering not just physically to help people, but spiritually. I fear I would not be able to do the cafe AND so some schooling too! Another reason I chose NOT to open the cafe. I definitely believe that God cares what we eat and how we live our lifes...and health is part of that...otherwise, God would NOT have placed such strict standards (yes, some of them were for ancient health because of sanitaion), but those "dietary laws" are still revered as one of the healthiest diets in the world!
My security is NOT in my food and exercise, but in Jesus...but certainly educating myself and trying to eat and live healthy helps me stay as healthy as possible(on my end of responsibility anyways)!
I hope you see my heart on these issues and pray with me and Daniel through them....giving up the cafe idea was(and is) so hard for me! A point of pride, and now humility. Obeying isn't always easy, doesn't always make sense, and isn't always logical...but we are commanded to "obey the voice of the Lord". So that's what I'm trying to do....
Obeying with a smile,
Becca
I have felt called towards obedience in a few areas in my life that I would like to share with you.
Obedience...
So often in America, I feel that the Christian has a pretty easy task at "obedience". Don't drink and drive, don't steal, don't kill anyone, listen to the Christian radio station, and keep your social media page "clean". Don't watch certain shows, don't see certain movies, don't smoke and take walks with your spouse/family...that's obeying God right? RIGHT!?
Recently, the Lord has tugged on my heart in a few ways...this is PERSONAL, not legalistic, judgemental, or martyristic.
I will not be opening the cafe. It has nothing to do with laziness or lack of desire...Daniel and I have prayed through this heavily. I feel the need to be a wife, (hopefully mother), ministering woman in my church, and homemaker...all of those things would be extremely difficult within the confines of the building that I would be working in with the obligations of running my own small business. I would literally be pulling 14hour days, 6 days a week...preventing me from ministering in church, being a devoted wife, bearing children, and certainly no time for "homemaking"(I want a garden, chickens, and an apiary...let alone the homemade stuff I love doing-cooking, working out, concocting new homemade products, etc.). I still want to get a license to cook for people, cater, and run a small(very small) part time business doing that...because I do love that...and would like to solely do that as work at some point.
The reasons I decided against the cafe are many....and you may ask me why via message if you are curious, I just don't want to disclose all things on a blog :-P.
Why do I feel that this is an act of obedience towards the Lord? - Answer: I feel the need to be a wife and mother(hopefully) more than a career woman. I also feel the need to provide SOME money for this marriage. Opening the cafe, I may not get a paycheck for quite a while, yet, work all the time. I feel that I would neglect everything that is important to me(except food(. Also, I have a health problem that is most likely directly related to the amount of stress in my life...opening my own cafe would NOT help that issue, but only make it substantially worse. I do not feel that the Lord wants me to go in the direction of "career woman" and forsake all the other things I'm a part of.
I have been offered a full time position at the court house, so that is what I will be doing for employment for the indefinite future. The Lord totally put that option in my hands recently and I believe that is the correct direction for my life.
A question I have gotten lately...."What's that thingy on your head?" or some version of that question. I have crocheted myself a head covering. Most of my life-long or at least long-time friends know that I worked with Amish and Mennonites and really enjoyed that culture. Also, after going to Romania, I enjoyed the representation of married women wearing head coverings in church...in BAPTIST churches, Assembly of God churches, AND Orthodox Romanian churches....now I understand their "culture is different"...but I appreciate that culture and have studied the main passage in First Corinthians 11 on head coverings and truly feel this is a point of obedience for my life and marriage...again, if you have questions, points of judgement, or comments-email or fb message me...I would request that the public comments be respectful and PRIVATE if they are NOT going to be respectful.(you may have a difference of opinion, and that's totally fine, but please don't insult me...I don't take public humiliation well:-P ) This is totally a Spirit-led calling for me and my joy and privilege to wear my covering. Ryrie describes the head covering as a theological symbol...and indeed, it is. I highly encourage you do research this passage...it is very interesting. ...."1 Corinthians 11:5 but every wife[b] who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head"...(ESV)
I also feel called towards helping people get healthy. If you don't follow my facebook page even a little, you know I'm often posting articles, pictures, and information about food, nutrition, and health overall. I want to officially get my coaching certificate to get paid to do this! I LOVE helping people get healthy and the segway that leads to ministering not just physically to help people, but spiritually. I fear I would not be able to do the cafe AND so some schooling too! Another reason I chose NOT to open the cafe. I definitely believe that God cares what we eat and how we live our lifes...and health is part of that...otherwise, God would NOT have placed such strict standards (yes, some of them were for ancient health because of sanitaion), but those "dietary laws" are still revered as one of the healthiest diets in the world!
My security is NOT in my food and exercise, but in Jesus...but certainly educating myself and trying to eat and live healthy helps me stay as healthy as possible(on my end of responsibility anyways)!
I hope you see my heart on these issues and pray with me and Daniel through them....giving up the cafe idea was(and is) so hard for me! A point of pride, and now humility. Obeying isn't always easy, doesn't always make sense, and isn't always logical...but we are commanded to "obey the voice of the Lord". So that's what I'm trying to do....
Obeying with a smile,
Becca
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Walking by faith, without any sight...
Daniel and I are about to embark on an completely new endeavor. He has a full time job mostly from home, which is a huge blessing. We don't have benefits, though, because he is "self employed"...but still, it is a blessing! I work in a similar situation, but I have to go to the courthouse for my job. The point of this blog is...
I am starting my own cafe!
Most of you know how I have been catering special events for the church, out of the church for a while. I love doing that...most of you also know, I worked for Starbucks for ~2 years. I loved most of my time at Starbucks, the cafe setting, coffee, good food, relaxing atmosphere..so I am very excited to announce:
Hidden Riches Cafe
Dream come true! ...well, mostly...(my dream would include everything I need is free and no paperwork!)
I will hopefully keep my job, very part time, for a while...
There are sooooo many things I need, but prayer most of all! I am going to be buying foods, equipment, etc...I have to get my business licesne, DBA, liability insurance...and a whole mess of things that I have noooo idea about! The building that I am renting the space out of, wants me there ASAP! Which is lovely, but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed...I have all the resources I need for the food part, but I need a business license and DBA first, THEN, I need to fill out a whole mess of forms for the food distributor...the list goes on and on!
So I am asking for prayer!
I am sooo nervous about the money...I may not cut a check for myself for a really long time. Daniel's full time job is okay, but on the whole, cannot pay all the bills indefinitely. We are in the middle of buying a house also (solely on his income, not including mine)...the house, including utilities and such, will actually be cheaper than our rent! The house we are trying for also has a large greenhouse on the property! YAY for growing our own veggies! The building that I am renting out of is being quite generous about helping me as much as possible so that I'll be successful! I am thankful for Christian business partners who are generous and patient!
My mom and dad are helping me with some of the finances, and workers...Daddy literally said, "I will buy a beautiful espresso bar, but you have to teach me to barist!" I am going to train my father in the intricasies of a cappucino...did I mention I need prayer?! :-P I love my daddy!
So my matters of prayer are:
If you know of anything restaurant or cafe related that I could buy, rent, or information I need to know, please let me know..every bit of information helps!
Thank you all for reading (and hopefully praying),
Becca H.
I am starting my own cafe!
Most of you know how I have been catering special events for the church, out of the church for a while. I love doing that...most of you also know, I worked for Starbucks for ~2 years. I loved most of my time at Starbucks, the cafe setting, coffee, good food, relaxing atmosphere..so I am very excited to announce:
Hidden Riches Cafe
Dream come true! ...well, mostly...(my dream would include everything I need is free and no paperwork!)
I will hopefully keep my job, very part time, for a while...
There are sooooo many things I need, but prayer most of all! I am going to be buying foods, equipment, etc...I have to get my business licesne, DBA, liability insurance...and a whole mess of things that I have noooo idea about! The building that I am renting the space out of, wants me there ASAP! Which is lovely, but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed...I have all the resources I need for the food part, but I need a business license and DBA first, THEN, I need to fill out a whole mess of forms for the food distributor...the list goes on and on!
So I am asking for prayer!
I am sooo nervous about the money...I may not cut a check for myself for a really long time. Daniel's full time job is okay, but on the whole, cannot pay all the bills indefinitely. We are in the middle of buying a house also (solely on his income, not including mine)...the house, including utilities and such, will actually be cheaper than our rent! The house we are trying for also has a large greenhouse on the property! YAY for growing our own veggies! The building that I am renting out of is being quite generous about helping me as much as possible so that I'll be successful! I am thankful for Christian business partners who are generous and patient!
My mom and dad are helping me with some of the finances, and workers...Daddy literally said, "I will buy a beautiful espresso bar, but you have to teach me to barist!" I am going to train my father in the intricasies of a cappucino...did I mention I need prayer?! :-P I love my daddy!
So my matters of prayer are:
- legalities-pray that all the paperwork will go smoothly and quickly
- money- that I can start this business off RIGHT and that we are able to afford everything
- nerves- everybody gets tense in times like this, and I pray we are still a happy family for grand opening
- our testimony- I desperately want to be a godly example for the community through the cafe...Christian staff, high quality foods, not being a corrupt company that just wants to take advantage of the average person...going the extra mile!
- sanity- I don't want to give my whole life to the cafe, while neglecting the Lord and my husband. Pray I am able to prioritize and that the Lord provides the right people to help keep me sane!
If you know of anything restaurant or cafe related that I could buy, rent, or information I need to know, please let me know..every bit of information helps!
Thank you all for reading (and hopefully praying),
Becca H.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
In sickness without wealth...
So, as many of you know already, I was sick...from Sunday until today....I should be fine by tomorrow, as I can already feel that I'm on the mend as of early this afternoon.
I am RARELY sick....I mean RARELY! I often, (foolishly), boast that I "never get sick"....so this was somewhat humbling for me to not only be "sick" but have to miss church, Meal Day Mondays, and call out sick this morning from my courthouse job.
I burnt the candles at both ends for the last several months, often working 7 days a week, not getting enough sleep, doing things every night(Bible study, out with friends, game nights, choir, etc)....well, this past Saturday, I went to the Highland Games in Central Florida...it was a lovely time with Daniel and our friends....got to try haggis, etc...at 2am on Sunday morning, I woke up coughing, with a severe swollen throat, and a fever...So I am not going to blame the Highland Games, but my rather overcrowded schedule that I keep :-(
Anyways...I often have people ask me what I take when I am sick....there are some prerequisites for what I use: has to be inexpensive (we do not have insurance), has to be harmful for the pathogen, and helpful for the body. So here's my "go to" list of awesome, inexpensive, home remedies:
1. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar- it kills the bad bacteria-like in a sore throat/intestinal problem...but it also helps to alkalize the blood stream, which in turn, helps to keep your blood cells(both white and red) working properly...red won't release oxygen into other cells in the wrong pH and white blood cells deform into the wrong shape in the wrong pH and will not attack invading pathogens. Bacteria also do not survive in an alkaline blood stream, but do just fine in an acidic one! (I know, vinegar is acidic, but when it goes through your blood stream, it causes an alkaline reaction....biochemistry is a beautiful thing! Here's the type mentioned: Bragg's ACV It is now available at most grocery stores in the natural section! Heinz/store brand WILL NOT WORK! the "mother" or cloudiness in the vinegar is what has all the nutrients! The distilled stuff is great for cleaning, not for ingesting! here's a bunch of FAQ's for ACV :-) ACV FAQ's
To use: mix 2 tbsp of ACV with 2 tbsp of water and gargle several times a day....OR, you can drink it....at a different ratio....put 2-3 tablespoons of ACV, 1-2 teaspoons of local, raw, honey, and as much water as you need to fill you glass....drink it 3-4 times a day. (I do NOT use honey in mine, but I am quite accustomed to the flavor of ACV)
2. Zinc- zinc is very helpful to the immune system...here's a helpful link :zinc-cold and flu helper! This is the brand I use: Garden of Life Zinc I like this brand because it also has vitamin C in it! (it should also be available at your local health food store....for about 9 or 10 dollars. If not locally, online for about the same price)
3. Echinacea Goldenseal- Echinacea has been widely recognized for immune support for years and years! My mom gave it to me as a small child! You can get it as a tea, tincture, capsule, tablet....etc....I get it as a tablet with goldenseal, which has amazing sinus powers! I get them as tablets, but here is a link for the capsules: echincea goldenseal goodness...again, probably available at your local health food store! I also use the tea quite often(It tastes similar to peppermint tea...with a little raw honey, I have never heard of any harsh complaints...even when I was a kid I liked it enough!): awesomesauce tea Traditional Medicinals has a wide variety of teas for many different uses...I HIGHLY recommend them for any of your tea needs! My grocery store, even my Walmart now carries this tea! Very easy to get ahold of!
To be clear, I want to summarize that you probably spend 25+ dollars for your COPAY at a doctor's office...~10$ for zinc, ~5$ for the tea, and ~5$ for the ACV, so far...this is CHEAPER than going to the doctor!
4. Sleep- you MUST get some sleep...I couldn't breathe well last night, so I slept terribly...which made me feel awful this morning....I ended up crashing on the couch a few hours later...when my sinuses finally cleared(hint, I didn't take echinacea/goldenseal in the beginning....which I should have, but I couldn't find mine and money is super tight right now, so I couldn't go buy any, but never fear, I did find it yesterday...and have promtly taken quite a bit)
5. Lemon water- Hot, or cold, lemon water is pretty tasty, and very good for you! The acid helps with alkalizing just like the ACV does, bacteria REALLY don't like lemon very much....AND lemons are cheap! They are also high in vitamin C! (I recommend organic, fresh squeezed lemons for maximum nutrition. Conventional lemons often have lacquer on them, "food grade paint", wax, and an abundance of pesticides...organic lemons are pretty easy to get at almost any grocery store these days)
6. Tea- I love tea....anybody who knows me well, knows that I am a tea SNOB! I love my organic loose leaf teas, fair trade, etc....herbal, green, and black all have great healing properties (I might recommend getting decaf if sleeping is a problem right now)...personally, I like earl grey or assam black tea when I am sick. :-) But I often have mostly green tea around....:-) high antioxidants! WAHOO! And the caffeine helps the low energy levels that often are a result of illness.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
-1. Stay clear of DAIRY! I love my ice cream when I am sick...but I do not eat it during illness for many reasons....largely because it is a mucogen and inflammatory in nature. You do NOT was extra mucus or inflammation while you are sick...no bueno!
-2. SUGAR! And varieties therein! High fructose corn syrup lowers the immune system by like a gagillion(5 reasons to stop drinking soda)....sugar also causes a more acidic reaction in the blood stream(which remember, causes the blood cells to NOT work well....it also allows the bad bacteria an awesome food source to live on! We all know that sugar gives us energy...imagine what it does to sneaky pathogens!)
-3. Comfort foods....I know that the only thing you want to eat is comfort food when you're sick....or nothing at all. That's not good. You need to stay nourished! Eating easily digested, nutritious food is important! A good, homemade soup is probably the best bet! The nutrition from HOMEMADE soup is achieved from the BONES in the chicken! The marrow cooks out into the soup and gives your body lots of great nutrients! Also, the veggies give great support too! My mom used to make Italian wedding soup momma style! Homemade stock, organic spinach, little pastini, and meatballs(beef, turkey, chicken...or a mix of any or all three...whatever she had in the house :-) But, you have to make your own broth....the bones need to cook for several hours to get the full nutrition...if you feel like a cold is coming on, get your chicken(free-range/organic is best...local even better) before you are ill, and put it in the crock pot with filtered water over night....that way your stock is ready when you need it! Here's some chicken soup recipes.
-4. As much as soda will seem to help the stomach....it is the WORST thing you could possibly drink for your stomach...the HFCS will hurt the immune system drastically and "sugar-free" is just as bad if not worse!(Note: often flavored waters, Mio, and Crystal light have the same toxic makeup...these are not healthy alternatives) If you must have something "bubbly"...I would recommend Blue Sky soda or a variety of other natural sodas...even mixing some organic cherry, grape, blueberry, or pomegranate, etc. juice with club soda would be a better option. See the link under -2, if you need a reminder why not to drink soda!
This is all I got for now...sorry for such a long blog...I hope it was informative! :-D
Stay warm, healthy, and well fed!
Love,
Becca
I am RARELY sick....I mean RARELY! I often, (foolishly), boast that I "never get sick"....so this was somewhat humbling for me to not only be "sick" but have to miss church, Meal Day Mondays, and call out sick this morning from my courthouse job.
I burnt the candles at both ends for the last several months, often working 7 days a week, not getting enough sleep, doing things every night(Bible study, out with friends, game nights, choir, etc)....well, this past Saturday, I went to the Highland Games in Central Florida...it was a lovely time with Daniel and our friends....got to try haggis, etc...at 2am on Sunday morning, I woke up coughing, with a severe swollen throat, and a fever...So I am not going to blame the Highland Games, but my rather overcrowded schedule that I keep :-(
Anyways...I often have people ask me what I take when I am sick....there are some prerequisites for what I use: has to be inexpensive (we do not have insurance), has to be harmful for the pathogen, and helpful for the body. So here's my "go to" list of awesome, inexpensive, home remedies:
1. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar- it kills the bad bacteria-like in a sore throat/intestinal problem...but it also helps to alkalize the blood stream, which in turn, helps to keep your blood cells(both white and red) working properly...red won't release oxygen into other cells in the wrong pH and white blood cells deform into the wrong shape in the wrong pH and will not attack invading pathogens. Bacteria also do not survive in an alkaline blood stream, but do just fine in an acidic one! (I know, vinegar is acidic, but when it goes through your blood stream, it causes an alkaline reaction....biochemistry is a beautiful thing! Here's the type mentioned: Bragg's ACV It is now available at most grocery stores in the natural section! Heinz/store brand WILL NOT WORK! the "mother" or cloudiness in the vinegar is what has all the nutrients! The distilled stuff is great for cleaning, not for ingesting! here's a bunch of FAQ's for ACV :-) ACV FAQ's
To use: mix 2 tbsp of ACV with 2 tbsp of water and gargle several times a day....OR, you can drink it....at a different ratio....put 2-3 tablespoons of ACV, 1-2 teaspoons of local, raw, honey, and as much water as you need to fill you glass....drink it 3-4 times a day. (I do NOT use honey in mine, but I am quite accustomed to the flavor of ACV)
2. Zinc- zinc is very helpful to the immune system...here's a helpful link :zinc-cold and flu helper! This is the brand I use: Garden of Life Zinc I like this brand because it also has vitamin C in it! (it should also be available at your local health food store....for about 9 or 10 dollars. If not locally, online for about the same price)
3. Echinacea Goldenseal- Echinacea has been widely recognized for immune support for years and years! My mom gave it to me as a small child! You can get it as a tea, tincture, capsule, tablet....etc....I get it as a tablet with goldenseal, which has amazing sinus powers! I get them as tablets, but here is a link for the capsules: echincea goldenseal goodness...again, probably available at your local health food store! I also use the tea quite often(It tastes similar to peppermint tea...with a little raw honey, I have never heard of any harsh complaints...even when I was a kid I liked it enough!): awesomesauce tea Traditional Medicinals has a wide variety of teas for many different uses...I HIGHLY recommend them for any of your tea needs! My grocery store, even my Walmart now carries this tea! Very easy to get ahold of!
To be clear, I want to summarize that you probably spend 25+ dollars for your COPAY at a doctor's office...~10$ for zinc, ~5$ for the tea, and ~5$ for the ACV, so far...this is CHEAPER than going to the doctor!
4. Sleep- you MUST get some sleep...I couldn't breathe well last night, so I slept terribly...which made me feel awful this morning....I ended up crashing on the couch a few hours later...when my sinuses finally cleared(hint, I didn't take echinacea/goldenseal in the beginning....which I should have, but I couldn't find mine and money is super tight right now, so I couldn't go buy any, but never fear, I did find it yesterday...and have promtly taken quite a bit)
5. Lemon water- Hot, or cold, lemon water is pretty tasty, and very good for you! The acid helps with alkalizing just like the ACV does, bacteria REALLY don't like lemon very much....AND lemons are cheap! They are also high in vitamin C! (I recommend organic, fresh squeezed lemons for maximum nutrition. Conventional lemons often have lacquer on them, "food grade paint", wax, and an abundance of pesticides...organic lemons are pretty easy to get at almost any grocery store these days)
6. Tea- I love tea....anybody who knows me well, knows that I am a tea SNOB! I love my organic loose leaf teas, fair trade, etc....herbal, green, and black all have great healing properties (I might recommend getting decaf if sleeping is a problem right now)...personally, I like earl grey or assam black tea when I am sick. :-) But I often have mostly green tea around....:-) high antioxidants! WAHOO! And the caffeine helps the low energy levels that often are a result of illness.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
-1. Stay clear of DAIRY! I love my ice cream when I am sick...but I do not eat it during illness for many reasons....largely because it is a mucogen and inflammatory in nature. You do NOT was extra mucus or inflammation while you are sick...no bueno!
-2. SUGAR! And varieties therein! High fructose corn syrup lowers the immune system by like a gagillion(5 reasons to stop drinking soda)....sugar also causes a more acidic reaction in the blood stream(which remember, causes the blood cells to NOT work well....it also allows the bad bacteria an awesome food source to live on! We all know that sugar gives us energy...imagine what it does to sneaky pathogens!)
-3. Comfort foods....I know that the only thing you want to eat is comfort food when you're sick....or nothing at all. That's not good. You need to stay nourished! Eating easily digested, nutritious food is important! A good, homemade soup is probably the best bet! The nutrition from HOMEMADE soup is achieved from the BONES in the chicken! The marrow cooks out into the soup and gives your body lots of great nutrients! Also, the veggies give great support too! My mom used to make Italian wedding soup momma style! Homemade stock, organic spinach, little pastini, and meatballs(beef, turkey, chicken...or a mix of any or all three...whatever she had in the house :-) But, you have to make your own broth....the bones need to cook for several hours to get the full nutrition...if you feel like a cold is coming on, get your chicken(free-range/organic is best...local even better) before you are ill, and put it in the crock pot with filtered water over night....that way your stock is ready when you need it! Here's some chicken soup recipes.
-4. As much as soda will seem to help the stomach....it is the WORST thing you could possibly drink for your stomach...the HFCS will hurt the immune system drastically and "sugar-free" is just as bad if not worse!(Note: often flavored waters, Mio, and Crystal light have the same toxic makeup...these are not healthy alternatives) If you must have something "bubbly"...I would recommend Blue Sky soda or a variety of other natural sodas...even mixing some organic cherry, grape, blueberry, or pomegranate, etc. juice with club soda would be a better option. See the link under -2, if you need a reminder why not to drink soda!
This is all I got for now...sorry for such a long blog...I hope it was informative! :-D
Stay warm, healthy, and well fed!
Love,
Becca
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Health Rant #1 of 1zillion: baby products....seriously?
So, here's health rant #1 of 1zillion: baby products...seriously?!
So here's what started all of this....
When I was a child, my mom would always MAKE baby wipes when we went to baby showers together and would include the recipe as part of the gift....I thought it was a bit strange, but my mom does unique, strange, yet, awesome things....I thought this was one of them.
I have had a lot of friends, my sister-in-law, and my sister have babies in the last 7 years or so....I have vested interest in babies...and besides, they are our future!
And then, Daniel and I bought a new car, and part of the "vow" to keep it clean, I suggested keeping baby wipes in the car so we can wipe up any smudges, spills, stains, stickiness, etc. immediately instead of "finding time" to clean later (part of the "routine" resolution). So, as I always do, I checked the ingredients on the baby wipes...(I know how bad certain toxins can be, especially parabens and such. I use paraben free makeup, skin care, shampoo/conditioner....I am pretty careful about avoiding them for a REASON....cancerous tumors are primarily made up of parabens....so you really don't want to put carcinogens ON your skin to be absorbed...or simply made into skin cancer for that matter! ) So....bringing it all back, I checked the ingredients on the "sensitive" wipes because I often get rashes from harsher cleaners. There were not 1, but 2 types or more, of parabens IN THE WIPES! WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU PUT CARCINOGENS IN BABY WIPES!? For CRYING in the MUD! Now, this doesn't mean that you, your kid, or anyone you know will develop cancer from baby wipes, but seriously, this is something to consider....I don't want them on MY skin, why would I touch them in order to put them on my child's!?
So to continue my mother's intuitive awesomeness, I am posting my google search for homemade wipes...the first 4(at least) check out good...keep in mind, if you choose to do this, please buy good lotions and oils....every skin product I own, I have checked carefully...be careful, parabens sneak in everywhere(ethylparaben, methylparaben, polyparaben, etc.)! My essante site has some great essential oils and baby products(lotion, baby wash, etc): essante site google search
Even a vitamin E oil that I had purchased for my cuticles had parabens in it...deoderant, soap, lotion, shampoo, etc. are often likely to have parabens and many other toxins. To find out more about those kind of toxins, please watch this video....it can also be found on the bottom of my essante site(link above) listed as "the toxic truth".
Thanks for reading health rant #1 of 1zillion....tune in next time for something that excites me...positively or negatively....
So here's what started all of this....
When I was a child, my mom would always MAKE baby wipes when we went to baby showers together and would include the recipe as part of the gift....I thought it was a bit strange, but my mom does unique, strange, yet, awesome things....I thought this was one of them.
I have had a lot of friends, my sister-in-law, and my sister have babies in the last 7 years or so....I have vested interest in babies...and besides, they are our future!
And then, Daniel and I bought a new car, and part of the "vow" to keep it clean, I suggested keeping baby wipes in the car so we can wipe up any smudges, spills, stains, stickiness, etc. immediately instead of "finding time" to clean later (part of the "routine" resolution). So, as I always do, I checked the ingredients on the baby wipes...(I know how bad certain toxins can be, especially parabens and such. I use paraben free makeup, skin care, shampoo/conditioner....I am pretty careful about avoiding them for a REASON....cancerous tumors are primarily made up of parabens....so you really don't want to put carcinogens ON your skin to be absorbed...or simply made into skin cancer for that matter! ) So....bringing it all back, I checked the ingredients on the "sensitive" wipes because I often get rashes from harsher cleaners. There were not 1, but 2 types or more, of parabens IN THE WIPES! WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU PUT CARCINOGENS IN BABY WIPES!? For CRYING in the MUD! Now, this doesn't mean that you, your kid, or anyone you know will develop cancer from baby wipes, but seriously, this is something to consider....I don't want them on MY skin, why would I touch them in order to put them on my child's!?
So to continue my mother's intuitive awesomeness, I am posting my google search for homemade wipes...the first 4(at least) check out good...keep in mind, if you choose to do this, please buy good lotions and oils....every skin product I own, I have checked carefully...be careful, parabens sneak in everywhere(ethylparaben, methylparaben, polyparaben, etc.)! My essante site has some great essential oils and baby products(lotion, baby wash, etc): essante site google search
Even a vitamin E oil that I had purchased for my cuticles had parabens in it...deoderant, soap, lotion, shampoo, etc. are often likely to have parabens and many other toxins. To find out more about those kind of toxins, please watch this video....it can also be found on the bottom of my essante site(link above) listed as "the toxic truth".
Thanks for reading health rant #1 of 1zillion....tune in next time for something that excites me...positively or negatively....
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