It is stressful trying to get the kids home from school and dinner on the table before The Pleaser has to be back at band practice at 6:30. It didn't help yesterday that the boys were fighting while I was trying to get them to the table. I lost my temper with them and asked them not to say another word to anyone until dinner was over. They continued squabbling and picking at each other after the meal was over and while we were trying to get out the door for band. I won't go into all the gory details but that sets up the situation for you.
As we were on the way to band practice, my phone alerted me of a text message. I generally don't text and drive so I ignored it for the moment. Then a few minutes later, it dinged again and since I was at a stoplight I picked it up to see what it was. Well, as it turns out, The Pleaser had accidentally texted me instead of one of his friends. The text read, "I hate my family. I am going to live at xxxxxx (his school) from now on...." Needless to say I was hurt and angry (mostly angry). I proceeded to tell him how wonderful it was that he hated us and how I was so sorry that he had to live with us, and ride in the car with us to his band practice (which many parents would not make the sacrifices or efforts to let their kids go to), etc. He was stone silent the rest of the way and got out at school without a word.
We ran an errand and went back home. Danger Boy was upset by everything so I tried to reassure him that everything was OK. He and Phone Guy and I had a nice evening.
I picked The Pleaser up at 8:30 and he immediately apologized when he got in the car. He told me he was just upset and felt blamed for everything. I didn't have much to say but we made conversation on the way home.
This morning he asked if he could just stay through until band practice instead of coming home in between. Of course, I had to ask. "Why? Because you don't want to be at home with us?" (I know, I couldn't help myself) "NO! Why do you have to bring that up again." And he left for the bus stop shortly after for his 15 hour day at school.
If you want to nominate me for Mom of the Year, go right ahead. *sigh*
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Hungry Days
Do you ever have those days where you are hungry all day long? I don't often, but yesterday was one of those days for me.
My kids went back to school yesterday. I now have a junior and an 8th grader. (Who are these people? What did they do with my babies!?) It was a busy day. I woke up at 4:45, got The Pleaser up at 5:00 and sent him off to the bus stop at 6:15, then got Danger Boy up and ready after that. Then it started raining. I dropped him at 8:30 and headed to work. After a long traffic delay, I finally made it to work.
I had eaten a protein bar at 5:30 but by 9:30 I was starving. I ate the protein bar I had packed for my afternoon snack. At 11:00, I was starving again. I finally ate lunch about 11:45. I was a good girl and had packed some homemade chicken tortilla soup, one bean and cheese taco, some grapes and about 5 chocolate covered almonds. Normally that would be plenty for me but I was still hungry. Since I ate my afternoon protein bar at 9:30, I was out of luck.
I picked up The Pleaser about 3:45 and then went straight to Danger Boys school. He is supposed to get out at 4:10 but we didn't manage to locate each other until almost 4:45. You've probably seen that graphic on the interwebs that defines the word Hangry. Well that's how I was feeling about that time.
I had planned dinner so that it wouldn't take long to fix. I was supposed to go to a meeting at 6:00 and have The Pleaser back for band practice at 6:30. Since it was already 5:00 when I got home, I immediately ran to the kitchen and started my second "meatless Monday" creation. This time we had Spicy Spaghetti Squash with black beans. I think I had way too much squash compared to the other ingredients and it wasn't what my family considers to be "spicy" but it was good and in case I haven't mentioned it - I was STARVING! I quickly ate 2 helpings.
After dinner, I decided there wasn't going to be time for me to make the meeting so I ran The Pleaser back up to school for band practice. I came home and watched a couple of Criminal Minds re-runs. Amazingly there were 2 episodes I hadn't seen. I still felt like I needed to visit the all-you-can-eat buffet. I ended up popping a little bit of popcorn and coating it with olive oil and sea salt. Then I had a few almonds. I felt like I might live, but truth be told, I was still hungry.
I picked The Pleaser up at 8:30 and he told me he had homework...in 3 classes...Really? Who has homework on the first day of school? So as he worked on that, I washed dishes then watched part of another Criminal Minds episode (one I had already seen about 4 times). I was so glad for bedtime. I was exhausted and hungry. I was hoping sleep would solve both of those problems.
Let's hope today isn't another hungry day for me.
My kids went back to school yesterday. I now have a junior and an 8th grader. (Who are these people? What did they do with my babies!?) It was a busy day. I woke up at 4:45, got The Pleaser up at 5:00 and sent him off to the bus stop at 6:15, then got Danger Boy up and ready after that. Then it started raining. I dropped him at 8:30 and headed to work. After a long traffic delay, I finally made it to work.
I had eaten a protein bar at 5:30 but by 9:30 I was starving. I ate the protein bar I had packed for my afternoon snack. At 11:00, I was starving again. I finally ate lunch about 11:45. I was a good girl and had packed some homemade chicken tortilla soup, one bean and cheese taco, some grapes and about 5 chocolate covered almonds. Normally that would be plenty for me but I was still hungry. Since I ate my afternoon protein bar at 9:30, I was out of luck.
I picked up The Pleaser about 3:45 and then went straight to Danger Boys school. He is supposed to get out at 4:10 but we didn't manage to locate each other until almost 4:45. You've probably seen that graphic on the interwebs that defines the word Hangry. Well that's how I was feeling about that time.
I had planned dinner so that it wouldn't take long to fix. I was supposed to go to a meeting at 6:00 and have The Pleaser back for band practice at 6:30. Since it was already 5:00 when I got home, I immediately ran to the kitchen and started my second "meatless Monday" creation. This time we had Spicy Spaghetti Squash with black beans. I think I had way too much squash compared to the other ingredients and it wasn't what my family considers to be "spicy" but it was good and in case I haven't mentioned it - I was STARVING! I quickly ate 2 helpings.
After dinner, I decided there wasn't going to be time for me to make the meeting so I ran The Pleaser back up to school for band practice. I came home and watched a couple of Criminal Minds re-runs. Amazingly there were 2 episodes I hadn't seen. I still felt like I needed to visit the all-you-can-eat buffet. I ended up popping a little bit of popcorn and coating it with olive oil and sea salt. Then I had a few almonds. I felt like I might live, but truth be told, I was still hungry.
I picked The Pleaser up at 8:30 and he told me he had homework...in 3 classes...Really? Who has homework on the first day of school? So as he worked on that, I washed dishes then watched part of another Criminal Minds episode (one I had already seen about 4 times). I was so glad for bedtime. I was exhausted and hungry. I was hoping sleep would solve both of those problems.
Let's hope today isn't another hungry day for me.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Shampoo, Who Knew?
Oh Dove shampoo. I have loved you for so many years. You smell so good and make my hair feel so great. But we are in an abusive relationship - you are hurting me more than helping me so I must let you go. As I was researching estrogen dominance, I found out that the shampoo I had been using all these years could have been contributing to the hormonal imbalance. No way? Yes way!
Most consumer shampoos contain parabens. Parabens are used as a preservative in a lot of cosmetic products and pharmaceuticals. They are probably in the shampoo you love, the toothpaste you use, and the make-up that makes you beautiful. Parabens can mimic estrogen and while there is some debate about whether or not they are harmful, they are thought to contribute to estrogen dominance and breast cancer. Since I am trying to eliminate all of the factors contributing to my high estrogen levels, it seems logical to get them out of my life as much as possible. If you give up things containing parabens, you will likely have to give up many of the products you have loved for years. I have decided that, for me, it is worth the sacrifice. Now, I haven't gone through the house and found all of the evil parabens and thrown them in the trash but as I finish things up, I am replacing them with items that are better for my overall health.
The first thing I did was change shampoo and conditioner. I went with a paraben-free, sulfate-free brand, Nature's Gate. Burt's Bees and Say Yes to Carrots are other brands that are "safe" but I liked the scent and price of Nature's Gate so I went with that one for now. It took me a few days to get used to it since it didn't lather in quite the same way as my old shampoo but it is acceptable. It smells great and gets my hair clean and doesn't leave it feeling too greasy. What more could a girl can ask for? Of course, you will find that paraben-free brands are a little pricier than drug store brands but if you are used to paying for salon brands, then you probably won't pay much more for a paraben-free brand.
I was also excited to find out that select Wal-Marts will begin carrying a paraben-free, sulfate-free brand called Simply U. You can actually request a free sample through that link. Of course, my local Wal-Mart won't have it but there are a few stores in this area that will carry it plus it is available online. It is very affordable too, which cheap me loves.
Most consumer shampoos contain parabens. Parabens are used as a preservative in a lot of cosmetic products and pharmaceuticals. They are probably in the shampoo you love, the toothpaste you use, and the make-up that makes you beautiful. Parabens can mimic estrogen and while there is some debate about whether or not they are harmful, they are thought to contribute to estrogen dominance and breast cancer. Since I am trying to eliminate all of the factors contributing to my high estrogen levels, it seems logical to get them out of my life as much as possible. If you give up things containing parabens, you will likely have to give up many of the products you have loved for years. I have decided that, for me, it is worth the sacrifice. Now, I haven't gone through the house and found all of the evil parabens and thrown them in the trash but as I finish things up, I am replacing them with items that are better for my overall health.
The first thing I did was change shampoo and conditioner. I went with a paraben-free, sulfate-free brand, Nature's Gate. Burt's Bees and Say Yes to Carrots are other brands that are "safe" but I liked the scent and price of Nature's Gate so I went with that one for now. It took me a few days to get used to it since it didn't lather in quite the same way as my old shampoo but it is acceptable. It smells great and gets my hair clean and doesn't leave it feeling too greasy. What more could a girl can ask for? Of course, you will find that paraben-free brands are a little pricier than drug store brands but if you are used to paying for salon brands, then you probably won't pay much more for a paraben-free brand.
I was also excited to find out that select Wal-Marts will begin carrying a paraben-free, sulfate-free brand called Simply U. You can actually request a free sample through that link. Of course, my local Wal-Mart won't have it but there are a few stores in this area that will carry it plus it is available online. It is very affordable too, which cheap me loves.
Friday, August 24, 2012
DIM Prospects
As I mentioned in my last post, I take a handful of supplements and a few meds every day. I quit taking several of my medications without consulting my doctor (not recommending this approach - just how I did it). The metformin made me sick, the birth control pills were just contributing to my high estrogen levels, the thyroid pills because I don't have a thyroid problem and I'm really not sure why I was on them in the first place. I was also able to quit the daily Prilosec after I gave up dairy. I had always just taken whatever my doctor gave me without really questioning it. The only medications I am continuing on are the cholesterol and blood pressure meds (although since I quit caffeine my BP has gone down significantly and is in the "high normal" range now). I am hoping, eventually, to be able to give these up as well.
I also take several supplements. Most were recommended by my doctor, but a few I have researched on my own and have added since I started researching estrogen dominance. DIM-Plus is one of the things I have added on my own. DIM-plus contains highly concentrated amounts of diindolylmethane, a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. DIM has unique hormonal benefits that you don't find in other plant nutrients. It is supposed to help reduce the risk of breast, cervical and other estrogen-driven cancers cancer by helping your body to make a better balance of the “good estrogen” (2-hydroxy-estrone) compared to the “bad estrogen” (16-alpha-hydroxy-estrone). It is recommended to help with menopausal symptoms and for those of us who have an imbalance of estrogen/progesterone. I love veggies but I would have to eat dozens of servings to get the benefits I get out of taking the DIM-Plus caps every day.
The verdict is still out on this one. I've been on it for about 3 weeks now but it's hard for me to say for sure if it has made a big difference. My hormones didn't get out-of-whack overnight and it is going to take some time for them to get back to normal. Hopefully DIM-Plus will help.
I also take several supplements. Most were recommended by my doctor, but a few I have researched on my own and have added since I started researching estrogen dominance. DIM-Plus is one of the things I have added on my own. DIM-plus contains highly concentrated amounts of diindolylmethane, a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. DIM has unique hormonal benefits that you don't find in other plant nutrients. It is supposed to help reduce the risk of breast, cervical and other estrogen-driven cancers cancer by helping your body to make a better balance of the “good estrogen” (2-hydroxy-estrone) compared to the “bad estrogen” (16-alpha-hydroxy-estrone). It is recommended to help with menopausal symptoms and for those of us who have an imbalance of estrogen/progesterone. I love veggies but I would have to eat dozens of servings to get the benefits I get out of taking the DIM-Plus caps every day.
The verdict is still out on this one. I've been on it for about 3 weeks now but it's hard for me to say for sure if it has made a big difference. My hormones didn't get out-of-whack overnight and it is going to take some time for them to get back to normal. Hopefully DIM-Plus will help.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Supplementing
Today was my 4 month checkup at the doctor. I dread these visits but today's wasn't too terrible.
The good news: My A1C had gone down and I have lost 4 lbs. The bad news: My cholesterol was back up some. How? I have no idea. I tend to think last time's numbers were a bit of a fluke. At any rate, I have already made several dietary changes that should make my next visit numbers much better. Only time will tell though.
The doctor wants me to add CoQ-10 and Vitamin D to my already vast list of medications and supplements. Yay. More pills to swallow.
Phone Guy's cholesterol and triglycerides were all out of whack so he got a firm talking to. I will be trying to keep him on track but he's a little stubborn in regards to his diet.
We started our "Meatless Monday" experiment today. We made vegetarian stuffed Poblano peppers. They were delicious. We all enjoyed them, although Danger Boy ate the filling and left the pepper and The Pleaser wasn't having any of it so he ate tortillas with peanut butter in them. Peanut butter is the reason he is alive today so I guess I won't knock it too much.
I am optimistic about my next doctor visit. I hope to knock his socks off with some great numbers and significant weight loss. Wish me luck!
The good news: My A1C had gone down and I have lost 4 lbs. The bad news: My cholesterol was back up some. How? I have no idea. I tend to think last time's numbers were a bit of a fluke. At any rate, I have already made several dietary changes that should make my next visit numbers much better. Only time will tell though.
The doctor wants me to add CoQ-10 and Vitamin D to my already vast list of medications and supplements. Yay. More pills to swallow.
Phone Guy's cholesterol and triglycerides were all out of whack so he got a firm talking to. I will be trying to keep him on track but he's a little stubborn in regards to his diet.
We started our "Meatless Monday" experiment today. We made vegetarian stuffed Poblano peppers. They were delicious. We all enjoyed them, although Danger Boy ate the filling and left the pepper and The Pleaser wasn't having any of it so he ate tortillas with peanut butter in them. Peanut butter is the reason he is alive today so I guess I won't knock it too much.
I am optimistic about my next doctor visit. I hope to knock his socks off with some great numbers and significant weight loss. Wish me luck!
Friday, August 17, 2012
It's Alive!
I am once again resurrecting this poor, neglected blog o' mine. I thought about starting a new one, but I am a little partial to this old gal so I figured I would dust her off and take her for another ride.
I am still watching too much TV and enjoying the adventures of my ever-hilarious children (who are both now teens) and after reading some of the old entries, I realized I missed documenting some of their antics here.
But the main reason I came back is to chronicle a new journey to improve my health and lose some weight and conquer "estrogen dominance." I was just recently diagnosed with this condition and it explains so much of what has been going on in my life the last 13 years or so. The list of symptoms reads like a book based on my life.
I have already made some significant changes. Even before the diagnosis, I had given up most dairy. I just can't tolerate it anymore. And it was a chore for me. I am a chocolate milk girl. I drank it every morning. And then, within 20 minutes, I would face some of the worst...uh...let's just say intestinal distress. It took me a couple of years to admit it was the milk and give it up completely, but let me tell you, I have felt soooo much better since I gave it up. I don't eat yogurt or cottage cheese either. I do have cheese sometimes but not nearly as much as I used to.
I also gave up my beloved Dr. Pepper. And for those who know me, you know this was a big change for me. I lurve my DP and it was a big decision. I wanted to give up caffeine because it is a major player in the whole estrogen dominance arena, so I tried the caffeine-free stuff. Then I decided to eliminate all of the processed and chemically altered things like HFCS so I gave that up. I did find a soda called Dr. Better made by Virgil's which is reminiscent of Dr. Pepper and made with all-natural ingredients. It is also caffeine-free and makes for a nice treat once in a while. It's way too expensive (read: I am way too cheap) to make it a daily thing anyway. I am, for the most part, a water-only drinker now.
I (mostly) gave up fast food. I was eating that junk 3-5 times per week. Now, I have it about once per week - usually when I have failed to plan and don't get away from here with my packed lunch. On those occasions I try to make smarter choices from the fast food joints but there really isn't much that is smart about those places.
I started exercising again. Mostly, I am just riding my recumbent bike. It's a start, it gets my heart pumping and (best of all) it is in the living room, facing the TV, so I can watch Roseanne while I ride. Plus I need to ride for my torn ACL (a story for another day) anyway.
I am making other changes which I will chronicle here as I go along. I'd like to say my family is 100% on board with all of this, but The Pleaser has never met a veggie that he liked and Phone Guy (despite his good intentions) is not ever going to be a "health nut." He wants to be supportive but he also wants to eat bacon cheeseburgers and chocolate ice cream for every meal. Danger Boy is receptive to a lot of things. He really digs spaghetti squash primavera. But he thought I was trying to kill him with cauliflower mashed "potatoes." So it's a battle.
So that's it, in a nutshell. I came back to blogging in hopes that it will help me be accountable on my journey and let me share a laugh or two...even if I am just talking to myself most of the time. And if someone else finds me in their quest for information on estrogen dominance, then maybe they will find some of the information I have found helpful in their own journey.
I am still watching too much TV and enjoying the adventures of my ever-hilarious children (who are both now teens) and after reading some of the old entries, I realized I missed documenting some of their antics here.
But the main reason I came back is to chronicle a new journey to improve my health and lose some weight and conquer "estrogen dominance." I was just recently diagnosed with this condition and it explains so much of what has been going on in my life the last 13 years or so. The list of symptoms reads like a book based on my life.
I have already made some significant changes. Even before the diagnosis, I had given up most dairy. I just can't tolerate it anymore. And it was a chore for me. I am a chocolate milk girl. I drank it every morning. And then, within 20 minutes, I would face some of the worst...uh...let's just say intestinal distress. It took me a couple of years to admit it was the milk and give it up completely, but let me tell you, I have felt soooo much better since I gave it up. I don't eat yogurt or cottage cheese either. I do have cheese sometimes but not nearly as much as I used to.
I also gave up my beloved Dr. Pepper. And for those who know me, you know this was a big change for me. I lurve my DP and it was a big decision. I wanted to give up caffeine because it is a major player in the whole estrogen dominance arena, so I tried the caffeine-free stuff. Then I decided to eliminate all of the processed and chemically altered things like HFCS so I gave that up. I did find a soda called Dr. Better made by Virgil's which is reminiscent of Dr. Pepper and made with all-natural ingredients. It is also caffeine-free and makes for a nice treat once in a while. It's way too expensive (read: I am way too cheap) to make it a daily thing anyway. I am, for the most part, a water-only drinker now.
I (mostly) gave up fast food. I was eating that junk 3-5 times per week. Now, I have it about once per week - usually when I have failed to plan and don't get away from here with my packed lunch. On those occasions I try to make smarter choices from the fast food joints but there really isn't much that is smart about those places.
I started exercising again. Mostly, I am just riding my recumbent bike. It's a start, it gets my heart pumping and (best of all) it is in the living room, facing the TV, so I can watch Roseanne while I ride. Plus I need to ride for my torn ACL (a story for another day) anyway.
I am making other changes which I will chronicle here as I go along. I'd like to say my family is 100% on board with all of this, but The Pleaser has never met a veggie that he liked and Phone Guy (despite his good intentions) is not ever going to be a "health nut." He wants to be supportive but he also wants to eat bacon cheeseburgers and chocolate ice cream for every meal. Danger Boy is receptive to a lot of things. He really digs spaghetti squash primavera. But he thought I was trying to kill him with cauliflower mashed "potatoes." So it's a battle.
So that's it, in a nutshell. I came back to blogging in hopes that it will help me be accountable on my journey and let me share a laugh or two...even if I am just talking to myself most of the time. And if someone else finds me in their quest for information on estrogen dominance, then maybe they will find some of the information I have found helpful in their own journey.
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