Hello!

I get tired of having to use my phone to post, so I end up not doing it as often as I'd like :p One of my biggest dreams right now is to get a laptop! So many reasons it would be good... One day :)

Hmmm... Looking back, I haven't done a health update on here in quite a while! I'm on the computer, so now's probably a good time to do it ;)

1. I started a natural progesterone cream in January. My hormones were getting waaay off and I had to do something. Something cheap. So I went with a cream instead of the super awesome (but expensive) drops I was using last time. It worked pretty good at first, but in April I started having problems with it and had to stop using it :( I had read that it would only have full effectiveness for a few months but I was hoping I would be one of the ladies it worked longer... I tried to go back on the wild yam drops I was using but the company no longer had them! I started a desperate search to find some locally because, well, let's just say I needed them AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. I called around and found some at a health food store I go to occasionally. Whew! They're not the same exact formulation, but lots cheaper! I've been taking them for almost two months now and am responding very well to them :) (FYI - wild yam is bioidentical to human progesterone so it's the perfect supplement when you need it!)

2. I've started muscle testing all my supplements almost every day. (I'll do a post about muscle testing soon!) It's nice to see my body needing less and less of them as time goes on :) I don't know if it's because they're building up in my body, or if my stomach is absorbing more from what I eat as the gluten damage heals. If you're curious, here's what I'm taking:
Liquid B Complex http://www.nowfoods.com/Supplements/Products-by-Category/Vitamins/Vitamin-B/Vitamin-B-12-Complex-Liquid-2oz.htm#.UbElZJxdAp8
Liquid D3 http://www.cilihealthstore.com
Wild yam
Probiotic Boost http://www.cilihealthstore.com
Angstrom minerals (all from http://www.cilihealthstore.com):
Iron
Silver
Zinc/copper

3. I've been reading some of Matt Stone (www.180degreehealth.com)'s ebooks. Interesting information about metabolism and disease! I don't know that I believe it all, but he definitely makes sense about a lot! Your basal body temperature (upon first waking) is supposed to be a good indicator of how well your metabolism is functioning. You want to be in the 98s, preferably the upper 98s. My basal temp is in the 95-96s :( It gets up in the high 97s during the day, occasionally the 98s. But that's it. I'd like to try some of his tips and see if I can give my metabolism a boost!

4. My weight... I've hovered around 175 for a long time now. I got a little below that a couple months ago, then gained almost 10 lbs, and am now back to 177. I think the gain was a reaction to environmental toxins. My apartment complex is doing major renovations to the outsides of the buildings so there were a lot of chemicals and dust floating around that normally aren't there. As soon as work on our building was done, my body decided to do a small detox :p Before the detox, I was in the 180s. A week later, I was back between 175-180. Coincidence? I don't think so!

5. I must say... Jesse and I are healthier than we've been in a long time! Jesse isn't taking supplements (unless he feels like he's starting to get sick), but even with the massive stress he's been under the past 9 months, his body seems to be doing well :) I've noticed my energy gradually going back up. I think a lot of it with me is hormone related. Even the boys are healthier! They're having some slight allergy issues, but I think a lot of that is from the renovations that are still going on. No colds, no tummy bugs :) I think for all of us it's a combination of the overall stress being lower, our way of eating, the supplements (the boys take some too), and the gluten damage healing. We never had medical tests done to assess gluten damage, but it seems like I've turned a corner the past few months with my digestive system. It's so nice that heartburn rarely happens, my bowel movements are normal, I rarely get indigestion, no gallbladder issues, etc! Praise God!


Last but certainly not least... Our current eating plan!

Breakfast - Greek yogurt - I mix Chobani brand flavored yogurt with an equal part of plain, then add heavy cream.

Lunch - main meal of the day - 1 lb meat + 2 (cooked) cups brown rice OR 2 (cooked) cups quinoa OR potatoes OR 8 oz (uncooked, GF) pasta + seasonings, sauces, etc + lots of fat (butter, cream and/or olive oil) + usually 24 oz frozen veggies OR raw veggies (Total amounts to feed all 4 of us)

Supper - mixed bag... - This is our smaller meal so things you might eat for lunch - salad w/meat and/or cheese, mashed potatoes with cheese, eggs and rice for the guys, etc. Usually our protein at supper is cheese but not always.

As far as liquids, I drink half a cup of strong coffee with stevia and heavy cream, sometimes another half cup later, 1-2 cups of decaf tea (mixed half and half with water), and water to taste. And an ounce or two of grape juice with my supplements at night. My liquid consumption is below what the "experts" say it should be. But I'm not convinced they're right ;)

I guess that's it for now! If you're still following along, leave me a comment and let me know! Also, feel free to ask questions or request clarification on anything I've said here :)

God bless!