I have known about the gluten free diet for a long time. Many people are sensitive to gluten, including in my own extended family. From what I understand sensitivity to gluten ranges from mild with no obvious symptoms to serious, as in the case of celiacs disease.
In my case, I have no obvious symptoms, I do likely have endometriosis. I say likely, because I have not had surgery to confirm it. I have the classic symptoms and have been told by 3 or 4 different doctors that it sounds like I likely have it, but it would take surgery to confirm it since you cannot see it on scans and there is no blood test for it.
Anyway, in my efforts to eat healthier and be healthier, I started wondering if there was something that could help with the endometriosis (for those who don't know, it can cause debilitating pain, something I have experienced off and on throughout my teenage and adult life). I found an article about a study showing that 75% of women who suffered severe pain from endo noticed a decrease in pain after eating a gluten free diet for a year. 75%!! That sounds like its worth a try to me! If you know how awful endo pain is, you understand how exciting this is!
So I started reading about eating gluten free, and have decided, based on my research, to cut out grains as well as gluten. I have not had any gluten (that I am aware of) since Thursday. I have not cut out grains entirely yet but I have cut back and plan to wean myself off of them as I develop a healthier diet for myself.
Our family has always been somewhere in the middle as far as healthy eating goes. Some people eat a perfectly balanced, all organic, locally grown, free range, non-processed, fresh diet. Some people eat processed cheese food product, soda, drive through, processed, preserved, food colored diet. We land in the middle (Archie says closer to the first than the latter).
The boys have noticed the change in my eating, it definitely affects them. I eat differently, so I prepare meals differently, and what I buy at the store is different! I am not bringing home "junk" like I have in the past. Michael complained to someone at church the other day "I can't even remember the last time I had soda!" I have to say, he meant it as a bad thing but I was so happy that it had been so long he couldn't remember! And yes, we did talk about the fact that he would be much better off if he never had soda again.
Although the boys are reluctant to give up some of their favorite "less than healthy" menu items, I think that overall they are eating healthier now that I am. And Archie too :)
I have to keep reminding myself why I really want to eat healthy. It is not to lose weight, or to avoid disease, it is not to have more energy, or to live longer. The reason I want to eat healthy, is that it is part of glorifying God with my body. He gave me this wonderful body to use for His purposes. It is a Temple of the Holy Spirit. I want my body to be fit for His use! Not that other reasons are bad, but to glorify God is the only reason that really matters.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
Looking for a healthy alternative
Every year that Archie and I have been married (except last year), I have made a cake to celebrate our "family birthday" on our anniversary. I am really making an effort to eat healthier now though and I don't want a cake that is full of sugar. I am also avoiding dairy since it doesn't like me.
So, what to make to celebrate. I found a coconut flour pound cake that is sweetened with honey instead of sugar. That looks like it might be a good option for a treat. The recipe makes a smallish cake too, so probably not much in the way of leftovers after its split between the 5 of us. I could smash up some strawberries to go on top too, but what about whipped cream? None for me. I could just do regular whipped cream and not have any myself. I have tried whipping coconut cream before but not had good luck with it. I could give that another try though.
I also thought about making meringues. Light and crunchy and almost like eating nothing, but they taste good.
I haven't talked a lot about my efforts to eat healthy and lose weight lately, but I've lost almost 10 lbs (not quite) since the beginning of March. I am happy with this, but I still have a long way to go. I really think I can get there. I have a whole new approach this time than I've ever had before. This time around I am not focusing as much on what I eat (though I do my best to make healthy choices and choose organic whenever possible), this time I am focusing more on building my relationship with my Lord, and turning to Him for comfort instead of food. Turning to Him for everything! Food fuels my body, it doesn't comfort me, or listen to my problems. Food doesn't love me. Not that its wrong to enjoy what I eat, and celebrate special occasions with yummy food, but food should never be what I live for or what consumes my thoughts.
So I am not counting calories (OK, well I do once in a while, but only for a day at a time to see if I am on track). I don't have strict lists of good and bad foods. As far as how I eat, I aim for plenty fruits and vegetables, I still eat meat but not every day, no obvious dairy (since it doesn't like me), whole grains, less sugar (I haven't eliminated it entirely but I generally avoid it), plenty of water, and I avoid anything prepackaged or processed. I also try to eat smaller portions and not over eat. I read once that "normal" people stop eating when they get to a 6 or 7 on the "fullness" scale. In the past I have often eaten to an 10 or 11 on that scale every time I ate. I'm trying to stop at that 6 or 7 mark (because usually 20 minutes or so after I stop eating I feel completely satisfied).
I'm not legalistic about it all but I am doing my best to make healthy choices. With so much information out there about what to eat and what not to eat I think its impossible for anyone to know exactly what I should eat! But I'm doing my best and more importantly, I am doing my best to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. He knows what I should eat and when, and how much! I don't always listen to Him perfectly, but I am listening more.
The thing is, God doesn't want me to struggle with my weight, obesity, or food addiction. He has a better plan for me, and now, I'm seeking that.
So, what to make to celebrate. I found a coconut flour pound cake that is sweetened with honey instead of sugar. That looks like it might be a good option for a treat. The recipe makes a smallish cake too, so probably not much in the way of leftovers after its split between the 5 of us. I could smash up some strawberries to go on top too, but what about whipped cream? None for me. I could just do regular whipped cream and not have any myself. I have tried whipping coconut cream before but not had good luck with it. I could give that another try though.
I also thought about making meringues. Light and crunchy and almost like eating nothing, but they taste good.
I haven't talked a lot about my efforts to eat healthy and lose weight lately, but I've lost almost 10 lbs (not quite) since the beginning of March. I am happy with this, but I still have a long way to go. I really think I can get there. I have a whole new approach this time than I've ever had before. This time around I am not focusing as much on what I eat (though I do my best to make healthy choices and choose organic whenever possible), this time I am focusing more on building my relationship with my Lord, and turning to Him for comfort instead of food. Turning to Him for everything! Food fuels my body, it doesn't comfort me, or listen to my problems. Food doesn't love me. Not that its wrong to enjoy what I eat, and celebrate special occasions with yummy food, but food should never be what I live for or what consumes my thoughts.
So I am not counting calories (OK, well I do once in a while, but only for a day at a time to see if I am on track). I don't have strict lists of good and bad foods. As far as how I eat, I aim for plenty fruits and vegetables, I still eat meat but not every day, no obvious dairy (since it doesn't like me), whole grains, less sugar (I haven't eliminated it entirely but I generally avoid it), plenty of water, and I avoid anything prepackaged or processed. I also try to eat smaller portions and not over eat. I read once that "normal" people stop eating when they get to a 6 or 7 on the "fullness" scale. In the past I have often eaten to an 10 or 11 on that scale every time I ate. I'm trying to stop at that 6 or 7 mark (because usually 20 minutes or so after I stop eating I feel completely satisfied).
I'm not legalistic about it all but I am doing my best to make healthy choices. With so much information out there about what to eat and what not to eat I think its impossible for anyone to know exactly what I should eat! But I'm doing my best and more importantly, I am doing my best to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. He knows what I should eat and when, and how much! I don't always listen to Him perfectly, but I am listening more.
The thing is, God doesn't want me to struggle with my weight, obesity, or food addiction. He has a better plan for me, and now, I'm seeking that.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Chickens
About a month ago we got our first batch of chickens. I put them in the garden tub in my bathroom with a heat lamp to keep them warm. We had 6 Rhode Island Reds (RIR) and 6 Partridge Plymouth Rocks (PPR). We think the RIR's were close to a week old but the PPR's were only a couple of days old. For two weeks they were in our bathroom. We cleaned the tub out daily or every other day. I loved the chirping sounds! I actually miss that now that they are not in the house anymore.
We also had a "Sizzle" added to our flock, which is a curly feathered chick that is a cross between a silkie and a frizzle. We called it the ugly duckling.
About 2 weeks ago we moved them outside to the "coop". Which is a 10' x 10' dog pen that we put a roof on and put tarp around the sides of. We got a big box to put them in and moved the heat lamp with them. After a week we decided to let them out of the box and just let them roam the coop, but that didn't work out so well. The first night that we left them out of the box (or rather we turned the box on its side), the dogs decided to dig a hole under the coop and steal 10 of our 13 chickens and kill them! Archie saw what happened when he got up for work in the morning and buried them before anyone else had to see what happened. We were all so sad. The only 3 chicks that were left were 2 RIR and 1 PPR.
The funny thing about the PPR that survived, is that it was the runtiest chick in the whole flock! The smallest and least feathers.
We dug a trench on one side of the chicken coop and buried chicken wire so that the dogs couldn't dig under the coop again. I want to do the other sides too, but for now we just did the side that they originally dug under. We also put up "hot wire" around the coop. It has shocked all 3 dogs and none of them will go near the coop now! Which is exactly the point. Even when the chicks are roaming the coop and sticking their heads out through the gate, the dogs won't go near! Ultimately I would like to put up a fence around the chicken coop so that the chickens can roam around outside during the day without fear of dogs. That can wait for a few months until they are full grown though I think.
We were gifted with a black Silkie and that brought us up to 4 chicks. The Silkie seems like it might be a little older than the other 3 and pecks at them a lot when they are in the box. It doesn't bother them so much when they are roaming the pen though.
On Tuesday Archie brought home 12 Buff Orpingtons. They are adorable! They were a day old and so tiny! They are yellow now and will become a golden color when they grow up. They are much more calm than the other chicks. You can hold them and they just sit there calmly in your hand. The others can't wait to get away when you pick them up! The Orpingtons are supposed to be very friendly birds. I absolutely love the color, gold. Gold for Silas, gold for childhood cancer awareness, and gold for Heaven, our eternal home!
We also had a "Sizzle" added to our flock, which is a curly feathered chick that is a cross between a silkie and a frizzle. We called it the ugly duckling.
About 2 weeks ago we moved them outside to the "coop". Which is a 10' x 10' dog pen that we put a roof on and put tarp around the sides of. We got a big box to put them in and moved the heat lamp with them. After a week we decided to let them out of the box and just let them roam the coop, but that didn't work out so well. The first night that we left them out of the box (or rather we turned the box on its side), the dogs decided to dig a hole under the coop and steal 10 of our 13 chickens and kill them! Archie saw what happened when he got up for work in the morning and buried them before anyone else had to see what happened. We were all so sad. The only 3 chicks that were left were 2 RIR and 1 PPR.
The funny thing about the PPR that survived, is that it was the runtiest chick in the whole flock! The smallest and least feathers.
We dug a trench on one side of the chicken coop and buried chicken wire so that the dogs couldn't dig under the coop again. I want to do the other sides too, but for now we just did the side that they originally dug under. We also put up "hot wire" around the coop. It has shocked all 3 dogs and none of them will go near the coop now! Which is exactly the point. Even when the chicks are roaming the coop and sticking their heads out through the gate, the dogs won't go near! Ultimately I would like to put up a fence around the chicken coop so that the chickens can roam around outside during the day without fear of dogs. That can wait for a few months until they are full grown though I think.
We were gifted with a black Silkie and that brought us up to 4 chicks. The Silkie seems like it might be a little older than the other 3 and pecks at them a lot when they are in the box. It doesn't bother them so much when they are roaming the pen though.
On Tuesday Archie brought home 12 Buff Orpingtons. They are adorable! They were a day old and so tiny! They are yellow now and will become a golden color when they grow up. They are much more calm than the other chicks. You can hold them and they just sit there calmly in your hand. The others can't wait to get away when you pick them up! The Orpingtons are supposed to be very friendly birds. I absolutely love the color, gold. Gold for Silas, gold for childhood cancer awareness, and gold for Heaven, our eternal home!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
