In the past I've always said I didn't want to cook from home for a reason. Cooking from scratch is expensive. It means you've got to have all the ingredients themselves on-hand, which isn't so expensive, I guess, if you have them all on hand already, or if you just need to pick up a little bit of this or that. For me, cooking from home always seemed more of a luxury than I could afford, even with all the extra work required.
Yesterday was a prime example of that. I went to the store with my dear friend. We had to get some things into the house that I could actually eat. Since I'm kicking all the things I'm allergic to, that doesn't leave terribly much, and as I looked at the items in the store, it became even more apparent that "not much" should really read, "nothing your average grocery store in Texas sells." I ended up making sacrifices for things I really shouldn't be eating because I just don't want to give up everything I like all at once.
To give you an idea of what this diet means, doing it right means giving up everything. There's no butter substitute (they all have soy), no cheese substitute (they have milk protein and soy), no store-bought flour in this area, no bread, no baked goods, no cereal, no granola bars, no candy, no snack food, no anything. Even things that seem safe, like salt and vinegar chips, as it turns out, the vinegar flavor is made with dairy. It's not so much the dairy that's the problem, though that is a challenge in it's own. It's giving up soy. It's shocking how many things are made with soy these days!
Taking a look at what's available to me, that leaves a very meat and potatoes kind of situation for meals. We can't do anything creative because most creativity involves dairy of some kind, flour, or breading. I suppose in many ways it's healthier to take a meat and potatoes kind of approach to things, but it's definitely limiting when the local grocery store's idea of produce is a small selection of broccoli, carrots, corn, and potatoes. I was lucky enough to find some summer squash and acorn squash. I've never eaten acorn squash, so I'm interested to see what that's going to be like.
It doesn't help that some of the substitutes are very expensive. Coconut milk, rice milk, rice flour (which I have to order online around here), and all of that are very pricey. I'm learning that fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables are very expensive too. I'm not sure how long we can afford doing this! Then again, we may find that cooking like this actually reduces the overall amount that we eat, but it's frustrating nonetheless.
Last night's grocery bill doubled our family's meal cost for the week last night, and all we did was avoid prepackaged foods. Because I'm gravitating towards things that are good for me, healthy for the whole family, and are fresh, raw ingredients, things are getting that much more expensive.
Healthy and organic, one would imagine, wouldn't be a significantly more expensive option when it comes to cooking. Families should be able to eat for less when they buy foods they make from scratch, things that will be healthy for them. I've always thought the exchange was supposed to be things made from scratch cost less, but required much more work. Prepackaged foods were supposed to cost more, but were quick and easy. Now it seems like there's no exchange at all. You have to be made of money to cook good, quality, healthy meals for your family.
Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Too Exhausted...
For those of you who follow my other blog, the next week I'll be sharing some interesting information I've recently found out. As it turns out, there's a reason I'm so tired all the time. I've been wearing myself into the ground with my allergies.
My whole family is going to have to go on a diet overhaul. As much as my partner has had issues with it every time I've done it before, our roommate and the kids will be dragged along, kicking and screaming if necessary. I need to do this, not just for me, but for my family. If I've got these food allergies, my kids are that much more likely to develop them. I don't want to do that to them.
The thing with these allergens is they're in everything in our modern diet. Have you ever really looked at the ingredients on any food you like? Have you thought about the hidden ingredients? Dairy, wheat, soy, and MSG can all be disguised as "natural flavor". Even things listed as non-dairy can contain dairy ingredients. Things that are supposedly friendly, like soy cheese, still contain milk protein. That means avoiding some of these things is all but impossible unless you make everything yourself.
It's thought that the increase of use of these allergens is part of what contributes to the large problem with them in our society. Milk, eggs, wheat, and soy are in just about everything. MSG, an incredibly common allergen, is in a good deal of things too. Many people don't even realize they have a sensitivity to any of these things because they're so accustomed to eating them in their daily life. It's not until you go without them that you start to see the changes in your own well-being. If you cut them out of your system and suddenly start feeling a lot better in a couple weeks, it's probably a sign you've got a problem.
I want better for my kids than what I had. Who doesn't? Because of this, I'm going to look for ways to teach them a better diet, even if that means a drastic change in things we can and can't eat. Yes, we may splurge now and again and have something out to eat, even though I know it's bad for me, but that's going to be a special occasion. I can't have my kids live in a box where they never eat anything we don't make ourselves. That's the quickest way to ensure they do it all the time when they grow up.
I think this is the biggest part of raising our children today. Yes, it's great to raise them to be good people. It's great to do the best you can with them. It's great to have all these ideas and ideals. However, when it comes to our kids, they really are the next step. They're the next generation. We need to teach them a better way so they can change the face of our future. It's about making the world a better place for them so that they might do the same for their children. Through our children, we can change the world.
Unfortunately, right now I'm too exhausted to do much of anything. For the past several weeks I've been sick and only getting worse. I didn't realize how much allergies can compound over time, how much drastically worse they can get if you ignore them, figuring you're not getting any worse, so why worry. Instead it's been sneaking up on me, and now I'm so exhausted that, for the past couple of days, I don't even want to get out of bed. Yes, it's time for a change. It's time to get healthy again.
My whole family is going to have to go on a diet overhaul. As much as my partner has had issues with it every time I've done it before, our roommate and the kids will be dragged along, kicking and screaming if necessary. I need to do this, not just for me, but for my family. If I've got these food allergies, my kids are that much more likely to develop them. I don't want to do that to them.
The thing with these allergens is they're in everything in our modern diet. Have you ever really looked at the ingredients on any food you like? Have you thought about the hidden ingredients? Dairy, wheat, soy, and MSG can all be disguised as "natural flavor". Even things listed as non-dairy can contain dairy ingredients. Things that are supposedly friendly, like soy cheese, still contain milk protein. That means avoiding some of these things is all but impossible unless you make everything yourself.
It's thought that the increase of use of these allergens is part of what contributes to the large problem with them in our society. Milk, eggs, wheat, and soy are in just about everything. MSG, an incredibly common allergen, is in a good deal of things too. Many people don't even realize they have a sensitivity to any of these things because they're so accustomed to eating them in their daily life. It's not until you go without them that you start to see the changes in your own well-being. If you cut them out of your system and suddenly start feeling a lot better in a couple weeks, it's probably a sign you've got a problem.
I want better for my kids than what I had. Who doesn't? Because of this, I'm going to look for ways to teach them a better diet, even if that means a drastic change in things we can and can't eat. Yes, we may splurge now and again and have something out to eat, even though I know it's bad for me, but that's going to be a special occasion. I can't have my kids live in a box where they never eat anything we don't make ourselves. That's the quickest way to ensure they do it all the time when they grow up.
I think this is the biggest part of raising our children today. Yes, it's great to raise them to be good people. It's great to do the best you can with them. It's great to have all these ideas and ideals. However, when it comes to our kids, they really are the next step. They're the next generation. We need to teach them a better way so they can change the face of our future. It's about making the world a better place for them so that they might do the same for their children. Through our children, we can change the world.
Unfortunately, right now I'm too exhausted to do much of anything. For the past several weeks I've been sick and only getting worse. I didn't realize how much allergies can compound over time, how much drastically worse they can get if you ignore them, figuring you're not getting any worse, so why worry. Instead it's been sneaking up on me, and now I'm so exhausted that, for the past couple of days, I don't even want to get out of bed. Yes, it's time for a change. It's time to get healthy again.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Successfully Escaping Soda
I think I've found a way to successfully free myself from my addiction to soda! I had expected this goal to be far more challenging than it has been thus far. Of course, we still are pretty early on in the year!
My need for soda all started with a lack of wanting water. Soda is sadly cheaper than juice, which is why I've tended to gravitate towards it in my adult life. I've tried to keep juice for the kids, but I'll be honest, I haven't exactly given positive modeling for my children when it comes to drinking water. I shouldn't be surprised that it's a challenge to get them to drink enough water in the summer because of it.
Recently I've started recognizing that my soda consumption has been a lot of things for me, unhealthy, expensive, and a bad example for my children. I've been telling myself for a while that I need to cut back on how much soda I drink for years. I've even determined several times that I'm going to stop drinking it. Of course, it's that much harder when my partner can't jump on board. He's inclined to drink soda all the time if given the chance.
In the beginning of the year I was left with no option on soda. I kept telling myself we couldn't afford it. I had the case of water intended for me to bring to class, so I had plenty of water to drink. I had to live with that for the time being. There wasn't another option. With all the expenses from moving, we just didn't have the money. Of course, that wasn't entirely true, but you can make yourself believe anything if you tell yourself long enough. Therefore, I've been able to go without soda since our first night here.
Last night I saw my tea kettle sitting on the stove and remembered I had tea! Not only did I have tea, but I had tea that helps encourage milk supply, which is something I've needed lately. My milk supply has dropped far more than I wanted it too, and I want to nurse as long as possible. Many pediatricians are now saying that if a mother can manage to nurse her child until two years of age, the child will get the most benefits of it. I have to admit, I've been barely nursing recently (due to my son's nursing strike) but anything that can help, right? Besides, I know babies well enough to know nursing strikes don't tend to last for long.
I've got two varieties of nursing tea around here, but the only one I can find at the moment is the Yogi Woman's Nursing Support
. I know somewhere around here I also have Mother's Milk Tea
, but I don't know where it is, to be honest. They both taste the same to me, so I can only imagine that they would be completely interchangeable. I suppose when I'm done nursing I can go on to some of their other tea varieties.
It looks like tea has really been the key to kicking caffeine, at least for me, and other unhealthy habits, such as drinking soda. I guess I have it easier than some because I don't have to face the challenge of a coffee addiction. In truth, most of the draw to the soda is the sweetness, and something that's a change from basic, flavorless water. Tea is probably a much healthier option than juice anyway with all that sugar!
My need for soda all started with a lack of wanting water. Soda is sadly cheaper than juice, which is why I've tended to gravitate towards it in my adult life. I've tried to keep juice for the kids, but I'll be honest, I haven't exactly given positive modeling for my children when it comes to drinking water. I shouldn't be surprised that it's a challenge to get them to drink enough water in the summer because of it.
Recently I've started recognizing that my soda consumption has been a lot of things for me, unhealthy, expensive, and a bad example for my children. I've been telling myself for a while that I need to cut back on how much soda I drink for years. I've even determined several times that I'm going to stop drinking it. Of course, it's that much harder when my partner can't jump on board. He's inclined to drink soda all the time if given the chance.
In the beginning of the year I was left with no option on soda. I kept telling myself we couldn't afford it. I had the case of water intended for me to bring to class, so I had plenty of water to drink. I had to live with that for the time being. There wasn't another option. With all the expenses from moving, we just didn't have the money. Of course, that wasn't entirely true, but you can make yourself believe anything if you tell yourself long enough. Therefore, I've been able to go without soda since our first night here.
Last night I saw my tea kettle sitting on the stove and remembered I had tea! Not only did I have tea, but I had tea that helps encourage milk supply, which is something I've needed lately. My milk supply has dropped far more than I wanted it too, and I want to nurse as long as possible. Many pediatricians are now saying that if a mother can manage to nurse her child until two years of age, the child will get the most benefits of it. I have to admit, I've been barely nursing recently (due to my son's nursing strike) but anything that can help, right? Besides, I know babies well enough to know nursing strikes don't tend to last for long.
I've got two varieties of nursing tea around here, but the only one I can find at the moment is the Yogi Woman's Nursing Support
. I know somewhere around here I also have Mother's Milk Tea, but I don't know where it is, to be honest. They both taste the same to me, so I can only imagine that they would be completely interchangeable. I suppose when I'm done nursing I can go on to some of their other tea varieties.It looks like tea has really been the key to kicking caffeine, at least for me, and other unhealthy habits, such as drinking soda. I guess I have it easier than some because I don't have to face the challenge of a coffee addiction. In truth, most of the draw to the soda is the sweetness, and something that's a change from basic, flavorless water. Tea is probably a much healthier option than juice anyway with all that sugar!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Dietary Changes for 2011
Okay, I'll admit it, I haven't been that great at taking care of my own health. I've been saying I'm going to change my diet for quite some time. Some of it's stuck, but some of it really hasn't. However, I notice a complete change in myself when I start keeping to the rules I set for myself, so I think I really need to start working on changing my diet for the new year so I can live as a happier, healthier me!
Here are the biggest problems I need to address in my diet:
Here's some of the plans I have for 2011 to address these problems and see if we can minimize or eliminate their effect on my life:
All in all, I need to do this for my own health and happiness. It's time to stop making excuses and start making changes in my life. Once 2011 is over, I give myself until everything is moved into our new home. I'm allowing myself a little bit of leniency to get everything moved since that needs to be our number one focus, but once it's all in the house, I know it will take time to settle in. If I give myself until everything is unpacked, somehow I'll always leave some stuff to be packed and sorted out first, so I'll always have that excuse. Nope, not going to happen! I'm going to be motivated on this! My health and happiness is at stake!
Here are the biggest problems I need to address in my diet:
- I have a dairy allergy and I need to pay attention to that. I have less headaches and irritability and more energy when I avoid dairy. It can also make me very nauseous depending on what variety of dairy I eat. This seems only to extend to cow's milk products, eggs, and honey. Feta cheese seems to be okay.
- I have a tomato allergy. Eating tomatoes makes my stomach upset (along the lines of nausea, not heartburn) and also makes me more irritable. I also find avoiding tomatoes does seem to have an impact on my energy levels as well.
- I have an allergy to MSG. This allergy also presents itself with irritability, migraines, stomach upset, and low energy. In addition, MSG also seems to be directly related with having a lack of appetite.
- I have an intolerance to processed sugars. Eating processed sugars upsets my stomach and results in low energy.
- I have a caffeine intolerance. Drinking caffeine tends to give me the shakes, makes my heart race, and if I have enough of it can make me really anxious, which can lead to jumpiness and irritability.
- In my observances of my own diet, I notice that gluten seems to be a point I need to address. I can't say for sure if I have a full blown gluten allergy (though I do show symptoms, I'm not about to label myself without more information), I think it's worth cutting gluten out of my diet on a temporary basis to see if it helps.
Here's some of the plans I have for 2011 to address these problems and see if we can minimize or eliminate their effect on my life:
- Stop eating out, or at least do it with as little frequency as possible. Eating out generally means consuming MSG and dairy. I also tend to choose sugary and caffeinated sodas. There's also a lot of wheat in foods you eat out, especially fast foods!
- Attempt to stop "just this once" excuses for things I shouldn't have. Instead I'll attempt to experiment with new treats and "sweets" so I can still indulge, but it won't come at the cost of activating my allergies. Besides, home made cookies are far better than store bought candy! I can still make hot chocolate and such with soy or rice milk. I treated myself to some Silk Nog this holiday season and I think I like it better than the real stuff! Anything with honey can be changed out for agave
, which seems to taste very much the same. It's a good excuse to try new stuff!
- Start cooking from scratch more frequently. By cooking from scratch I can substitute soy, rice, or coconut milk for cow's milk as needed. Egg and cheese substitutes are also possible. These options aren't frequently available in boxed foods and frozen foods. Also, many prepared foods or partially prepared foods at the grocery store contain MSG. Even some of the quick and easy ingredients contain MSG as a preservative. By making it myself, I can avoid possibly all MSG!
- Avoid temptation for things I can't have. This may make for tricky grocery store trips, so planning ahead to make as few trips and as little time spent there as possible will be ideal and necessary. When possible, I'll either bring my partner with me to shop (even with the kids) so he can help keep me on track, or I can send him with a list, especially when it's just a quick trip to pick up a few needed items.
- I will research gluten-free recipes
, gluten substitutes
, and other aspects of a gluten-free diet. After I accumulate enough knowledge and supplies for a week of gluten-free cooking, I'm going to attempt to go gluten-free for one full week. Depending on the results of the experiment, we'll decide whether we give it another week to continue the experiment, give it up all together, or go over entirely to a gluten free diet. This isn't just for me. If I don't benefit from it, but someone else in the family obviously does, then perhaps gluten-free is the way to go for our family. I expect this process to happen several months after eliminating the other allergens from my diet so I can most accurately assess the effect of gluten for my personal health and well being.
- Start a journal for my new diet. Each day I will record the approximate time I wake up, what I eat for each meal or snack and at what time, how my energy levels are and how I'm feeling at three points in the day (probably at meal times), what fluids I take in, and how much and what kind of exercise I do, and approximately when I go to bed. This will help me keep on track, monitor when I slip up on my diet, and hopefully mark some positive changes on my energy levels and overall well-being in the process. It should also be a good motivational tool!
All in all, I need to do this for my own health and happiness. It's time to stop making excuses and start making changes in my life. Once 2011 is over, I give myself until everything is moved into our new home. I'm allowing myself a little bit of leniency to get everything moved since that needs to be our number one focus, but once it's all in the house, I know it will take time to settle in. If I give myself until everything is unpacked, somehow I'll always leave some stuff to be packed and sorted out first, so I'll always have that excuse. Nope, not going to happen! I'm going to be motivated on this! My health and happiness is at stake!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Turning Over a New Leaf
Today starts another chapter in my family's lives. It wasn't all that long ago that I set out with all these goals, to live caffeine free, with a respect for the world around us, to recycle when possible, to be active and healthy, and to truly live our lives as an example to others. More often than not, I'm finding I fail at these tasks. No matter what I do, it seems there's always more work to be done, and I'm dropping something else I intend to do. I'm really dropping the ball on everything because every time I move on to step two, I forget to keep going with step one, and so I have to start all over again.
However, today marks a very special day in my family. Not only is it the last Friday before the insanity of official Christmas starts, but this is the first day of a new life for us. We're not moving. There's no additions or removals of family members. There's nothing overly dramatic that's causing a major shift in our family. We're not even facing something negative we need to cope with. Instead, we've just taken one more step towards having a normal family, or as close to one as we'll ever get.
Today my wonderful partner started training for a new job. He was formerly employed as a delivery driver. He still plans to keep that job for part time work, but he no longer needs it as a primary source of income. Instead, he's working a normal desk job, working regular hours with predictable days off, and better still, a steady forty hours every week. That means we'll have regular and predictable paychecks coming in, something we never had with his previous job. This means our family has just gained a huge sense of stability.
How is this causing our whole family to turn over a new leaf? Doesn't that just mean we've got an easier schedule to work around and we no longer need to try so hard to make our routine work? Isn't this just one small step for making our lives easier? I wouldn't think any of that would warrant the beginning of something new in our lives, or something so dramatic as to be considered starting a new chapter in our lives, so how is it I'm qualifying this as such a dramatic change? I guess it's just that our lives are about to become a whole lot better, and I mean that far beyond my partner's new job.
Just knowing that my partner will be working a more regular job has already changed my whole outlook on life. I no longer have to worry about whether or not he's eaten at work or is even hungry when he gets home. I'll know about when he has his lunch, and I'll know he'll be hungry when he gets home. Most nights I can have dinner on the table by the time he walks in the door, even if it means I'll have to heat some up for myself when I get home from dance class. I know the kids will have an easier time holding to their bed times because we won't be running such crazy and unpredictable hours since we'll all know when dinner time is and on most nights can sit down to it together, or as much as you can when you don't have enough chairs at your table. From then, bed time and all of that can flow on schedule because everything else will be on time. We'll be able to work our homeschooling schedule in the mornings again, and not have to worry about my partner interrupting because he wants to spend time with us all before he leaves for work. I can even have his lunch packed and ready for him the night before. If I get really good at this, perhaps we can even manage to have breakfasts together in the morning too! I'll have access to our car during the day, so that means I can take the kids to the homeschool co-op, kick ball days, and everything else without having to worry about my partner's schedule. I may even look into getting my daughter enrolled in soccer! I think my older son is too young to register this year. In other words, this one small change has caused a huge cascade of other changes in my family, so we're all going to see a lot of difference for the better!
Best of all, the biggest effect in this chain reaction is the food we're eating. I know I've been in the bad habit of eating out a lot and all of that. It's kind of been a standard in my life. It's so much easier to eat out or grab a meal that comes in a box and only needs some love from the microwave to make it ready. While these meals can be quite good, I mean that in the use I've heard "quite" means in Great Brittan, not America, "slightly better than mediocre." They're decent, edible, tolerable, but certainly have nothing on a home cooked meal. I miss making home cooked meals. I miss going all out with an entree, a couple side dishes, and some bread or rolls to go with it. I miss having serving plates full of stuff to choose from. I miss that feeling when I'm done eating that I could easily just pop with how incredibly full I am, and then there's still leftovers for the next day! I miss knowing my partner will never have to worry about what he's going to take with him for lunch in the morning because there's always something good. On top of that, I'm sure the whole family will start feeling a whole lot healthier when we're eating not just enough, but enough food that's really good for us!
My partner sent me a message today saying he thinks this new job was definitely a good change for him. What I don't think he sees yet is this job was definitely a good idea for all of us! Our whole quality of life is already starting to change, and it really didn't take all that much.
However, today marks a very special day in my family. Not only is it the last Friday before the insanity of official Christmas starts, but this is the first day of a new life for us. We're not moving. There's no additions or removals of family members. There's nothing overly dramatic that's causing a major shift in our family. We're not even facing something negative we need to cope with. Instead, we've just taken one more step towards having a normal family, or as close to one as we'll ever get.
Today my wonderful partner started training for a new job. He was formerly employed as a delivery driver. He still plans to keep that job for part time work, but he no longer needs it as a primary source of income. Instead, he's working a normal desk job, working regular hours with predictable days off, and better still, a steady forty hours every week. That means we'll have regular and predictable paychecks coming in, something we never had with his previous job. This means our family has just gained a huge sense of stability.
How is this causing our whole family to turn over a new leaf? Doesn't that just mean we've got an easier schedule to work around and we no longer need to try so hard to make our routine work? Isn't this just one small step for making our lives easier? I wouldn't think any of that would warrant the beginning of something new in our lives, or something so dramatic as to be considered starting a new chapter in our lives, so how is it I'm qualifying this as such a dramatic change? I guess it's just that our lives are about to become a whole lot better, and I mean that far beyond my partner's new job.
Just knowing that my partner will be working a more regular job has already changed my whole outlook on life. I no longer have to worry about whether or not he's eaten at work or is even hungry when he gets home. I'll know about when he has his lunch, and I'll know he'll be hungry when he gets home. Most nights I can have dinner on the table by the time he walks in the door, even if it means I'll have to heat some up for myself when I get home from dance class. I know the kids will have an easier time holding to their bed times because we won't be running such crazy and unpredictable hours since we'll all know when dinner time is and on most nights can sit down to it together, or as much as you can when you don't have enough chairs at your table. From then, bed time and all of that can flow on schedule because everything else will be on time. We'll be able to work our homeschooling schedule in the mornings again, and not have to worry about my partner interrupting because he wants to spend time with us all before he leaves for work. I can even have his lunch packed and ready for him the night before. If I get really good at this, perhaps we can even manage to have breakfasts together in the morning too! I'll have access to our car during the day, so that means I can take the kids to the homeschool co-op, kick ball days, and everything else without having to worry about my partner's schedule. I may even look into getting my daughter enrolled in soccer! I think my older son is too young to register this year. In other words, this one small change has caused a huge cascade of other changes in my family, so we're all going to see a lot of difference for the better!
Best of all, the biggest effect in this chain reaction is the food we're eating. I know I've been in the bad habit of eating out a lot and all of that. It's kind of been a standard in my life. It's so much easier to eat out or grab a meal that comes in a box and only needs some love from the microwave to make it ready. While these meals can be quite good, I mean that in the use I've heard "quite" means in Great Brittan, not America, "slightly better than mediocre." They're decent, edible, tolerable, but certainly have nothing on a home cooked meal. I miss making home cooked meals. I miss going all out with an entree, a couple side dishes, and some bread or rolls to go with it. I miss having serving plates full of stuff to choose from. I miss that feeling when I'm done eating that I could easily just pop with how incredibly full I am, and then there's still leftovers for the next day! I miss knowing my partner will never have to worry about what he's going to take with him for lunch in the morning because there's always something good. On top of that, I'm sure the whole family will start feeling a whole lot healthier when we're eating not just enough, but enough food that's really good for us!
My partner sent me a message today saying he thinks this new job was definitely a good change for him. What I don't think he sees yet is this job was definitely a good idea for all of us! Our whole quality of life is already starting to change, and it really didn't take all that much.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Looking Back
Have you ever taken the time to look back on your life, just to appreciate the road that brought you to the current point in your life? I've been doing a lot of that. Some of it is to prevent making the same mistakes I've made in the past. Some of it is to truly appreciate the good moments in it all. Right now it's more in wondering how things could have been different.
For the past year I've really been working on creating a new reality in my life. In some places that's been harder than others. I've been trying to do little things to make a difference in the world, but some times it's not so easy. I've lived in places with no recycling. I've lived in places where I can't compost or line dry. Because of this, I've had a lot of challenges when it comes to living in a more sustainable way.
It wasn't until yesterday that I really stopped to think just how off track I've gotten. I was starting to make progress, one little step at a time. It may not have been much, but every little bit counts, right? I'd been making a difference in the world around me. In some places I've lived, one step was the easiest, so I focused on that. In other places, it was another step entirely.
Now that I'm starting to find myself on footing that I hope has become stable, I really want to try to bring all of those elements together. At my last house, sustainability wasn't so easy to focus on, but homeschooling really took off for a while. In the house before that, homeschooling was a challenge, but we were able to start composting and were finding other ways to be a little more sustainable. Before that it was all focus on saving electricity in any way possible and conserving water. I need to start bringing elements of all of those together so that I can move on to a more sustainable, happy home.
I know I can't focus on it all at once. I need to take little steps at a time. There's already one easy step with the ease of recycling here. That's always a bonus. Homeschooling should be pretty easy to swing back into, as soon as we have a place clear to work on for projects, arts and crafts, and workbooks. I need to get back into actually knitting, rather than bumming around on the computer and doing other things when I've got a little bit of free time. I've got plenty of yarn to make socks with, that I intended to make for the whole family, a shawl to make, and some longies for the baby. I need to get them done so I'm one more step removed from regular consumerism. Saving electricity is so much easier in a house with such ample natural lighting, and such a beautiful set-up to spend the afternoon sitting outside while the children play in the yard. I'm trying to limit how many showers I take, and for how long. More often than not I just need a quick rinse of my body. Perhaps we can even start composting for a sustainable garden or something of the like. It shouldn't be too difficult here.
Looking back I feel like I've really let my life get off track. I keep doing this dance with sustainable living, and have since I was nineteen. Every time I take a step closer it seems I just want to drift away again. It's frustrating to look back and see all the lost opportunities in my life. It's even more frustrating to see all the times I've blamed someone else for making it too challenging for me, instead of embracing the challenge and using that as an opportunity to try harder.
There's a lesson to be learned in all of this. I can accept all the guidance and helpful suggestions under the sun, but that's not going to give me the answers on what I need to do. Friends and family can all try to help. I can receive messages from the divine about what paths are open to me, but in the end, I have to decide what path I'm going to take. More importantly, when I decide what I want to do, I need to commit to it fully, no matter what the challenges, and start making permanent changes in my life.
For the past year I've really been working on creating a new reality in my life. In some places that's been harder than others. I've been trying to do little things to make a difference in the world, but some times it's not so easy. I've lived in places with no recycling. I've lived in places where I can't compost or line dry. Because of this, I've had a lot of challenges when it comes to living in a more sustainable way.
It wasn't until yesterday that I really stopped to think just how off track I've gotten. I was starting to make progress, one little step at a time. It may not have been much, but every little bit counts, right? I'd been making a difference in the world around me. In some places I've lived, one step was the easiest, so I focused on that. In other places, it was another step entirely.
Now that I'm starting to find myself on footing that I hope has become stable, I really want to try to bring all of those elements together. At my last house, sustainability wasn't so easy to focus on, but homeschooling really took off for a while. In the house before that, homeschooling was a challenge, but we were able to start composting and were finding other ways to be a little more sustainable. Before that it was all focus on saving electricity in any way possible and conserving water. I need to start bringing elements of all of those together so that I can move on to a more sustainable, happy home.
I know I can't focus on it all at once. I need to take little steps at a time. There's already one easy step with the ease of recycling here. That's always a bonus. Homeschooling should be pretty easy to swing back into, as soon as we have a place clear to work on for projects, arts and crafts, and workbooks. I need to get back into actually knitting, rather than bumming around on the computer and doing other things when I've got a little bit of free time. I've got plenty of yarn to make socks with, that I intended to make for the whole family, a shawl to make, and some longies for the baby. I need to get them done so I'm one more step removed from regular consumerism. Saving electricity is so much easier in a house with such ample natural lighting, and such a beautiful set-up to spend the afternoon sitting outside while the children play in the yard. I'm trying to limit how many showers I take, and for how long. More often than not I just need a quick rinse of my body. Perhaps we can even start composting for a sustainable garden or something of the like. It shouldn't be too difficult here.
Looking back I feel like I've really let my life get off track. I keep doing this dance with sustainable living, and have since I was nineteen. Every time I take a step closer it seems I just want to drift away again. It's frustrating to look back and see all the lost opportunities in my life. It's even more frustrating to see all the times I've blamed someone else for making it too challenging for me, instead of embracing the challenge and using that as an opportunity to try harder.
There's a lesson to be learned in all of this. I can accept all the guidance and helpful suggestions under the sun, but that's not going to give me the answers on what I need to do. Friends and family can all try to help. I can receive messages from the divine about what paths are open to me, but in the end, I have to decide what path I'm going to take. More importantly, when I decide what I want to do, I need to commit to it fully, no matter what the challenges, and start making permanent changes in my life.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thankful for Teas
A few months back I know I had mentioned my attempts to get off of soda and caffeine. Let me tell you, that was a horrible failure. It wasn't long before I was drinking sodas more often than I had before! I guess that's the trial of it all! It's hard to kick a habit when it's easier not to. It also doesn't help that the readily available water isn't so delightful to drink. Texas tap water leaves much to be desired.
Well, I'm trying it again. I've already pretty much succeeded at kicking the caffeine. The only soda I drink now is root beer, with the occasional break for something else. That much is a definite improvement. Not only am I doing something better for my body, but I'm showing a good example for my children, something I also find incredibly important.
When I was a child I remember my mother drinking soda what seemed all the time. While I have vague memory of my mother having milk in the morning, I never actually remember her drinking it. It's more that she told me she did, so it must be true. The refridgerator was always filled with diet coke and it seemed when she needed a drink, that's always what she had. My sister and I were always told to have juice, milk, or water more frequently, but I do remember my mother and her sodas.
I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that I grew up to be much the same way. All too often I'll grab a soda to quench my thirst, even though I know it won't work and I would be better with water. I find myself doing exactly what my mom cautioned my sister and I never to do, but always did herself, drinking soda first thing in the morning. I didn't even think about how bad it had grown until my room, not having a trash barrel in it at the moment, got cluttered with cans. I realized then that I had a problem. I kept telling myself I would cut back, but never really put much effort into it.
Just last night I had the urge to drink some tea. I used to be a big drinker of tea and hot chocolate. Both were lovely on cool fall days, straight through the winter. I would turn to tea and hot chocolate because they had such a calming effect on me. No matter how hectic things got, I could always sit down with a cup of tea and relax. Even when I was at work, I always knew a cup of tea would be just the answer.
Here I am now, sitting down and typing, and what is the drink I have beside me? All to often it would be soda. All too often I'd be drinking it down, not even really enjoying it anymore. I would have to guard that soda against my son who would sneak up and steal it, drinking it all down when I wasn't looking. Instead, I have my tea, the tea I don't have to worry about guarding. Even if he did decide to drink it all down, it's just lemon tea. It's not bad for him. It's actually quite good for him! It's hydrating, warm, and quite tasteful. I'd almost forgotten how wonderful tea was!
So for many reasons, I'm thankful for my tea today. It's a way to calm my stressed out nerves. It's a way to sit back and relax. It's one more step towards freedom from soda, so hopefully I'll actually be able to enjoy my soda when I have it. I'm thankful for tea because it's showing my children that you can always have a drink in your hand. It doesn't have to be water. With all the contraversy over the sugar in juice these days, I'm showing them they don't need that either. Instead, I'm showing them that there is a healthy option that's easy and so delightful on cool fall days.
Hmm...thinking about it, maybe it's time my daughter and I had a tea party!
Well, I'm trying it again. I've already pretty much succeeded at kicking the caffeine. The only soda I drink now is root beer, with the occasional break for something else. That much is a definite improvement. Not only am I doing something better for my body, but I'm showing a good example for my children, something I also find incredibly important.
When I was a child I remember my mother drinking soda what seemed all the time. While I have vague memory of my mother having milk in the morning, I never actually remember her drinking it. It's more that she told me she did, so it must be true. The refridgerator was always filled with diet coke and it seemed when she needed a drink, that's always what she had. My sister and I were always told to have juice, milk, or water more frequently, but I do remember my mother and her sodas.
I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that I grew up to be much the same way. All too often I'll grab a soda to quench my thirst, even though I know it won't work and I would be better with water. I find myself doing exactly what my mom cautioned my sister and I never to do, but always did herself, drinking soda first thing in the morning. I didn't even think about how bad it had grown until my room, not having a trash barrel in it at the moment, got cluttered with cans. I realized then that I had a problem. I kept telling myself I would cut back, but never really put much effort into it.
Just last night I had the urge to drink some tea. I used to be a big drinker of tea and hot chocolate. Both were lovely on cool fall days, straight through the winter. I would turn to tea and hot chocolate because they had such a calming effect on me. No matter how hectic things got, I could always sit down with a cup of tea and relax. Even when I was at work, I always knew a cup of tea would be just the answer.
Here I am now, sitting down and typing, and what is the drink I have beside me? All to often it would be soda. All too often I'd be drinking it down, not even really enjoying it anymore. I would have to guard that soda against my son who would sneak up and steal it, drinking it all down when I wasn't looking. Instead, I have my tea, the tea I don't have to worry about guarding. Even if he did decide to drink it all down, it's just lemon tea. It's not bad for him. It's actually quite good for him! It's hydrating, warm, and quite tasteful. I'd almost forgotten how wonderful tea was!
So for many reasons, I'm thankful for my tea today. It's a way to calm my stressed out nerves. It's a way to sit back and relax. It's one more step towards freedom from soda, so hopefully I'll actually be able to enjoy my soda when I have it. I'm thankful for tea because it's showing my children that you can always have a drink in your hand. It doesn't have to be water. With all the contraversy over the sugar in juice these days, I'm showing them they don't need that either. Instead, I'm showing them that there is a healthy option that's easy and so delightful on cool fall days.
Hmm...thinking about it, maybe it's time my daughter and I had a tea party!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Peanutbutter Toast!!!
Isn't it funny the way kids get picky about things? They just have to have something a certain way and if they don't get it, there's tantrums in the future. I can't count the number of times I've been at the store to see a kid throwing a tantrum over cookies or candy. They want it all, and they want it right now! I do have to sympathise with those moms. My daughter used to be the same way. My older son, however, isn't like that at all.
Now, I have to be honest, he has his share of demands. He must have the food he wants or he simply will not eat. More often than not, I can convince him that the food he wants is what the whole family is eating. It's not really tricking him. I just tell him how good it is and that he should try it. He's not that picky in the long run. He just knows what he likes and is only a little shy about having something he may not be familiar with. However, when it's a "fend for yourself" kind of thing, he's picky, and he only wants one thing.
Peanutbutter toast, that's the demand in this house. My older son is addicted to the stuff. I suppose it could be worse. Unlike cookies and candy, peanutbutter and bread are a pretty healthy combination. He likes to have it with a glass of milk, adding another layer of healthy to the whole diet. The only thing he's missing is fruit or veggies, which I'm sure I could convince him to have if I had some easily on hand for snacking. I'm surprised at his healthy selection. Even with the options in the house, like cereal with marshmellows and cookies, he would rather have peanutbutter toast for lunch! I guess it's better than chips too. At least his vote is for something healthy.
I don't know what it is, but more often than not, both my kids will gladly reach for healthy foods in their toddler years. I know a lot of kids will balk the moment you say, "It's good for you!" but mine seem to see that as incentive. It's like they know healthy things will make them feel good in the end, so they like eating them. I'll be honest, I don't always provide them the most balanced diet. That's something I need to work on, but at least for now they're chosing healthy options.
Kids can't just live off of peanutbutter toast, and this I know. I'm sure complimenting the diet with classic kid favorites such as mac and cheese and hot dogs don't really help, but I hope that in my kids making healthier decisions now, they'll learn to think that way later in life. Though those foods may not be the healthiest in the world, at least they're opting for things that aren't loaded with sugar. Hopefully this is a trend that will keep on through the years.
For now, I'm just going to have to make a small investment in bread with my son's obsession with peanutbutter toast and peanutbutter toast sandwiches! It's a good thing he's not allergic to peanuts!
Now, I have to be honest, he has his share of demands. He must have the food he wants or he simply will not eat. More often than not, I can convince him that the food he wants is what the whole family is eating. It's not really tricking him. I just tell him how good it is and that he should try it. He's not that picky in the long run. He just knows what he likes and is only a little shy about having something he may not be familiar with. However, when it's a "fend for yourself" kind of thing, he's picky, and he only wants one thing.
Peanutbutter toast, that's the demand in this house. My older son is addicted to the stuff. I suppose it could be worse. Unlike cookies and candy, peanutbutter and bread are a pretty healthy combination. He likes to have it with a glass of milk, adding another layer of healthy to the whole diet. The only thing he's missing is fruit or veggies, which I'm sure I could convince him to have if I had some easily on hand for snacking. I'm surprised at his healthy selection. Even with the options in the house, like cereal with marshmellows and cookies, he would rather have peanutbutter toast for lunch! I guess it's better than chips too. At least his vote is for something healthy.
I don't know what it is, but more often than not, both my kids will gladly reach for healthy foods in their toddler years. I know a lot of kids will balk the moment you say, "It's good for you!" but mine seem to see that as incentive. It's like they know healthy things will make them feel good in the end, so they like eating them. I'll be honest, I don't always provide them the most balanced diet. That's something I need to work on, but at least for now they're chosing healthy options.
Kids can't just live off of peanutbutter toast, and this I know. I'm sure complimenting the diet with classic kid favorites such as mac and cheese and hot dogs don't really help, but I hope that in my kids making healthier decisions now, they'll learn to think that way later in life. Though those foods may not be the healthiest in the world, at least they're opting for things that aren't loaded with sugar. Hopefully this is a trend that will keep on through the years.
For now, I'm just going to have to make a small investment in bread with my son's obsession with peanutbutter toast and peanutbutter toast sandwiches! It's a good thing he's not allergic to peanuts!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Progress
This whole challenge was set with the expectation that it would be a whole lot harder than it was. With the way I was consuming caffeine, I thought that would be impossible. I was drinking one energy drink every day as well as lots of caffeinated sodas. The exercise plan was likely to be difficult on me because getting out and exercising is so incredibly hard when you're stuck at home with three kids! I'm finding it's far easier to get in the habit than I thought it would be.
It has now been about four days since I had any caffeine at all. It's been three days since I've had any soda. Instead, I've been reaching for juice or water. It was tempting to get myself something caffeinated while at the store the other day, but my willpower held out. I will admit, I haven't felt better without the caffeine. It hasn't seemed to make a positive difference at all. Of course, that may be different if you ask the people around me.
The exercise thing probably would still be a challenge were it not for the Wii Fit Plus
. Wednesday and Thursday have always been active days for me because of dance class. I take an hour and a half class in the evening on Wednesday and I teach an hour long class on Thursdays. Because of that, I know those days are going to be active. The rest of the week, however, varies, and usually it ends up with me finding good excuses not to leave the house. Instead, I can now exercise in the comfort of my home by doing things that are fun instead of feeling like I'm working out. Better yet, I can do the exercises with my kids, so they're getting a benefit from it too. We're having fun and I don't have to worry about adding the time it takes to pack up and leave the house to any exercise routine. I also don't have to worry about cranky kids who don't want to walk or anything like that. Better still, the baby can spend some time hanging out on the floor or in his swing, watching all the older people engage in crazy activities. It means I don't have to wear him to go for a walk or anything like that. Now there's no excuse for me to slack on that front. I even managed to fit in over an hour of exercise yesterday before going to class. Chances are, this is something I can stick with!
So it looks like I'm going to be able to hold to my plans after all. While it started off kind of rocky, it seems it's all going to come together. As long as I keep this up, this goal could be easy! Of course, I say that now, at the start of the journey. We'll see what happens as time moves on.
It has now been about four days since I had any caffeine at all. It's been three days since I've had any soda. Instead, I've been reaching for juice or water. It was tempting to get myself something caffeinated while at the store the other day, but my willpower held out. I will admit, I haven't felt better without the caffeine. It hasn't seemed to make a positive difference at all. Of course, that may be different if you ask the people around me.
The exercise thing probably would still be a challenge were it not for the Wii Fit Plus
. Wednesday and Thursday have always been active days for me because of dance class. I take an hour and a half class in the evening on Wednesday and I teach an hour long class on Thursdays. Because of that, I know those days are going to be active. The rest of the week, however, varies, and usually it ends up with me finding good excuses not to leave the house. Instead, I can now exercise in the comfort of my home by doing things that are fun instead of feeling like I'm working out. Better yet, I can do the exercises with my kids, so they're getting a benefit from it too. We're having fun and I don't have to worry about adding the time it takes to pack up and leave the house to any exercise routine. I also don't have to worry about cranky kids who don't want to walk or anything like that. Better still, the baby can spend some time hanging out on the floor or in his swing, watching all the older people engage in crazy activities. It means I don't have to wear him to go for a walk or anything like that. Now there's no excuse for me to slack on that front. I even managed to fit in over an hour of exercise yesterday before going to class. Chances are, this is something I can stick with!So it looks like I'm going to be able to hold to my plans after all. While it started off kind of rocky, it seems it's all going to come together. As long as I keep this up, this goal could be easy! Of course, I say that now, at the start of the journey. We'll see what happens as time moves on.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wii Fit and Getting Back on Track
The past few days have been kind of chaotic on the whole plan. I haven't been exercising. I was downing orange soda like it was water. I was under a lot of stress. Of course, I give myself plenty of excuses, but now it's time to get back on track.
Today I was good. I had soda, but I only had lemon-lime sodas, which have no caffeine. We've gotten our hands on a Wii Fit Plus, so I've been playing with that for a bit. I haven't gotten to do much with it, but I'm hoping to start really working with it tomorrow. Like I've written before, the goal is an hour of exercise every day in some form or another. I think with the Wii Fit, I can possibly attain that goal. It's fun!
I may not be there yet, but I'm getting back on track. I'm looking forward to the yoga and strength training portion of this program. It's something that could do me a lot of good. I need to be in shape again and get my energy back. I need to do this, not just for me, but for my kids. It will help them as they'll see an improvement in my energy levels, and I'll be modeling good behavior for them. They'll be seeing a fit and healthy mom, which is what they need.
What I like best about the Wii Fit is that there's a meditation portion under the balance games. It's nothing fancy or flashy. However, it does hold it's own challenges and it's calming. The idea is to sit quietly and not move on the board. If you move, it will cause the flame to flicker. If the flame flickers too much, you're done. They throw in a host of distractions to try and catch your attention. Personally, I like it because I can clear my mind and just focus on the candle. It's a moment to clear my mind with a focal point.
Anyhow, I think I'm on my way to improving my lifestyle with this. Hopefully this will be one of many changes towards a better life. Along with this is the benefit of healthier activity levels, I'm also well on my way to kicking the caffeine habit. I resisted the urge to buy more soda today at the store, only juice! I'm already on my way to a more positive and healthy lifestyle!
Today I was good. I had soda, but I only had lemon-lime sodas, which have no caffeine. We've gotten our hands on a Wii Fit Plus, so I've been playing with that for a bit. I haven't gotten to do much with it, but I'm hoping to start really working with it tomorrow. Like I've written before, the goal is an hour of exercise every day in some form or another. I think with the Wii Fit, I can possibly attain that goal. It's fun!
I may not be there yet, but I'm getting back on track. I'm looking forward to the yoga and strength training portion of this program. It's something that could do me a lot of good. I need to be in shape again and get my energy back. I need to do this, not just for me, but for my kids. It will help them as they'll see an improvement in my energy levels, and I'll be modeling good behavior for them. They'll be seeing a fit and healthy mom, which is what they need.
What I like best about the Wii Fit is that there's a meditation portion under the balance games. It's nothing fancy or flashy. However, it does hold it's own challenges and it's calming. The idea is to sit quietly and not move on the board. If you move, it will cause the flame to flicker. If the flame flickers too much, you're done. They throw in a host of distractions to try and catch your attention. Personally, I like it because I can clear my mind and just focus on the candle. It's a moment to clear my mind with a focal point.
Anyhow, I think I'm on my way to improving my lifestyle with this. Hopefully this will be one of many changes towards a better life. Along with this is the benefit of healthier activity levels, I'm also well on my way to kicking the caffeine habit. I resisted the urge to buy more soda today at the store, only juice! I'm already on my way to a more positive and healthy lifestyle!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
An Unexpected Bonus for Sustainable Living
Today I managed to do something wonderful for water conservation and I wasn't even thinking about it at the time! This has gotten me thinking about other ways I can conserve water, but I'll probably go into those later. Until we own our own house, it's going to be challenging to conserve water in any other way than to restrict what we use.
As I mentioned earlier, my family has been having a problem with lice. These are the evil kind that can't be killed by anything but the most drastic of measures. We got a prescription from the doctor to handle this problem, so hopefully things were going to get better. Today was supposed to be the great delousing day. Hair was to be treated or shaved, sheets would be washed, soft toys put away until cleaned, and the lice problem would be gone. This isn't the best way to spend a birthday, but at least we would be lice free!
Unfortunately, this didn't exactly go as planned, but what ever does around here. Thinking it would be smart to review the information on the prescription before I attempted to use it, I flipped open the page from the pharmacy. This had all sorts of useful information like preventing this stuff from getting in the eyes and nose and cautioning children to keep their eyes shut while the chemical was put in their hair. All of that seemed simple enough. That's when I get to the warning. It seems that it is unknown whether or not it is safe to breastfeed while using this medication. There is a possibility that the chemical could transfer through the skin and into the bloodstream, only to get into the milk and poison the baby. While, in theory, this shouldn't be a problem, there is no evidence that this is safe to use while nursing. Further, it is recommended that a woman does not use this chemical while nursing, from the information I've managed to find out. I don't have enough milk stored to go a full day without nursing, so I wasn't going to take the risk. Who could blame me? Isn't the health of my baby more important than killing lice by chemical means? That would mean I'd have to wait a week or more to store up enough milk for an entire day of feedings, and I didn't want to make my family suffer with these bugs for that long. My hair was shaved and that was the end of it.
So where does the water conservation kick in? Do you have any idea how long it takes me to shower now? Hop in, soap up, rinse off, shave, and out. I can be in and out of the shower in two minutes or less. Normally it takes me at least fifteen because of washing my hair and all of that. I've heard that taking a bath actually saves more on water than showering, but I think in my case, I can shower and use less water than I would in a bath. It's going to save a lot of water!
This has more benefits than simply water conservation. Of course, conserving water means that less waste water is being produced. The state of Texas isn't exactly known for being water rich and droughts happen. Conserving water is one more measure to reduce the chances of a shortage. Then there's the financial benefit for my family. For those who live in states that tenants pay their own water bill, you may not understand the benefit. However, in Texas, or for most home owners, the water bill is just one more expense to add to the list. It's one more bill draining family funds. Therefore, if I'm taking quick showers and using less water, the water bill is lower and that money can be put other places, such as paying off my car or past debts to get us out of debt that much sooner. Who knew the act of shaving my head would actually save me on money? On top of that, I'm not using shampoo and conditioner right now, so the water has one less solution dumped into it and I save on the cost of shampoo and conditioner! It may not be a huge expense, but every little bit counts. After all, every penny saved is one more that can go towards creating financial freedom and stability for my family.
Of course, all of this resulted from yet another positive act for the environment, and for my family, breastfeeding. Because I breastfeed, I'm benefiting my family and the environment in a number of ways. Obviously, my son is benefiting from all the positive effects breastfeeding has on baby, like increased immunities, reduced chances of allergies, and the healthiest, most natural source of nutrition available to him. I'm benefiting by losing the baby weight that much quicker. My whole family is financially benefiting because breast milk is virtually free, or at least significantly cheaper than formula. Unlike the popular claim, I say that breastfeeding is not actually free. Most mothers consume more calories and have to take prenatal vitamins that they would not otherwise take due to breastfeeding, but the cost of an additional three hundred or so calories to the diet and prenatal vitamins in comparison to the exorbitant cost of formula is still relatively small. There's the environmental benefit because more formula packaging isn't finding it's ways into landfills and dumps. Breast milk comes in a natural and (eventually) biodegradable package. For many families there are no bottles to clean and sterilize, which reduces energy and water consumption. Even for families that do use bottles for pumping and storage of milk, unless they exclusively pump (which some do), they are still using less bottles and therefore consuming less water and energy to wash and sterilize those bottles and their pump than formula feeding families use. Finally, there's this unexpected benefit of breastfeeding meaning the only way to rid myself of these lice is through shaving my head, which means for quicker showers and even less water consumption by my family! Who knew that breastfeeding would end up saving me so much on my water bill every month?
What does this have to do with sustainable living? A good deal, actually! Breastfeeding, for example, reduces my dependence on outside sources of food for my family. This effects my impact on the environment in many ways, everything from the after effects of the packaging to the transportation of the formula to the factory that created it. I have my own self-sustaining milk production center right here! That reduces the negative impact on the environment left from my family, which is, of course, better for the earth. The more sustainable resources we use from local suppliers, the less of a pollution impact we have on our environment. With water consumption, all the crud that ends up in the water has to go somewhere, even if it's just purified out. That takes energy. It takes energy to pump the water to our houses. Especially in areas where water is limited during portions of the year, water is a valuable resource that shouldn't be wasted. Saving water could mean there's more available for livestock and crops. Saving water also means consuming less energy to transport the water to your home, which generally comes from unsustainable energy sources, like most conventional power plants. Financial independence may not strike many as a step towards sustainable living, but financial independence, freedom from all debt, will help with sustainable living. It means you need to earn more money to pay off bills and creditors. In a day and age where most people past the age of retirement can't afford to live off their retirement funds, it's a benefit to be out of debt and planning for your future as soon as possible. If nothing else, I don't want my kids to be saddled with my bills after I die! I would like to leave them free and clear, perhaps with something to inherit, even if it is just my house or some land. Being out of debt means no interest payments, which means more of my money stays in my pockets. That means more savings, or more money that can be put into creating an even more sustainable home, perhaps a place with solar or wind power. Everything cycles back to being a possibility to living more sustainably.
So in the end, it all started out as a frustration that breastfeeding prevented me from being able to save my hair, but what's a little vanity for a healthier means of living? I think the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences in this case. Who knew breastfeeding and the lice that would not die would end up leading my family to having so many benefits to push us further towards a sustainable lifestyle and more financial freedom? Maybe it was meant to be!
As I mentioned earlier, my family has been having a problem with lice. These are the evil kind that can't be killed by anything but the most drastic of measures. We got a prescription from the doctor to handle this problem, so hopefully things were going to get better. Today was supposed to be the great delousing day. Hair was to be treated or shaved, sheets would be washed, soft toys put away until cleaned, and the lice problem would be gone. This isn't the best way to spend a birthday, but at least we would be lice free!
Unfortunately, this didn't exactly go as planned, but what ever does around here. Thinking it would be smart to review the information on the prescription before I attempted to use it, I flipped open the page from the pharmacy. This had all sorts of useful information like preventing this stuff from getting in the eyes and nose and cautioning children to keep their eyes shut while the chemical was put in their hair. All of that seemed simple enough. That's when I get to the warning. It seems that it is unknown whether or not it is safe to breastfeed while using this medication. There is a possibility that the chemical could transfer through the skin and into the bloodstream, only to get into the milk and poison the baby. While, in theory, this shouldn't be a problem, there is no evidence that this is safe to use while nursing. Further, it is recommended that a woman does not use this chemical while nursing, from the information I've managed to find out. I don't have enough milk stored to go a full day without nursing, so I wasn't going to take the risk. Who could blame me? Isn't the health of my baby more important than killing lice by chemical means? That would mean I'd have to wait a week or more to store up enough milk for an entire day of feedings, and I didn't want to make my family suffer with these bugs for that long. My hair was shaved and that was the end of it.
So where does the water conservation kick in? Do you have any idea how long it takes me to shower now? Hop in, soap up, rinse off, shave, and out. I can be in and out of the shower in two minutes or less. Normally it takes me at least fifteen because of washing my hair and all of that. I've heard that taking a bath actually saves more on water than showering, but I think in my case, I can shower and use less water than I would in a bath. It's going to save a lot of water!
This has more benefits than simply water conservation. Of course, conserving water means that less waste water is being produced. The state of Texas isn't exactly known for being water rich and droughts happen. Conserving water is one more measure to reduce the chances of a shortage. Then there's the financial benefit for my family. For those who live in states that tenants pay their own water bill, you may not understand the benefit. However, in Texas, or for most home owners, the water bill is just one more expense to add to the list. It's one more bill draining family funds. Therefore, if I'm taking quick showers and using less water, the water bill is lower and that money can be put other places, such as paying off my car or past debts to get us out of debt that much sooner. Who knew the act of shaving my head would actually save me on money? On top of that, I'm not using shampoo and conditioner right now, so the water has one less solution dumped into it and I save on the cost of shampoo and conditioner! It may not be a huge expense, but every little bit counts. After all, every penny saved is one more that can go towards creating financial freedom and stability for my family.
Of course, all of this resulted from yet another positive act for the environment, and for my family, breastfeeding. Because I breastfeed, I'm benefiting my family and the environment in a number of ways. Obviously, my son is benefiting from all the positive effects breastfeeding has on baby, like increased immunities, reduced chances of allergies, and the healthiest, most natural source of nutrition available to him. I'm benefiting by losing the baby weight that much quicker. My whole family is financially benefiting because breast milk is virtually free, or at least significantly cheaper than formula. Unlike the popular claim, I say that breastfeeding is not actually free. Most mothers consume more calories and have to take prenatal vitamins that they would not otherwise take due to breastfeeding, but the cost of an additional three hundred or so calories to the diet and prenatal vitamins in comparison to the exorbitant cost of formula is still relatively small. There's the environmental benefit because more formula packaging isn't finding it's ways into landfills and dumps. Breast milk comes in a natural and (eventually) biodegradable package. For many families there are no bottles to clean and sterilize, which reduces energy and water consumption. Even for families that do use bottles for pumping and storage of milk, unless they exclusively pump (which some do), they are still using less bottles and therefore consuming less water and energy to wash and sterilize those bottles and their pump than formula feeding families use. Finally, there's this unexpected benefit of breastfeeding meaning the only way to rid myself of these lice is through shaving my head, which means for quicker showers and even less water consumption by my family! Who knew that breastfeeding would end up saving me so much on my water bill every month?
What does this have to do with sustainable living? A good deal, actually! Breastfeeding, for example, reduces my dependence on outside sources of food for my family. This effects my impact on the environment in many ways, everything from the after effects of the packaging to the transportation of the formula to the factory that created it. I have my own self-sustaining milk production center right here! That reduces the negative impact on the environment left from my family, which is, of course, better for the earth. The more sustainable resources we use from local suppliers, the less of a pollution impact we have on our environment. With water consumption, all the crud that ends up in the water has to go somewhere, even if it's just purified out. That takes energy. It takes energy to pump the water to our houses. Especially in areas where water is limited during portions of the year, water is a valuable resource that shouldn't be wasted. Saving water could mean there's more available for livestock and crops. Saving water also means consuming less energy to transport the water to your home, which generally comes from unsustainable energy sources, like most conventional power plants. Financial independence may not strike many as a step towards sustainable living, but financial independence, freedom from all debt, will help with sustainable living. It means you need to earn more money to pay off bills and creditors. In a day and age where most people past the age of retirement can't afford to live off their retirement funds, it's a benefit to be out of debt and planning for your future as soon as possible. If nothing else, I don't want my kids to be saddled with my bills after I die! I would like to leave them free and clear, perhaps with something to inherit, even if it is just my house or some land. Being out of debt means no interest payments, which means more of my money stays in my pockets. That means more savings, or more money that can be put into creating an even more sustainable home, perhaps a place with solar or wind power. Everything cycles back to being a possibility to living more sustainably.
So in the end, it all started out as a frustration that breastfeeding prevented me from being able to save my hair, but what's a little vanity for a healthier means of living? I think the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences in this case. Who knew breastfeeding and the lice that would not die would end up leading my family to having so many benefits to push us further towards a sustainable lifestyle and more financial freedom? Maybe it was meant to be!
Off to a Horrible Start
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. At least these good intentions didn't end up hurting anyone but myself, not that they're really hurting me. It's frustrating that less than a full day in I ended up failing, but tomorrow is a new day and I can make an effort again starting then. That's what it's all about, keep on trying until you succeed.
The caffeine thing, that didn't even last more than twelve hours. The orange soda was sitting there, calling my name. However, it's not a lot of caffeine, and once it's gone, I'm not buying anymore. I did do well with drinking green tea, which is a start. At least it's something healthier than soda. Now if only I could stick to that!
Exercise went well, but today I just didn't have the time! Well, I did, but I had other things to do, so I decided to be a slacker instead. There was just so much running around to get done! I've also been achy. I know, excuses, excuses. However, it's not me making excuses this time! I've been doing so much dance over the past two weeks that I think it's starting to wear on me. The muscles in my back and sides are sore from constantly using them in ways my slacker body isn't used to. It's wondering what all this proper posture stuff is! I know it's good for me, but until my body adjusts, it's going to be rough. Then there's having to put the baby in the carrier during class that isn't helping. The extra weight on my body is hard to adjust to when it's so suddenly on me. I think a day off isn't too much of a big deal, as long as I make no more excuses and get back to it. Because of this, I've come to realize that exercising every day is kind of essential for me. If I don't exercise every day then I'll just slack off on the day I'm supposed to. I really do need to get off my butt and do it already!
In other news, we've started talking about getting another car today. This topic leaves me a bit torn. On one hand, it leaves me free to do what I want to do since I won't be house-bound when my significant other is at work. On the other hand, I'm left worrying about the impact this is going to leave on the environment. Doesn't this just give us a larger carbon footprint? Won't this just increase the total emissions put out by my family? Is that something I really want to do? I suppose I don't have much choice. The only option is to only drive when necessary. I already have to leave the house anyway to do laundry, buy groceries, and run other essential errands. I suppose it doesn't make that big of a difference if I'm using a secondary car or not. I'll just have to keep track of how far I'm going. With the economy being so bad and gas prices being what they are, I don't think that will be much of a challenge.
Tomorrow is also my birthday. I get to celebrate it with doing something I don't really want to do, treat the household for lice. It seems there's a breed of lice going around that is resistant to the store-bought chemicals as well as almost all holistic treatments I've found on the web. Apparently it's gotten so bad that they've had to change the prescription they used to use to kill the nasty bugs for something they weren't resisting. This prescription medication is the hardest thing to find! It seems everyone has this nasty variant of the bugs because most of the pharmacies were out. I hate the idea of putting chemicals on my head or my daugher's, but the only other option at this point is to shave our heads. As much as I don't want to do that, I want these things gone. If the prescription doesn't work, it may just come down to that. It's sad when we live in a world where bugs have become so chemical resistant that it's not just the holistic remedies that don't work. My poor kids have been made miserable with all kinds of things put in their hair that were supposed to kill the bugs or help remove the eggs. We were joking that these things have become super lice! Apparently we weren't far off at all!
Tomorrow, after every male in the house has their head shaved but the baby, and my daughter and I get our hair treated, and the laundry is done, I'm going to try and think of something sustainable living related to do. Maybe I'll pull out one of my projects and knit. I may look up a local recycling center for reference. Maybe I'll just focus on my own health and go for a nice, long walk. It will be nice to stretch my legs and work out the stress of everything going on. Maybe it will help clear my mind.
Tomorrow is another day. A birthday is always a good day to start new and more positive habits. It's certainly one way I can do something to treat myself.
The caffeine thing, that didn't even last more than twelve hours. The orange soda was sitting there, calling my name. However, it's not a lot of caffeine, and once it's gone, I'm not buying anymore. I did do well with drinking green tea, which is a start. At least it's something healthier than soda. Now if only I could stick to that!
Exercise went well, but today I just didn't have the time! Well, I did, but I had other things to do, so I decided to be a slacker instead. There was just so much running around to get done! I've also been achy. I know, excuses, excuses. However, it's not me making excuses this time! I've been doing so much dance over the past two weeks that I think it's starting to wear on me. The muscles in my back and sides are sore from constantly using them in ways my slacker body isn't used to. It's wondering what all this proper posture stuff is! I know it's good for me, but until my body adjusts, it's going to be rough. Then there's having to put the baby in the carrier during class that isn't helping. The extra weight on my body is hard to adjust to when it's so suddenly on me. I think a day off isn't too much of a big deal, as long as I make no more excuses and get back to it. Because of this, I've come to realize that exercising every day is kind of essential for me. If I don't exercise every day then I'll just slack off on the day I'm supposed to. I really do need to get off my butt and do it already!
In other news, we've started talking about getting another car today. This topic leaves me a bit torn. On one hand, it leaves me free to do what I want to do since I won't be house-bound when my significant other is at work. On the other hand, I'm left worrying about the impact this is going to leave on the environment. Doesn't this just give us a larger carbon footprint? Won't this just increase the total emissions put out by my family? Is that something I really want to do? I suppose I don't have much choice. The only option is to only drive when necessary. I already have to leave the house anyway to do laundry, buy groceries, and run other essential errands. I suppose it doesn't make that big of a difference if I'm using a secondary car or not. I'll just have to keep track of how far I'm going. With the economy being so bad and gas prices being what they are, I don't think that will be much of a challenge.
Tomorrow is also my birthday. I get to celebrate it with doing something I don't really want to do, treat the household for lice. It seems there's a breed of lice going around that is resistant to the store-bought chemicals as well as almost all holistic treatments I've found on the web. Apparently it's gotten so bad that they've had to change the prescription they used to use to kill the nasty bugs for something they weren't resisting. This prescription medication is the hardest thing to find! It seems everyone has this nasty variant of the bugs because most of the pharmacies were out. I hate the idea of putting chemicals on my head or my daugher's, but the only other option at this point is to shave our heads. As much as I don't want to do that, I want these things gone. If the prescription doesn't work, it may just come down to that. It's sad when we live in a world where bugs have become so chemical resistant that it's not just the holistic remedies that don't work. My poor kids have been made miserable with all kinds of things put in their hair that were supposed to kill the bugs or help remove the eggs. We were joking that these things have become super lice! Apparently we weren't far off at all!
Tomorrow, after every male in the house has their head shaved but the baby, and my daughter and I get our hair treated, and the laundry is done, I'm going to try and think of something sustainable living related to do. Maybe I'll pull out one of my projects and knit. I may look up a local recycling center for reference. Maybe I'll just focus on my own health and go for a nice, long walk. It will be nice to stretch my legs and work out the stress of everything going on. Maybe it will help clear my mind.
Tomorrow is another day. A birthday is always a good day to start new and more positive habits. It's certainly one way I can do something to treat myself.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Beginning a Healthier Lifestyle
Taking a look at my life over the past few years, I've come to realize that it's simply not healthy. I don't mean that it's unhealthy. I'm not a pack and a half a day smoker that lives off of fast food, stress, and enough caffeine to cause your heart to explode. I'm more the kind of person that drinks too much soda, isn't active enough, and spends way too much time in front of the computer. I don't take enough care to eat healthy meals and do what's best for my body. It's time to change those patterns.
As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will a healthier lifestyle be easy to create in such a short time. It's going to take time for new, healthier habits to form. It's going to take time for my own system to adjust. Nothing happens all at once and it's far too easy to lose it all if you try to accomplish it all at once. It takes little steps at a time. They say it takes twenty days to break a bad habit, which means it takes twenty days to make a good one. Because of that, I'm going to try and institute each new change in a three week cycle, and hopefully I won't give up.
For the next three weeks I intend to institute a couple of new changes for a healthier lifestyle. These changes all kind of relate and should give me more energy, something I need with how tired I've been. More energy will certainly help on this path to a healthier lifestyle.
The first change isn't that much of a stretch from my current lifestyle, I want to do something physically active every day for at least an hour. As things currently stand, I dance three days a week for at least an hour. That means I only have four days to fill with something active and healthy to do. I'm not talking anything challenging, like running for an hour or anything like that. A walk around the neighborhood would be good enough, but I need to be doing something active.
Next, I want to remove caffeine from my diet. Preferably this will be done by removing all sodas as well, but I'll focus on the caffeine. Orange soda is unfortunately well caffeinated, and that is my biggest problem. It's also all to easy to reach for an energy drink when I'm feeling kind of sluggish rather than reaching for something healthier, or getting more sleep. I know full well that I won't be able to kick it all together, but once the rest of my soda is gone, I won't be buying anymore. Instead I'm trying to find healthier drinks, like green tea, to replace my soda habit. Juice and water are also great alternatives.
The final change I want to make could take more than three weeks to start. Once the house is unpacked I want to make a constant effort to keep the house clean. It's all too easy to let it get cluttered and fall behind. Who cares? You're just going to have to clean up later anyways, so what does it matter. Even though it may seem so much easier to let the mess build, I want to live in a healthy environment, and that requires a clean home, something I've never truly had in all my life. That one is going to be a hard habit to get into, but I have confidence in myself.
There are a few expected results that will show in all aspects of my life. On a physical level, I believe I will be a healthier person. I should have more energy, and therefore be able to get more done each day. On a mental and emotional level, I should feel much better about myself. Getting enough exercise and and eating healthy often has emotional benefits, making for a happier person. Increased energy also tends result in a better mood as well. My sleep schedule will improve given that getting enough exercise can help with sleeping, and the relation between caffeine and sleep is obvious. My kids will benefit because a happier, healthier mom with more energy has obvious benefits. It will be easier for them to maintain a regular sleep schedule as well because I will be able to do more with them and won't have such a hard time dragging myself out of bed in the morning.
This is just day one of the whole experiment, but hopefully by week three I will be well in the habit and ready for something new. In the future I hope to add practices that help with personal awareness, energy, and fitness, like yoga. With the local farmer's market due to open again soon, I hope to shop locally instead of making purchases at big box stores. Perhaps there will be research into companies that support green living so I can buy from them. There are many ideas on the horizon as to what the next step will be, but I'm going to do my best to focus on them one step at a time.
As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will a healthier lifestyle be easy to create in such a short time. It's going to take time for new, healthier habits to form. It's going to take time for my own system to adjust. Nothing happens all at once and it's far too easy to lose it all if you try to accomplish it all at once. It takes little steps at a time. They say it takes twenty days to break a bad habit, which means it takes twenty days to make a good one. Because of that, I'm going to try and institute each new change in a three week cycle, and hopefully I won't give up.
For the next three weeks I intend to institute a couple of new changes for a healthier lifestyle. These changes all kind of relate and should give me more energy, something I need with how tired I've been. More energy will certainly help on this path to a healthier lifestyle.
The first change isn't that much of a stretch from my current lifestyle, I want to do something physically active every day for at least an hour. As things currently stand, I dance three days a week for at least an hour. That means I only have four days to fill with something active and healthy to do. I'm not talking anything challenging, like running for an hour or anything like that. A walk around the neighborhood would be good enough, but I need to be doing something active.
Next, I want to remove caffeine from my diet. Preferably this will be done by removing all sodas as well, but I'll focus on the caffeine. Orange soda is unfortunately well caffeinated, and that is my biggest problem. It's also all to easy to reach for an energy drink when I'm feeling kind of sluggish rather than reaching for something healthier, or getting more sleep. I know full well that I won't be able to kick it all together, but once the rest of my soda is gone, I won't be buying anymore. Instead I'm trying to find healthier drinks, like green tea, to replace my soda habit. Juice and water are also great alternatives.
The final change I want to make could take more than three weeks to start. Once the house is unpacked I want to make a constant effort to keep the house clean. It's all too easy to let it get cluttered and fall behind. Who cares? You're just going to have to clean up later anyways, so what does it matter. Even though it may seem so much easier to let the mess build, I want to live in a healthy environment, and that requires a clean home, something I've never truly had in all my life. That one is going to be a hard habit to get into, but I have confidence in myself.
There are a few expected results that will show in all aspects of my life. On a physical level, I believe I will be a healthier person. I should have more energy, and therefore be able to get more done each day. On a mental and emotional level, I should feel much better about myself. Getting enough exercise and and eating healthy often has emotional benefits, making for a happier person. Increased energy also tends result in a better mood as well. My sleep schedule will improve given that getting enough exercise can help with sleeping, and the relation between caffeine and sleep is obvious. My kids will benefit because a happier, healthier mom with more energy has obvious benefits. It will be easier for them to maintain a regular sleep schedule as well because I will be able to do more with them and won't have such a hard time dragging myself out of bed in the morning.
This is just day one of the whole experiment, but hopefully by week three I will be well in the habit and ready for something new. In the future I hope to add practices that help with personal awareness, energy, and fitness, like yoga. With the local farmer's market due to open again soon, I hope to shop locally instead of making purchases at big box stores. Perhaps there will be research into companies that support green living so I can buy from them. There are many ideas on the horizon as to what the next step will be, but I'm going to do my best to focus on them one step at a time.
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