And as I write this I am in the process of divorcing him for the 6th time just because I'm emotionally worked up.
I find going through internal divorces to be very healthy and cleansing. These divorces may or may not have been spurred by a 6 month old child who ultimately took 2 hours to go to sleep tonight. In fact possibly I divorced my child as well.
So I divorced my husband for the first time this morning when I woke up and made the mistake of checking Facebook before doing anything else. Actually back to up to 4am when our child work up and needed a feed. Yes, that is the point that the first divorce happened. I divorced him because he doesn't have breasts to feed our child and I had to be the one to wake up and feed her.
The second time was when I work up. As I said, I checked Facebook and the world of overachievers slapped me straight in the face. So if the first few minutes I was awake I decided I needed to write a daily blog, write a book, make short inspirational yoga videos, buy an inspiration book to help with the aforementioned, go back to school or a masters degree, lose 10lbs, become a better yoga teacher. My god, I'm tired just reading this. So when I looked over at my husband blissfully sleeping I divorced him for having his life together and knowing what he wants to go and actually working toward it instead of letting Facebook make him feel like an underachieving failure.
I hope you're starting to get the idea that these internal divorces are best keep internal and that I may be divorcing egotistical self more than anything. Anyway let the divorces continue.
So finally my husband rolls out of bed after I have become inspired and hit rock bottom all in the matter of about 2 hours. We have a lovely morning and I decide to remarry him a few times. I leave the two of them together for 2 hours while I observe a yoga class. Go me! A step in the right direction of my early morning goals.
After that I decide to go visit a friend to give her some baby time. I leave the husband at home to work towards his dreams. Before I go I express the wish to attend a yoga class in a few hours. Secretly I am taking the kid out so that I don't feel guilty having left her with him in the morning and that I will be leaving her with him again to go to yoga. Jesus where is this shame coming from.
After yoga I come home sweaty, hungry and tired. BAD COMBINATION for me. So I immediately divorce him for the 3rd time for relaxing at home. How quickly I forget he just kindly watched the little one while I went to yoga.
The 4th and 5th divorces were the worst and may have slipped from internal to external a bit. In the process of putting/fighting the kid to sleep I went through the 5 steps of divorce (formerly known as 5 steps of grief) in the matter of about an hour. I went thought the following:
1) denial: I can't believe my husband isn't up here helping me put the little one to sleep.
2) ager: If that man opens the door and asks if I'm ok I'm going to go mental because I can do this on my own.
3) bargaining: If this kid will go to sleep I promise that I will rekindle the relationship with her father.
4) depression: I'm the worst wife and mother ever. I can't even get my kid to sleep and why isn't her father here to help us.
5) acceptance: Well it's over, he didn't help in my time of needs so I don't need him anymore.
The 5th divorce, the one that became external was the one where I never get the house to myself and so in order to relax I have to go to yoga, friend's house or somewhere outside of my home to get away from a child who needs my attention. Yes, my husband is incredibly attentive and a wonderful father but sometimes you just need peace and quiet in your own home to unwind. Recently I realized that in the 6 months since my child was born I had only had a few hours to myself in the home when no one was home. This is the divorce that slipped from petty irrational internal divorce to telling my husband that sometimes he needs to just take the kid and Get the F Out so I can breathe and relax.
So the moral of my crazy story is that sometimes you just need 'you time' in your own home and by making sure that you're getting that time you can avoid a lot of unnecessary internal divorces. Where my yoga practice comes into play is when I was in the depths of my divorces. I looked at how worked up I was and I took some deep breaths, closed my eyes, withdrew my senses and listened to what all my irrational thoughts were really trying to say. And they were saying STOP, get quiet, settle into your nest and replenish yourself so you can stop being crazy. This post has been cathartic and enlightening and a great practice in finding clarity.
Also note that in the midst of my 'moment' I kept reminding myself how wonderful my husband was. He watched the little one while I went to two yoga classes today, he plays with her to the point that she is in a fit of giggles, he made a delicious dinner and ended up cleaning up as well, he tells me how wonderful I am and that I'm a great mom, he still thinks I'm sexy even though I have some wobbly bits, he listened as I basically told him he has to come home from work tomorrow, take the kid and leave so I can have veg out me time. He's pretty much perfect and going through all the stuff I go through just much more peacefully.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
When you breathe others breathe
As life has changed in the blink of an eye so has this blog. It has gone from me focussed to baby and me focussed. However, the underlying theme of yoga has stayed strong and for that I am incredibly grateful. So my physical practice went from powerful, strong and sturdy to gentle, sweet and nurturing over the period of nine months and now I'm slowly moving back into finding my powerful practice again but this time I am remembering the sweetness and great benefit of the gentle practice that focussed on breath and connection.
So as I move through the first months of being a mother and balancing my life of work, love and family I find that when I breathe, and not just take a few full breaths but really feel each of those breaths course through my body that everything no matter how hectic just falls into place.
So when that baby is fussing and you're begging for her to fall asleep try this. Look into her eyes (or lock yourself in the closet) and and send so much love and compassion into the next breath you take. I mean fill that breath up with so much light and joy and love that you are just going to explode a rainbow of delicious emotions. And then when you are so full that you can't take in anymore, smile. Then slowly with awareness feel that breaths exit your body taking with you anxiety, doubt, depression, sadness, exhaustion, fear, all those emotions dragging you down. And do that 5+ times as you rock your baby and look into her eyes or if you need it hide in the closet and plug your ears (nothing bad will happen to your baby if you put her in a safe spot). And then let you breath return to normal and observe what happens to your child, to those around you and most of all you. There will be a shift chemically, physically and emotionally and even if it's subtle you will have a bit more of yourself to give because you will have replenished your resources.
I do this every night as I put my child to sleep. I look at this amazing little being and I take delicious breaths of baby smell and I let those breaths slowly move through me and linger so that the scent of this little being is imprinted on my mind forever and the oxytocin I need to feel good and remain calm as I navigate my way through motherhood is fully released into my system. It's amazing what the body can do to help it's if you just give it the time it needs.
When you breath, and I mean really breathe, you feel like a new person.
Try it.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
What they don't tell you about after you give birth
So four months ago I gave birth to my adorable little girl. It was a profound experience and I am happy and proud to say that I experienced every moment of it naturally. Before you think I'm getting on my high horse to preach that I managed to do it unmedicated I want to say that without my doula or husband I would have taken the drugs and I am not afraid to admit that there was a period of time during transition that I begged every person in the room for "something to take the edge off so that I can take a nap". I think deep down I knew that a nap wasn't in the cards but I was so tired that I just assumed they could knock me out for a bit and then wake me up to push in a few hours. Wishful thinking!
Anyway, the post isn't about labor and birth. This post is about what happens after birth. The stuff they seem to omit in all of my prenatal classes, birthing classes, breastfeeding classes, baby 101 classes, you get the idea. There is this 3-5 day window where they forget to talk about what your body is going to feel like. I'm guessing they think that the sudden change in becoming a parent will make you forget what your body has been through but I would like to share so that you aren't caught off guard.
These experiences are through the eyes of a vaginal birth, I didn't have a c-section so I can't speak to that.
First off if this is your first child you may have just experienced a very long labor and you are beyond tired. Think weepy sleepy like a young child. You're so full of adrenaline and hormones that it may a few days to rest properly, plus you will spend at least 2 days in the hospital and although the nurses can be wonderful, they will come in to check up on you and the baby many many times. So...
1) OMG are you tired
Secondly you have just pushed a baby through a passage that has not seen the likes of a baby's head ever so your vagina is reeling from the experience and now so swollen and tender that if you're walking like you have spent the better part of your life on the back of a horse. To add insult to injury you have sporting a pad the size of a small country and the kind nurses are packing you with ice because you're having a period to make up for 9 months you have gone without. So that horse you look like you have been riding is as wide as Texas.
2) OUCH you're swollen
Now at some point around 12-24 hours after you have given birth to this bundle of joy the nurses will start talking about pooping. And you will look at these nurses like they have grown a second head and are most definitely high. You will probably feel like telling them that you don't ever plan on pushing anything out of your body from that area ever again and they can kindly sew it shut along with the other parts because the business end of your body has shut its doors for good. My recommendation, take the stool softeners and 800mg Motrin (or something stronger) and just wait patiently. For the love of God do not push or strain.
3) You DOODOO double duty
Let us not forget the gorgeous child that is needing you to care for it and love it and hold it and feed it and change its diaper and all that other stuff that being a mom entails even when you feel like you've been steamrolled. It is ok to look at that child and feel so overwhelmed with emotions that you just want to turn away, close your eyes and block everything out until you can deal with the enormity of what has just happened. No one deals with big change easily let alone when you're hormones are going crazy and you're dead tired. Look at little kids who haven't had enough sleep and how they have complete meltdowns and their world has not just been turned upside down. So go ahead and cry, sob, whimper, squeeze your eyes shut and take a moment or ten to regroup. There should be some awesome nurses who will not judge if you need to send the baby to the nursery. There is plenty of time to be supermom in the future right now healing yourself and wrapping your mind around the situation and SLEEP will put you in the right mindset so that you can begin to get to know this amazing gift.
4) You're NUMBER 1
When you get home from the hospital take plenty of alone time with just you, the baby and your partner. Family will want to help and go ahead and let them but don't feel bad if you feel all of a sudden moody and crabby and need to kick everyone out. Like #4 you're number one and if you are feeling on edge your baby will be on edge and that's a recipe for sleepless disaster so kick out the family, shut the door, hold your baby and tune everything else out.
5) It's YOU, PARTNER and BABY
So that pretty much sums up the stuff they "forget" to tell you in the classes and book. Here's what to have in your freshly home from the hospital bag
- Absorbant feminine pads
- Witch hazel for swelling and cleaning
- Tucks medicated pads for cooling and soothing (these things are even better if cooled in the fridge)
- Advil/Motrin/Ibuprofen (have lots on hand)
- Natural stool softeners
- Breast pads (I like the thin Medela disposables)
- A good sense of humor because nothing really works quite right in you, your partner or your baby for the first couple of weeks
If you're reading this you may be pregnant and nervous. Your body is amazing and will take over, learn to surrender to it because it is so much smarter than your mind. You also may be on the other side of birth and nodding your head at a lot of the above and smiling because you know that all this stuff becomes a distant memory and you have a wonderful child that makes it all worthwhile.
Peace and baby love.
Anyway, the post isn't about labor and birth. This post is about what happens after birth. The stuff they seem to omit in all of my prenatal classes, birthing classes, breastfeeding classes, baby 101 classes, you get the idea. There is this 3-5 day window where they forget to talk about what your body is going to feel like. I'm guessing they think that the sudden change in becoming a parent will make you forget what your body has been through but I would like to share so that you aren't caught off guard.
These experiences are through the eyes of a vaginal birth, I didn't have a c-section so I can't speak to that.
First off if this is your first child you may have just experienced a very long labor and you are beyond tired. Think weepy sleepy like a young child. You're so full of adrenaline and hormones that it may a few days to rest properly, plus you will spend at least 2 days in the hospital and although the nurses can be wonderful, they will come in to check up on you and the baby many many times. So...
1) OMG are you tired
Secondly you have just pushed a baby through a passage that has not seen the likes of a baby's head ever so your vagina is reeling from the experience and now so swollen and tender that if you're walking like you have spent the better part of your life on the back of a horse. To add insult to injury you have sporting a pad the size of a small country and the kind nurses are packing you with ice because you're having a period to make up for 9 months you have gone without. So that horse you look like you have been riding is as wide as Texas.
2) OUCH you're swollen
Now at some point around 12-24 hours after you have given birth to this bundle of joy the nurses will start talking about pooping. And you will look at these nurses like they have grown a second head and are most definitely high. You will probably feel like telling them that you don't ever plan on pushing anything out of your body from that area ever again and they can kindly sew it shut along with the other parts because the business end of your body has shut its doors for good. My recommendation, take the stool softeners and 800mg Motrin (or something stronger) and just wait patiently. For the love of God do not push or strain.
3) You DOODOO double duty
Let us not forget the gorgeous child that is needing you to care for it and love it and hold it and feed it and change its diaper and all that other stuff that being a mom entails even when you feel like you've been steamrolled. It is ok to look at that child and feel so overwhelmed with emotions that you just want to turn away, close your eyes and block everything out until you can deal with the enormity of what has just happened. No one deals with big change easily let alone when you're hormones are going crazy and you're dead tired. Look at little kids who haven't had enough sleep and how they have complete meltdowns and their world has not just been turned upside down. So go ahead and cry, sob, whimper, squeeze your eyes shut and take a moment or ten to regroup. There should be some awesome nurses who will not judge if you need to send the baby to the nursery. There is plenty of time to be supermom in the future right now healing yourself and wrapping your mind around the situation and SLEEP will put you in the right mindset so that you can begin to get to know this amazing gift.
4) You're NUMBER 1
When you get home from the hospital take plenty of alone time with just you, the baby and your partner. Family will want to help and go ahead and let them but don't feel bad if you feel all of a sudden moody and crabby and need to kick everyone out. Like #4 you're number one and if you are feeling on edge your baby will be on edge and that's a recipe for sleepless disaster so kick out the family, shut the door, hold your baby and tune everything else out.
5) It's YOU, PARTNER and BABY
So that pretty much sums up the stuff they "forget" to tell you in the classes and book. Here's what to have in your freshly home from the hospital bag
- Absorbant feminine pads
- Witch hazel for swelling and cleaning
- Tucks medicated pads for cooling and soothing (these things are even better if cooled in the fridge)
- Advil/Motrin/Ibuprofen (have lots on hand)
- Natural stool softeners
- Breast pads (I like the thin Medela disposables)
- A good sense of humor because nothing really works quite right in you, your partner or your baby for the first couple of weeks
If you're reading this you may be pregnant and nervous. Your body is amazing and will take over, learn to surrender to it because it is so much smarter than your mind. You also may be on the other side of birth and nodding your head at a lot of the above and smiling because you know that all this stuff becomes a distant memory and you have a wonderful child that makes it all worthwhile.
Peace and baby love.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Breaking-Up with Mr. Sugar
It has come to my attention that I might be having a bit of an affair with sugar. My true love is healthy whole food but at the end of each day when I think back to what I have eaten I find that sexy Mr. Sugar has weaseled his way into my diet yet again.
With a child on the way and the pounds and my regular exercise regime cut down to walking and much more mild yoga, the weight of pregnancy is starting to pack itself onto my frame and my hormones going up and down more than a roller-coaster I have decided that it's time to make a change.
I have broken-up with sushi, soft cheese and alcohol (this has been my decision given that most doctors say a glass of wine here and there is ok but I want my kid to have to best chance possible). I have really looked at myself inside and out and softened to the changes in my mind and body and love myself more than ever but after all these changes I still felt like Mr. Sugar was holding me back from feeling at my best. He's like that one guy (or girl) that you have a tumultuous relationship with, break-up 10 times yet still find that you get back together because you feel like it's just too challenging to live without him.
I have been living in Australia for the last 5 years and although Australia sneaks sugar into most things I know that the U.S. is far worse. So with that in mind I feel that in my last few weeks in Australia before I move home I need to break-up with Mr. Sugar once and for all.
And if you're reading this for tips, here is what is working for me:
1) a cup of lemon in warm water
2) start your day out with a hearty breakfast with protein, veggies and whole carbs (ex. eggs, avocado, blanched spinach, wholemeal seeded toast, fresh squeezed juice OR unsweetened granola/muesli with nuts (almonds/walnuts) and rice or regular milk (rice milk adds a bit of sweetness without added sugar))
3) eat a snack if you get hungry keep fruit or prepared veggies around for ease so you don't go for the pre-made crap that's sure to have added sugar (ex. apple/celery with a bit of all natural unsweetened peanut butter)
4) try a snack that has protein but not overly sweet like fruit
5) Vary your dinner with whole grains (quinoa, brown/wild rice, wholemeal couscous), a variety of veggies, and a source of protein (fish, paneer, chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, meat)
6) Exercise daily even if it's just a brisk walk, the endorphins you get from it will help replace the craving for sugar
7) Eat until you feel satisfied, not over full, just comfortable. If you eat quality food until you are satiated you will have less desire to seek out sweet to fill a void
8) READ LABELS on prepared foods, sugar may be hidden in there (ex. sauces are notorious for this)
9) Plain yogurt with an unsweetened jam is delicious if you need a sweet fix
10) Remove your temptations and learn what tricks to curb the cravings work for you
11) Drink lots of water. It's amazing how often we reach for those unsavory foods because we're dehydrated and not actually wanting or needing the food
If you relapse and find yourself having a crazy night with Mr. Sugar don't beat yourself up. Every day is a fresh day. Just pick yourself up and start again. Believe me, I've done it a million times and one of these times it will stick. I think having two people instead of one to think about helps a bit but I'm not saying go out and have a kid to quit sugar, that would be far too drastic. Just find what works for you and stay relaxed about it.
Food is the spice of life, enjoy it's healing qualities.
With a child on the way and the pounds and my regular exercise regime cut down to walking and much more mild yoga, the weight of pregnancy is starting to pack itself onto my frame and my hormones going up and down more than a roller-coaster I have decided that it's time to make a change.
I have broken-up with sushi, soft cheese and alcohol (this has been my decision given that most doctors say a glass of wine here and there is ok but I want my kid to have to best chance possible). I have really looked at myself inside and out and softened to the changes in my mind and body and love myself more than ever but after all these changes I still felt like Mr. Sugar was holding me back from feeling at my best. He's like that one guy (or girl) that you have a tumultuous relationship with, break-up 10 times yet still find that you get back together because you feel like it's just too challenging to live without him.
I have been living in Australia for the last 5 years and although Australia sneaks sugar into most things I know that the U.S. is far worse. So with that in mind I feel that in my last few weeks in Australia before I move home I need to break-up with Mr. Sugar once and for all.
And if you're reading this for tips, here is what is working for me:
1) a cup of lemon in warm water
2) start your day out with a hearty breakfast with protein, veggies and whole carbs (ex. eggs, avocado, blanched spinach, wholemeal seeded toast, fresh squeezed juice OR unsweetened granola/muesli with nuts (almonds/walnuts) and rice or regular milk (rice milk adds a bit of sweetness without added sugar))
3) eat a snack if you get hungry keep fruit or prepared veggies around for ease so you don't go for the pre-made crap that's sure to have added sugar (ex. apple/celery with a bit of all natural unsweetened peanut butter)
4) try a snack that has protein but not overly sweet like fruit
5) Vary your dinner with whole grains (quinoa, brown/wild rice, wholemeal couscous), a variety of veggies, and a source of protein (fish, paneer, chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, meat)
6) Exercise daily even if it's just a brisk walk, the endorphins you get from it will help replace the craving for sugar
7) Eat until you feel satisfied, not over full, just comfortable. If you eat quality food until you are satiated you will have less desire to seek out sweet to fill a void
8) READ LABELS on prepared foods, sugar may be hidden in there (ex. sauces are notorious for this)
9) Plain yogurt with an unsweetened jam is delicious if you need a sweet fix
10) Remove your temptations and learn what tricks to curb the cravings work for you
11) Drink lots of water. It's amazing how often we reach for those unsavory foods because we're dehydrated and not actually wanting or needing the food
If you relapse and find yourself having a crazy night with Mr. Sugar don't beat yourself up. Every day is a fresh day. Just pick yourself up and start again. Believe me, I've done it a million times and one of these times it will stick. I think having two people instead of one to think about helps a bit but I'm not saying go out and have a kid to quit sugar, that would be far too drastic. Just find what works for you and stay relaxed about it.
Food is the spice of life, enjoy it's healing qualities.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Pregnancy and Yoga...not a harmonious union at the moment
A month ago I got two little pink lines on a pregnancy test. After my initial response of "ooooohhhhh f@ck" I have settled right into the idea of having a little peanut (my husband and I like to say that we were practicing but not trying to conceive). The idea of making something in my own body is scary but also totally fascinating. You are what you eat is really coming into play right now.
The problem...I can't eat.
Let me rephrase. I can eat but I am at the mercy of my body to decide what it will accept and what it will reject. More often than not it choses to reject stuff so I spend my days willing myself to eat healthy food and running to the fridge for the tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream just to put some calories in my body so I don't make offerings to the porcelain god. I am proud to say that although I have been close that god has not received any offerings as of yet, there have been a few very close calls but I refuse!
Anyway, I digress. This is about my yoga practice and being pregnant, two things I find don't go harmoniously hand in and as I had hoped.
So I have had a lot of the lovely pregnancy symptoms: sore boobs, relentless nausea, extreme exhaustion (I spend a good 12+ hours chilling in bed relaxing). I managed to do yoga the first week I was pregnant and thought 'this is grand, I can keep doing this'...then week 5 rolled around and I was floored by the influx of hormones.
HOLY CRAP I have felt like an emotional teenager going through puberty in a matter of weeks instead of years. I have so much appreciation for grumpy teens now, it's like hormone poisoning.
So now I am at a point where just the thought of getting on my mat to move is exhausting and when I do manage to get there I give it my all for about 10 minutes (read do a bit of prenatal yoga) and then collapse in a heap ready to cry. I have gone from a strong (inversion, backbend, hot, 3 hours, etc.) practice to a nothing practice and to top it all off I am a teacher. So here I am at the front of class trying to guide my students through their practice and I don't have the energy to demo anything and can't tell them why all of a sudden their teacher is not as enthused as she used to be. So I have taken a step back from my asana practice and started to reevaluate how yoga can play a role in my life. So far Ahimsa (non harming) is playing the biggest roll. I will not harm myself or my unborn child by forcing a physical practice on my body that is too much for me right now. I will not judge myself for having to change my ways or spend many hours in bed, I will be gentle and kind to those around me because the kinder I am to other the kinder I feel towards myself. I have stepped back from teaching until I feel better because I am not of service to myself or others if my heart is not in it and I am not able to practice what I am teaching. So my yoga as of now is kindness, compassion and understanding. In India the practice of yoga does not start with asana (the physical practice), it starts with reflection, meditation and devotion once you have an understanding of those then you start an asana practice. Some of the most amazing yogis do not come to their mat to run their body through a serious of twisted poses, they quietly sit each day and practice the more challenging practice of mental yoga.
So now as my body changes my practice will change and evolve as well and when I come out the other side of this challenging spot of my pregnancy I hope to be more in tune with myself and others in a much deeper level than just the tangible physical. It will make me a more attentive mother and a more compassionate, patient person...I hope. :-)
The problem...I can't eat.
Let me rephrase. I can eat but I am at the mercy of my body to decide what it will accept and what it will reject. More often than not it choses to reject stuff so I spend my days willing myself to eat healthy food and running to the fridge for the tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream just to put some calories in my body so I don't make offerings to the porcelain god. I am proud to say that although I have been close that god has not received any offerings as of yet, there have been a few very close calls but I refuse!
Anyway, I digress. This is about my yoga practice and being pregnant, two things I find don't go harmoniously hand in and as I had hoped.
So I have had a lot of the lovely pregnancy symptoms: sore boobs, relentless nausea, extreme exhaustion (I spend a good 12+ hours chilling in bed relaxing). I managed to do yoga the first week I was pregnant and thought 'this is grand, I can keep doing this'...then week 5 rolled around and I was floored by the influx of hormones.
HOLY CRAP I have felt like an emotional teenager going through puberty in a matter of weeks instead of years. I have so much appreciation for grumpy teens now, it's like hormone poisoning.
So now I am at a point where just the thought of getting on my mat to move is exhausting and when I do manage to get there I give it my all for about 10 minutes (read do a bit of prenatal yoga) and then collapse in a heap ready to cry. I have gone from a strong (inversion, backbend, hot, 3 hours, etc.) practice to a nothing practice and to top it all off I am a teacher. So here I am at the front of class trying to guide my students through their practice and I don't have the energy to demo anything and can't tell them why all of a sudden their teacher is not as enthused as she used to be. So I have taken a step back from my asana practice and started to reevaluate how yoga can play a role in my life. So far Ahimsa (non harming) is playing the biggest roll. I will not harm myself or my unborn child by forcing a physical practice on my body that is too much for me right now. I will not judge myself for having to change my ways or spend many hours in bed, I will be gentle and kind to those around me because the kinder I am to other the kinder I feel towards myself. I have stepped back from teaching until I feel better because I am not of service to myself or others if my heart is not in it and I am not able to practice what I am teaching. So my yoga as of now is kindness, compassion and understanding. In India the practice of yoga does not start with asana (the physical practice), it starts with reflection, meditation and devotion once you have an understanding of those then you start an asana practice. Some of the most amazing yogis do not come to their mat to run their body through a serious of twisted poses, they quietly sit each day and practice the more challenging practice of mental yoga.
So now as my body changes my practice will change and evolve as well and when I come out the other side of this challenging spot of my pregnancy I hope to be more in tune with myself and others in a much deeper level than just the tangible physical. It will make me a more attentive mother and a more compassionate, patient person...I hope. :-)
Saturday, August 18, 2012
When life gives you unhulled buckwheat, make flour and cook
Yesterday my friend introduced me to a little organic market that sells produce and other products at a reasonable price. If you live in Australia you know that the discovery of this place is like finding a pink diamond lying in the middle of the street, it just doesn't happen.
So I of course got a little carried away and started buying everything I could carry in my arms. Among the plethora of organic items I picked up some buckwheat thinking that I'd use it to replace rice at dinner or my breakfast porridge. When I got home I noticed that the label said unhulled buckwheat. I opened the package and found cute little kernels that I had no idea how to use.
1 c milk
1 tsp heaping cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs honey
2 tbs coconut oil
2 medium ripe bananas smashed
mix and make like regular pancakes. I drizzled a bit of honey over the top before I served.
Then in the afternoon I decided to play around with making zucchini bread. I am not patient in the kitchen so I like things that are easy to bake or cook. This invention tastes amazing and was super easy.
1st bowl:
2 c buckwheat flour
1 c almond meal
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking power
3/4 c ground walnuts (even better if you toast them first)
2nd bowl:
1/2 c honey
1/2 c coconut oil
3 eggs
whip up egg mixture and then add to 1st bowl. grate 2 medium zucchinis into the mixture and stir in gently.
pour into muffin or bread tin. I like to use baking paper or cupcake cups to avoid having to use more fat for nonstick.
bake at 165 C/325 F for 30-45 mins or until tester stick comes out clean from the middle.
So I of course got a little carried away and started buying everything I could carry in my arms. Among the plethora of organic items I picked up some buckwheat thinking that I'd use it to replace rice at dinner or my breakfast porridge. When I got home I noticed that the label said unhulled buckwheat. I opened the package and found cute little kernels that I had no idea how to use.
At first I was discouraged that my dinner and breakfast plans were shot but then I turned to the internet for help. Google: what to do with unhulled buckwheat. Luckily I'm not the first person to make this mistake so there was loads of advice. I decided on attempting to make flour from my mistake. I used my little electric coffee/spice grinder and turned the whole bag of buckwheat into something more user friendly in about 10 minutes. I tried to use my husband's fancy burr coffee grinder but he about lost his mind when he found out what I wanted to do. He's a little delicate about his coffee stuff (I call his espresso machine his girlfriend)
So now that I proudly have a big bag of buckwheat flour that only cost me $2.50 I am ready to spend the day in the kitchen.
This morning started with buckwheat banana pancakes
1 c buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs1 c milk
1 tsp heaping cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs honey
2 tbs coconut oil
2 medium ripe bananas smashed
mix and make like regular pancakes. I drizzled a bit of honey over the top before I served.
Then in the afternoon I decided to play around with making zucchini bread. I am not patient in the kitchen so I like things that are easy to bake or cook. This invention tastes amazing and was super easy.
1st bowl:
2 c buckwheat flour
1 c almond meal
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking power
3/4 c ground walnuts (even better if you toast them first)
2nd bowl:
1/2 c honey
1/2 c coconut oil
3 eggs
whip up egg mixture and then add to 1st bowl. grate 2 medium zucchinis into the mixture and stir in gently.
pour into muffin or bread tin. I like to use baking paper or cupcake cups to avoid having to use more fat for nonstick.
bake at 165 C/325 F for 30-45 mins or until tester stick comes out clean from the middle.
So now that you're obsessed with buckwheat here are some of the benefits of it.
- it's gluten free (not really an issue unless you have a gluten intolerance)
- high in fiber
- higher in protein than regular flour (3.8g/serve, contains 8 essential amino acids)
- doesn't spike blood sugar
- tastes yummy and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner (sweet or savory)
- contains two flavanoids: quercitin, to support healing in the body & rutin, an antioxidant and strengthens the capillaries and circulation
Friday, August 17, 2012
What nutrition means to me
My wonderful husband (and I may be a bit bias but I absolutely adore the man and think he's pretty fabulous) encouraged me to write about what nutrition means to me now before I start my Health Coaching program next month. He though it would be a great way to see how my view of things change or remain the same over the next year.
You might remember that popular Wear Sunscreen song/speech/column by Mary Schmich (1997) but more recognizable though the voice of Kurt Vonnegut in the graduation commencement speech of 1999 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwVVpwBKUp0). When I started to think about all the things I currently believe about nutrition it started to sound a bit like this speech rambling through my head.
So here you go...
Privileged people of the world if there is one thing I can't stress enough it's DRINK ENOUGH WATER. I say privileged because we can turn on the tap and trust the water that comes out enough to put it straight into our body without worry. Invest in a quality water bottle, take it everywhere with you, decorate it, look after it, fill it up every chance you get and sip all day long. From the wise words of Derek Zoolander, "moisture is the essence of wetness and wetness is the essence of beauty."
Learn to love yourself. love your shape, your imperfections, your personality, your passions, your weaknesses and strengths and from that love you will draw to you wonderful people who love themselves just as fully. From that self love you will be a more caring genuine person who people seek out for companionship. This nutrient may not be the kind that you put in your mouth but it will nurture your body just as well if not better than any food. Nutrition is not just what you put in your mouth.
Take the time to learn about food and nutrients and learn how to make at least one complete meal from scratch. Don't be afraid of butter, whole milk, flour, eggs, cheese, salt and many of the natural foods that go from healthy to unhealthy from year to year. Educate yourself on how these foods can give you the nutrients you need to maintain a happy healthy body and mind. You need fat to exist, a little chocolate can release endorphins, your muscles are protein and you have to eat to feed your physical body. These foods are not bad if you get quality products and eat them responsibly.
Get creative with vegetables as if you're a mom trying to get your kids to eat them. Food does not have to take hours to prepare and does not have to be gourmet. Learn to use your stove, shoot, even your microwave can help you out in a pinch. Just cook for yourself and know what's going onto your plate.
Don't breakup with Ben & Jerry, Nabisco, Dryers, General Mills, Kellogg's, Ruffles, Better Crocker etc. Just have a distant relationship with them like a 3rd cousin twice removed and take a good hard look at why you are drawn to them when you visit each other. Notice the relationship between emotions and foods, you'll be fascinated to see a correlation.
Feed your skin just as well as you feed your stomach. Yes, wear sunscreen but also use natural lotions and play with cutting antiperspirant out of daily routine. If you're mindful you don't eat foods with chemicals so why would you put them on your skin?
Exercise. Walk, run, bend, stretch, jump, make love, do something, anything, every day that gets your heart rate to go up and stay up for 30 minutes. Even better if you do this with a friend because then you're sharing the love of health, connecting with someone and motivating each other to work a little harder.
Find a way to make money doing something that you have a passion for. You don't have to love your job or the people that you work with or for but you spend enough hours of your life earning money to comfortably exist that you really should generally enjoy what you do and have job satisfaction. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you find a way to make it enjoyable because at the end of the day I hope you want to think 'I did my job well and I don't mind that I spent my valuable time doing it.'
Make reasonable goals and don't make drastic changes all at once. We are creatures of habit and need little changes in order to keep on the right path. Again make friends who share the same interest of good health and inspire each other to be creative with holistically finding ways to nourish yourself.
There is so much more that I believe about nutrition but I think these are the primary things that stand out to me.
You might remember that popular Wear Sunscreen song/speech/column by Mary Schmich (1997) but more recognizable though the voice of Kurt Vonnegut in the graduation commencement speech of 1999 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwVVpwBKUp0). When I started to think about all the things I currently believe about nutrition it started to sound a bit like this speech rambling through my head.
So here you go...
Privileged people of the world if there is one thing I can't stress enough it's DRINK ENOUGH WATER. I say privileged because we can turn on the tap and trust the water that comes out enough to put it straight into our body without worry. Invest in a quality water bottle, take it everywhere with you, decorate it, look after it, fill it up every chance you get and sip all day long. From the wise words of Derek Zoolander, "moisture is the essence of wetness and wetness is the essence of beauty."
Learn to love yourself. love your shape, your imperfections, your personality, your passions, your weaknesses and strengths and from that love you will draw to you wonderful people who love themselves just as fully. From that self love you will be a more caring genuine person who people seek out for companionship. This nutrient may not be the kind that you put in your mouth but it will nurture your body just as well if not better than any food. Nutrition is not just what you put in your mouth.
Take the time to learn about food and nutrients and learn how to make at least one complete meal from scratch. Don't be afraid of butter, whole milk, flour, eggs, cheese, salt and many of the natural foods that go from healthy to unhealthy from year to year. Educate yourself on how these foods can give you the nutrients you need to maintain a happy healthy body and mind. You need fat to exist, a little chocolate can release endorphins, your muscles are protein and you have to eat to feed your physical body. These foods are not bad if you get quality products and eat them responsibly.
Get creative with vegetables as if you're a mom trying to get your kids to eat them. Food does not have to take hours to prepare and does not have to be gourmet. Learn to use your stove, shoot, even your microwave can help you out in a pinch. Just cook for yourself and know what's going onto your plate.
Don't breakup with Ben & Jerry, Nabisco, Dryers, General Mills, Kellogg's, Ruffles, Better Crocker etc. Just have a distant relationship with them like a 3rd cousin twice removed and take a good hard look at why you are drawn to them when you visit each other. Notice the relationship between emotions and foods, you'll be fascinated to see a correlation.
Feed your skin just as well as you feed your stomach. Yes, wear sunscreen but also use natural lotions and play with cutting antiperspirant out of daily routine. If you're mindful you don't eat foods with chemicals so why would you put them on your skin?
Exercise. Walk, run, bend, stretch, jump, make love, do something, anything, every day that gets your heart rate to go up and stay up for 30 minutes. Even better if you do this with a friend because then you're sharing the love of health, connecting with someone and motivating each other to work a little harder.
Find a way to make money doing something that you have a passion for. You don't have to love your job or the people that you work with or for but you spend enough hours of your life earning money to comfortably exist that you really should generally enjoy what you do and have job satisfaction. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you find a way to make it enjoyable because at the end of the day I hope you want to think 'I did my job well and I don't mind that I spent my valuable time doing it.'
Make reasonable goals and don't make drastic changes all at once. We are creatures of habit and need little changes in order to keep on the right path. Again make friends who share the same interest of good health and inspire each other to be creative with holistically finding ways to nourish yourself.
There is so much more that I believe about nutrition but I think these are the primary things that stand out to me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)