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Got Morning Sickness? Stick with Low Glycemic Index Foods
We all remember (or are experiencing all too well currently) the icky feeling of “morning sickness” (note the cynical quotation marks). It’s when our bodies are fluxing with hormone levels and low blood sugar plunges. Ah… the thrill of it all. (Don’t worry, ladies, if this is your first go-round with pregnancy, it gets MUCH better).
During this time – which for some is about 6 weeks, others the entire pregnancy (God Bless you!) – it’s a constant battle to ride the wave of nausea. The key is to keep your blood sugar from plunging which can contribute to the sick feeling and desire to stay in bed most of the day or visit the porcelain thrown.
After trying several options including bread and butter, crackers, and disgusting “prego lollipops” I found out the hard way that foods with a lower glycemic index are the KEY to staying less ill.
Now, some readers are familiar with the phrase “low glycemic index“, others (like me until last year) are not. According to Wikipedia, “foods with carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream, tend to have a low GI (glycemic index).” These foods help you reach the goal of a steady blood sugar level.
By nature, this means that simple carbs like most grains and sugars should be avoided. They help for a moment then plunge you right back into sickyville. However, if you can only stomach more bland food like breads and cracker – add some fat to it. Nut butters work great. Avocados or guacamole work well, too. (Even pure butter in a pinch). Just make sure it’s a real food fat, found in nature. Your body does best with those when digesting.
And, if bread or grains are a “must” try to do whole grains or seed-based breads so your body has something to work with as it digests and breaks foods down. Overall, try to avoid bread straight up. Especially sweet breads like pasties, doughnuts, cookies made with sugar, etc. They really aren’t the cure all you may think they are. They are more of a patch.
Now, if you tend to be more of a “no food, thank you” kind of gal, create an herbal tea with agave or honey and sip on it throughout the day. It will help your body regulate better than sugar-based drinks like soda or most energy drinks. And it helps keep you hydrated. Another “trigger” to nausea you’ll want to avoid.
All-in-all, I wish you well. It’s not the highlight of pregnancy for certain. But, I promise, this too shall pass. Then you can get on to the anticipation and excitement phase of pregnancy!
Get Up or Stay Up
I’ve been working a full work week this week away from home – hustling the boys here and there, packing bags, loading supplies for my gig and getting to my job. This is not my norm. I usually have work in 1-2 daytime increments or I work from home (although I work many nights in a row when doing a play). Anywho, the 9-5 schedule has reminded me that, as a working mom, you either need to get up or stay up to get a workout in. Which can be daunting, but, let me tell you, it helps manage your fatigue and stress.
Get up before everyone else, go for a jog or a bike ride (outside or on the trainer). Or venture to your gym. Plug in your ipod and go. Or, once your kids are down, neglect a chore or two until you get your workout in. Find a video you want to watch and download it, save your favorite podcast just for your workout, or rock out to some energizing music. Whatever you look forward to in your “free time”, save it for your workout as a motivation to DO it. I promise, your work-stress/working-mama-craziness will melt away. (Even if only for an hour). You will NOT regret it. Ever.
Is there a Purpose to the Mundane?
Some days are just uneventful. Backyardigans for the boy. Nap for the toddler. And chores for mom. No brilliant ideas coming to life. No fantastic jobs coming down the pipeline. Just simple days of simple activities. “Real life” stuff. This was the part of motherhood that used to bore me. It was the part I had to endure… struggling to enjoy the little moments but failing miserably.
You see I have this sneaky feeling that these are the days I will miss. Simple, non-descriptive days. I might look back and regret being “too busy” or always having that feeling that there’s more or better things to be doing.
Maybe it’s our society, but life seems to be moving past us as we sit on the island of Motherhood and wonder what else is around the corner or happening out there beyond our world. And, honestly, I think I’m growing less restless with the unknown or the “I should be doings”. I want to enjoy the here and now. The present moments. And, it’s hard. But, the desire is there like never before. Because I’m already realizing that the end is nearer than I think.
No chubby hands to squeeze. No cute boy-ness (or girl-ness) awakening every morning so happy to see you. No more jelly on the table or toys under the couch. No more surprises around every corner (for good and bad). No more “mundane life”. And in that absence a bit of our purpose will be absent too. And we will miss it then as much as we sometimes wish it away today. So… embrace it. Revel in it. You’ll be to the next phase before you know it.
Small Progress is Still Progress – Celebrate Every Step
I’ve thought a lot lately about American culture and it’s “Go Big or Go Home” mentality. Consumerism crutches on it and our society’s health suffers from it. It seems you have to be the “best” or you aren’t really worth much to most people. Unless they’re your relatives… and, even then…
But in this game of taking control of your own health and learning the “hard” way (aka: no gimmicks) how to eat real food and how to find time to exercise and how to make it a lifestyle where the results are here to stay even the smallest successes are worthy of celebrating. In a society where so many of us beat ourselves up on a regular basis, create a sub-culture of cheering yourself on instead.
When you lose a pound, celebrate by putting your “former life” triple chocolate mocha celebration in a jar and save up for a pair of sassy shoes. When you run longer than ever before – say 3 miles straight for the first time – tell your hubby you’re treating yourself to a pedicure to show off those running feet! When you go a week without giving into your old, unhealthy food habits, buy some new music online to listen to the next time you’re at the gym.
Small success is STILL success. Don’t psyche yourself out because the progression it’s not “big enough” or you aren’t yet where you’d hope to be. Keep going and rejoice, dear ladies. Life is too short to demean your achievements. Let your achievements speak for themselves and you keep on rockin’ that healthy body!
The Arrogance of Man (Oh… What ARE We Thinking?)
So, I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about “mankind” and food.
We like eating food. We need it to survive. And yet, so much of the “food” out there on the American storefront isn’t even food. Not from the earth anyway. It’s made in labs. By mankind.
Who do we think we are anyway? Better than God at making food? Seriously. Are we trying to compete with Him on this? Think about it… how many steps did it take to eat the first discovered blueberries. 1)Pluck them 2) Put them in your mouth 3) Hope they aren’t poisonous.
One ingredient… 2 basic steps (and one after thought). Now… how about “newly discovered” Nacho-flavored corn chips.
1) Harvest corn 2) Process corn (this alone is about 4 steps or so) 3) Bake corn into chips 4) Gather a bunch of chemicals to make “cheese” 5)Figure out combination of chemicals and non-food ingredients that taste like cheese 6) Shake “cheese” on the corn chips 7) Figure out a way to get the “cheese” to stick to chips 
Add preservatives that won’t ruin the “flavor” of chips 9) Package the chips 10) Ship the chips 11) Market the chips to consumers 12) Buy chips and eat 13) Tell yourself the “cheese” on the chips, albeit much saltier, tastes almost as good as actual cheese 14) Lick “cheese” off your fingers
See where I’m going with this. Mankind is pretty cocky to think we can out due nature on this one. And, yet… we do it everyday. And we can’t figure out why we are getting sicker and sicker.
If we back up our habits a bit and look for foods that were only one or two steps from how they are found in nature (actual fruit or jelly that is only fruit and juice) we’ll be a lot better off. Our bodies would get actual nutrition and we would discover what real food actually tastes like. AND you’ll probably find that “nature’s candy” isn’t all that bad. (Seems God might have had it right all along).
(Challenge: go crazy, and get some organic fruit that’s ripe… seriously amazing. Way better than gooey “fruit” snacks… which don’t really have fruit in them, by the way – I was really annoyed when I discovered that one).
Why Do We Not Want the Truth?
Last week I posted a link on Facebook to a national news story about a study which linked obesity in the mother to autism in the child. Now, before you throw a tomato at your computer screen, I never, EVER said I agreed with it or was hoping women would join forces against this sort of thing. I simply was reporting it as news in health that I found intriguing. My intent was to hear people’s thoughts, concerns, cheers and disputes. That didn’t happen. Something else, did, however.
Within hours (less than one, actually) I was “un-friended” by two people. And, considering about 70% of people don’t see my feed given the time of day, etc., that leaves me to think that, had everyone seen it, about 1 in 20 women un-friended me based on my posting that link. Wow. It surprised me… then got me thinking.
To my new un-friends… 1) Why did you un-friend me instead of writing your opinions down and letting me have a conversation with you? 2) What about the link being posted made you so angry? 3) And, purely for argument’s sake, what if the story is true? Are simply annoyed that it has been reveled? (Personally I do not feel there is enough clear evidence to make obesity alone a factor, but, again, for argument’s sake).
Basically, the incident – never mind the link and the research study – made me realize that people are still not open to discuss the effects being extremely overweight and obese can have on yourself much less you kids – even if you feel you’ve had a growing “relationship” with them. It’s touchy. I realize that. But, why do we continue to ignore the fact that our health* does affect the baby’s we carry and the kids we raise?
Why aren’t we mad at the doctors who don’t tell us more honestly what we are doing to ourselves and our kids? And how to solve it without taking bottles and bottles of pills? Or the advertisements that push total chem-lab created crap and tell us it’s food and it “satisfies”? Who else is going to advocate for us as mothers and our children except ourselves? We should be taking note and gaining momentum to overcome our health challenges.
Bottom line: Do we really want to hear the truth, even if it hurts and flat out pisses us off? Are we ready to get mad enough at the circumstances we’ve created that put us here and fight back? Are we ready to have hard conversations and ask hard questions AND hear the answers? Do we want to die young or watch our kids struggle with the same fight we’ve fought for so long? When is enough enough and we say “fine… I’m ready to hear the hard stuff”? Or… do we just click a button and turn away?
Maybe I just need other women to get as frustrated and angry as I have watching family members become the walking dead in their 30′s or grandparents suffer with strokes, heart disease, diabetes… mostly 100% self-inflicted. Our country is heading down a slippery slope of pills and pain and now we (as a nation) are leading our kids down the same path.
But… moms are powerful. Especially when we are willing to talk, argue, unite, fight and learn together. We just have to be open to the conversation. Even if we don’t agree.
So… anyone out there ready to start a conversation?
* To be clear I personally feel that large amounts of extra weight is often a sign of poor eating habits which, in turn, affect your health in many ways and do also affect a child in your womb. I also feel that being “obese” (as the article labeled it) is not merely carrying some “extra weight” (say 10-40 pounds) – which, I feel is not always unhealthy… my body does NOT like being super thin and fights it, even though I eat all real food and exercise regularly (up to 5 days a week most weeks). And I know many healthy women who eat right and exercise that have some extra “padding ” and look fabulous rockin’ that body! I also think soft is womanly and can be very healthy, but the article I posted specified obesity as a link… which, is not easily attainable (in my experience with people) eating whole foods and exercising regularly. (Although there are exceptions to every rule). So… health is the factor here for me, not size. Whew… I hope that was clear. (If I have more “un-friendings” I’ll know it wasn’t).
I Hate Taxes
So, every year I pull out a large amount of receipts from a shoe box or top drawer in my room designated for them. Them being my business receipts and purchases for the year. I then take said receipts and I file them into a small card file. Then I go around my house and pull out my credit card statements, banks statements, invoice copies and online logs and enter number after number into a tax program. 2-3 days later, my taxes are done and the relief of it all washes over me like a swimmer floating on top of the water in a pool. Refreshed and free from struggle. It is relaxing. And then I notice the receipts already gathering in a pile for next year.
I put off my taxes until almost the last minute. And I dread it. Every. Single. Year. Because I do not prepare for them. I just wait and wait for them to take over my every thought. Then I do something about them.
I would like to blame the very nature of my taxes. See, I work for myself so my taxes are itemized buggers, full of lots of numbers, verifications, social security this and that. They are a pain in my tuckus and I would rather not pay, thank you very much. Or, even if I do get a return, I would rather not have to deal with the annoying page after page (about 24 pages) of the return itself. But, I’m not in a place to pay someone to deal with it for me so I need to do all the work myself. And I loathe it! Why? Partially because of the time it takes but mostly because I am once again reminded that if I simply were a bit more disciplined this annoyance would be done in a few simple key strokes of my computer.
Because, if I would take the time to enter those numbers in every week, maybe 30 minutes to an hour max, I would not be in this dreaded position once again. I would be an early bird tax filer. A free woman. Free to go about my life with no cloud of guilt, shame and utter laziness and lack of discipline following me around. And yet, here I sit, blogging as a pile of recipts sits atop my desk, waiting for “phase one” of my tax ritual.
Why do we (as humans, I suppose) do this to ourselves? Why do we ignore the obvious tasks that would benefit us, make us feel better, keep us aware of what we need to work on (say, not overspending on supplies for example), or keep us sane for the “easier” but far more tortuous task of ignoring them? Why are we so lazy? Why are we just so very inept at self-discipline and yet hope that the very thing we ignore will somehow be in better shape this go around? Who are we fooling?
We aren’t fooling anyone. Not even ourselves. And, I for one, want to change my ways.
So, tax-seasoned mamas… (cue music here) let us unite and leave the land of mediocrity to cross over to the world of accomplishment. Let us forget that little voice in our heads saying “Heh, what’s one more day?”. Let us pick up our sorry rumps and stop doing the same habits that get us to our dreaded location year after year. Let us invest time every week, every day (even) in small doses so that we won’t end up in stress, denial, and crankiness. Let us be free from our silliness and grow up (Ouch – I said it. For my own benefit, truly.) We can do it! We can reach these goals together! Weather it be running a half marathon, finding your abs again, or eating real food only. We. Can. Do. It. Buy that accounting software! Get those running shoes! Put your kids in the stroller and ignore the whining! Make that healthy casserole and let your hubby know it’s for the good of humanity (or just your sanity… rhythm not intended). We can make our lives less stressful by doing the little things that really, truly DO matter. So, suit up, ladies. It’s time to embrace adulthood.
(And, if there is an accountant who has some time they’d like to donate, I have a stack of receipts with your name ALL over it).
photo: getty
Mamas Need to Care (Even) More
Yesterday I talked with a producer who creates segments with a famous chef. This chef is a legend. He was the first TV cooking personality on air (on even before Julia Child started out). For decades this man created food and taught others how to create such food and enjoy the best foods life had to offer. Then the man’s wife fell ill – she had three strokes and acquired type four diabetes. It was then he took a hard look on exactly what they were eating and if that could be a contributing factor in all this.
He was intimately familiar the highest standard of foods in the world – even knew how to prepare them. But, it didn’t matter… when he examined at closer look their diet, he found that what they were eating was causing intense harm to his beloved. So, he set out to change his ways.
He quickly found that for someone who knew so much about food he didn’t actually know much about health. But that soon changed.
In the past few years this man has created his own garden – something he had never done. He switched from large amounts of animal foods to mostly plant-based foods. And she improved greatly. (He got healthier in turn as well). Then he looked around and noticed his generation (and those following) and their poor health. And he wanted to make a difference.
He now has a passion to teach others how to grow their own gardens and make their own food – making a meal literally from start to finish. He does talks and lectures and shoot segments trying to inform communities about the changes they can make in their own health, their family’s health, and the health of those around them. He is determined and inspired.
So… without being too elementary in my point, I would ask of you, dear reader, what is the catalyst in this man’s life? What created such a change?
Yes, he found out he needed to change his ways when his wife’s illness and health bouts arose. But what ultimately changed him and spurred him to alter his entire approach to food after decades of expertise in the field? What made him return to the drawing board after years of “knowing” food? What humbled him enough to admit he did not have all the answers? It was not the knowledge that he needed to change. Or the awareness he and his wife were getting older. It was not simply acknowledging that something needed to happen. The change only came when the force within outweighed the forces without. The catalyst in all of this was love.
This master chef, this icon, this legend cared more about his wife than he did about being right. Or convenience. Or knowing it all. He was willing to go from expert to novice for the sake of saving the life of the woman he loved. And in doing so he improved his own life and those around him. He became a ripple of change in a community.
So, now… it’s your turn to ask yourself a few questions. (Questions I myself have wrestled with over and over again).
Are you willing to do the same? Are you willing to admit you don’t know much about this crazy food thing but you are willing to figure it out for the sake of your kids? Are you willing to go to battle with your demons and overcome them so your children won’t face the same battles? Are you okay with saying to your spouse “we need to change” even though you might get an eye roll? Are you willing to endure the whining and tantrums when new, healthier food is placed on the table in lieu of the usual box-store pizza (and those might NOT be coming from the kids)? Are you willing to stand up and be the change in your children’s lives because, God knows, no one else is doing it (and public service announcements do NOT count). Are you willing to care more? Because, ladies, we need to care more.
Not care more about the immediate. Not about being right or not hearing complaints. We need to care more about the health of our kids. We need to love them enough to change.
So, if you’ve struggled, given in, given up or simple refuse to start this journey look for another catalyst other than yourself. Your self will won’t be enough. But there is one thing that is always enough. Love. It is the only catalyst that is bigger than yourself.
It is, after all, the greatest force in the universe.
For more information about this amazing chef… visit his blog here. Or get his book: Growing at the Speed of Life.
Is It Important ENOUGH?
I often have moms and parents tell me of the frustrations they have with losing weight, exercising or getting their kids to eat “good” food. Others are afraid to tell me their struggles because they think I will lecture them or judge them (I really won’t, by the way… I do understand!). I have also had many conversations or heard people talk about what they “should” do or what they know to do… but so many simply choose not to do it. Opting for venting, making jokes or allowing guilt to paralyze them instead.
It seems for so many of us knowing what is best for us and doing what is best for us are rarely one in the same. (And that goes for doing what is best for our children as well). We say we want to be a size 6 but we want to eat all we want and watch our favorite shows on TIVO night after night. We want to earn a millionaire’s salary but aren’t willing to spend ten to thirty years working long days creating an innovative business which meets the needs of other, has good customer service and strives to be the best again and again… for decades. We expect to be a movie star after we are in our high school play but we don’t want to “waste time” on learning the true craft of acting. We want our children to learn a new language, play the piano or read beyond their years but we don’t take the time to teach them ANY of these skills (uh… speaking from experience). So, what gives?
It’s flippant to say that humans are by nature lazy. Like black bears about to hibernate we find the paths of least resistance, meandering here and there hoping that things will come easily with little or no effort. But I don’t necessarily believe this is true.
After seeing what people will do to each other over toys on “Black Friday” or watching people finish Iron Man competitions or a man sprint on one leg to the finish line of a marathon (because the other leg is a metal blade) I think the real issue isn’t laziness at all. I think the challenge is finding out what is really important to you- then striving to attain that by giving it all your effort.
What in your life is worth attaining despite all the obstacles? What would you strive for even if it might not fit into your life comfortably or in the time line you wish it would (say, it takes two years instead of four months?).
If we had a genie and got three wishes there are several things we would make happen immediately. But, take away that option and your left with hard work, patience and the belief that someday your goals will be reached. Even if it takes longer than you think or isn’t as easy as you want it to be. But, is it important enough to keep going? Regardless of the let down or “this is taking too long” feeling. What are THOSE goals in your life?
What are those goals for your body? (Wanna lose 10 pounds and run your first marathon?) Your mind? (Wanna learn another language?) Your family life? (Wanna teach your kids to garden)? Your children’s lives? (Want your kids to love exercise and ask to eat fruit?) Your marriage? (Want a fantastic marriage where you and your husband encourage each others’ dreams?)
What if you could have everything you wanted but you knew it would take time, effort, sacrifice, focus and determination? Would you keep at it… or would you give up? Would you simply access it as “too hard” or would you start figuring out a way to make it happen one step at a time?
Think it through… think what you really, really want out of life. Then decide if it is important enough for the sacrifices you’ll have to make. If it is – get at it. Now.
Start today even if it’s one small, tiny step. Don’t get overwhelmed with tomorrow – tomorrow will take care of itself. Just focus on today. Then tomorrow, do the same. And on and on… small steps toward big goals. Then one day you’ll arrive. Minus the genie in the bottle. Improved and better equipped for the next goal.
In Search of A Patient Soul
As a mother and someone who has “other dreams” it is often frustrating to wait and wait and wait. Wait for a promotion, wait for your baby to be potty-trained, wait for dinner to get done. We wait and wait and wait. Nothing seems to be happening in our time line. (Oh the precious time line!)
I, for one, struggle with the idea that I have a “Time Line of Achievement” (note the capital letters to make it special). After all, women I admire achieved this, that and the other thing by 30. I’m way behind here, people! But, oddly, in recent months I have heard many messages, read articles, a book and even received a business email pertaining to giving up the precious time line and instead honing in on the idea of patience.
Let go of the idea of an absolute time line. A hard-and-fast “must do” life line that always makes us feel we MUST move forward now (rather than something that is naturally propelling us forward). Instead take each day, one at a time, and do what you can without stressing out yourself and your family.
Huh? Patience? I FEEL patient, but… what does that really mean? I am NOT one to sit around and allow life to come and go willy, nilly. I want to be relevant in life. I want to make a difference!
And then, just today, I read this, which put things in a bit more focus for me:
“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
Wow. Even if you are not someone who reads the Bible, scriptures like these bear a heavy dose of truth. The end of a thing is better than the beginning. How will it end? If the beginning is a flurry and the end has no impact – but instead harms relationships or causes you to stress out, was it worth it?
Patience seems to be an eternal human theme. Perhaps because it is never fully attained. We always have something we need to get done or things we feel won’t happen if we don’t frantically work on them in our precious little “spare” time.
Now, don’t get me wrong, goals are great. They help us stay on course and reach milestones we might otherwise neglect. They give our lives purpose and help us add to lives around us. But if they are distracting you from people in your life or making you neglect the joys that make you feel like YOU, they are out of balance and need to be reigned in and put in their proper place.
So – set goals, but not at the expense of feeling (or actually BEING) “left out” of the real life around you. The laughing, happy, relational life. Not the Reality TV enough-is-never-enough life. That life, you can do without.
