My aim is to post every day. Something new and interesting; and realistically, sometimes boring and incoherent. And it would even make sense if I chose to adhere only to business days, excluding the weekends. I reckon there might even come a time where I can't post for a week or so because that's life in all its realistic glory. But as I've mentioned before, I do work full time, have a home to keep up, and I do have a crippling disease*.
*This is me: milkin it.
Being chronically ill, I get get-out-of-jail free cards. As exciting as being in prison might (free cable, free meals, free health care, free college education), no one wants to have to need the freebie cards (except narcissists, and that's a topic for a day of exceptionally high tolerance). I would give my arm tit to have my health back, but as long as I have a debilitating tribulation in front of me, behind me, and nagging all around me, I'm going to find - not the positive aspects (I think it's unnatural and cheap cognitive dissonance to say there is anything positive about having an illness)- but the 'beneficial' aspects. The pros. Because there are some.
This weekend, I had a few epiphanous moments where I realized I have a new power. It could be used for the sheer goodness of truth. Or for a very practical evil. Mwahahaha.
Yes, there will be plenty of exaggeration and exploiting of delicate situations here. Don't get soft of me.
And just cause I don't look sick, doesn't mean I'm not feeling bad, so if you ever catch yourself wondering if I'm really experiencing shortness of breath or jumping on a trampoline while you phone me on the celly, you'll just have to take my word for it. But how will you ever know? You just won't. Insert mischievous grin here.
(All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. The purpose of this piece is solely to entertain. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.)
-To the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles who dispenses handicapped parking. (I don't know if I'm eligible but I really want one.):
"The doctor said my knees need maximized rest or it'll aggravate the inflammation." Whispering to self, "And the closer I park to Sephora, the more chances I have of cleaning them out of their limited edition color pallets."
-To friends on theme nights:
"I would love to dress up as Chewbacca to complete your cast, but to be honest, that nylon material will break me out in hives."
-The invitees who want you to bring that signature dish that you can't even eat:
"Nothing will make me more happy than bringing that 14-layer-dip that I always slave over for your parties, but I don't know what's up with the weather because my knuckles are like glass today."
-To the ones who are STILL freakishly enthusiastic about the Electric Slide:
"No excitement allowed. Doctor's orders."
-Another purse, jewelry, or tupperware party:
"I'm pretty sure I'm severely allergic to (cows)(precious stones)(colorful lids)(pick your own, be creative). It's best to be preventative."
-When volunteers are called to help with after-event cleaning (this exception is actually increasingly true):
"All my limbs are on fire right now, but I will be more than glad to help you supervise the other laborers to make sure they're not slacking!"
-To the bar buddies who insist you race them at Irish Car Bombs:
"It's just be embarrassing for me to smoke you. Anyway, I ended up in the hospital last time I beat the record."
-To bosses expecting you to be highly ambitious about raising the bar, no matter what pay grade:
"Brain Fog. Go ahead, check WebMD."
- To the husband:
Oh honey, not tonight. My hips are feeling a bit wonky. (I was talking about moving the furniture around. Get your head out of the gutter!)
The truth of the matter is, I'm exhausted and have been longing bedtime since the moment my alarm blasted my eardrum off this morning. I'm not a victim, we all have nights where we don't regenerate new brain cells. Thankfully, I had enough stamina to make dinner and for this I am grateful, because a lack of preparation when avoiding gluten means I had rice cakes for lunch. It was either that, or zonking out at my desk. Husband is back in town and probably more depleted than I am, but he's helping with the cat litter, and other things that I would usually prefer to take care of, so he is Prince Charming tonight.
In regards to blogging, I've had a lot of scattered ideas and have saved many unfinished blog entries as drafts, hoping that my energy picks up sometime this week before its over, that I may wrap them up with a bow. I had set out to write everyday because I truly do have many ideas, but damn this conflicting skeleton and its mushy contents, it's resisting.
Some entries in the making:
- More helpful books for a nice, chemical-free home for the women who hate to clean but still prioritize cleanliness (I wouldn't hate it if it didn't wipe me out. It's quite the stress relief method).
-Two wonderful exercise regimes that will lift any butt and lengthen all arms for women who need to stay in line and hate exercise. More importantly keep your blood flowing, brain active, and organs pumping. (I miss the gym terribly but it is not an option right now, however, it is necessary find a way to move and claim body parts before gravity does.)
-How I feared becoming my Central American mother only to find that I absorbed many of her most useful (yet frightening) housewifing skills, extreme frugality, and basic recipes. That has pretty much set the tone for me and Husband, aiding us in our beginning, my new-found food sensitivities, and the age old Mars vs. Venus dilemmas. It will include some of her recipes that have made dinnertime a delicious breeze. Mommas are amazing creatures. I will never be an amazing creature. Haha, Get it?
-Another page with detailed descriptions of the best blogs out there for a simpleton girl, trying to be a lady, a temptress, a savvy housewife, a friend, a sister, a little bit wiser and more accepting, more balanced, and just as ridiculous.
-The holistic treatment that is slowly, but surely helping me fight and control the wolf disease.
-One of my favorite cake recipes, modified. Because living without cake is not okay.
For tonight, I accept defeat and will use any remaining energies on tidying up the kitchen to a tolerable condition and get ready for early bed to make spoons.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Scar Tissue That I Wish You Saw
Some tunes while you read. The video and song are completely irrelevant to the entry except for the matching titles, and maybe some symbolic reference to scar tissue. If you try really hard to make it fit. It's just a pretty song. I love how the guy is cracking his fingers in the beginning:
You can read the story leading up to the goodies, or jump straight down for candy shopping.
I was a runner and a strength training fiend. I started running about 2 years ago; strength training since I was 19. For measuring purposes, I'm 27 now. During the year I discovered the magical sport of running, the collagen on the soles of my feet deteriorated extremely fast for someone who was just getting started. At this point, I was still a pretty physically healthy person but with unusual symptoms escalating. That's part of the reason I don't wear heels now. It's likable to bones hitting the floor without cushion, which causes inflammation to the surrounding muscle and tissues. It was easy to assume I was simply over doing it because I wanted to be oh-so-skinny while eating everything in my path. My and shoulders were not healing correctly after shoulder presses and anything that involved the neck. I would get abnormally stiff. I was convinced I had simply slipped into habits of bad form. Then I was convinced I wasn't stretching enough, which was true, for all those fanatics who think you don't need to stretch. You've been warned.
Extra elapsed days were appearing in between workout sessions to let my body heal. By the time I prematurely hung up on my beloved running, I was spending most of my time in the gym stretching for relief, abandoning the weight room. No matter how much effort I put into re-aligning my spinal posture, I still have awkward spots that remain in active/or inactive muscles on my upper back, spreading gradually to the lumbar area. What was happening is that I was creating a lot of scar tissue. Only recently, have all these trouble spots advanced into considerable inflammation. Although unsure of what exactly happens to my muscle and tendons, it is very similar to these descriptions. I also had a chiropractor in North Carolina tell my my "special neck" was surrounded by this thick band of scar tissue, so as went through all these mysterious changes I knew what it felt like, and felt it was spreading.
The skin on the bottom of my feet became rough. My hands seem to be a tad bit tougher than before. Nothing too severe, and again, it was easy to assume I was just aging normally or that too many years in the gym were taking a toll. I'm taking all action to circumvent avoidable progression of the symptoms. When we're healthy, we tend to forget that time and money spent on aesthetic maintenance is to keep our bodies in good functioning condition, not just an external beauty factor. We put lotion on our hands because we like them soft, but what you're doing is replenishing cells. We scrub our tootsies because they look good in sandals, but we're sloughing away dead cells and making way for new ones. Everything we do to look good is coming deep down from a cellular level.
It was very strange to me when I had to start exerting extra time and effort to keep my skin conditioned and healthy. My hair had always been abundant and my skin well moisturized, if not oily. But now, my healing rate was perceivably slowing down. Since childhood, I'd had certain sensitivities, but mom and I never put it together. So eventually, certain eyeshadows starting causing allergic reactions on the eyelids, my hair no longer accepted moisture from ordinary shampoos or even cholesterol treatments. Gradually, every beauty product I used was becoming obsolete to my aid. Another factor I didn't bother to consider was the foods I was eating because no doctor would even hint at a food intolerance. I didn't know better at the time. Had we known, I wouldn't have had a recurring tiny fungal-like phenomenon of a rash on the little web between my fourth and pinky finger. The redness and itchiness of this mystifying spot had become a seasonal allergy indicator.
Following my gut that something was just not right, despite many friends and even family insisting I was worrying needlessly, I started educating myself on beauty products, which led to illumination about food allergies, chemicals, preservatives, and color dyes. My blood had built up toxins from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. It was rejecting anything non-organic. So I started switching to nature friendly creams and cleansing agents.
Since I don't have average health, I have to be strictly mindful of products. I can't buy them for economic convenience or some smell-good gimmick. It took trial and error, and lot of trips to Health Food stores, funky scents, and crumbly textures. You may not have to know what hyaluronic acid is, but you probably should if you want to extend your longevity. One should toss around the idea of chucking some of the things (not all) in your toiletry cabinet and play with a new favorite. I'm not professional advertiser (yet), but I have collected useful info over time that is very useful to share with ladies who love their skin. These products have rocked my world! They're better than the products loaded with scientific un-pronounceable names.
Jump below
Yummy-licious Organic Products
You can click on the picture to link you up in a new window. They're available by various retailers, but I'm sharing the most economic places you can find them.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Tisserand Tea Tree and Grapefruit Skin Wash"]
[/caption]
I accidentally bought this as a face wash, thinking it was $8. I almost returned it when I realized I paid $16, but in one day I realized it cleans up better than Proactive. Gets rid of blackheads and makes skin glow. I lost the pallid ghost look and became Latin again overnight. It also doubles as a shower gel and excels at the job too.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Earth Therapeutics Cracked Heel Repair"]
[/caption]
Running really damaged my feet. They don't heal well and need a lot of maintenance. This stick smells so good I could eat my feet. The results are immediate. This product is simple and effective.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Himalayan Toothpaste"]
[/caption]
This Indian-made toothpaste will brush junk off your teeth like Arm &Hammer and Colgate could never dream of. Gluten-free, flouride-free. I originally paid $6 at Vitamin Shoppe until my Natural Health doctor told me about www.vitacost.com. Of all items, this one impressed me the most. Toothpaste is not a product we come to expect too much from. I could never go back to any other toothpaste and my pearly whites can skip a visit to the dentist this year. Oh yea, it helps in the whitening department.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="83" caption="Kiss My Face Shampoo"]
[/caption]
Shampoo is the most cautious risk I take. I love my hair. I switched from Loreal's new sulfate-free life to this one from how finicky my scalp had become toward any foreign substances . If your lovely locks hate you because of you've killed them with chemicals, this will give your broken ends a break. Even if you only use it for a few days at a time. Honestly, I love and prefer the feel gooey and slimy-soap feel of questionable substances in regular bottles, but I made this switch for the greater good. I also air dry periodically for a few days. It's torture, I say, but not hopeless.
*Head's up: this will not create suds or feel very slippery. It takes some getting used to but it will scrub your head good and clean, and leave your mane shiny and happy.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="77" caption="Alba Very Emollient Body Lotion - Original"]
[/caption]
This is the most recent jewel I found (this weekend!) and I kick myself for procrastinating on an easy online order because I wanted to "shop around" (I'm doing air quotes with my stubby fingers). Last minute, I found myself in dire need of lotion and I paid $16.99 at Target for this bottle. If you click on this picture's link, Vitacost only charges $7.94! Kick, kick, kick. It's available fragrance free and if you're wondering what emollient means, click here.
It wasn't amazing; it was miraculous. I don't exaggerate when I say I was desperate to find a good non-greasy but replenishing potion that didn't leave me itchy or even drier than how I started. I also needed something that wouldn't break the bank, but I ended up dishing it out last minute anyway. Lately, my skin doesn't just get ashy, it cracks and bleeds. Honestly, I proclaim: I shall never love another. Even my husband loved it -and a little mushy nonsense I have to throw in there- I still get warm fuzzies when Husband borrows my stuff or vice versa (blush). Had I played a little riskier, even with shipping and handling, I would've still paid less than I did at Target. And, I could've also included Gluten-Free Cake mix in the shopping cart! Vitacost has it all, with only $5 shipping.
I'll be trying more and products along the way and share any fabulous finds with you. Next on my journey are shaving gels, aluminum-free deodorant, hair conditioners, and bath effervescent gimmicks.
Disclaimer: Everybody body is uniquely different and will have different results. Try at your own risk. I'm not trying to convince anyone to drop all their current products or insinuate that they are bad for you. Obviously, most persons do not have severe or even mild reactions to regular beauty items. That's great. This is a little review for people who like natural/organic products, people who think average products are lacking, that some reactions might be delayed onset of continuous chemical use, and/or do not know what else might improve their situation without risking too much money or health. You may love or hate these products if you get curious.
All I'm saying is if I could, I'd make a heap of gift baskets with one each of these products, and give one to every special reader who subscribed to my blog.
Happy Slathering!
You can read the story leading up to the goodies, or jump straight down for candy shopping.
I was a runner and a strength training fiend. I started running about 2 years ago; strength training since I was 19. For measuring purposes, I'm 27 now. During the year I discovered the magical sport of running, the collagen on the soles of my feet deteriorated extremely fast for someone who was just getting started. At this point, I was still a pretty physically healthy person but with unusual symptoms escalating. That's part of the reason I don't wear heels now. It's likable to bones hitting the floor without cushion, which causes inflammation to the surrounding muscle and tissues. It was easy to assume I was simply over doing it because I wanted to be oh-so-skinny while eating everything in my path. My and shoulders were not healing correctly after shoulder presses and anything that involved the neck. I would get abnormally stiff. I was convinced I had simply slipped into habits of bad form. Then I was convinced I wasn't stretching enough, which was true, for all those fanatics who think you don't need to stretch. You've been warned.
Extra elapsed days were appearing in between workout sessions to let my body heal. By the time I prematurely hung up on my beloved running, I was spending most of my time in the gym stretching for relief, abandoning the weight room. No matter how much effort I put into re-aligning my spinal posture, I still have awkward spots that remain in active/or inactive muscles on my upper back, spreading gradually to the lumbar area. What was happening is that I was creating a lot of scar tissue. Only recently, have all these trouble spots advanced into considerable inflammation. Although unsure of what exactly happens to my muscle and tendons, it is very similar to these descriptions. I also had a chiropractor in North Carolina tell my my "special neck" was surrounded by this thick band of scar tissue, so as went through all these mysterious changes I knew what it felt like, and felt it was spreading.
The skin on the bottom of my feet became rough. My hands seem to be a tad bit tougher than before. Nothing too severe, and again, it was easy to assume I was just aging normally or that too many years in the gym were taking a toll. I'm taking all action to circumvent avoidable progression of the symptoms. When we're healthy, we tend to forget that time and money spent on aesthetic maintenance is to keep our bodies in good functioning condition, not just an external beauty factor. We put lotion on our hands because we like them soft, but what you're doing is replenishing cells. We scrub our tootsies because they look good in sandals, but we're sloughing away dead cells and making way for new ones. Everything we do to look good is coming deep down from a cellular level.
It was very strange to me when I had to start exerting extra time and effort to keep my skin conditioned and healthy. My hair had always been abundant and my skin well moisturized, if not oily. But now, my healing rate was perceivably slowing down. Since childhood, I'd had certain sensitivities, but mom and I never put it together. So eventually, certain eyeshadows starting causing allergic reactions on the eyelids, my hair no longer accepted moisture from ordinary shampoos or even cholesterol treatments. Gradually, every beauty product I used was becoming obsolete to my aid. Another factor I didn't bother to consider was the foods I was eating because no doctor would even hint at a food intolerance. I didn't know better at the time. Had we known, I wouldn't have had a recurring tiny fungal-like phenomenon of a rash on the little web between my fourth and pinky finger. The redness and itchiness of this mystifying spot had become a seasonal allergy indicator.
Following my gut that something was just not right, despite many friends and even family insisting I was worrying needlessly, I started educating myself on beauty products, which led to illumination about food allergies, chemicals, preservatives, and color dyes. My blood had built up toxins from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. It was rejecting anything non-organic. So I started switching to nature friendly creams and cleansing agents.
Since I don't have average health, I have to be strictly mindful of products. I can't buy them for economic convenience or some smell-good gimmick. It took trial and error, and lot of trips to Health Food stores, funky scents, and crumbly textures. You may not have to know what hyaluronic acid is, but you probably should if you want to extend your longevity. One should toss around the idea of chucking some of the things (not all) in your toiletry cabinet and play with a new favorite. I'm not professional advertiser (yet), but I have collected useful info over time that is very useful to share with ladies who love their skin. These products have rocked my world! They're better than the products loaded with scientific un-pronounceable names.
Jump below
Yummy-licious Organic Products
You can click on the picture to link you up in a new window. They're available by various retailers, but I'm sharing the most economic places you can find them.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Tisserand Tea Tree and Grapefruit Skin Wash"]
[/caption]I accidentally bought this as a face wash, thinking it was $8. I almost returned it when I realized I paid $16, but in one day I realized it cleans up better than Proactive. Gets rid of blackheads and makes skin glow. I lost the pallid ghost look and became Latin again overnight. It also doubles as a shower gel and excels at the job too.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Earth Therapeutics Cracked Heel Repair"]
[/caption]Running really damaged my feet. They don't heal well and need a lot of maintenance. This stick smells so good I could eat my feet. The results are immediate. This product is simple and effective.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Himalayan Toothpaste"]
[/caption]This Indian-made toothpaste will brush junk off your teeth like Arm &Hammer and Colgate could never dream of. Gluten-free, flouride-free. I originally paid $6 at Vitamin Shoppe until my Natural Health doctor told me about www.vitacost.com. Of all items, this one impressed me the most. Toothpaste is not a product we come to expect too much from. I could never go back to any other toothpaste and my pearly whites can skip a visit to the dentist this year. Oh yea, it helps in the whitening department.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="83" caption="Kiss My Face Shampoo"]
[/caption]Shampoo is the most cautious risk I take. I love my hair. I switched from Loreal's new sulfate-free life to this one from how finicky my scalp had become toward any foreign substances . If your lovely locks hate you because of you've killed them with chemicals, this will give your broken ends a break. Even if you only use it for a few days at a time. Honestly, I love and prefer the feel gooey and slimy-soap feel of questionable substances in regular bottles, but I made this switch for the greater good. I also air dry periodically for a few days. It's torture, I say, but not hopeless.
*Head's up: this will not create suds or feel very slippery. It takes some getting used to but it will scrub your head good and clean, and leave your mane shiny and happy.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="77" caption="Alba Very Emollient Body Lotion - Original"]
[/caption]This is the most recent jewel I found (this weekend!) and I kick myself for procrastinating on an easy online order because I wanted to "shop around" (I'm doing air quotes with my stubby fingers). Last minute, I found myself in dire need of lotion and I paid $16.99 at Target for this bottle. If you click on this picture's link, Vitacost only charges $7.94! Kick, kick, kick. It's available fragrance free and if you're wondering what emollient means, click here.
It wasn't amazing; it was miraculous. I don't exaggerate when I say I was desperate to find a good non-greasy but replenishing potion that didn't leave me itchy or even drier than how I started. I also needed something that wouldn't break the bank, but I ended up dishing it out last minute anyway. Lately, my skin doesn't just get ashy, it cracks and bleeds. Honestly, I proclaim: I shall never love another. Even my husband loved it -and a little mushy nonsense I have to throw in there- I still get warm fuzzies when Husband borrows my stuff or vice versa (blush). Had I played a little riskier, even with shipping and handling, I would've still paid less than I did at Target. And, I could've also included Gluten-Free Cake mix in the shopping cart! Vitacost has it all, with only $5 shipping.
I'll be trying more and products along the way and share any fabulous finds with you. Next on my journey are shaving gels, aluminum-free deodorant, hair conditioners, and bath effervescent gimmicks.
Disclaimer: Everybody body is uniquely different and will have different results. Try at your own risk. I'm not trying to convince anyone to drop all their current products or insinuate that they are bad for you. Obviously, most persons do not have severe or even mild reactions to regular beauty items. That's great. This is a little review for people who like natural/organic products, people who think average products are lacking, that some reactions might be delayed onset of continuous chemical use, and/or do not know what else might improve their situation without risking too much money or health. You may love or hate these products if you get curious.
All I'm saying is if I could, I'd make a heap of gift baskets with one each of these products, and give one to every special reader who subscribed to my blog.
Happy Slathering!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
I Saw Red#40!
It's becoming a once weekly habit (habit that must be curbed) to talk myself into trouble. Thanks to insistent suggestions on prime time's syndicated television, I've had a violent hankering for strawberry flavored ice cream. It's a mystery how sugar depravity can make me slicker and enhance my self-justification skills toward any illicit actions. I can talk myself into feeling good about almost anything detrimental.
My diet must remain very low in sugar. Confectionery items are allowed but sparingly within a month's time. The most important part, to ensure my immune system is working at it's maximum, it must be limited to organic and natural treats. At this point I have no excuse in my life to be eating anything with preservatives or high corn fructose syrup (Except that the nearest Whole Foods is a million miles away. That's how far it feels when my body is complaining). Did you see how I just justified having any ol' adultered cookie in my life again?
A few weeks ago, I read the McDonald's ice cream portion of their Sundae nutrition facts online. Although much less than 15 dubious ingredients, I knew the sugar content was high and that corn syrups make your digestive system work too hard. This is not just because I'm more sensitive to foods; it goes the same for every person. Additionally , dairy is another food group that I must tip-toe around carefully. Only minimally processed dairy, if at all, or here come the hives and tummy discomfort. Mind you, I'm not lactose intolerant, but any foreign chemical in my body will tell my autoimmune system there's a new playground to explore, so it best be pure.
I drive up to the window in shame, as I don't belong there for any excuse in the book. At the talking, static-y menu, I order a strawberry sundae. Pulling up to the pay window, it occurs to me I could be making a monstrous mistake. I never checked the toppings list! I ask the awkward-acne-freckle faced adolescent boy,
"Would you be able to find out if the strawberry sauce contains food color & dye #40?"
With a non-confident shrug he tells me, "Uhhhmm, I dunno. Uhmmm I don't think so. Uh, I mean, it's just strawberries."
"Just strawberries? JUST STRAWBERRIES???", I clamored to the high heavens! Well, what I really said was, "Do you mind checking to see if you can find out for sure?"
This coming-of-age teenager works at McDonald's and yet he so innocently thinks what you see is what you get? He probably thinks those Big Macs are made from happy healthy cows skipping alongside fully-feathered flying chickens in a wide open field where the sky is always blue and it never rains! Bless his heart again. I suppose it wasn't my job to fill him in that there's probably baby chick beak in his golden crispy nuggets. What was I doing there?
Moving on up to the pick-up window, unbeknownst to the server, she hands me a sundae with the nuclear red fruit goop generously drizzled over my white sugary ice cream. Re-submitting my inquiry, she kindly checked with the scrambling servers in the back (it seems nobody in the Riverview McDonald's has ever asked to know the nutritional ingredients, unless they're smarter than I am and just stay away from such a place).
"Yes! It does!", someone hollered in the background between the french fry heat lamps and corn syrup dispenser.
I cussed up a storm with my inside voice, "Is it okay to change it for a caramel one? I'm not able to have Red #40."
With a smile she politely obliged. I paid and I was off. I ate half of my sundae, justifying that half the damage is better than all of it. I don't even want to know what's in the caramel surprise.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="249" caption="Check your favorite McD's Snack Ingredient Fact. Double dog dare you."]
[/caption]
That switch spared me from being knocked down for 3-7 days with a migraine that comes complete with fireworks displays. It's a 15 minute reaction time to any red artificial ingredient, but more so lasting with the FDA approved food dye and coloring. Go figure. Even the unsuspecting Sobe LifeWater will also give my vision and perceptive senses an ecstasy-like "wah-wah", only with accompanying excruciating brain pain.
This account is not to say there wasn't any more lesson-learning to be had. The difference between the cheap sundae and the Natural Breyer's Ice Cream I should've splurged $3 more on (in my defense, I was extremely weak from the work week and wouldn't last a trip to the store)(more justifications), was still a strong acid response to an already out-of-balance body. The next two hours I was tossed into bed with weird numbness in my legs and prickling in my shoulders before I could move smoothly again.
The moral of this story, don't toy with a delicate balance, no matter how much sweetness one need in one's life. (Justification No. #I Lost Count: Husband has been out of town for abour 5 days now, the longest he's every been, and my health logic is wearing thin because I miss his perky butt).
Let me sweetly reiterate that I do not condemn anyone else who does not memorize all the ingredients in restaurants and fast food joints. This is my lifestyle and its wonderful to those who do not live with such restrictions. My sharing this episode to show what a fragile environment we live in, so that more and more people are becoming intolerant to unnatural ingredients, and that it should not come as a surprise to anyone, anymore, that what we unwittingly stuff into our mouths could be the reason why we're so tired, achy, and sick. If your lovely child is bouncing off the walls, get the food diary when you give him/her M&Ms. No exaggeration: I'm one step away of recording my man-child's reactions.
It's second nature to me, usually, to be hyper aware of every single food I consume. I will not preach to you about hydrogenated oil if we go out to eat together, but I will send our waiter to the chef once or twice to verify that I don't get any meals that will flare up my knees and elbows. I will not always react strongly to foods, but for the most part I must be vigilant about what and how much I eat. Also, I can take a joke or two about it, cause in the end its so hilariously surreal.
Some people are blessed with metabolizing chemical compounds like it's nobody's business. I'm still waiting for Husband to break in half or for his liver to fall out of his butt. Doctors really are baffled at how he hasn't reacted to years of accumulating compounds. Makes me so sick I could shove a few Cinnabons down his throat just to get some relative empathy after I eat a Ritz cracker. Luckily, he still shies away from enriched breads and greasy foods and may be his saving grace.
Well, yesterday night was rough and somewhere in the cluttered back of my head, I knew I would pay for it. The battle to resist yummy foods continues...
...but if you ever see me reach for a pink cupcake without reading the label first, you're free to smush it in my face.
My diet must remain very low in sugar. Confectionery items are allowed but sparingly within a month's time. The most important part, to ensure my immune system is working at it's maximum, it must be limited to organic and natural treats. At this point I have no excuse in my life to be eating anything with preservatives or high corn fructose syrup (Except that the nearest Whole Foods is a million miles away. That's how far it feels when my body is complaining). Did you see how I just justified having any ol' adultered cookie in my life again?
A few weeks ago, I read the McDonald's ice cream portion of their Sundae nutrition facts online. Although much less than 15 dubious ingredients, I knew the sugar content was high and that corn syrups make your digestive system work too hard. This is not just because I'm more sensitive to foods; it goes the same for every person. Additionally , dairy is another food group that I must tip-toe around carefully. Only minimally processed dairy, if at all, or here come the hives and tummy discomfort. Mind you, I'm not lactose intolerant, but any foreign chemical in my body will tell my autoimmune system there's a new playground to explore, so it best be pure.
I drive up to the window in shame, as I don't belong there for any excuse in the book. At the talking, static-y menu, I order a strawberry sundae. Pulling up to the pay window, it occurs to me I could be making a monstrous mistake. I never checked the toppings list! I ask the awkward-acne-freckle faced adolescent boy,
"Would you be able to find out if the strawberry sauce contains food color & dye #40?"
With a non-confident shrug he tells me, "Uhhhmm, I dunno. Uhmmm I don't think so. Uh, I mean, it's just strawberries."
"Just strawberries? JUST STRAWBERRIES???", I clamored to the high heavens! Well, what I really said was, "Do you mind checking to see if you can find out for sure?"
This coming-of-age teenager works at McDonald's and yet he so innocently thinks what you see is what you get? He probably thinks those Big Macs are made from happy healthy cows skipping alongside fully-feathered flying chickens in a wide open field where the sky is always blue and it never rains! Bless his heart again. I suppose it wasn't my job to fill him in that there's probably baby chick beak in his golden crispy nuggets. What was I doing there?
Moving on up to the pick-up window, unbeknownst to the server, she hands me a sundae with the nuclear red fruit goop generously drizzled over my white sugary ice cream. Re-submitting my inquiry, she kindly checked with the scrambling servers in the back (it seems nobody in the Riverview McDonald's has ever asked to know the nutritional ingredients, unless they're smarter than I am and just stay away from such a place).
"Yes! It does!", someone hollered in the background between the french fry heat lamps and corn syrup dispenser.
I cussed up a storm with my inside voice, "Is it okay to change it for a caramel one? I'm not able to have Red #40."
With a smile she politely obliged. I paid and I was off. I ate half of my sundae, justifying that half the damage is better than all of it. I don't even want to know what's in the caramel surprise.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="249" caption="Check your favorite McD's Snack Ingredient Fact. Double dog dare you."]
[/caption]That switch spared me from being knocked down for 3-7 days with a migraine that comes complete with fireworks displays. It's a 15 minute reaction time to any red artificial ingredient, but more so lasting with the FDA approved food dye and coloring. Go figure. Even the unsuspecting Sobe LifeWater will also give my vision and perceptive senses an ecstasy-like "wah-wah", only with accompanying excruciating brain pain.
This account is not to say there wasn't any more lesson-learning to be had. The difference between the cheap sundae and the Natural Breyer's Ice Cream I should've splurged $3 more on (in my defense, I was extremely weak from the work week and wouldn't last a trip to the store)(more justifications), was still a strong acid response to an already out-of-balance body. The next two hours I was tossed into bed with weird numbness in my legs and prickling in my shoulders before I could move smoothly again.
The moral of this story, don't toy with a delicate balance, no matter how much sweetness one need in one's life. (Justification No. #I Lost Count: Husband has been out of town for abour 5 days now, the longest he's every been, and my health logic is wearing thin because I miss his perky butt).
Let me sweetly reiterate that I do not condemn anyone else who does not memorize all the ingredients in restaurants and fast food joints. This is my lifestyle and its wonderful to those who do not live with such restrictions. My sharing this episode to show what a fragile environment we live in, so that more and more people are becoming intolerant to unnatural ingredients, and that it should not come as a surprise to anyone, anymore, that what we unwittingly stuff into our mouths could be the reason why we're so tired, achy, and sick. If your lovely child is bouncing off the walls, get the food diary when you give him/her M&Ms. No exaggeration: I'm one step away of recording my man-child's reactions.
It's second nature to me, usually, to be hyper aware of every single food I consume. I will not preach to you about hydrogenated oil if we go out to eat together, but I will send our waiter to the chef once or twice to verify that I don't get any meals that will flare up my knees and elbows. I will not always react strongly to foods, but for the most part I must be vigilant about what and how much I eat. Also, I can take a joke or two about it, cause in the end its so hilariously surreal.
Some people are blessed with metabolizing chemical compounds like it's nobody's business. I'm still waiting for Husband to break in half or for his liver to fall out of his butt. Doctors really are baffled at how he hasn't reacted to years of accumulating compounds. Makes me so sick I could shove a few Cinnabons down his throat just to get some relative empathy after I eat a Ritz cracker. Luckily, he still shies away from enriched breads and greasy foods and may be his saving grace.
Well, yesterday night was rough and somewhere in the cluttered back of my head, I knew I would pay for it. The battle to resist yummy foods continues...
...but if you ever see me reach for a pink cupcake without reading the label first, you're free to smush it in my face.
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