Traveling with a Disability

I'm not sure why we never looked into the options of traveling with a disability. Maybe we just assumed it was too much work, or not really a possibility. Its really funny how we first discovered that it was possible. 

Our accountant has MS and was insistent on telling us about his mobility scooter and how he was able to travel to Hawaii with it. It wasn’t much later that we found a mobility scooter for sale on craigslist. It was used but just what we needed. It has been so useful in everyday life too.

We wanted to take a trip to New York, to visit family and to tour. But my mobility is limited. There was no way I’d make it through an airport, let alone all the walking involved after the airport. I made sure my batteries were charged and off we went for our direct flight from Salt Lake City to JFK.  

Getting through TSA in Salt Lake was a little tricky, but they handed me a wooden cane and I was able to walk through the metal detector. My little scooter was wiped down for bomb residue, all clear! Then on to our gate. We were able to go when they called pre-boarding, and I was able to roll all the way to the airplane door. 

From there getting to our seat was fairly easy, especially since we were able to board before anyone else. I was asked if I needed a chair down the aisle to get to my seat, so if that is a concern for you it is something they can help you with!

A few hours later we landed at our destination and we allowed most of the other passengers to leave before we attempted to get off the plane. My little mobility scooter was ready and waiting fo me right outside the door of the plane. And off we went to our rental car. 

The great part about a mobility scooter like mine is that it breaks down, so we were able to stow it in the back of our rental car. This way everywhere we went I was able to have it with me. 

Now traveling to an older city like New York not everything will be accessible, so check ahead to make sure you will be able to get inside once you get to where you are going. We have been told that there are elevators to the subway, but that wasn’t something we attempted this trip.

Heading home, JFK TSA was a little trickier. Since I was not able to walk through the metal detector on my own they had to do a full body search, and it had to be done by an agent of the same sex. It took a while waiting on the person who could do this for me. 

This time, instead of wipes the scooter was worked over with a handheld bomb sniffer. All clear again and ready to board our plane home! It worked the same as it had in Salt Lake. We were able to pre-board and get settled quickly.

All in all it was a very successful trip! I was throughly exhausted after the trip, but it was an experience to remember. If you are hesitant about being able to travel with a disability, please know that there are options for you! This is why I wanted to share my story, I want more people to know that it is possible to travel despite mobility issues.With a little forethought, preparation and the right tools it can be done!

5 Reasons to Juice Daily

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There are many benefits of juicing daily. Here are our top five reasons:

1.) Hydration 

2.) Balance your pH levels

3.) Increase your daily fruit and vegetable intake.

4.) Nutrition in a form that your body can easily assimilate 

5.) Great hunger management!

Do you have a reason, that's not on our list, for juicing daily? Leave it in the comments below! We'd love to hear from you!

Finding your Self Worth

Autoimmune disease. Millions of people are affected by this condition, and the numbers just continue to grow. I imagine, since you are reading this, that you are one of the millions affected by an autoimmune disease. 

Approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people, suffer from autoimmune diseases. Women are more likely than men to be affected; some estimates say that 75 percent of those affected–some 30 million people–are women.

Each autoimmune disease is different, but they all take a toll. It takes a physical toll, but it can really affect your mental game. Have you noticed more depression, loneliness and grief since your diagnosis? If so, you are not alone.

But how can you find your self-worth when you have an autoimmune disease?

First, find a support system. This can be different for everyone. For some, your support system may be your spouse or your family. For others, you may need to look outside the box. Find a group to participate in on Facebook, or join a forum that discusses issues related to your specific autoimmune disease.

Second, find things to be grateful for. Keeping a daily gratitude journal can show you how many things you have to be grateful for, despite your autoimmune disease. For example, here's my gratitude for today. I am grateful for:

1. Warmer temperatures outside. (It's been a rough winter).

2. That our new business has been successful this year.

3. The ability to take care of my family despite disability

Keeping a list of at least three things you are grateful for on a daily basis can really help you find your self worth, despite whatever autoimmune condition you may be facing.

Third, find a hobby or a purpose. It could be as simple as crochet or cooking, or you could even start your own blog like I did. A lot of people suffering with autoimmunity are forced to quit their jobs and depend on disability benefits or other income. This can be so discouraging and can really rob you of your joy and self worth. 

Do you have valuable things to give? Knowledge, especially about your specific disease. You can start sharing with others what you have learned, and what keeps you going. 

My joy is found in building websites and maintaining blogs like this one. For example, I mentioned that we started a new business in my gratitude list. We started a custom furniture and metal fabrication company called Carbon and Grain, LLC. 

My autoimmune disease has taken some of my physical ability, so I won't be building or delivering furniture. But I was able to find a way to contribute despite my disability, I built the website for our business. This gave me a sense of worth in our new company.

It may take a bit of brainstorming to find your hobby or purpose. What are you good at? What do you already know how to do? What have you been dying to learn how to do? Make a list and start narrowing down your options.

Keeping your self worth is so important. I hope these tips help you find and keep your sense of self worth despite dealing with an autoimmune condition

Is Milk Really That Good For You?

Milk is promoted as a perfect food, a great source of calcium and protein especially for growing bodies. On the other hand dairy is one of the most commonly recognized food allergens. So what's the big deal? Does milk really 'do a body good', or should you be removing it from your diet?

Let's look at the facts.

Milk really is a perfect food, for a baby cow. It is an energy dense, hormone delivery system that helps the calf grow quickly and builds its immune system.

You are not a baby cow.

When you drink milk or consume dairy products, you are receiving these same signals. These messages only confuse our bodies and can cause harm. 

Human breast milk is the best food for human babies, but at some point we all start eating solid food and stop relying on milk as our source of nutrition. 

Once weaned it doesn't make sense to continue sending the growth and hormone signals contained in milk, especially when these signals are intended for a different species.

You can't have a discussion about removing dairy and cow's milk from your diet without the inevitable question arising.

If you are not consuming dairy products, where do you get your calcium from?

Dairy is NOT the only good source of calcium.

A lot of time and money from the dairy association has gone into making you believe that your diet will be lacking in a crucial nutrient for health without milk and dairy products.

This simply is not true.

There are an abundance of other sources of calcium. And most of these sources contain calcium that is more bioavailable, or easier for your body to absorb, than the calcium found in dairy.

Meat and seafood sources include:

• Bone broth
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Anchovys
• Oysters

Nut and seed sources include:

• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Walnuts

Vegetables:

• Kale
• Turnip Greens
• Mustard Greens
• Boiled Spinach
• Bok Choy
• Sea vegetables like Nori

You may be thinking: I'm not allergic to milk or dairy products, should I really stop eating them?

The best way to find out how dairy affects you is to eliminate it from your diet for a set amount of time. My favorite elimination diet? The Whole 30.You can learn more about it by clicking here or by visiting their website at: www.whole30.com

But I love milk! Now what?

Stay tuned for my absolute favorite dairy free milk recipe!!

Almond Butter Bites

I've recently discovered that the best treats are usually made with the most simple ingredients. Like these almond butter bites, delicious and made with three ingredients that are probably in your pantry right now! Making them is the easy part. The hard part will be waiting for them to cool in the freezer!

Almond Butter Bites

Makes 12

1/4 c. almond butter (or your favorite nut butter)

2 tbls coconut oil

1 banana

1 tsp cocoa powder (optional)

Line a mini muffin pan with muffin papers. Slice banana. Place one or two slices of banana, depending on size of slices, into each muffin paper. 

Melt almond butter and coconut oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until they are well combined into a runny liquid. Mix in cocoa powder if desired. 

Pour liquid over each banana, filling the cup and covering the banana. Place tray in freezer until they are solid. 

Enjoy!

Nightshade Free Salsa! (AIP Salsa)

We were invited to a BBQ this weekend. While I haven't started my Whole30 yet, I still have a few food rules I never break. I always, always avoid nightshades. 

What are nightshades? 

Nightshades are a family of plants (Solanaceae) that include:

• potatoes
• peppers
• tomatoes
• tomatillos
• eggplant
• goji berries

These plants contain a toxin that can cause joint pain and inflammation in people who are sensitive to it. Most people with autoimmune conditions notice a decrease in pain and inflammation when removing these foods from their diet.

 For me, it was a huge step forward in healing when I discovered I was sensitive to nightshades. 

So back to our BBQ and my dilemma. My hubby was asked to make his amazing salsa. Not wanting to miss out or feel deprived, I decided to try making my own nightshade free salsa. 

Here is the winning result.

Nightshade free Salsa (AIP Salsa)

• 1 Mango
• 1/2 medium Red Onion
• 7-8 Radishes (depending on size and how spicy you want your salsa to be)
• 1 bunch Cilantro
• 1/2 medium Jicama
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt to taste

Chop mango, red onion, radishes, cilantro and jicama. 
Add minced garlic, lime juice and salt to mixture. 
Let mixture sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or over night!

Enjoy!

Tackling Another Whole30!

I've been so overwhelmed with life lately. I'm not sure if it's the way everyone would feel or if it's my MS brain that makes it impossible for me to handle everything at once. Between being a mom, the CFO of our family, and other responsibilities food seems to take a back burner. I've still been Paleo and mostly AIP (autoimmune Paleo/protocol). But the 80/20 rule really doesn't work when you are dealing with autoimmunity! I am still suffering the side effects of that 20% that isn't Paleo.

So I'm starting a new Whole30 today! Have you read my past posts about the Whole30? Last time it was the hardest thing (even over childbirth! But my little guy came in 6 hours, it wasn't 30 days!) but I also saw amazing results and improvement in my symptoms!

So starting today I tackle it all over again. I have a few friends along for the ride. One is a Seasoned Paleo pro, and the other two are newbies! I'm excited to help the newbies along their first Paleo journey, and hopefully they will have amazing stories to tell at the end. They are both young, active and generally healthy, so they will be a great test next to me, the autoimmune experiment.

I know I have really neglected the blog lately, but I was really inspired by a page on Facebook that I follow called Pretty in Paleo. The author posted her Whole30 (and beyond) dinners everyday. Before I started this, I asked my friends on Facebook: 'who wants to do a Whole30 with me?' The response was funny, people said good for you, but not for me! So I really want to post pictures of what I am eating, so they can see it's really not that scary or different. And the meals also tasty. With my first Whole30 my husband and I discovered that we were enjoying our meals so much more than before. Cooking was even more fun because we had to think about what we were cooking.

What do you think? Would you take a 30 day strict Paleo challenge? If you are ready to start post in the comments! If you don't know what it is follow this link: http://whole30.com/new/

The Whole30 program is outlined, completely free on their website. This is what helped me get started, I didn't want to spend money on another 'diet fad'. But being able to try it completely free made me a believer!

Here is breakfast day one: Leftover shredded pork, an egg and homemade sauerkraut. My eyes were bigger than my tummy this morning and I only finished about half the pork. Part of the Whole30 is discovering you satiety sensors, so I listened to them this morning!

Succeeding at Paleo

I remember when I first heard the word Paleo. I was intrigued, I wanted to learn so much more! But, when I first started to find out the amount of foods that were restricted on a Paleo diet I began to panic! What in the world will I eat? How can a person survive without grains, or dairy or legumes? It was overwhelming to think of what our menu plan would look like! How would we ever eat tacos again?!

Perhaps you are in the same spot I was, maybe that is why you are reading this. If so, take heart. Tackling Paleo can seem like Everest but with some careful planning and trial and error it will suddenly become routine! Here are a few of my best tips to succeed at Paleo:

1.) Transform:
          Make a list of meals your family regularly eats. How can these meals be recreated or transformed into Paleo meals? For example, our family ate tacos on a regular basis. First step, get rid of the tortilla. We had a couple of options. Option A, replace tortilla with butter leaf lettuce. Option B required a little more effort, making cauliflower and egg tortillas I discovered on Pinterest. In the end taco night was always our easiest meal. Now that we are in the swing of Paleo tacos at our house consists of a VERY hearty salad and a side of ground meat. We transformed our food and our minds as to what tacos really are!

2.) Replace:
          At first you're going to have that major item you just can't live without! Perhaps it's your Snickers bar that you reach for in the afternoon. While you may be able to find a recipe to make Paleo Snickers bars (I'm sure it's out there), I really don't recommend it. Why not find a healthier option, like Larabars! Or make your own Larabars, or similar snack.

3. ) Find Support:
        You're not the only one in the Paleo Newbie boat. There's lots of us out there, and newbies can learn a lot from the veterans too. Find a few Paleo groups on Facebook, follow our page on Facebook, and find a few great boards to follow on Pinterest. Here's a few to get you started:

Paleo Mom
Phoenix Helix

4.) Invest:
       You've got a great start, you've made the most of the free online resources and recipes. Now that you're starting to get the hang of it it's time to invest in the future of your Paleo lifestyle. Invest in a few great books. These might be cookbooks, books discussing the science behind Paleo, or something in between. Here are a few of the books I highly recommend:

The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease, Heal Your Body
It Starts With Food
Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle
Well Fed 

These are just the tip of the iceberg. Any tips you'd add to succeeding while Paleo? Add them in the comments below!

Giveaway!!

Visit us at: www.facebook.com/juicingmyms to learn more!

Day 31 Results

It's day 31 and I finally get to share my results with you! First and foremost I feel better about the choices I am making and the food I am putting in my mouth. Secondly I understand my psychological triggers and how they are connected to food cravings. This truly is the point of the Whole30. That being said, lets move onto the fun stuff!

I've lost 9 pounds, 2 inches around my middle and dropped two pant sizes!! I've never been able to shrink my very unhappy middle until now. It's a great outward sign that my diet is helping to heal my leaky gut.

As for autoimmune symptoms here's what has improved:

Spasticity

Foot Drop

Balance

Coordination

Clonis (uncontrollable bouncing of leg muscles)

Intention tremor

Short term memory

Neuropathy 

Recovery time after strenuous exertion

Please know I'm not saying these problems are gone, they have improved. Improved enough for myself and my husband to notice. Enough my neurological chiropractor has noticed. Enough that I am not giving up this new lifestyle I've discovered, Paleo! My theory is that it would be ridiculous for someone to expect an obese person to return to a normal weight in only 30 days, and in turn it's ridiculous for me not to accept the fact that improvements will take time. It can be discouraging to take a step backwards after taking two forwards. But moving forward slowly is so much better than standing still.

But don't take my word for it, start your own Whole30 journey today!! If my story has inspired to start your own Whole30 journey please let us know in the comments!

I'd highly recommend reading It Starts With Food, but you can start like I did by visiting www.whole9life.com and reading more about it there.

Simple Paleo Chocolate Cake

In honor of reaching my day 30 (of my Whole30) I am sharing this delicious chocolate cake recipe with you. And yes, it's paleo!! My husband is not much of a dessert guy but he's always been a fan of chocolate cake drizzled with sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce (otherwise known as a Better Than Sex Cake). Recently he asked if I could make one for him, so I scoured the internet and Pinterest, sure someone had attempted to make this style cake with paleo ingredients. I didn't find anything like it!! But I did find plenty of ideas for chocolate cake. While I was searching for a recipe, I realized that my brain can translate into paleo. I was reading recipes without a single compliant ingredient and "translating" to compliant ingredients. Here is the final cake we came up with. We couldn't make a poke cake style exactly, where the sauce soaks into holes you poke in the cake, so the sauce became a topping instead.

Paleo Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce

For the cake:
1 c. almond butter
2 large eggs
1/3 c. melted coconut oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c. coconut palm sugar*
1/3 c. water*

For the caramel sauce:
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/3 c. coconut palm sugar

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease 9x9 pan well with oil of choice. (Coconut, olive...)

Pour can of coconut milk in sauce pan on medium low heat and add sugar for topping. When steam begins to lift turn heat down to low and allow to reduce up to an hour, stirring occasionally. When reduced to about half remove from heat and allow to cool.

Place all ingredients for cake in blender or food processor. I found it easiest to leave the almond butter out until all other ingredients were well mixed and slowly add it. When it is well mixed pour batter into your greased pan and spread out evenly. Place cake in oven and bake for about 30 minutes.

Serve cake with coconut milk topping and enjoy!!

Feel like making it feel a little fancier and  have time to plan ahead? Store an opened can of coconut milk in your fridge for a few days and it will turn into a whipped topping like consistency!


*You can also use maple syrup or honey, but if you use a liquid sweetener omit the extra water.

Whole30 Progress Report (days 15-30)

Light reading and my DIY Bowl of Soul!

Day 15: My halfway point feels amazing!! My pants are looser, my energy is better and overall I know I'm doing what's best for my body!! I am however looking forward to Day 31... And I've made some decisions about how I will continue the program, but more on that later!!! Since I've jumped most of my biggest hurdles in the first half of my journey, I've grouped this update into bigger sections. Once you hit day 15 you start to understand how to truly be successful. And this far in, are you really going to cheat now?! It's definitely not worth it!

Day 16-20: My best ally in this journey has been a well stocked fridge!!! Dinner is easier when instead of deciding what to have as a side dish, it's which veggie in the fridge will we cook?! For us, Sunday night used to be junk food night. So, one Sunday night, when we'd love to eat junk and were low on groceries, we patched together a tasty meal. The hubby grilled steaks and I served with it half an avocado and some artichoke hearts. And of course we felt better because we made great choices! Besides, we didn't have junk food in the house anyway! That's another great tip I've learned along the way. You will have cravings, but if the junk is not readily available you have a higher chance of success!

Made my first honest mistake/cheat today. My husband has been complaining about the lack of beverages around the house. So, while I was out shopping today I found a great deal on a case of Izze. If you haven't tried Izze, you are missing out! They are fantastic little juice flavored sparkling waters. Well, I completely forgot the no juice rule!! Too many rules to remember sometimes, especially when you are at the store, and NOTHING is compliant! I'm going to be honest with you... it's "that time of the month" and the sugar monster attacks hardest about now; so I was rather proud of myself for my choice... but it's still a cheat. Oops! I guess the hubby can drink them until I hit day 30!!

Strawberry "Ice Cream"

Days 21-25:
I can see the finish line now! I'm definitely settled into a paleo lifestyle. It used to intimidate me, but I overcame my fears through Whole30. This was my first goal in starting Whole30: commit myself to paleo eating! My second goal, to hopefully see improvement in my MS symptoms. Thirdly I wanted to see weight loss, I don't have a large number I need to lose, but rather an unhappy bloated belly that needed to go. I can't wait to share my results with you!! But that will come in the next update!

What are my plans for day 31 and beyond? Well, for now it's going to be Whole365! I do have a few exceptions planned. Paleo desserts will make an appearance, but only for special occasions!! And we have a brewery trip planned. I am interested to see how reintroducing alcohol will go, and beer at that! Alcohol will be another special occasion treat. I'm going to keep all sweeteners (including honey and maple surup) out of my life on a regular basis! Wheat, dairy, legumes and potatoes are gone for good. Coconut flour pancakes? Special Sunday mornings just might call for coconut flour pancakes!! All in all I will not leave my paleo diet, and I want to stick to the Whole30 rules for the most part!

Days 26-30:
The most important lesson I learned through all of this is to never, ever underestimate the power of the food you are putting in your mouth! Second most important lesson is to always be prepared. It seems like without fail I find myself in a situation where I am hungry and there is nothing available for me to eat. Make sure your fridge is well stocked with healthy paleo Whole30 options. If you have the ingredients, the recipes are easy to make up on the fly. When leaving home prepare an emergency kit, this is something I have learned the hard way. Prepare yourself with either purchasing a Primal Pak or Paleo Kit or make your own. I am making kits that contain a homemade Larabar, jerky and maybe some nuts so that when I am faced with eating something that could put me in a wheelchair I always have a better option. Becoming my own science experiment was the best thing I ever could have done. People love to tell me that it's not as simple as what you are eating. But I am feeling how wrong they are, and it is an amazing feeling!! Please, try it for 30 days. If you reach the end of a Whole30, and stuck to the plan diligently, I know you will see results no matter what your goals may be.

Stay tuned for my DAY 31 results post!!

Bowl of Soul Remake!

For those of you from my hometown, you understand the phrase Bowl of Soul. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, it is the most heavenly cup of coffee from our local Java spot. It's a mix of espresso, Mexican hot chocolate and coffee. This has been one thing I have craved constantly through my Whole30. I have been trying to get the same flavor through a cup of coffee at home, and I think I finally mastered it! However through my attempts to remake this delicious cup of coffee, I discovered that traditional Mexican hot chocolate has cayenne in it. Sounds delicious right? Well, since I have started avoiding nightshades, cayenne is out for me! I need to find out if it is in my favorite Bowl of Soul. In the meantime making something at home compared to $4 or $5 for going out is always better, and you know what the ingredients are! So here is my Bowl of Soul remake. If your on a Whole30, just remove the honey and add extra coconut milk to make this compliant! Enjoy!

Megan's Bowl of Soul Remake

1 12 oz cup of piping hot coffee
(Or 8 oz of coffee and 2 shots of espresso)
3 tbs. full fat canned coconut milk
1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbs. honey

Mix coconut milk with cocoa, honey and cinnamon. Add to coffee and stir until dissolved. This may take a few minutes to really get the cocoa to dissolve, but stirring it into the coconut milk first helps. After it's blended top with a sprinkle of cocoa and cinnamon. My local coffee house tops theirs with the most amazing home made whipped cream, you could do something similar with full fat coconut milk that has been in the fridge for a few days. Enjoy!

Whole30 Progress Report (Days 9-14)

Day 9: This feels routine now. Any cravings I may have are manageable now. Getting up and making breakfast feels normal, and delicious! Coffee with out sweetener is pleasant! However I did discover a good trick to make it fancy... Coconut milk, full fat, the kind you find in a can in the Asian foods aisle in your coffee is heavenly! Especially when you've been drinking it black! On a positive note the essential fatty acids in full fat coconut milk are so good for you. Today and in the past, it has helped relieve spasticity and numbness in my toes. For me just that little relief has been amazing!

Meals Day 9:

Eggs with chunky salsa (I'm still working on a better breakfast veggie than salsa!)

Leftover pork and Brussels sprouts

Lamb with asparagus

Day 10: Cheating doesn't even seem worth it anymore. I almost bought some chocolate at the store last night, but decided on grapes instead. It really wasn't that hard. With how well I am feeling, it's not worth it anymore. My balance has improved dramatically along with my stamina. Being able to walk is worth more than a bit of chocolate!! 

I've even gotten to the point where I forget what day I am on, they all run together. And I made a new goal after this Whole30 is over. I'm tackling the Whole30 autoimmune protocol. On top of what I have already eliminated I will need to drop eggs, nuts, seeds and nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, and certain spices. This is more overwhelming to me than just my first Whole30. However, the energy boost this way of eating (I'm not calling it a diet) has given me is incredible and I want more! Oh and I broke the rules... I got on the scale. My husband and I were having a discussion about his weight (he'd love to gain some weight, although I think he is perfect!) Out came the scale and he jumped on so I did too. I've been dying to see those stupid numbers! I told myself that since my main goal in this is not weight loss, but rather health, weighing myself isn't going to matter either way since I am seeing the results I want with how I feel. Well, I don't regret stepping on that scale, it gave me another boost! I'm down 6 pounds in 10 days!! It just told me how well my body is responding to eating this way, and I am not looking back!! Honestly, I don't think I'd be here without blogging about it along the way!

Days 11-12:This has been a day I have been dreading for a while. Some very close friends invited us over for dinner, his famous paella that he has only told us about for the last year or more. He had to decide to finally make it while I am committed to my Whole30!! I have been stressing about taking my own food and feeling like I won't enjoy this dinner with my Whole30 hanging over me. And then I realize, it will give me the opportunity to tell them why I am eating the way I am. What it has done for me and why I am not quitting when I hit the 30 day mark. My friend is generously making ceviche for me, and I am taking my cauliflower tortillas, which they are excited to try. The hardest part of the whole night was at the end of the evening, I really just wanted a cupcake and a glass of wine! But I stood firm and feel great about it! My husband on the other hand indulged in a cupcake, and had an instant headache! That was the reassurance I needed! Social gatherings can be such a trigger. Being prepared, and dealing with the emotions of it before I got there helped a lot.

Day 13: Almost halfway there. Each day is about the same now. I wake up alert and ready to start the day. I wake up hungry and needing breakfast, something I never did in the past. At this point I still wake with pain and stiffness, which is why I want to continue this with the Autoimmune Protocol I mentioned above. Once I really know more about it I will update this site with specific information for you. For now check out: Whole30 AutoImmune Protocol for more information and an edited shopping list for those of us with autoimmune diseases.

Meals Day 13:

Eggs with chunky salsa (These local eggs are so tasty, I crave them every morning when I wake up!)

Lettuce wrap: Butter lettuce, leftover steak sliced, tomatoes, avocado...

Tacos with cauliflower tortillas (You'll read about the mistake I made with these next..)

Day 14: Had an appointment today with my neurological chiropractor. He said he could see improvements! My clonis is better (the involuntary bouncing of my leg). He told me that if you ask a general neurologist they would tell you once you have it, it never goes away. I'm all for proving them wrong!! Hearing that others are noticing a difference is really motivating! Especially when people ask if I have lost weight... and why yes, I have!!

Had my first proof of diet last night. We made tacos, my hubby was cooking for me and dumped our usual taco seasoning in the meat mix. I almost asked about it but hesitated... we had read the ingredients on the mix, but it was before my Whole30! He looked later, and the majority of the ingredients were NOT compliant, it had sugar, potato starch, rice flour, and spices derived from nightshades in it. Not even twenty minutes after eating my toes felt fuzzy and were burning!! I know it had to be the seasoning! Whether it was the sugar or other preservatives in it, that seasoning will never be used in our house again!! Lesson learned! 

Whole30 Progress Report (Days 4-8)

Day 4: I'm noticing irritability now on day 4. Part of it is due to the fact that my husband sent me to Starbucks for an iced caramel macchiato... Oh how I wanted one too! I knew though that it wasn't worth it. If I don't complete this challenge I'll never know what it could have felt like, or how it could have helped me!! Knowing you are depending on me to provide updates helps, so thanks!!

We were asked to go out to eat day 4. I thought long and hard about how to make Whole30 work while eating out. Finally I realized I didn't want to spend money on food I didn't want to eat, especially when we had a fridge full of awesome food!! So we stayed in and made tacos and I had cauliflower tortillas. Not only did I feel good from eating good food, but from making good food choices! 

Day 5: I can't skip breakfast anymore. Normally a cup of coffee was capable of holding me over until probably 2 in the afternoon. Unhealthy, I know. Doing my usual routine I feel a hunger attack at ten a.m. I know I should have eaten breakfast!! A couple fresh local eggs with this awesome salsa (Rojos avocado tomatillo salsa) does the trick!

Day 6: when I started this I hoped to see improvement in my MS symptoms, but honestly didn't expect to see anything that quickly. It's taken a long time to get to this point, it's going to take a while to heal. Day 6 I noticed I felt great. I felt more sturdy when walking! 6 days in and already I'm seeing the payoff! Just a tiny improvement in my ability to function is worth skipping all that nasty food!!

Day 7: woke up feeling ready to make breakfast! This is a whole new feeling!  Later, playing with my son outside I'm able to walk around our yard a little bit without falling over or feeling tipsy! I think this may be the Whole30 magic!! I'm excited to see what two weeks brings! Please know I am not promoting this as a cure, nor do I expect to be fixed at the end of 30 days. Rather I have submitted myself as a guinea pig in my own scientific experiment, and if I can find slight relief of symptoms it has all been worth it! And while this is only anecdotal evidence, sharing this journey is as much for me as it is for you! Stayed tuned for more progress reports!!

Im ready to tackle the rest of this project! If you are interested in trying it, commit to one week first. Then at the end of the week commit to the other three weeks. Honestly once I started feeling better it wasn't hard to eat this way anymore! What do you have lose except a few pounds and that pain you've been dealing with?

Stay tuned for my next update! I can't wait to share it with you!

Read my previous post Progress Report (days 1-3) by clicking here!

Whole 30 Progress Report (days 1-3)

"Spaghetti" with Zucchini Noodles

I got this... I think. Jumping in with both feet is easy, sticking the landing is the hard part.

Meals have been easy, we've already been eating this way! Snacking has been a major roadblock! Making my son's PB&Honey on gluten free bread and resisting the habit of licking my fingers! 

Days 1-3 probably were the worst of my sugar cravings. I kept the sugar monster at bay by drinking more water and eating fruit (which you're really not supposed to do on Whole30). Fruit is to be limited to about two servings a day and eaten with a meal. I probably ate 2-3 servings and not always with a meal. 

Here's what my meals looked like:

Day One

Breakfast

•Egg Muffin

•Black Coffee

•Blueberries

Lunch

•Porkchop (leftovers!)

• Carrots

Snack

•Nectarine (whole30 snacks are supposed to be mini meals, I haven't accomplished that yet. 

Dinner

•"Spaghetti" with Zucchini Noodles

Tritip with Brussels Sprouts

Day Two

Breakfast was the same as day one!

Lunch

•Leftover "Spaghetti" with Zucchini Noodles

Snack

•Handful of mixed nuts

Dinner

•Tritip

•Brussels Sprouts

I'm sure your starting to see a pattern without posting my entire menu. Leftovers make great lunches!! I'm sure my snacks are not perfect for Whole30, but they are approved foods and work for this Mom of one.

Read my next Progress Report (days 4-8) by clicking here!

Whole30 Challenge!

I have been doing so much research lately into eating Paleo/Primal style for autoimmune diseases. I was so excited about what I was reading I knew I had to do it. We have already begun to steer our diet to healthier eating, excluding dairy, wheat and sugar. It was time to take the next step and eliminate all grains, legumes and potatoes too!

I'm not a great 'dieter'. I cheat and make exceptions when we are out or for special occasions. Because of this, I have not seen the great improvement others report when strictly following the Paleo/Primal lifestyle. While doing research and reading other blogs around the web, I kept seeing the phrase Whole30 used frequently. What was this Whole30? 

I visited Whole9's website and was overloaded with awesome information! It was a paleo program with a few more rules. No cheating for 30 days! No added sweetener of any kind, this means honey, maple syrup and stevia too! No alcohol and no "paleo-ified" desserts! This is the kind of hardcore jump I need! The original program I started with allowed you to ease into it, starting with an 80/20 rule. 80% of your meals were paleo and 20% were cheat meals. This hadn't worked for me so far. Now, maybe your thinking, cold turkey? That's way too hard. I may have thought that for a while until I read this amazing pep talk from the Whole30 website:


"It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You won’t get any coddling, and you won’t get any sympathy for your “struggles”. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime."


Living with MS is hard. Struggling to do everyday tasks when your symptoms are acting up is hard. Giving up a few "precious" food items for 30 days shouldn't be that hard!! I'm already there mentally, now is the time for me to jump in physically too!

Think you're ready for the Whole30 challenge? Check out our Whole30 tab at the top of the page, and be sure to check back for updates, recipes and tips! Don't hestitate, join the challenge today!!

Egg Muffins Recipe

We're not really breakfast people around here. A cup of coffee usually tries to sustain us until lunch. In an effort to find a simple, portable breakfast solution recently; I whipped up a batch of egg muffins! They are packed with nutrition and can be modified to your tastes!

Egg Muffins

8 eggs

1 1/2 c. veggies of your choice, chopped

I used:

Broccoli slaw (chopped smaller)

Small sweet peppers

Onions

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 400•.Grease muffin tin well! I used olive oil in my Misto to grease each one. Layer the veggies in each tin, covering the bottom. Whisk eggs with seasonings and divide evenly among muffins. Place in oven for 15-18 minutes. When done use a butter knife or fork to cut around each one and release them from the pan.

Here are a few things I learned from my first batch: don't overfill the muffin tins. I do this every time! Fill each one about 3/4 full max. Also, make sure to grease each tin WELL! This really helps you later with removing the muffins and clean up! In the end,  you can't really mess these up. They are the easiest 'make ahead' breakfast I've seen yet! I can't wait to mix up the veggies and seasonings and make some new variations. Have you tried egg muffins? What did you put in them? I'd love to hear your ideas!! Please leave them in the comments section below!

Enjoy!

Kale Chips Recipe

Chips are a staple in our house, so finding a suitable healthy replacement is a must! First on my 'must try list' are Kale chips!

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale

2 tbs. olive or coconut oil

Salt 

Seasonings of your choice

Preheat oven to 350•

Wash kale leaves. Dry thoroughly with either salad spinner or paper towels. If they are wet when put into the oven they will not come out right!

Chop leaves into bite size pieces. Toss leaves in bowl with oil and seasonings.

Lay out leaves on cookie sheet and place in the oven. At 10 minutes check your chips. A few of ours were golden brown and a few looked like they needed more time. After pulling them out, we discovered they were perfect! Do not over cook these, if they burn they will not taste good!

These are best fresh out of the oven, so I don't recommend making more than you'll eat in one sitting. A whole bunch of kale was just right for the two of us.

Enjoy!

Chopping the Kale!

Chemical Free Cleaning

If your anything like me, you are aware of the nasty chemicals hiding in the most popular products. For example, a simple bottle of window, kitchen or multipurpose cleaners usually contain 2-Butoxyethanol, a nasty little ingredient that gives it that sweet smell. This ingredient falls in the catagory of glycol-ethers. Inhalation of the cleaning product can result in sore throat, but that's not all. According to the EPA at high leverls glycol ethers can also contribute to narcosis (unconsciousness due to a narcotic drug), pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), and even severe liver and kidney damage. And what about the not so hidden toxic chemicals used for cleaning, like chlorine? Chlorine is usually found in scouring powders, laundry whiteners, and even household drinking water. We are exposed to chlorine so much throughout an average day, since it is used in city water to kill bacteria we are probably drinking it and even bathing in it chlorine. Chlorine has been found to be a mild respiratory irritant And while the impact of chlorine may seem small, the impact of mass exposure could cause major havoc, even possibly as a thyroid disruptor.

So with this information perhaps you are like me, you decide to get rid of all the chemicals in your household. When I started this thought I first turned to company's that created chemical free cleaning products as replacements for items I was already using. First I started with Melaleuca's thyme based cleaner Sol-U-Guard. I was excited to use the amazing power of thyme in my bathroom. I have to be honest, cleaning the bathroom only to leave it smelling of spaghetti herbs was not my favorite. I missed the clean smell of bleach that has been ingrained as the appropriate disinfectant smell. I needed to find a different solution. After a few trial and errors, I discovered that these chemical free replacements were breaking the bank! So after further research I found a few cheap cleaning supplies that I already had in the house.

My first favorite tool is a micro-fiber cloth. These inexpensive rags are so versatile in cleaning. Just getting this rag wet it can be used to wipe down mirrors, counters, stainless steel appliances, and even floors while leaving a clean streak free finish! I have a pre-finished wood floor, and even my favorite Method floor cleaning didn't leave this mirror like floor looking clean. A simple wet micro-fiber rag did the trick better than any expensive cleaner! Another favorite I always keep around is vinegar. Distilled white vinegar can be used in many applications around the house. I usually put it in the dishwasher to help my glasses get a perfect shine. It also can be used with baking soda to scrub toilets and showers, even counters. Hydrogen peroxide is an amazing stain remover. It can remove even the trickiest stains like red wine and blood. I use it regularly on our cloth furniture to remove general food spills.

Finding a solution for your chemical free cleaning can be as easy as looking in your pantry. Have a favorite cleaning solution you want to share? Leave your comments below or share it on our Facebook page:
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