Archive for January 28, 2016

Teeth, Chemo, Cutting Sugar, and Keto

Oh My!

 

This past week I went to the dentist, the hubs goes tomorrow, and our bright eyed 4 year old went today. She LOVED it!

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Keep smiling sister!

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I was a bit anxious it has been a good while since I was in ‘the chair’ and really I was a bit anxious.  The longer you put off the dentist the odds of serious scraping and further discomforts only increase. But the reality is, life happens. Back I went through my chemo lesson (this is when you are sat down and given a large booklet before round #1) there is a list of to-do’s and and definite to-don’ts. Right up there with no crowd events, wear mask while flying, wash hands often, don’t get pregnant, was NO DENTIST.

 

Seriously. Not during treatment.

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The nurse told me if I needed to go I would HAVE to clear it with them. And likely that answer would be no. We all have heard how dirty people’s mouths are and oncologist don’t want to add mouth infection on to a patient’s chart as well.

 

I’m a good student; so of course I listened. But then after chemo was surgery then expanders followed by a finish up surgery make things “normal-ish.” Again, the fear of infection pushes lesser pressing things, like going to the dentist, down the taking care of yourself totem pole.

 

But get this, last week I was told, “No cavities.” NOT. ONE.

 

This is kinda a big deal for me. For a few years(before my little dentist hiatus) it was a given, would go in for a cleaning and would be walk out with a follow up filling appointment OR maybe 2. I had come to believe that I just had wimpy teeth.

 

The reality is my teeth are great-Strong like Bull. But the sugar in my diet was even stronger.

Make that Grass Fed Bull (Guess where he is now…)

 

Even though I was bushing and floss like a normal and maybe even not so normal(for years I have kept floss in my purse and car at all times.) I was still getting cavities, it was not until I changed my diet and really cut out sugar, the obvious and the not so obvious, did my dental reality change.

 

Chemo can cause major side effects on your entire body and but your mouth can really be one of the hardest hit. The effects of the drugs can cause serious dry mouth, mouth pain, bleeding gums, infection, etcetera. Fun Stuff.

 

It was not until I changed my intake of SUGAR that my dental issues subsided. I have not wavered on my dedication to this way of life, but getting the all clear from the man holding the tooth drill gave me another reason to fall in love with our lifestyle all over again.
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A New Twist on Salmon

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The amazing world of Salmon!

First a little research, and then a great recipe the family will love!

We all know about the amazing omega-3 benefits of salmon, but there are other unique health benefits from salmon that may have been inadvertently overlooked. One fascinating new area of health benefits involves the protein and amino acid content of salmon. Several recent studies have found that salmon contains small bioactive protein molecules (called bioactive peptides) that may provide special support for joint cartilage, insulin effectiveness, and control of inflammation in the digestive tract. One particular bioactive peptide called calcitonin (sCT) has been of special interest in these studies. The reason is because a human form of calcitonin is made by the thyroid gland, and we know that it is a key hormone for helping regulate and stabilize the balance of collagen and minerals in the bone and surrounding tissue. As researchers learn more and more about salmon peptides—including sCT—we expect to see more and more potential health benefits discovered related to inflammation, including inflammation of the joints.

Salmon is also filled with plenty of B vitamins, Vitamin D, Selenium, Iodine, and of course, the great Omega 3!  It is a great protein to help regulate thyroid imbalances with all of its wonderful nutrients.

Half of my family loves broiled salmon, and the other half will only eat it every now and again.  I pulled out an old recipe that my mom and grandmother used to make on a regular basis, made a few changes, and received a lot of compliments.  This recipe brought everyone together tonight, so I had to share. Not only was it tasty, but it is a great fast weeknight recipe.

Baked Salmon Croquettes

1/2 White Onion Chopped

3/4 Chopped Green Pepper

10 Tbsp Kerrygold Butter

30 oz Canned Wild Caught Salmon, Drained and Flaked

1 can Evaporated Milk

1/3 cup Heavy Cream

1 tsp Himalayan Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

A Pinch of Xanthan Gum

More butter to top each dish

 

Directions:

Saute onion and peppers in butter for about 5 to 10 minutes until onion is translucent.  Add salmon, evaporated milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a simmer.  Sprinkle with xanthan gum to thicken slightly.  Spoon into ramekins, small pyrex bowls or sea shells.  Top each with a pat of butter and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Caution: These will be very hot, so I always remove from the dish and plate for the children.

Enjoy!

We especially enjoy salmon with sautéed spinach.  I use about 1/4 cup of butter melted to saute a few cloves of garlic. Once it is fragrant, add your spinach and stir until wilted.  It is ready to serve immediately.

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Increasing Evidence That High Fat Diets Lead to Better Health

This time of year, the gyms are packed, and the low-fat aisles at the grocery store are jammed with shopping carts.

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My reaction…”If they only knew they were spinning their wheels!”  All I can do is sigh.

I know, and you know, they may drop 5 pounds, all the while starving, only to go back and gain 10.  It is the endless cycle I was in most of my life.  If only I had known then what I know now! I would have been a much happier and content individual.  Not to mention, healthy and lean.

I have heard so many times these last two weeks, “Count your calories…” or “Eat more fruits and vegetables” and even, Agh, “Cut down on saturated fat.”  Really?!?!  Wake up to 2016 all of you morning talk show special guests.  We have been in a downward spiral for over 50 years, and it is time to rise up and realize this low fat business was a really, really bad idea!  It is okay to correct the bad advice!

I have heard nothing about eating more fat, so I am here to tell you; EAT MORE FAT!

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Now…with that, goes cutting down on the sugar – way down.  In fact, way way down!  The sugar and the carbs have to give, to stop that spike in your blood sugar so you aren’t hungry every two hours.  This means eating healthy fats and saying no to sugar and processed foods.

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The good part is: you get to eat healthy, satisfying foods that will keep you going for hours and hours with endless energy AND boost your brain power.  It is an awesome feeling to gain control of your health so that you never have to struggle with hunger pains and yo-yo dieting ever again!

I was beyond excited to read an article my sweet friend, Tina, sent my way.  It is interesting, scientifically based, and best of all, everything we have been preaching for the past two years.  I just had to share!  Take a moment, read, comment, and share with those you love.  And…EAT MORE FAT!

Read David Ludwig’s article here.  It is worth the read!

Constantly Learning

I met a lovely (newish) friend the other day for coffee. She is also a young breast cancer survivor and we both have young daughters, so naturally we have plenty to talk about.

 

I’m curious if anyone was to over hear us what they would think. Really. We were literally talking about hot flashes, changing bodies, diagnosis, and various other battle stories. I had tears in my eyes. Not the type you think, we were cracking up!


She and I are both passionate about health in general and (likely due to the cards we have been dealt) have taken extra steps to ensure that not only are we staying healthy, and have taken to poking those around us to make healthier choices too.

 

Both of us changed many every day choices that at one time may have been difficult and have turned them into second nature. Granted our motivation is a bit different than most. But what is really interesting, is we both making these changes not because of things we were told by our oncologists but rather primarily from research that we have done on our own.

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My friend is a fitness instructor, is an essential oil connoisseur, and also sells a natural skin care line. So I asked her, “Do you have people interested in learning more, who haven’t had a major health issue?”

 

You can guess her response.

 

The reality is, people are not that motivated to change until something drastic and likely very scary happens.  Looking back before my diagnosis, I ate basically garbage, worked out only when there was a special occasion approaching, and didn’t  give much regard to labels (out side of price tag) on basically anything.

 

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I believe now, after enduring chemo, radiation, multiple surgeries, and countless scans, I am healthier than I have ever been due to the diet and lifestyle changes I have made. I just honestly wish I would have woken up to what I was doing to myself before I had to go through all of that. But would I haven listened?

 

A while back someone posted on a group I follow on Facebook- If you could give one piece of advice to yourself back when you were in middle school, what would it be?  While thinking of my middle school self basically gives me the heeby jeebies. I really believe if I would have known when I was younger (like mid 20s) what I know now in regards to how to take care of myself; things likely would have been completely different.

 

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Back in my early 20s 🙂

 

That is why today I am still constantly reading, researching, and making changes. So that in 10 or 15 years I can look back and again think how much I have learned.

 

 

Home Cooking on a Cold Winter’s Eve

I don’t know about you, but getting back into the swing of things has been tough this week.

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We returned from vacation, had another Christmas at home, entertained family, Happy New Year, undecorated, reorganized, and now back to school and after-school activities!  It’s a lot to jump into after a couple of weeks off!

The last thing I always want to do when we return from vacation, is go to the dreaded grocery store.  This means a lot of experimenting and improvisation in our house because my crew expects three hot meals a day out of me, and Mom is pooped right now.

What to do?  The freezer!  This is a word I rarely use because really, all we use our freezer for is ice and meat.  We purchased a half of a grass-fed cow in August, and we still have quite a bit left.  We always crave red meat when we have been traveling which was obviously the case, because I went to the freezer and pulled out stew meat, a roast, and some steaks.  The steaks we grilled right away, but the others required a little more effort.  Not much though.  On undecorating day, I knew I would be busy so I pulled out an old recipe, made a few changes, and prayed we would have something tummy warming good for dinner.

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It was amazing! In fact, my ten year old has asked for stew in his thermos for lunch every day since that he has needed a lunch.  We have had some moist bone-chilling days in South Texas recently, and there is nothing better than good, warm you up from within, home-cooked meals from the heart!

This takes a little forethought, but get it going, and forget about it all afternoon.  Before you know it, it is dinner time and it’s ready to go.  Perfect for those basketball practice nights when everyone is coming home at different times.

Hearty Beef Stew

3 lbs Stew Meat chopped

16 oz bacon

2 cups beef broth

14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 green bell pepper

1 cup baby carrots

1 small onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp pink Himalayan salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried oregano

 

Instructions:

Slice your bacon into small pieces and cook in a large dutch oven.

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Once your bacon is cooking and you have a nice layer of grease, add your stew beef.  Cook until browned, and then add your onion, pepper and garlic.

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Cook these for about 5 minutes.  Add your remaining ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 3 hours or until you are ready to serve.

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My family prefers their stew runny, almost like a beef soup.

If you are used to a stew with potatoes and a thicker sauce, this will not turn out like that.  If your family likes the thicker stew, dust the top of your stew with just a pinch of xanthan gum.  As it sits and you stir, it will slowly thicken.  This will give you a more stew like consistency.

Enjoy!

 

Resolutions: Your’s, Mine, and Ours

This is my first post of 2016 and I’m a little nervous. I have been thinking about what to write all day. The start of a new year means the start of a new you. Right?

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The reality is I doubt any single one of us will 100% succeed on all of the things we vow to do better this year. But I still think we should try.

 

That is why we make these New Year’s Resolutions: To do better, to see part of ourselves that have room for improvement, and set a goal to do something about it.  I read today that people who write down their goals are 60% more likely to achieve them and those that tell the people around them their goals are also very successful in their achievements. I think this was an article in “Real Simple.”

 

So here goes, here is what I am planning on improving this year:

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  1. Put the phone down. I want the people around me especially my family to know that they are more important than what is going on on social media, email, Pintrest, You Tube, all of it.
  2. Work out again-I ran yesterday Go ME! I know this is one of the MOST common resolutions but… Hey- what if it sticks?
  3. Be a better friend. I am TERRIBLE at calling and texting back. I love my friends dearly, and have every intention of keeping in better touch, then I realize a week (or three) has passed and I forgot to reply to a message or return a call. Friends/Family I’m sorry-this year, I’ll work on it.

 

I think many people are starting to give up on even making “New Years Resolutions” especially ones in the eat better and work out more (see #2 above) category. I totally get why. Resolutions require commitment, change, and a commitment to change. If it was easy we would all be able to slip on our skinny jeans, complete the 5k, call our girlfriend back within the month, and maybe walk through our living room in the dark without stepping on a My Little Pony or Frozen accessory.

 

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These cute ponies are taking over my living room.

 

But I noticed something today that sort of irritated me a bit. In the office I work there are a number of super duper fit people, fit people, truly lazy folks, and everyone in between- the spectrum is wide. But those super dupers and the standard fit people were talking loudly about how crowded the gym (yes, there is a gym in my office) was going to be, how annoying it was, how these new gym go-ers weren’t going to last a month, and various other not nice things. While I understand their annoyance-we all have our routines and preferences in how we like our day to go, the conversation came off callous.

 

We all have the odds stacked against us when it comes to making changes in our lives and lifestyles.  But the last thing any of us wants to hear is that we can’t do it or that our effort in making a change is “annoying” to people- even those that don’t know us. I realize to some, this will spur a “I’ll show you” attitude but for others it won’t, and it may even prevent them from trying because we don’t want to look like a failure.

 

So here is my thought, if someone has a Resolution and especially if they share it with you; be supportive.

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We all have things we want to improve and with the help and encouragement of those around you, that bread basket or Diet Coke could be easier to decline.

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