be well (healing places)

I found this image on a blog that I follow and thought it was cute and true. I think we can all find healing in these places, physically or mentally. Just a reminder to take a break from life and sit outside!

be well (almond flour)

Let me start out by saying that almond flour is my life line - I use it every single day. I use it as an alternative to wheat and rice flour since my diet is so strict but the more I learn about it, the more I think everyone should use it in their diet! First of all, it is incredibly tasty. Secondly, it is so full of nutrients (especially when compared to white flour) - in just one cup there is 21 grams of protein, 12 g of fiber, 728 mg of potassium, 474 mg of phosphorus, 275 mg of magnesium and it is packed full of beneficial amino acids - plus it's low in carbohydrates and low in sugars! Almonds have also been said to keep blood sugar stable, help keep food flowing through your colon easily, improves complexion and even help prevent some cancers. Antioxidants galore! How could you possible go wrong?! Besides it being a little expensive for a one pound bag but I recently was sent to a website called Lucy's Kitchen and ordered my first 5 lb bag of almond flour - even with shipping I saved over half of what I would've spent in stores. Immediately when it got here I started baking and cooking like crazy and let me tell you - this stuff is so good. The best almond flour I've had so far, hands down! So, if you ever decide you want to add some protein to your pancakes please check out this website: /www.lucyskitchenshop.com/

*One last thing, if you do buy some almond flour I would suggest putting it in glass jars and putting one in the fridge for immediate use and the rest in the freezer. It's not necessary, the flour won't go bad and most people probably keep it in their cupboards but I've heard from others and seen a difference myself that it tastes fresher!  

Side note: I'm going to try to post a lot more on this blog and hopefully there will be more recipes for ya'll to try - or if you're near by then come on over and try something new and delicious!

Hope you're all having a good day! Go out and snack on some almonds!

be well (pancakes)

Hi everyone! I want to share a very easy and delicious recipe with all of you - banana pancakes. Since I am on the SCD diet the use of flour is a no-no which means these pancakes are actually good for you and full of protein. I make these when I have an early class because it helps me get going in the morning and the sweet taste is a nice change from scrambled eggs.

Banana Pancakes

First, mush up a banana with a fork in a bowl - get it as mushy as you can.
Then crack two eggs in the bowl and mix thoroughly.
Add a drop of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon
fry up like you would a regular pancake.
Add butter and honey when finished and you have a fast and delicious breakfast!

*For those of you who don't like bananas you can substitute an apple - this takes a little more work and requires a food processor or blender but is still delicious and reminds me of fall.
*One last tip - if the honey is too sweet for you then add a spoonful of almond butter on top and you won't be let down!

Real Life

I'm so sorry that I am so behind on my blog! I can't believe it's already the end of September and that I have successfully completed 17 sub-Q injections. I'm starting to feel like a pro. On top of that, there have been some big changes! I'm living in an apartment in Athens and am taking a few classes to try to get back into a routine.  I've been moved in for a three weeks now and it still feels like it's all a dream. I must say that doing things by myself is incredibly rewarding and incredibly exhausting. It's really nice to go to class though and to do homework and get my brain working again. It's refreshing. I'm only committed to a few months on my lease so that I can take everything a quarter at a time. I'm really nervous about flu season coming around the corner, but I'm hoping that my infusions will give me a boost. 

Here is a picture of me doing dishes in my new apartment! It seems like I spend half the day doing dishes because of my special diet! The good news is that I'm getting pretty creative with my meals! I'll start sharing some yummy recipes soon!

Decisions Decisions!

This past Tuesday marked my sixth Sub-Q infusion which went really well and was the first of a new five day regime.  John now knows how to do all the record keeping during an infusion and has become my official secretary. Here is a picture of us at work:

 

After my infusion this week my Mom, John and I made a quick one day trip to Athens, OH to get things squared away before the school year begins. I met with the Dean of the COMS department, who was so sweet and helpful, but I left his office with a lot to think about! I am still overwhelmed with all of the decisions I need to make about school. Things like how many hours to take; to keep my major or switch to something else (COMS is great but it means lots of interacting with a class which could be tough on my body); making sure I feel comfortable, safe and clean doing my infusions in my house;  can I depend on someone to be with me during my infusions to make sure nothing serious goes wrong; can I keep my space germ free; and the list goes on and on. I know that I have to keep my health in mind when making the best decision for my future but it really puts a lot things on the table! Oye-Vay!

As if that's not enough going on, I picked up a bit of a bug in Athens and am sick sick sick today. Tossed and turned all of last night with coughing, congestion and a fever. Today my skin hurts and I feel extremely flu-like. Luckily I do an infusion this evening so hopefully that will give my immune system a boost! I've never done an infusion while being sick... I hope there won't be any side effects.

Sub Q #4 & #5

I have successfully completed two more Sub Q infusions since I've been on the blog.  Number 4 was done with the help of my little cousin Grace and my aunt Marybeth and Uncle Dix. Number 5 was done with my Canadian Aunt Cros and it was the best infusion so far! Here are some pictures:

(Here is Grace being very patient and observant as I start my infusion!)

(After I started the infusion she came over and touched the spots on my stomach -

She is so smart and was very sweet and curious through the whole thing.)

(Here is my Aunt Cros with me while I do my infusion)

Other news: I met with the immunologist last week and she wants me to do infusions every 5 days now! Although this seems like a hassle it will boost my antibodies faster and get me on the road to recovery as soon as possible.  Over all I can certainly see improvements in my day to day health. :)

What Are you Grateful For?

With so much going on in my life - and in all of our lives - it has been hard to take a moment to appreciate this wonderful world we live in. I follow several other blogs and found a post the other day about being grateful (on a blog appropriately called: Operation Nice) and how it improves your health. I wanted to look into this some more and see if being grateful actually had an affect on wellness. It turns out there are several different studies that have proved that being grateful leads to a healthier and happier life. In fact, people who are grateful tend to live longer! "Research shows that simply focusing each day on three to five things for which you can be grateful will increase your health and happiness. Everyone has something to be grateful for."

Being grateful also allows people to defeat what psychologists call the "negativity bias"—the natural tendency to dwell on problems, annoyances and injustices rather than positive events. An article done in 2010 (Thank you. No, Thank You) discusses this in further detail and says that focusing on blessings from a young age can help ward off depression later on in life. The article also provides some cute graphics and even a "how grateful are you quiz" - I think that my new goal is to keep a "gratitude journal" and write a few things down each day that I am thankful for. It may provide a little bit of good energy when I'm feeling blue. 

I hope you take a look at this article, or at least take a minute today to be grateful for something or someone! If you want, feel free to share them with me - I would love to hear them!