Saturday, December 20, 2008

Getting Festive with Food

This is my first blog post on my brand spanking puter. The other one was not cutting the mustard for photo editing so my lovely hubby was kind enough to get me a new one (and is now secretly coverting it I bet LOL). It's a ripper and the monitor is devine for editing.....much better than the 15" I was using.
Anyway, I suppose now would be a good time to brielfy discuss my health this year. It's a long long winded story that I am sure no-one really wants to read so I will just keep it very brief. Pretty much since Ryan was born I have not felt right. I can't get my motivation back, I am always tired and ALWAYS getting sick. It's as if I never recovered from his birth. Anyway this year I have been lethargic and in general unable to cope with the days smallest tasks........pushed to the edge with the big ones. Everytime I tried to get back to running or pushed it at the gym I would end up sick, headcolds would last 6 weeks and eventually I ended up with a sinus infection. On top of that I was having stomach issues, bloating to the point I looked pregnant and it was hard and uncomfortable and pains that would have me crippled, doubled over begging for a hot water bottle.
Without going into the boring details of how I was diagnosed, in my quest to find out what was wrong with me I found out I was wheat intolerant, I was carrying a bacteria infection in my gut which was attacking my imune system and making me very very sick and I have a borderline underactive thyroid and my hormones were all over the place due to my Mirena IUD (which could have also been feeding the infection). I went to get the IUD removed but the strings were GONE. I had to have an ultrasound to make sure it was still where it should be then have it surgically removed. You ladies would know what these bastards look like, well the stem of the IUD had actually bent up against itself in some way and so the strings were pointing up rather than down if that makes any sence.
Anyway. I have been on treatment for the last 5 weeks for the bacteria infection and within days pf tretment the bloating started to go down. I was put on an immune deficiency diet for 2 weeks which included no sugar (even fruit) which was actually easier than I thought and helped kick some of my insane sugar cravings. I have now been put onto the Insulin Zone system diet which I am loving. With it I am really getting into cooking and food preparation, as all our meals are thoughtfully prepared now rather than re-heated or slapped together in two pieces of bread LOL. I am certainly feeling the benefits....even if I am not losing much weight. That brings me to the thyroid. Apparently the reason I am finding it so hard to shift this weight is because I have a borderline underactive thyroid. It also could explain why I am always so cold and have this mega brain fod. So for now I am on Iodine for that but if that doesn't help will have to look into hormone replacements of some kind.
So.......that is where I am at right now. Feeling pretty bloody good, I have answers and am recovering. Enjoying being wheat free, there is not too much I miss at all. I have not even missed my choc bullets (I actually cried when I read the back of the packed and asw they contained wheat and I thought they made me sick cos of how many I eat LOL). I can't even remember how long I have been wheat free for....must be at least 2 months. The zone diet is awesome, it makes sence and it has really helped with my energy levels and food cravings. I get to relax a bit on the weekends.
I was ordered to stop exercise by my natropath. He said my white blood cells were in such a state that I had no stamina and any exertion would make me sick.....which is what was happening. Within 4 weeks he was surprised to see the improvement in my blood and told me I could return to the gym but I suspended the membership till Jan so Jan it is. Looking forward to it as my "Me time" is pretty much zero these days and really affecting me.
So we are 5 sleeps away from Xmas. We are all prepared here. I have already recieved all my gifts LOL, I got my new puter, a new LENS which I am totally in love with and a camera case (which is actually a projector case I could fit my son into but I wont go into that) so I have been well and truely spoilt. I taking a lamb roast, silverside and wheat free cupcakes to our family Xmas feast. I should have picked salad as a very good friend of mine gave me the BEST EVER salad recipe and we have been eating it most days here and I just want to share it with everyone LOL. Maybe next year. Anyway, here are a few festive food pics for you.
Wheat free lemon cupcakes Mmmmmmm

Grilled chicken breast with mediteranian seasoning (thanks Jess) and the famous salad. (my lunch a few days back)



This is how a group of Mum's relieve some Xmas stress LOL. Monring champers at Mum's group this week. One od the ladies (same one with the dang salad recipe) had a jar of these hibiscus flowers in syrup. Your meant to put the flower and syrup in first but we forgot which is good cos I would not have got this shot other wise. Loving this lens. One of the ladies didn't touch hers...........can I be bold enough to hope for a Xmas BFP?