Nourishing Zen

Nourishing YOU. Adventures to Healthy, Happy, and a Fulfilling Life! Food is our medicine.

Category Archives: Beginning Blog Posts!


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Adventures in Motherhood: Part 7 – Welcome to Toddlerhood


I think this is just going to be an ongoing list for the rest of my life… ha!

91. It’s truly incredible to watch your little one transform from a baby to his or her own little person. They learn so quickly, their sounds evolve and change, they understand so much more than you even know, and they become soooooo agile sooooooo fast – especially my guy!! 😬

92. Let’s talk about becoming more agile. I mean seriously. I have a climber thanks to my husband and we have rightfully nicknamed Gav, “monkey”. He’s climbing everything. He knows to use things as a step stool to get to higher places. And I’m constantly trying to figure out where the heck I’m going to keep putting things!!

93.  Boy energy is real. So real. Sometimes I wonder if I could bottle that energy up somehow…

94.  They become opinionated SO fast! Where did this come from?!

95.  Ugh. The wishing for my old body back. I wish for this on a multiple-times-a-day basis. The gym has terrible kids club hours, I eat the most random whatever-I-can-stuff-in-my-mouth foods. Which aren’t great. Why can’t my child like the stroller so I could at least go for a run?! Seriously why.

96.  I’m still nursing. I never thought I’d still be nursing now. But it’s so much more difficult than i thought. It’s not much but it’s still nursing. Plus he kicks my face, tries to twist around and it’s just not so fun. Nursing is complicated. It’s such a bonding experience and a source of comfort for them. Plus, the cuddle time is priceless.

97. If you have a climber like me, you’ll probably want to lose your mind about every 10 minutes. Nothing is safe. Everything is a jungle gym and you’ll go crazy trying to keep him off of things.

98. You’ll have moments of not so glorious parenting. Yes i have done some things I’m not proud of. Like tapping his leg when he’s trying to climb onto the stove. But…. he did stop after. 😳

99.  Daylight savings is the worst thing in the world if you have an early riser. The worst. Thing. Ever.

100. There’s no shame in putting your kid in front of the tv for a few minutes so you can pee. Or eat. Or breathe.

101. The house is a disaster. All the time.

102. It’s crazy how fast they pick up on things. They notice everything. Everything.

103. Being a stay at home mom (SAHM), you’ll wish you could go back to work….. numerous times a day.

104.  Throwing food is now one of my pet peeves that won’t go away.

105. Don’t wear or buy nice clothes. You’re going to get food, snot, spit, dirt, or whatever else on it.

106. “Wow your son is so inquisitive and curious!” Translation: Wow your son sure gets into everything he’s not supposed to!

107. Molars are the worst. Or canines.

108. It feels like overnight that he’s starting to imitate sounds, say words… or any word that comes out of your potty mouth. Ha 😂

109. You will waste SO much food. Not purposefully of course but the food your toddler doesn’t eat, gets thrown on the floor, fed to the dog or spit back out… it’s never-ending!

110. Having a kid that isn’t a good sleeper sucks. It just sucks. A lot. So those that have good sleepers – be thankful. Very. Very. Thankful.

111. They understand and absorb SO much more than you think!!

112. You can literally blink and all of a

sudden your toddler is mimicking you, talking and using sign language.

113. Diaper changes are still a battle.

114. You’d think we were torturing him by taking him to get a haircut. This kid HATES hair cuts.

115. Soak up all the cuddles you can get. Seriously. There is no better feeling in the world.

116. It’s so true that daddy’s get all the fun, giggles and playtime in the world. Yes, mommy’s do too. But for some reason daddy’s are the fun guys.

117. Tantrums make you want to lose your mind more than you can even fathom.

118. Along with the above, being consistent about how you react to a toddlers crazy behavior is SO hard.

119. Seriously can the food spitting and throwing stop sometime soon??

120. Toddlerhood is the definition of insanity. But you have to keep your cool and keep them from growing up to be a-holes.

121. I now know where grey hairs come from.

I guess this is it for now. Though I’m sure I’ll keep it going because there’s a constant learning curve especially with a strong willed, stubborn, super active toddler!!

Until next time 😃

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Adventures in Motherhood: Part 6


Wow. And I just keep going!


81.  You think sleep training is bad once… you’ll probably have to do it more than once if you go on vacation, baby gets sick or something else jogs the routine. Yeah. Not fun. 

82. Once the baby is mobile, he or she will have lots of bumps and bruises. They’re just unstable. And curious. Bad combo. 

83. Nothing is safe. Even baby proofed drawers etc. 

84.  Husbands will just never understand. Period. They can try. But they just never fully will. Why? They didn’t grow a human in their belly for close to 10 months. They didn’t push something way bigger than the opening that it came out of. They don’t have an automatic food source built into their bodies. They can’t help it. 

85.  Boys are thrashers. They bang everything against anything and throw everything they can get their hands on, on the floor. 

86.  As a mom, you will get beat up. Pinched, poked, hit, pushed, bruised, hair pulled, slapped and head butted. I look like I’ve been in a fight every day. 

87.  When your kid is sick and he’s absolutely miserable, which makes you exhausted, and people say… “it’s good for his immune system” you’re going to want to mentally slap them in the face a few times. Yes I know it’s good to build an immune system but you’re not the one dealing with a sick, uncomfortable, unhappy, fussy kid!!

88.  My son puts everything in his mouth. Everything. Paper, dirt, rocks, diapers, cardboard… everything. It’s normal I guess?

89.  When they start walking it’s good because they are more independent but bad because they’re constantly falling down and bumping their bodies against everything. Which means more bruises and injuries. I swear he gives me a heart attack every five minutes. 

90.  Tantrums start early. Brace yourself. 
Until next time! 


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Join Beautycounter’s Band of Beauty!


Have you heard about the Band of Beauty membership??? 😍
For $29, you’ll get tons of great perks for an entire year such as…
-15% product credit
-FREE shipping on orders over $100
-AND a free gift when your cart reaches $50. And what is this amazing little gift??
-the gift right now is a FREE SOOTHING FACE OIL! This oil is awesome! It’s perfect for winter, easily absorbed, light feeling (not oily whatsoever) smells amazing, and a little goes long way… usually $68 on its own, but yours with a membership this week! 
Check out the BOB membership program here: http://www.beautycounter.com/ericapetty/social/172587-Valentines+Social


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Sorry… I’ve been hibernating…


Seriously… it has been a long time since I’ve written here.  And I am really sorry I haven’t!

See, something has come up over the past seven months.  I’m pregnant! Yes, it is true.

For all of those women that say pregnancy is a breeze, I couldn’t be happier for you!  I am also a bit jealous to be honest.  But….. don’t pretend like it was all cupcakes and strolls on the beach!  I mean, really.  For me, the first trimester was tough.  Really tough.  Let me explain my story…

I’m a foodie.  I suppose you all know this by now.  And I didn’t want to eat – a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g.  And if I did?  I was forcing myself to choke food down.  Every bite, I would hold the food in my mouth, prepping myself to swallow.  You know how that feels – you’ve gotta psych yourself up to just swallow whatever glob of food is in your mouth!  This sounds bad, but it’s true.  On a daily basis, I could maybe eat 1/2 of a meal a day, with a few crackers here and there.  I had no energy and I was extremely exhausted every day – it was a battle to get through the afternoons specifically.  By the end of a day of work, I was absolutely, completely wiped out.  I couldn’t process more than sitting on the couch and watching television. Nevertheless, I was thankful to be able to be pregnant.  It is a true blessing to be able to bring life into this world!

In the first trimester, my diabetes was a bit crazy in the sense that I would experience a ton more LOWS.  This is due to the fact that my body was taking SO much of my food and energy to grow this little being, that it was causing many more lows.  I could jump up and down for 5 minutes and my blood sugar would drop 20 points!  It was crazy!  Not only that, but I could eat more freely without using as much insulin.

Second trimester definitely was better.  I was actually able to eat and go on walks!  What a difference!  It was a amazing.  I could eat full meals and not feel sick!  I was also hungry a lot more – I needed to eat every 2-3 hours or my stomach would actually grumble! Not only that but my blood sugars were a bit more stable.  Yes, I required a bit more insulin, but it wasn’t too drastic at the time.

Now being in my third trimester, things are getting a little crazy!  29 Weeks.  WHOA time flies!  It is still surreal…. I’m definitely popping out now and am feeling a tiny bit more uncomfortable.  Appetite isn’t quite as strong as some would think but it is about normal.  Little things like… trying to bend properly, or get out of bed has been a bit of adjustment as well!  Sometime I feel a limb near my ribs which makes it difficult to sit up right away, and therefore, I perform the ever-so graceful ‘roll’ out of bed.  Literally!  Sleeping on my back is no longer an option for more than 15 minutes – maybe?  Clothes are not fitting so well, as you can imagine!  Leggings and stretchy clothing = savior.

Anyway, I apologize to all of you for not cooking and posting as much as normal.  I haven’t been the best chef lately as my appetite seems to come and go.  However, I will be posting more soon!

 

Stay tuned and thank you for reading 🙂

 


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Crockpot Ham & Lentil Soup


Soup season is upon us!  Thank goodness because I LOVE soup!

Yesterday, made a hearty soup for dinner in our crockpot.  I started to make the broth on Monday evening, and then, added the veggies etc. on Tuesday morning.  It was a hit!

To make the broth you will need the following ingredients:

1 Ham hock

1 Large onion

1 Celery Stalk

1 Apple (halved)

1/2 Lemon

2 Sprigs of Rosemary

2 Sprigs of Thyme

1 Bay leaf

1/2 Cup chives/green onion – left in large pieces

2 1/2 Cups red wine

2 Tablespoons of minced garlic

Directions:

  1.  Rinse ham hock – I realize this sounds strange, but it also helps in getting the salt off!
  2. Put all ingredients in a crockpot on low for 10-12 hours.
  3. When completed, discard whole pieces of herbs, and any bones.
  4. Leave that crockpot going on low – you’ll be adding more ingredients!

To complete the soup you’ll need:

3 Cups Lentils

3 Celery stalks – chopped into 3/4in pieces

2 carrots – chopped

3 Cups pearl onions

2 cups frozen peas

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

Directions:

  1.  First add all veggies that are NOT frozen to crockpot and leave on low.  I did this around 6:30am and then left for work.
  2. When I got home from work around 5:30pm, I turned the crockpot on high and then added all frozen ingredients.  If you need more liquid, I add vegetable stock.
  3. Let simmer for an hour and a half.  If you are very, very hungry, transfer all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil then simmer for 35 minutes.
  4. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Enjoy!


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A Diabetic’s Dilemma – Weight Loss vs. Insulin


Anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight in their life can tell you that it’s not easy.  Anyone who’s diabetic can also tell you that weight loss is a constant struggle.

Taking insulin is a major component of what prevents us diabetics from losing weight.  For type 1 diabetics such as myself, we are provided with a sliding scale that best suits us.  However, little does anyone tell you, that your sliding scale varies not only day by day, but hour by hour.  What does this mean?  For example, if you’re a person who exercises once a day for an hour each day, five days a week, and eats the same foods each meal, then sure – your sliding scale may be the same.  But who does that?  No one that I know.  So what exactly are the variables that create such differences in our sliding scale?

  1. Foods Consumed – The obvious one.  Fattier foods such as beef, butter, donuts, cheeses etc. will create a major increase in our blood glucose (BG) levels over a long period of time.  This can range anywhere from 8 hours to 24 hours later depending on how fast it is digested.  This is also where the glycemic index of foods come in handy.  Of course, the amount is also a factor here.  Not eating enough could lead to low levels/hypoglycemia.

glycemic-index-chart

2.  Exercise – the amount of time you exercise as well as the type of exercise.  Cardiovascular exercise will decrease your blood sugar more rapidly than strength training.  Strength training will immediately increase your blood glucose due to your muscles needing energy for the work they are doing, but then decrease over a longer period of time.  Normally if I do any strength training, I will follow this up with 15-20 minutes of cardio to help bring the blood glucose down.

3.  Stress – Yes, we all know stress always seems to work against us mentally and physically!  When stressed, my blood sugar is 10-15 points higher overall!  This makes a huge difference!

4.  Hydration – Drinking enough water is so important!  If I’m dehydrated, my blood sugar spikes more often, and for longer periods of time.  I literally have to set my phone to remind me to drink water sometimes, but it is a must!

5.  That ‘Female’ Thing – But of course this wouldn’t help a diabetic’s blood glucose!  Hormones never seem to work in our favor.  Not only is my body temperature higher, but my blood glucose is at least 10 points higher during this time.

6.  Sickness – When sick, my blood sugar can stay high for longer periods of time, especially when I have a fever.  It is actually very, very scary when you do everything you can to keep your levels down but don’t see any results.

So as you can see, all of these vary on a daily basis.  This would mean that a person could have many different sliding scales in a given day.  Often times, if we keep the same sliding scale over a large period of time, and with life factors that are constantly changing, we could very well be taking more or less insulin than needed.  By taking more, your body stores this as fat.  And fat is not my friend.

It is true, that I may never have a perfect sliding scale to accommodate my lifestyle.  However, I have heard of studies about a fake pancreas which would be amazing.  Other than that, us diabetics are kind of screwed.  There is never such thing as perfect sliding scale, and therefore, we are constantly battling weight loss in some way, shape or form!


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Noteworthy Restaurant: Lolinda in San Francisco


 Sorry the photo is a little blurry – in all honesty I was trying to take the picture as fast as I could because I literally couldn’t wait to dig into this hunk of meat!  

Well folks, here we have the New York Steak, perfectly charred and juicy with a side of their Chimichurri sauce and bread.  I’m not joking, I practically ate the entire plate. It was so good! The chimichurri sauce was delicious with it – simple and tasty.  Unfortunately, I also failed to take photos of the sides. The sides are family style and rather small portions. We ordered the beef empanadas, corn empanadas, vegetable pie, potatoes, pork belly, and an artichoke. All were delicious! The winners for me were the empanadas and pork belly. 

Nothing you see here is outrageously unhealthy. I ate one piece of bread, stole the hubby’s tomato and enjoyed every bite. If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse, this is said to be a much higher caliber of meat, and a higher overall quality meal. This is not a place that you’d go to when you don’t feel like cooking, but it is a place you MUST check out if you can. 
Additionally, they have two bars inside – one upstairs and one downstairs. The bartenders are awesome and will make you anything BUT your average gin and tonic. There is also a rooftop bar, and to enter, it is on the left side of the main entrance of Lolinda. 
Lolinda 

2518 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

http://www.yelp.com/biz/lolinda-san-francisco


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Dexcom – Continuous Glucose Monitor Trial


As of yesterday, I am trying out a continuous glucose monitor called Dexcom.  

So far:

It’s easy to apply. 

Not large and bulky. 

Accurate. 

I love that there’s a small hand-held devise. 

Easy to navigate.

You can enter in your exercise, carbohydrates, and insulin dosages!

And fascinating! 

I love that I can monitor myself at any point in time. I believe it will really keep me on track on a daily basis and well into the future!  I will most likely be making this purchase after the trial period 🙂 

  

  


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Yummy Cooking Oil!


So today I was perusing through Grocery Outlet to see what they had…. It has been over a year since I’ve been in there and they have stepped up their game!

Coconut oil, coconut flower, cashew butter, avocado oil and many more organic foods! I was impressed! I also found this Chosen Foods Chosen Oil Blend. I usually use Chosen Foods avocado oil but decided to go with the blend. Check it out!!