Have you jumped on the Lemon Water bandwagon yet? Here are my thoughts...

As I sit here to write my first blog post in a long time (cut me some slack- it's been a busy year!),
I take a sip of a hot mug of lemon water, with a few dashes of cayenne pepper, and sweetened with stevia, and I think to myself: What should I write about?

Then I get a text from a client who is having digestive issues. She isn't the first one this week to ask me for advice on how to get her pumps, well, pumping...

We have all been there, especially this time of year where it is dark and cold. We may not be eating as well or as frequently as we should be. So our bodies stop pumping, and instead hold onto waste. Causing your waist to budge with terrible discomfort.

Now, I have quite a few tricks up my sleeves being a IBS recoverer (who knew there was such a thing?)... but my favorite trick of all, which we can ALL incorporate into our daily lives (even if your pumps are always flowing) is a hot cup of lemon water, with an added bump of the spicy cayenne pepper, and a little sweet touch of stevia.

Who doesn't want to sip on something warm when it is single digit temperatures outside and the wind is whipping so hard that it makes you wonder, "why the hell did I buy a house in New Jersey?" At least that's my thought.... Added bonus-- it keeps you warm! So warm that you may even start to believe you are living in the Virgin Islands.. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration- but sounds nice, doesn't it?

I am sure you have seen in the magazines, on Dr. Oz, Jennifer Anniston swears by it (and who doesn't want to look like her?),  everyone  is swearing off their cup of coffee for lemon water.
Guilty...
However, I was doing it before it was a trend-- and yes it did help me kick my horrendous pot-a-day coffee addiction.

So here are a few more reasons why I love, love, love this drink, and why I have suggested all my constipated and non constipated clients and friends drink it:

1.) It detoxifies-- this goes along with the constipation problem (see above). But seriously, lemon water will help flush out toxins and waste. Drink it first thing in the a.m., before that P90X workout. I mean, it sucksssss to workout when clogged up.

2.) It wakes you up and energizes you (all hours of the day). Six a.m. workout- you got this! Three p.m. slump-- get that water brewing, and start squeezing!

3.) Immunity-- Bring it, Flu Season! This drink is LOADED with vitamins-- particularly vitamin C.
In addition, it has calcium, potassium, magnesium, and pectin fiber along with antibacterial properties which will keep you healthy all winter long.

4.) It will help you kick that exhausting caffeine addiction and save money from not having to buy coffee and tea. (see #2 ;) )

5.) Suppresses hunger AND helps you lose weight. Enough said, this should have been #1...

6.) You will look younger-- that's a result of hydration, and vitamin C. It nourishes from within-- leaving you with a gorgeous glow. Less wrinkles, less pimples, beau-ti-ful! (if only real food had commercials....)

7.) Helps ease aches by dissolving uric acid which helps with inflammation, all while replenishing body salts to help with those sore muscles from that kick ass workout you completed this morning.

8.) With that advernturous dash of cayenne pepper, you intensify all of the benefits from the lemon: Detoxifying, energizing, antibacterial, anti-fungal, immunizes, digestion and weigh-loss booster. The list goes on and you get so much more bang for your buck.

Try it, and then let me know what you think in the comments below!

Love & Health (....and happy excretion ;) )
A

The Power of Coping

Here's the thing with pain and sorrow... we all deal with it differently. 

For some of us, we are built to be resilient. Those are the ones who hardly cry, at least not in front of us. The ones who everyone else turns to for strength. They are the rocks of the world. The ones who keep the world from crumbling to pieces. I am married to my rock.

Some of us have to work really hard to keep it under control. 
And then, some of us can't. 

I am not naturally a strong person. I am strong because I work really, really hard to make myself this way. It is not in my blood, but I see where I could end up if I don't take control.

It is an everyday effort. Anyone who has ever suffered from a loss knows that at any moment you can be flooded with emotions. These emotions are not easy to control, and nor should you all of the time. It is good to cry.

So I cry... and then I pray. As I begin to pray, I immediately give thanks. 

Yes, I give thanks. 

No matter what happened, I know deep in my heart that there was a reason for it. I am grateful that this has made me stronger. It has made kinder. It has made me want to be a mother more than ever. I am grateful for my little angel. For the short 15-weeks that she was growing inside of me, she changed my life.  I feel more alive than ever. 

Our 1-Year-Anniversary, Asbury Park, NJ

The most rewarding part is that I never knew I could love my husband anymore than I did before, but I do. Going through such a challenge together can either make or break your relationship. I am so grateful that it made my relationship so much stronger. I don't know what I would do without my rock, and for that I am forever grateful.

John and I celebrated our 1-year wedding anniversary last Sunday. Just like I did on our wedding day, I felt like the luckiest girl alive. It amazes me how much we have been through in our first year of marriage. It amazes me how much I love him.

If you have read my posts before, you know I am a strong believer in homeopathy, as it has helped me with my health in so many ways. 

When we first received the blood work results that the baby had a high chance of having Trisomy-18, I was distraught. I could not even speak without completely breaking down. I felt like my entire body was collapsing. After going three days like this, and unable to hold a conversation with anyone, I went to see my Chiropractor/ Homeopath. When I began telling him what had happened, he pointed out my breathing. I was taking huge gulps of air in between every few words, fighting to hold it together and to communicate what I needed to say. He immediately recommended I take Bach Relax Serum, and Ignatia. Bach is that product that everyone should carry around in their purse. It is the flower essence for anxiety and stress. It is my happy serum, and it's all natural. Ignatia is used for this exact situation, stress. The two helped to calm me down just enough so I could think rationally, and begin putting my coping skills to use. After we loss the baby, he suggested I add adrenal drops and Sepia. The addition of the two helped balance my hormones and provide my body and mind the opportunity to heal.

Sometimes when we go through sorrow, we are in so much pain that we forget what we can do to help ourselves. All it takes is someone reminding us. I am so grateful that my doctor gave me the push I needed, and so I followed his suggestions, and then I was able to do what I know best: meditate, run, and write.

Wise Fortune Cookie- Wise Hubby :)

Every morning I start my day with giving thanks. It really helps put into perspective all that is important and good in my life.

 After I give thanks, I go downstairs and I meditate. Meditation has helped me deal with so much heartache. It has taught me how to breathe, clear my mind of worry, and live in the moment. It has transformed me from a high anxiety perfectionist, to a calm, easy going person.  I am currently doing Deepak Chopra's guided Abundance meditations. The mediations have been another catalyst in helping me to recognize all of the abundance in my life. As Deepak Chopra says in day 1, "Today I behold all of the abundance that surrounds me..." regardless of what we are going through, there is still so many wonderful things to be grateful for.

As I mentioned in  my last post, writing has always been an outlet for me. Writing that last blog post gave me so much strength and so much joy in a time of sorrow. It is because of you, my readers, who reached out to me through private messages, and Facebook posts, that really gave me a sense of pride and power. You gave me strength. That day was the first day I felt happy. Your stories and words of encouragement, really touched me. I know I am not alone. Thank you.

It is so wonderful to see how many people come through for you when you go through something like this. Now that is something to be grateful for.

Ella after our run in the woods, she is the BEST running partner!

Sometimes when we deal with pain, we feel like our bodies are going to explode if we don't punch something. The best thing to do is to release this energy.  No, I am not suggesting for you to punch your husband or the walls... but pushing your body to exercise everyday. I am pushing myself harder than ever, and running is my drug. I prefer not to do it alone, as being alone can often be hard when you are vulnerable. My husband is waking up early every morning with me to do an intense 30 minute P90X3 workout. Working out together and releasing that energy together, makes us both more calm, and it releases those feel good endorphins. We start our day feeling accomplished, and knowing that now we have more time after work for each other.  Since John works later than I do, I take that time to bring Ella, my fur-child, for a run in  the woods. I find that when I am alone and bored, is when I am flooded with those sad emotions. The combination of running and being immersed in nature, makes me feel so powerful and so grateful for that power. Running has saved me many times in the past, and it has yet to disappoint. Running with my best friend, couldn't bring me or her any more joy!

... and my walls, and husband, are all intact.

I know I will never forget my baby. It was a painful 15 weeks, but I wouldn't change a thing. I now have a little angel in heaven, and I can't wait to one day meet her and hold her in my arms. She has given me strength, and I am so grateful for that.

I hope this post finds others who trying to cope with loss. Just know that you are not alone. With time, and with a little self-love, you will get through this. You just have to take control and do what you need to do for yourself. 

With love, gratitude, and strength <3

How I got pregnant with PCOS, and how I am healing after the loss...

Writing has always been a positive outlet for me... and in time of loss, this is something I know I have to share with whoever is willing to read...

I do not intent to focus this post on the loss of our first child, but rather on HOW I got pregnant.

As some of you may know from my past blog posts, I was diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and at the age of twenty-five, I was infertile.  By a miracle, or the miracle of nutrition and homeopathy, we naturally conceived.

So, I am taking a sad experience, and turning it into pure positivity. There is so much I am grateful for right now, and just getting pregnant takes the cake.  After such a terrible loss, it is hard for us to recover and come out of that dark hole, I am writing my way out of this hole in hopes to help at least one person. With the help of nutrition and homeopathy, I am healing both physically and emotionally.

 The story begins where I left off on my last post, a little less than year ago: my experimentation with calcium. Shortly after that post, I discovered (or my extremely research savvy sister, Lauren aka Ginger discovered) a supplement called Vitex. Vitex may in fact be THE natural cure for hormonal imbalances, like infertility. If you want to read more detail on what Vitex is, a great source can be found here.

Vitex comes from a beautiful purple plant from Greece and Italy. My personal favorite color, representing royalty! 

After doing much of my own research on Vitex, I thought, what do I have to lose? So I purchased Vitex as a extract from amazon.com (for a very reasonable price, mind you, as compared to in stores). 

On July 16th (yes I keep track of exact dates! It's what us infertile women do) I began taking one-full tincture of vitex directly under my tongue (quickest way to the bloom stream), one time a day. After about one month I added a second dose later in the day. 

Now as you may already know with natural and homeopathic remedies, the cure is not immediate, and you must be patient. Remember that these remedies are fixing imbalances in your body, this takes time! Where compared to modern medicine (which I do no oppose to, there is a time when modern medicine is absolutely necessary, and it is important to know when!) the cure is often right away, as the imbalance is not particularly fixed, but blanketed (reasons why once you begin many medications, you are on them for life... and if you stop the problem can very likely occur again). 

So like I was saying... I did not see immediate results.

However, I did begin to notice my mood changing for the better (with PCOS we can often be a little moody, thank you hormones!) and I began having less break outs on my face. 

Two months later, on September 13th, I got my period... and it was a  pretty normal period, or what I remember normal being like (remember that I did go almost 2 years without one!) Then, two months after that, in November, I got my period again! Finally, a little over a month later, at the end of December, it was back! By this point, I would consider my periods rather regular in just a few months after beginning Vitex.

Of course when the end of January came around, I was disappointed that I did not get my period, a sign that most women, or at least those with regular periods, would assume meant they were knocked up... but when you go years without a period, and then random months of getting one, you don't think much of a missed period. I of course just figured my PCOS was not done with me yet! 

About a week later I began getting symptoms which I thought at the time meant my period was indeed approaching (swollen boobs, fatigue, hunger, feeling dehydrated...) but after two weeks of that, and still no period, my husband insisted I take a pregnancy test. In my mind, regardless of all the things I have been doing to reverse my infertility, I did not think it was possible that I could be pregnant. So I did what my husband asked, and lo and behold, I was indeed pregnant! We could not have been any happier...

My pregnancy was very normal, I was sick as a dog (and hating everyone who told me that they never suffered from morning, or what I call ALL DAY sickness-- who was the jerk who decided to call it "Morning Sickness" anyway?), and the loss of our baby had absolutely nothing to do with my PCOS. But rather the very rare occurrence that can happen in fertilization, where either the egg or the sperm picked up an extra chromosome, in our case it was the chormosome 18. The results were that our baby had a fatal abnormality called Trisomy 18. We were unfortunately dealt a very challenging hand... but are grateful that we did the genetic testing, and were prepared for the loss of our baby. 

It has only been a few days since we lost our first child, and I can honestly say that time heals all things, and that I am not great... how could I be? But, given the situation, I am doing okay and getting stronger everyday, thanks to the support and love of my family, friends, and colleagues, and also with the assistance of my homeopath who helped me to begin healing before the baby even passed. I would like to save that post for another time, so please check in in about a week for a post about healing naturally after a loss.

Thank you for reading my blog, and for all of the love and support. Writing this post is one more step to my healing-- and I hope with all of my heart that this post reaches someone who has fertility issues, and like me, does not want to take fertility drugs... and that she too can find success.

With so much love <3 

Calcium and PCOS

Just six weeks ago I married the man of my dreams, on a rainy, yet magical day. Simply the best day of my life, so far! My husband and I have been together since we were kids, and he willingly entered this marriage knowing that we may never have kids of our own. This unfortunately is not a personal choice, but rather the hand I have been dealt with in my stack of genes I was given.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 6.7 million women are infertile or unable to carry to full term. My mom, back in the late 70's and 80's was one of these women, however back then they did not have a name for it. My mom had too many miscarriages including a stillborn, but she somehow managed to have three healthy children.  The question for me is, am I strong enough to go through what my mother went through to manage to have three children? Is the heartache and disappointment worth it? Sadly enough when I have mentioned this fear to other women, the response I get is, "Everyone has a miscarriage, it is no big deal these days." Wow... this where we really are today? In a world where our technological advances have surpassed what we could previously have imagined...

Thankfully, my husband and I are in no rush to have little ones running around (sorry Lauren ;), however we do know that eventually we do want kids. Since being diagnosed with PCOS, I have begun experimenting with many holistic treatments, supplements, and alterations in my diet. Most of all, I have had to become extremely in tune with what my body wants and needs. Today, I am putting the puzzle pieces together and constantly making changes... I will find out how to cure my PCOS by getting down to the root cause, and I will share all the information I have with as many people as possible, because I can't stop thinking about how sad it is that in 2013, miscarriages "happen to everyone".

When I became vegan, I read many books and articles that claimed that I do not need Calcium supplements, and rather the white beans and collard greens I eat, will provide sufficient amounts. So, I finished off my supplements, and stopped taking calcium. Around the same time, I greatly decreased my protein intake, and increased my carbohydrate (much being gluten) intake. A few months later I gained weight, and suddenly had acne, and no period... (Giving up gluten was a different story).

This past March, I was home from work on Spring Break, and catching up on an episode of The Dr. Oz Show. Dr. Oz briefly mentioned the importance of taking Calcium (with magnesium) to not only build strong bones, but enable hormone secretion and help you lose weight. As I researched this a little more, I did indeed find that there is a connection between calcium and PCOS... could perhaps my lack of calcium have caused my infertility?

Calcium Magnesium by Bluebonnet

Around the same time, I had a major sugar binge...it was my birthday and my bridal shower month- and as a good hubs-to-be, he bought me gluten free, vegan cupcakes from my favorite bakery, Papa Ganache. During this binge, and by binge I don't necessarily mean I housed a dozen cupcakes, but I ate enough to cause my brain to crave the sugar ever day and cause fluctuations in my mood. My homeopath suggested I begin taking Chromium supplements which aid in managing blood sugar and insulin resistance...

Pretty delicious looking....

Two days later, I got my period... first time in 4 months. Oh, and a major plus, I quickly lost that 5lbs I have been working very hard to loose. Could it be that the Chromium supplements and reintroducing Calcium have caused my symptoms of PCOS to dissipate?

So, here is where the experimentation occurs... I ran out of my Calcium supplements and forgot to purchase more (with the wedding and all!).  The following month, no period, and the weight returned.

I recently reordered my Calcium supplements, and am hoping for the best. Let me remind you that I do not eat dairy, and although I eat buckets of leafy green vegetables, I do not believe that MY body was getting enough calcium that it needed. Your body is your temple, and you must listen to what your body needs. We are all different, and one size does not necessarily fit all. If you are like me, a healthy-as-can-be, young girl, who has been diagnosed with a disease, whether it be PCOS or any other disease, you need to really listen to your body and figure out what is that YOUR body needs. I was having tingles in my limbs for years-- a sign of low calcium, and a sign that my doctors overlooked. Could it be that the tingling, lack of period, acne, and weight gain were not just signs that my ovaries were loaded with cysts, but the cause of all of this was low calcium?

With something to think about...

Stress less, love often, and listen to your body <3

The Year to Blossom...

It is finally time to say goodbye to the year 2012! I think we can all agree that 2012 was a year filled with lots of change, and unfortunately, sorrow. I don't need to recount the amount of sorrow, us as a nation, as beings, has experienced this year, but I do need to note that through it all, we had each other.  

I thought the "change" of the year was over for me-- from a new home, new job, new disease, the loss of my favorite town, loss of my woods, until two days ago, when we put my dog, who I had since I was 11-years-old, to rest.

The worst thing about sorrow, is that, as humans, we have a brilliant tool, the brain. This tool can vividly replay images,  putting the rest of your body, particularly your heart, through the same emotional turmoil that you felt when the experience initially occurred. You have a battle in your head, about what should have been done/said, between the rational side that is trying to make things better: This was meant to be. It had to be done. She is in a better place now...

For anyone who has ever lost a pet, you understand the unspeakable bond you and your furry friend have. An unspeakable bond that no human can replace. As humans, we can learn a thing or two from animals. They become our best friends, just simply by being there and comforting us-- without a single word. Our souls communicate on a level that we cannot even begin to wrap our brilliant mind around. On a level, that forever leaves a mark. They don't obsess over work, how they look, what others think, but rather all they really care about is spending time with you.

As 2012 comes to a close, and the year of my wedding approaches, I have one important promise to make to myself-- to be more like my dog. If 2012 has taught me anything, it is that life is unexpected, and too short. We go day by day with our rigid routines, obsessing and perfecting things that, perhaps don't really matter. I watched a video today and it asked a good question, which sparked my desire to begin writing this blog: If you could do anything, and money wasn't an issue, what would it be? To travel? Help children? Protect animals? Or perhaps spend time with the people you love?  Being there for the ones you love? Making memories. Enjoying this life that we have...

This year, I resolve to be more like my furry best friend, and spend less time obsessing and perfecting my work, my body, my food-- and sitting back, relaxing, and being present and grateful for what really matters most in my world.

So as we say goodbye to 2012,  I leave you with this thought for the new year: 

With change

comes growth.

It is time to blossom.

Be love, be grateful, and just be.

Here's to a better year for us all <3

Primary Foods: Career and Health

For the past two years I was stuck in a rut. I was working from 8-3 (not bad!) as a preschool teacher in a public school. How bad could things really  be? At the time, I did not realize that my unhappiness with my job position, regardless of the pay and benefits, was causing me serious health issues.

Within my first 6 months as a preschool teacher, I gained about 10lbs, for the first time in my life I had acne, and my period vanished.  There was no real obvious cause for all of these issues, I was a vegan, I exercised 5-6 days a week, I meditated, and my home life was perfect... Except the fact that I was under constant stress during my 7 hour work day.

Don't get me wrong, preschool aged children are wonderful!! I miss my class every day. But being in charge of fifteen 3-year-olds, is a game of constant behavior management. I give tremendous credit to anyone who teaches younger children!

Fast forward to today, October 1st. It was two years ago, this week, that I was officially hired as a full time teacher under the state of New Jersey. Today, I am no longer teaching preschool...

For two years I thought I had made a bad decision going into teaching... I was angry at myself for not going with my gut and studying psychology.  Today, I no longer feel this regret.

In September, I was asked to return to the same building I had been working in, but this time as a 3rd grade teacher. As nervous as I was, I knew that this may be my cure.  It has been a month of teaching 3rd grade, and I don't remember the last time I was this happy.

My days are longer (7am to at least 5pm), and I bring work home at night, and spend Sundays planning... but I am not complaining. I absolutely love what I do!  My students are 8 and 9-years-old.  They are amazing, eagerly learning new things everyday.

At this age I know I can really be impressionable, and make a difference in the lives of my favorite type of people-- the little ones. In between math and reading, while drinking my green smoothie (which they are all so curious about), I like to throw in a few facts about healthy habits-- and they listen and understand! Last week, the music teacher asked the students to share something about themselves.  I almost cried when about 15 of my 21 students stated that their favorite food was some type of vegetable!

This was me, during their music lesson :)

With all of this happiness, I have lost most of that weight gain, my skin has cleared up, I am full of energy-- running more than ever, and I cannot stop smiling. In this case, I am proof that diet and exercise, alone, will not make you healthy and happy.  There is a BIG thing I like to call our "primary foods", our relationships, spirituality, our career.  Food is secondary....
I am finally in balance.

With something to think about :)

<3, Amanda

Looking forward:
Next blog post-- Welcome to Pumpkin season!! Oh the recipes I will be sharing ;)

You can do whatever you set your mind to!

Hello Spartans,

It has been a wild month, where I have been dancing with change! This past month I not only accepted an offer to teach 3rd grade (after three years teaching pre-k), but I also challenged my body in a way I have NEVER before. So, Thursday I excitedly completed my first day as a 3rd grade teacher (and LOVED it), and Saturday I completed an 11 mile, 30 obstacle, Super Spartan Race at Moutain Creek, New Jersey.

These two challenges, were possibly the hardest things I have ever accomplished.  For those of you who are teachers, or parents, you know that teaching is no joke. With 35+ hours on classroom preparation, and then 12 hour work days preparing lessons... Whew! I applaud ALL of the teachers out there, and certainly have a much higher respect for the teachers I had growing up.

The Super Spartan Race challenged every cell of my body.  We climbed up the mountain at 1,000ft vertical climb THREE times... and that does not even count the obstacles. I, Miss Afraid of Heights, jumped off a CLIFF! Wow was that invigorating! Oh, and then climbed another 1,000 ft vertically...

Although these two challenges are very different, they are equally the same... and with change and challenges comes emotions....

Friday, after working 12.5 hr (yep you read that right), I was beginning to come down from my endorphin high (which we often experience in change). I was ready to quit, and give up all of the training I had done for the Spartan Race (which was the next morning).  I had run 4 times a week, 6+ miles on hills in the woods, and did P90x2 videos 3x a week.  This training gave me the STRENGTH and CONFIDENCE to get my foot in the door and be a 3rd grade teacher... So, thankfully my wonderful teammate, my fiance, John, made sure I did not give up (and let his money go to waste ;) He gave me the boost, literally, that I needed to complete the race.

Team work :)

And we finished!!

During the Super Spartan Race, I fought with my ego and my fear.  Having a bit fear of heights made me want to run home, and avoid the cliff jump, and the 1,000ft vertical climb up the mountain (did I mention we did that 3 times?) But, a little voice in my head kept me going: "I can do this, I can do anything I sent my mind on, I am a woman, I am powerful, I am strong, I got this." And so, I got through the 11 miles, 3,000ft vertical climb, cliff jump, and 29 other obstacles including crawling through mud under barbwire, in a rather unimpressive time-- BUT I did it!

In the end, my body was sore from head to toe... I cried while waiting for my delicious dinner from Good Karma Cafe (Prefect vegan recovery meal: Live Kale Salad, Love Bowl with Tempeh, and Live Lemonade), and then, had the giggles harder than I have had in a LONG time. Strange experience, however, I think that it is proof that I pushed my body unbelievably hard, and survived. I did it!

Grrr!!

Footwear: Vibrams
Pre-workout smoothie: Sunwarrior, 1 banana, coconut water, 1tsp. wheatgrass, 1 tbs. chia seeds, 1tbs. flaxseed, 1tsp. bee pollen, 1 tsp. maca powder

BTW, I attribute my vegan diet for my quick recovery: Out of everyone I raced with, I was the only one who was not sore the next day, and even ran 7mi the day after that! Vegan IS power!

Until next time you crazy challengers <3