Trim Healthy Parisienne Farmgirl???

So...
I bet you know someone who is on the Trim Healthy Mama diet thing.

I know a good handful.  They are shrinking.  Seriously shrinking.  And so, though full of suspicions since I have my last batch of weight to lose I thought I would download the e-book and see what the fuss was about.   (DON'T bother.  I asked for my money back.   The e-book is not user friendly.  My sister bought the actual book and she loves it.)

You know I am NOT a dieter.

I believe strictly in a whole foods diet.  Or better stated an "old fashioned" "can you make it yourself" diet.  I've seen people on THM start shopping for low carb this, low carb that and stevia, stevia, stevia.  It seems so fadish.  And stevia freaked me out.  It just seems weird.  What's wrong with a little sugar every once and awhile? 

Well, I skimmed the book.  Learned a bit.  I had always wondered if some of my favorite foods were being converted to sugar... leaving it VERY difficult for me to lose the last bit of weight.

So, I'm giving it a try - sort of - I don't really have a desire to learn a bunch of new recipes with substitute ingredients or weird stuff I have to go to a bunch of different stores to get.  I rather LIKE the way we eat, I like my own recipes and frankly for the most part the recipes look gross unless you start using food that you have to BUY and can't make yourself (stevia, Dreamfield's pasta, Laughing Cow cheese, Whey powder, etc.)  I know Mercola says Stevia is OK but I just can't get over how it creeps me out.  And to add to it, I've noticed it doesn't settle well with me.  It gives me serious cotton mouth, a sore throat and diarrhea.  I won't be buying it again. 

THM has helped me understand some things about my hormones, given me a better understanding of how a good portion of my daily food was being converted to sugar and I did lose six pounds in about a week.  (WHAT?!)

But I am still really skeptical.  Not that it "doesn't work" but just that it's a diet.  A mon avis.   It's not REAL eating.  A mon avis.  I mean I can't have my homemade pasta with my homemade pasta sauce???  No honey on my toast?  It seems strange that they refer to the Bible for their ideas about food but then they poo-poo honey.  Honey is all over the place in the Bible.

I will still apply some of what I learned because hey- six pounds in a week after a four month plateau - that really got my attention!   But I am not down with a bunch of cauliflower pizza crusts, low carb, processed tortillas and all that.  Eww.  I don't mind incorporating what I learned but I'll do it my way.  Mais bien sur.   I have to be pragmatic too - I sure won't be making separate meals for me.  Because it's VERY IMPORTANT to me that my daughters don't think "mom eats a special way" or that "momma is obsessed with loosing weight, measuring food, denying herself butter while we all enjoy it" -- they are told that I work out to "be strong" -- I NEVER grumble about wanting to lose a couple pounds in front of them.  All they know about is HEALTH.  They will NOT grow up to be terrified of food or thinking at ten years old that their thighs are fat.
And for the love of my skinny jeans - I don't want to talk about if some meal is an "s" or an "e" when we sit down at a meal.  That is 99% of the reason I don't subscribe to the latest diet trends (South Beach, Atkins, Paleo, etc) because it leads to neurotic dinner time conversations that no self respecting Parisienne would ever have.  One should be concerned with the quality, taste and art behind ones food - not with it's carb or fat content.

So, what do you think?  Are you a Trim Healthy Mama?  If you are, do you see what I am saying or did I just pick a fight with my own Mama, Sister and half of Blogland?  I'm gonna still tinker with it - I was unknowingly eating WAY too many things that convert to sugar in one sitting.  Sugar is a breeding ground for cancer.  So, no special foods.  Less sugar.  And I am eating a LOT more food than I was so it's refreshing to not be constantly thinking "is this meal going to sabotage my workout".  But with my luck everyone will lose fifty pounds and I will be standing around with my self-righteous opinions about stevia.  HA!!

But hey - at least I can eat my homemade pasta and sauce :)

I would say, if you are interested in health - read Nourishing Traditions FIRST ad THM second and incorporate THM into your families Nourishing Traditions.



I'll keep you updated.
Angela
-Parisienne Farmgirl

MSG Poisoning - Our Scary Story!

So, remember when I was trying to do a post on health every week?  52 Weeks?  

Ugh.  I hate it when I can't stick to my own ideas.  Alas, I find motherhood always calls.  I have a post written in my drafts about MSG but I think this one will scare you into avoiding it more than my original idea.

We went out for dinner yesterday.  Lunch rather, after meeting up with my sister, her hubby and my niece at Home Depot.  

We never go out to eat.  
Seriously. 
Never.
 
There is a fun place in the Chicago suburbs; dark, cozy, good burgers and the kids love it.  As we sat down my sister and I made snarky conversation pretending to ask the waitress if their beef was grass-fed and organic, Yeah, cause we won't eat conventional beef or GMO filled beer... but we'll mow on your MSG laced popcorn all afternoon.  I joked.  My sister bursting into laughter.

Turns out.  Not so funny.

We got home, spent the evening as a family and commenced the tuck-in hour during which I began to feel dizzy, just slightly; so that I wondered if I was imagining things.  But it began to get worse.  I almost asked the family if they thought there was an earthquake.  Then I felt a flutter in my heart as I leaned over the baby to change her diaper but again, I brushed it off and thought, Surely my heart did not not have a palpitation.  I must really be imagining things.  Then I noticed I was stumbling as I walked.  I then actually tumbled down in the hall way.  Not a hard fall, but I ended up on the floor.  I went into Aidan's room where all the action was happening and told them what was up.  Joel confessed he felt a little weird but he didn't expand on it.  It was just so odd and I expected it to go away at any second.  I then laid down with the baby to nurse and the room began to spin.  Like when you are drunk.  (Yes, sadly, I've been drunk.)  Seriously.  The chandelier was just zooming by over and over again.  I laid very still, praying for it to stop and nursed her into oblivion.  Then I went back into the kids' quarters to pick out the next day's clothes and kiss them goodnight.  I felt a little better but standing at the girl's closet I felt it again.  I stumbled over to their beds and quickly sang and kissed them goodnight.  I fell over onto Juliette's bed and began to get a bit nervous.  I scared Amélie.  What the heck was wrong with me?  

The baby woke up so I went back into her and again the ceiling just went round and round in circles.  It was a ride and I wanted OFF.

Finally everyone was asleep and Joel went with me down the stairs.  I went to the couch and slumped down and things began to get worse.  The room wobbled and my legs got really heavy.  My arms did not want to function, my heart fluttered again in my chest and I slouched over, very tired, to one side.  I actually had the thought, I wonder if I am going to die?  Joel then told me that when he woke up from snuggling with the boys he laid there thinking he was going to have a panic attack.  He said he could hear his heart in his ears and his hands were swollen.  He had pressure across his forehead.  He took my pulse which was barely there and then would surge.

What the hell was going on?

We prayed for each other and Joel asked, Do you think it's something we ate?  As he got up to dial my sister to see how they felt I exclaimed, The popcorn!  That popcorn had to be covered in MSG ridden flavoring.  They served it before the food and we ALL munched on it.  I noticed while sitting at the table that there was this goober on the roof I my mouth.  It was so disturbing that I stuck my finger in there and scraped my nail across the roof of my mouth to get rid of it.  I mentioned this to Joel as he began to google "MSG poisoning" and he said he did the SAME thing!  

My sister said they felt fine but she confessed that perhaps it's because they go out to eat a lot more than we do.  Perhaps they were more used to it or not as sensitive.

Joel found a list of MSG poisoning symptoms.  Here's what we read on NaturalNews.com:
The following are some of the symptoms you may develop from eating food laced with MSG. Headaches, numbness, dizziness, burning sensations in the neck and chest, tingling nausea, palpitations, elevated blood pressure, difficulty breathing, panic attacks, sleepiness, depression, confusion, cognitive disorder, and food cravings are common symptoms for sensitive people.


I have always noticed my heart racing in the middle of the night if I have MSG which is why I avoid it like the plague at all costs.  I don't know why my judgement lapsed so poorly yesterday but I sure paid the price.  


We took the recommended cream of tartar cure and just quietly watched an episode of Sherlock waiting to feel better.  I finally began to drift off and went to bed.  Slightly dizzy.  Joel stayed up.

This morning he felt better.  I was horribly dizzy when I woke up and my face was terribly puffy.  It's now 4:06 and I finally feel like myself with the occasion woosh of disorientation but as fast as it's there, it is gone.  

Our sweet Hoolie woke up in the night twice screaming from neck, face and shoulder pain.  She's only four so we can't figure out if she hurt herself out in the snow yesterday or if she too is suffering the affects of the neurotoxin.

So here's the deal - MSG is in SO MANY THINGS and it doesn't have to be labeled MSG which is why you need to steer clear of so many, dare I say most packaged foods.  MSG is a NEUROTOXIN and is VERY dangerous.  If you suffer from migraines I would ELIMINATE this from your life... I would eliminate it anyways!!!  Here is some information I am cutting and pasting from a post I have in my drafts.  I am sorry - I do not remember the source.  It's probably Mercola.com.  We made these changes years ago which is why I think this time affected us so strongly.

To be on the safe side, you should also know what ingredients to watch out for on packaged foods. Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:

Autolyzed Yeast	Calcium Caseinate	Gelatin
Glutamate	Glutamic Acid	Hydrolyzed Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate	Monosodium Glutamate	Sodium Caseinate
Textured Protein	Yeast Extract	Yeast Food
Yeast Nutrient

       
These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:[10]

Flavors and Flavorings	Seasonings	Natural Flavors and Flavorings	Natural Pork Flavoring	Natural Beef Flavoring
Natural Chicken Flavoring	Soy Sauce	Soy Protein Isolate	Soy Protein	Bouillon
Stock	Broth	Malt Extract	Malt Flavoring	Barley Malt
Anything Enzyme Modified	Carrageenan	Maltodextrin	Pectin	Enzymes
Protease	Corn Starch	Citric Acid	Powdered Milk	Anything Protein Fortified
	Anything Ultra-Pasteurized

One last comment regarding the exposure of infants to processed free glutamic acid (MSG): the presence of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in infant formulas.
We have found that major brands of infant formula, if not all infant formulas, contain some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). The hypoallergenic soy formulas contain very high levels of MSG. See www.truthinlabeling.org/formulacopy.html for further detail.

Look at that list and see if most of your pantry doesn't end up in the trash!  Geesh!  I know this was a long post but I hope it can help you and your family.

Blessings and stay healthy.
Angela,
Parisienne Farmgirl

52 Weeks - Me, The Elitist Food Snob.

Look, I can't stand Michelle Obama or anyone in government telling me what to eat so I suppose it could be a little irritating when I or anyone starts raging on food...

(But my husband isn't in bed with Monsatan while I preach either).

I never mean to be a food snob.  

I KNOW firsthand that feeding your family in an unconventional, healthy way is almost impossible financially for so many- We are talking blue collar income, stay-at-home mom.  We go (FAR) out of our way to do what's best for our family when it comes to what we eat and then yes, we'll call out for pizza when I'm tired.  We're not Nazis for crying out loud.  Frankly, it sucks as everything easy and cheap is also deadly.  I only mean to inspire when I share food advice or "did you know that" information about the food so many people consume.   In this article below Doctor Oz is quoted as called organic food "elitist" - which is so funny cause I sure don't feel elitist when I am covered head to toe in dirt, panting like a seven and a half month pregnant woman while I work in my garden.  I don't feel "elitist" when I cry over food prices these days as I plan our monthly budget.

This article really ticked me off.  I am copying it here for you and it's linked to the original post.

NO.  Organic food is not for snobs.  

YES, you can muddle through feeding your family in a healthy way without shopping at Whole Foods. 

 I've only been there once in my life.  

YES.  This is what it's coming down to.  A, frankly, conspiracy to convince you that crap food won't kill you.  Don't believe me?  Visit Monsanto's blog and see how "American" and "farmy" it is.  

Here's a direct quote:

Producing more.
Conserving more. Improving lives.

That’s sustainable agriculture.
And that’s what Monsanto is all about.

Anyways, I can get off on a tangent when agitated.  Here's the article about the great Harpo's buddy, Doctor Oz...

Click here to visit the original site.

Dr. Oz viciously attacks organic foods and farmers markets, pushes feedlot beef, urges clueless consumers to eat more pesticides and GMO.

Dr. Oz has finally done it: He has sold out to Big Ag by declaring organic foods to be "elitist," "snooty" and no better than conventional foods. The man who once urged Americans to eat organic has sold his soul to the criminally-run food giants in a mind-blowing editorial piece recently published in TIME Magazine.

Look for Dr. Oz to promote GMOs next, as cozying up to Monsanto probably won't be too far behind. The man is already on the record pushing vaccines, talking about how good they are for "public health" while failing to mention that vaccines admittedly contain mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum and MSG.

He's also the same guy who was behind the "RealAge" internet scheme that recruited people into a promotional network where they were barraged by drug-pushing ads from Big Pharma. Dr. Oz also owned a huge number of option shares in a vaccine technology company.

In his TIME Magazine editorial piece, Dr. Oz declares organic foods to be "elitist" and appropriate only for "the 1%." This clever bit of propaganda is designed to try to align conventional foods (i.e. pesticide ridden GMO foods) with the "99%" by making them sound more populist. As if, the "People's food" is pesticides and GMOs, you see.

Does the man have no shame? Is there any corporate poison he won't promote to his viewers?

Oz declares organic food is "not democratic"

"Organic food is great, it's just not very democratic," Dr. Oz declares, as if choosing organic is somehow an affront to America. "You don't need to eat like the 1% to eat healthily," he says. In other words, keep sucking down more GMOs, pesticides, herbicides and chemicals, and you'll be a good little American food slave. Buying organic is anti-American, you're being told.

Dr. Oz's message, of course, has become indistinguishable from that of Monsanto. It's all the same deception: You don't need clean, non-GMO food to be healthy. Keep eating all the conventional crap that poisons you with synthetic chemicals, and you'll be just fine! How about some GMO Corn Flakes for breakfast, even!

Dr. Oz also attacks farmers markets, because he apparently thinks buying local food is a silly waste of time. "Nutritionally speaking, there is little difference between the farmer's-market bounty and the humble brick from the freezer case," he somehow says with a straight face. Oh really? There's no difference between fresh, locally-grown food versus frozen, corporate-produced food trucked in from a thousand miles away? The ignorance of this guy is just flat-out stunning. Does he know nothing about where food comes from and how it is produced?

Dr. Oz: Eat more feedlot beef.

In an even more grotesque sellout to factory foods, Dr. Oz pushes feedlot beef, saying, "Nutritionally, there is not much difference between, say, grass-fed beef and the feedlot variety."

This is just a flat-out lie, of course. There's a huge difference nutritionally between free-range beef and feedlot beef. Feedlot beef, for starters, is raised on genetically modified corn containing BT toxin, while free-range beef has been consistently found to be higher in omega-3 fatty acids. And that doesn't even cover the ethical and environmental differences. In promoting feedlot beef, Dr. Oz positions himself squarely against the environment while also pushing animal cruelty.

Dr Oz has chosen a side, and it's the side of corporate biotech chemical agriculture

Above all, with this piece Dr. Oz has now clearly chosen a side in the realm of food. Betraying his own viewers and readers, he has chosen to jump in bed with Big Ag, Monsanto, chemical pesticide producers, processed food companies and feedlot cattle factories.

As is now self-evident, Dr. Oz has aligned himself AGAINST everything the organic movement stands for: Honest food, local food, free-range meat, avoidance of GMOs, avoidance of synthetic chemicals and so on. His TIME Magazine piece is an insult to all the good people in America who simply want honest food produced without cruelty or chemicals. Dr. Oz calls those people "snooty" and "elitists."

And what does that make him? Oh, now he's the leader of the "populist poison foods movement" that tries to convince the American masses to eat more GMO, more pesticides, more store-bought foods and more feedlot beef, chicken and pork. The food industry must love this guy! (Watch for new sponsorship contracts to fill his pockets with cash right around the corner...)

Dr. Oz makes himself irrelevant to the discussion on food

By joining forces with Monsanto, Bayer and Big Ag, Dr. Oz has now taken a position squarely against organic foods, against farmer's markets, against free-range animals and against non-GMO.

It begs the question: Why pay any attention to Dr. Oz at all anymore? He's just parroting the same corporate lies and deceptions we can just as easily get from the New York Times, or the USDA, or Monsanto itself. By attacking organics, Dr. Oz has just made himself irrelevant to thinking people everywhere.

He's got nothing to say anymore, and more importantly Dr. Oz no longer has any credibility whatsoever. He's just committed professional suicide. I can't wait to hear what Ronnie Cummins from the Organic Consumers Association has to say about Dr. Oz's comments.

Because Oz has sold out to the GMO-producing, chemical-producing, animal cruelty feedlot sectors of the corrupt food industry, watch for the mainstream media to keep propping up Dr. Oz and attempt to make him a puppet of "authority" on all things related to food and health. Heck, why not make the guy Surgeon General and enact a law population control law that mandates the consumption of feedlot Soylent Green?

Dr. Oz's purported audience is a sham, by the way. Natural News has a far larger audience than Dr. Oz, especially when you count the cumulative IQ points of our respective followers. While the low-IQ zombified consumers may still think Dr. Oz has something resembling credibility, all the in-the-know organic food consumers and activists are fully aware of who is on their side and who isn't. Dr. Oz clearly isn't. His audience exists only as a fabrication of persistent corporate promotion.

Without the corporate backing, Dr. Oz is a nobody.

Spread the word, folks: Dr. Oz is a sellout. Share this story and warn your friends.

Story photo by David Berkowitz

Official response from the Cornucopia Institute

Here's the response from Cornucopia on the TIME Magazine "sellout" piece by Dr. Oz.

The original TIME cover story was published on 12/3/2012 and is entitled "What to Eat Now" by Dr. Mehmet Oz. It's available at:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2129811,00.html

The full story is available to Time subscribers only. Excerpts from the article, with Cornucopia's responses:

Dr. Oz: "Nutritionally speaking, there is little difference between the farmer's-market bounty and the humble brick from the freezer case."

Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz compares conventional and organic foods throughout the article by focusing exclusively on the differences between a handful of nutrients. This is exactly what the agrochemical and conventional farming industries, and their front group, the Alliance for Food and Farming, would like the American public to focus on. Just two months ago, Dr. Oz told the viewers of his syndicated television show to buy organic vegetables to avoid pesticide residues. Now, in his copywritten Time story, the word "pesticide" or "agricultural chemical" is never mentioned.

Dr. Oz: "Dispelling these myths -- that boutique foods are good, supermarket foods are suspect and you have to spend a lot to eat well -- is critical to improving our nation's health. Organic food is great, it's just not very democratic."

Cornucopia response: What can be more democratic than consumers voting with their food dollars to support organic farmers who protect our environment and our health by eschewing harmful and polluting agrochemicals?

Even if there were no direct benefit to our families (plenty of published scientific research indicates there is), when we choose organic food we are protecting farmers and farmworkers from exposure to toxic chemicals. Many farmers, farmworkers and their children have elevated levels of certain cancers and chronic diseases.

Dr. Oz: "The rise of foodie culture over the past decade has venerated all things small-batch, local-farm and organic -- all with premium price tags. But let's be clear: you don't need to eat like the 1% to eat healthily."

Cornucopia response: Organic foods are not for the "1%." Organic foods are for everybody, and are accessible and affordable to most families who prioritize their expenses. Many organic consumers forgo other "luxuries," whether it be iPhones, vacations, new cars -- all of which are advertised in the same Time magazine where Dr. Oz's article appears -- in order to be able to afford organic foods to protect their family's health. These decisions should be applauded, not turned into a character flaw.

Dr. Oz: "After several years of research and experience, I have come to an encouraging conclusion: the American food supply is abundant, nutritionally sound, affordable and, with a few simple considerations, comparable to the most elite organic diets. Save the cash; the 99% diet can be good for you."

Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz's research apparently missed the countless studies showing that organic foods are nutritionally superior, lower in pesticide residues, lower in antibiotic-resistant pathogen contamination, etc. In addition to being published in peer-reviewed journals, testing by independent sources such as Consumer Reports (Consumer Union) and government agencies such as the USDA corroborate these findings.

Dr. Oz: "I consider it a public-health service to the consumer who has to feed a family of five or the person who wants to make all the right choices and instead is alienated and dejected because the marketing of healthy foods too often blurs into elitism, with all the expense and culinary affectation that implies."

Cornucopia response: The added expense of buying organic foods is an investment in health. In the interest of public health, Dr. Oz should have mentioned the pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, synthetic preservatives, artificial dyes and sweeteners, and other harmful inputs used in conventional farming and food production. Comparing nutrients is just one aspect of a cost-benefit analysis. Dr. Oz owes his loyal fans, who respect his judgment, a more thoughtful and nuanced analysis.

Dr. Oz: "There's no question that free-range chickens and grass-fed, pasture-dwelling cows lead happier -- if not appreciably longer -- lives than animals raised on factory farms. They are also kept free of hormones and antibiotics and are less likely to carry communicable bacteria like E. coli, which are common on crowded feedlots. If these things are important to you and you have the money to spend, then by all means opt for pricier organic meats."

Cornucopia response: Yes, Dr. Oz, avoiding hormones and antibiotics is important to us, and it should be to you, too.

However, just because a package says "free range" or "grass-fed" does not mean it is certified organic, and therefore is not certified to be produced without some of the most dangerous and objectionable drugs. Concerned consumers should go out of their way to seek out the organic seal.

Dr. Oz: "But for the most part, it's O.K. to skip the meat boutiques and the high-end butchers. Nutritionally, there is not much difference between, say, grass-fed beef and the feedlot variety."

Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz's statement is not backed by scientific data, which consistently shows lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fat and higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fats and vitamins in grass-fed beef compared with feedlot beef.

Dr. Oz: "Let's also take a moment to celebrate the tuna-salad sandwich, which is to lunch what the '57 Chevy is to cars--basic and brilliant."

Cornucopia response: It is unconscionable that Dr. Oz touts the nutritional benefits of canned tuna, without mentioning the FDA and EPA warnings concerning methylmercury contamination. The FDA and EPA recommend that women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children limit their consumption of canned light tuna to no more than 12 ounces per week, and their consumption of canned albacore tuna to no more than 6 ounces per week.

Dr. Oz: "Preserves and jams without added sugar can be great sources of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium."

Cornucopia response: Preserves and jams without added sugar often contain added artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, which has been linked in studies to cancer and neurological damage. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are banned in organic products.

Dr. Oz: "We know more about the connection between food and health than ever before -- down to the molecular level, actually. This has provided us the curious luxury of being fussy, even snooty, about what we eat, considering some foods, well, below our station. That's silly. Food isn't about cachet. It's about nourishment, pleasure and the profound well-being that comes from the way meals draw us together."

Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz spends the entire article attempting to convince the American public that there are few, if any, differences between conventional and organic foods. Yet in his closing paragraphs he tacitly acknowledges that we "know more about ... food and health than ever before – down to the molecular level." This contradicts his earlier statements that there are no differences.

Most people who buy organic foods do so not because they are "snooty," as Dr. Oz suggests, but because they seek to protect themselves and their families from the widely recognized harmful effects of pesticides and other agrichemicals.

Source:

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://www.cornucopia.org/2012/11/organic-food-justice-for-the-99/

52 Weeks - Week Three - Juice Me Up!!!

To answer questions from Week Two "The F-Bomb"

-We use a fluoride free toothpaste from Trader Joes and it is on "my list" to spend a little time researching all the ingredients.  

-As soon as I can make it to the health food store I want to pick up some peppermint oil as we have just discussed as a family switching over to good old baking soda with a dot of oil for freshness.

-As for water filters - We had our well checked for pesticides and other things but after reading more on the subject since moving in plan to do it again.  At the old "Parisienne Farmhouse" we had an under-the-counter filter system that we bought and installed ourselves (you need a drill bit to cut thru your sink).

Juice Me Up.

Are you getting enough Veggies and Fruits?  

Probably not.

And sadly, even if you try to eat them every day - they don't have NEAR the nutritional value that they did when our Great Gramma's were growing them.

That's where juicing comes in for me - mass quantities of veggies and fruits that I would never have the patience to consume in one day.

We have always juiced "in spurts" in our house.  In fact, I have juiced "in spurts" since I was about 18 years old but it is only recently that I have committed to making it a part of my life no matter what - forever.

Juicing is not just for weirdos, your skin doesn't have to turn orange... and it's not just for those on a raw diet.  Juicing is an AMAZING way to supercharge your families health and energy.  A great way to stave off and in many cases that I have read, even heal cancer.

It tastes amazing (unless you get carried away with the garlic) and it is totally addicting.  Back before I had kids and I was a runner I used to juice 3 grapefruits, way a bit for it to settle so I wouldn't cramp and then go hit the pavement - BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ - it was like a high!  I could feel it kick it - I became totally addicted to that morning fruit buzz.  Probably WAY to much fructose but dang, I loved it.

These days I am really worried about my family not getting enough of those "dark green leafies" so I have added juicing to a small list of new health habits for the 6, soon to be 7 of us.  (Others include daily probiotics (another things I have done in spurts) and chia seeds.

Juicing does have it's down sides - it's a pain in the ass.

For me, it adds an extra fifteen minutes to my morning kitchen routine and it drives me nuts but when I see my kids pound that green juice and then BEG for more - well, I feel like supermom.

To help save time I keep all my juicing items in one place in my fridge (I'll share with you my "juice basket" in an upcoming post) or if I really have myself together, the girls and I will wash and bag 7 days worth of juice recipes.  I have NOT researched this and so there are probably healthier concoctions out there.  Our recipe that we are following these days consists of:

3-5 apples

1 lemon

5 big leaves of kale

3-5 stalks of rainbow chard

3-5 huge handfuls of spinach

a small piece of ginger

2 garlic cloves 

5 carrots

3-5 sticks of celery

2 big stalks of broccoli

Currently I am able to find almost all of this organic.  I will NOT use apples that are not organic and it's been hard to find organic celery the last month of so.  The apples and celery are what make it palatable - as soon as we are growing cucs I will add those because those are SO REFRESHING when juiced and make it easy to stomach just about anything.

We have an OLD Juiceman Juicer and I would wager if you looked hard enough you could find one at the thrift shop or on ebay for VERY cheap.  It's like ab-machines - people buy them thinking they are going to use them and then never do.  Of course - if you have the budget for a bad-mammer-jammer-juicer then DO IT!  Doctor Mercola has VERY interesting information on why to buy certain kinds of juicers and not others... certain engines can actually heat our leafy greens thus killing some of the nutrients - the one on his website that really interests me is only $259 and you can even make nut butters with it.

There are HUNDRED of different juice recipes for different health goals or ailments.  I can't say enough how I would encourage you to take this next step for you and your family.  Were I not perpetually pregnant and nursing I would go so far as to substitute one meal a day with a couple glasses of juice.  I would also juice fast three days week every month.

Juicing IS different from making a smoothie or from just eating a raw diet.  Juicing eliminates the fiber (not that fiber is bad) and allows your body to focus only on the juice - no need for digestion.  This break in digestion allows your body to go to work on healing your lymph nodes, adrenal glands and the like all the while being blasted with super nutrients.

 The reality for me is it's very hard to sustain this awesome habit 7 days a week without fail  - you could call where we live a "food desert" and so when we run out we do go for some days without juicing but I try to hop right back on it when I go grocery shopping (every 2.5-3 weeks).  As soon as the garden kicks in - WATCH OUT - we are going to be juicing maniacs.  The scraps are great for your chickens and/or your compost pile too though I would like to figure out a way/reason to consume these scraps... I wonder.  I have read about making "veggie chips" with your dehydrator.

To help with the high cost of this particular health habit I will be researching the nutritional value of freezing the juice and I am going to try to load up my freezer with juice from my garden for the winter.   (I have read that certain juicers are better for freezing quality too.)

Why not add juicing to your improving healthy lifestyle.  You will TOTALLY love it!

Need some inspiration??? 
Here is a movie to ROCK YOUR WORLD!!!
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLQwWKb3l8

Don't forget to PIN if you found this beneficial.
Mean and Green,
Angela
Parisienne Farmgirl   

52 Weeks - Week Two. The F Word.

First, THANK YOU to a blogger who corrected a common typo of mine.  NO hard feelings.  I cram these blog posts into my life and sometimes can pay very little attention to my mistakes because I am so distracted - it isn't a wonder if I don't write like the biggest dork.  Thanks for keeping me on my toes... heels.

Second, Sorry this is late.  We had the flu.  Word of advice.  Don't get the flu (and I don't mean a "cold") when pregnant... and don't get it at the same time as your 19 month old and 3 year old.

Ick.

Disclaimer--

Someone warned me against giving medical advice lest someone try to sue me.  That's sad -- Isn't the internet full of advice???  Thanks girls for the warning.   So, here is my disclaimer:  I am not a doctor, nurse or anything of the like.  I DO have a long history of using more naturally minded doctors, I read A-LOT and try to care for my family using common sense and I love to share my thoughts on this crazy world and the stuff we are doing to our bodies with anyone who will listen.  Just about everything I am going to talk about during this series is something I have experienced myself.  If I suggest something you don't like (and I will) or it doesn't work for you please don't try to sue me.  I have nothing... unless you want my '97 Suburban.

So let's talk about the F word.

No not that one.  

The one that is making America passive and apathetic.

This week I implore you to cut FLUORIDE out of your life.

I am serious.  

Vigilantly go after it and get rid of it!!!

Why?  You ask.  "I want healthy teeth!"

Well, how about a healthy brain?

What if I told you that Hitler used Fluoride to dumb down his masses and make them more easily controlled?  What if I told you that I believe that is why Fluoride is pushed on us?

No, I am not crazy.  I am really serious about this.

Fluoride, the fluoride in your toothpaste, in your city water, the fluoride used in your dentists chair, in (most of) the bottled water you use to bottle feed your babies, in your canned goods, in our Starbucks lattés, in our bottled juices, in our bottled water.... 

Do you even know what it IS?

FLUORIDE IS AN INDUSTRIAL

 WASTE PRODUCT! 

Really.

I can't tell you how it freaks me out when I go to a family members house and see Crest and Colgate sitting on their bathroom counter... When I see them cooking with Teflon every day...

When the pregnant gal at the restaurant tells me she's on Prozac.

Yes, it's in Prozac too.  

And, maybe you've heard it's kinda bad and be sure to spit out your toothpaste and all that jazz.  

No, it's REALLY bad.

It is the bi-product of aluminum, steel, nuclear and fertilizer manufacturing and you just brushed your teeth with it.  

Here's the long story short and I am totally paraphrasing and simplifying here-

After WWII we sent researchers over to Germany to check things out and they learned how Hitler used Fluoride to make the cities he took over more passive and apathetic.  (As I understand it it was also used on the Jews in the camps.) They were easier to control and manipulate that way.  It made them "more docile towards authority".  --- Fluoride is found in 25% of major tranquilizers and is often called "A Chemical Lobotomy".

And you wondered why the country is so fixated on American Idol and Glee they don't have a clue about what's going on around them.

Just sayin'.

Meanwhile back in the states - factories have excess waste that they have nothing to do with so they hired a guy to find out if Fluoride could be beneficial to teeth.  Hey - there's an idea!  Let's tell the public that if they drink the water their teeth will be healthier!

Hey - if it's good enough for Hitler... (Wait, we already believe that, ahem... Planned Parenthood).

Funny - Eight ounces of (most) city water has the same amount of Fluoride as a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.  If you swallow the toothpaste you are supposed to call Poison Control.  But by all means - drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.

Not Funny.

No, it's not funny at all.  

I for one am outraged!  

Did I ask to be poisoned?  

Did I ask for the minds of my children to be altered? 

 Do I want to live in a country full of a bunch of zombies???  (I hate that word - but it works here doesn't it?)

The more I read - the more places I discover Fluoride.

And I thought I was really making headway having nixed it from our toothpaste years ago and then finally moving to a property with a well.

And don't think your Brita filter is going to do the trick.  Read carefully -  the packaging says, "Leaves in beneficial Fluoride."

I've watched and read a TON on this subject.  Here is a quick video that lays it all out - the interviews at the beginning get old and don't ask me what that evolution crap is during the last 30 seconds -- sadly, when you start getting healthy, you run into weirdos.  :)  

That's why we Christians need to lead the pack in this area. 

I am not a big Conspiracy Theorist.  Ok, maybe I am.  But, not a 9/11 Truther or anything like that.  But I do believe there is something going on out there with population control.  SOMETHING is jacked up - I can't sum it up or put my finger on it, but something is WRONG with what we are told is healthy, what we are told to do to our bodies and what we are forced to do without consent.

Give your brain and your children's brain a BREAK from the neurotoxin that is Fluoride.  

Hey girls - if you like this series be sure to PIN it!!!

Clean up your mouth (and your body)

NO MORE F-WORD!

-Angela

Parisienne Farmgirl  

52 Weeks - Week One, Girl! Stop Jackin' with Your Body!

Disclaimer--

Someone warned me against giving medical advice lest someone try to sue me.  That's sad -- Isn't the internet full of advice???  Thanks girls for the warning.  
So, here is my disclaimer:  I am not a doctor, nurse or anything of the like.  I DO have a long history of using more naturally minded doctors, I read A-LOT and try to care for my family using common sense and I love to share my thoughts on this crazy world and the stuff we are doing to our bodies with anyone who will listen.  Just about everything I am going to talk about during this series is something I have experienced myself.  If I suggest something you don't like (and I will) or it doesn't work for you please don't try to sue me.  I have nothing... unless you want my '97 Suburban.

This is for all women - of any age - after all... we all know someone who is on...

THE PILL (and let's lump in any other chemical birth control).  I know I have blogged about this before (and at least two readers emailed to say they went off the pill!) but I am doing it again--

I could make it really easy and just say, 

"Get off the pill.  Yesterday."  

but I'll break it down a bit.

I was on the pill for three years, many years ago when I was first married.  And I was a wreck - bloated, sore breasts, no libido, leg cramps, I was emotional and couldn't loose a pound no matter how hard I worked out.  Then, I stumbled onto a newsletter that made many radical claims about the dangers of the pill.  I was sold and promptly went off it and never looked back.    I know not everyone experiences those symptoms but that doesn't make the pill any less dangerous.

Let me tell you what I have learned since then. 

 And then, get off the pill.

For me, the simplest way to think about it is this - the pill is adding hormones to your body - hormones that have no business being there.  They mess with your intestinal flora, your adrenal glands... just look at the rise of breast cancer over the years since the pill has been released.  AND IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN - YOU MUST DO YOUR RESEARCH ON THE PILL AND ABORTION.  The side effect no one wants to take about.

 Your body is a fine machine - birth control is easy without the pill.  And I am not talking about Russian Roulette.   And don't even get me started on doctors who prescribe it for "heavy periods" or for acne.  But don't listen to me... listen to the experts (and by experts I mean the ones who don't get kickbacks from the drug companies!)

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says...
“It causes many deficiencies, it tends to create copper/zinc imbalances, and it causes women to lose all interest in sex, which seems very counterproductive.  We need to teach young women about natural family planning and about honoring our cycles!  The estrogens in the pill are synthetic, and not the same molecules that the body produces.  Instead they’re called, “xeno-estrogens” and are harmful to the body.  The pill also causes differences in the viscosity of the blood, and can cause heart disease, stroke, and a long list of problems.  We’ve just touched the tip of the iceberg in our understanding of the complexity of  hormonal balance in the human body, we are in no position to be messing with that.”

Click here for a very informative article (below is an sample)

In The Breast Cancer Prevention Program, Sam Epstein, MD, writes, "more than 20 well-controlled studies have demonstrated the clear risk of premenopausal breast cancer with the use of oral contraceptives. These estimates indicate that a young woman who uses oral contraceptives has up to ten times the risk for developing breast cancer as does a non-user, particularly if she uses the Pill during her teens or early twenties; if she uses the Pill for two years or more; if she uses the Pill before her first full-term pregnancy; if she has a family history of breast cancer." Thus, a woman who takes the Pill for two years before she’s 25 and before she’s had a pregnancy to term increases her risk of breast cancer tenfold.  

And of course, from the master himself - Dr. Mercola - Click here.

Many women foolishly equate "natural methods" with their large-familied Catholic friends and scoff at their effectiveness.  This is very misinformed.  I am an all natural girl in many ways (thought I have yet to give up perfume!!!) and have found a wonderful ways to prevent pregnancy that are science based... working WITH your body and not against it.  They are reliable and I recommend them for any married women.  

May I suggest -

Taking Charge of Your Fertility  

 

This book unpacks the FAM method - it's more then just taking your temps every morning.  This book is AWESOME for birth control and those TRYING to get pregnant.

And then,  this little number that even surprised my midwife - I love this thing!

How about a little microscope that shows changes in your saliva when you are fertile?

Fertile Focus.

Hormonal changes are irritating and freaky enough.

Periods.

Self breast exams.

Paps.

Menopause.

We girls need to work WITH our bodies.

Not against them.

I flushed mine down the toilet...

Will you?

52 Weeks.

Next post, Week 51 coming next Friday.

Here's to what makes us girls!

Angela

Parisienne Farmgirl

Whose House? My House.

Come on!  If that doesn't make you the least bit jazzed 
perhaps you need to check your pulse!
Sorry--- I know all ages and sizes read this blog... It's just that I am so pumped I want every woman on the planet to feel this great!!!!




The results are in!!!

Well, the half way results at least.

Let me backtrack...

I am completely and utterly addicted to
 Turbo Fire.

You know in my Eat Like a Parisienne/Workout like and American series I talked about my workouts over the years, how they have changed as my family grows and my personal time shrinks.

About the same time that I wrapped up that series I saw some photos of myself and thought,

"What the H---?"

"That's NOT what I thought was going on."

I mean, I knew I had a ways to go still after baby number 4, but I weighed a reasonable weight, a good bit under the national average (which I think is 165 for a woman of my height) but I looked... well, like I said, not the way I thought I looked.  At the same time I was noticing that my Turbo Jam workouts were, though awesome and fun... perhaps a bit too easy.  I had gotten to the point where I was wearing arm weights, ankle weights, lifting my knee when she was "step, tapping" - I felt good when I was done... but something was missing.

Long gone are my days of running alone and lifting weights for an hour... I needed something serious, butt- kicking and most importantly - results bringing.

My sister suggested Turbo Fire and since I already knew that I loved Chalene's style I decided to go for it.

I bought the "kit" (a ton of dvd's, jump mat, glove weights, schedule, guides, etc)

and committed to it.

Totally committed.


Turbo Fire is the most FUN
and the most difficult workout I have EVER done!
I've got old lady knees and that whole weak pelvic floor thing going on, so I modify a ton of the moves, but I push myself to the max, wear the weight gloves and I have only missed three workouts in the last 60 days (workout out 6 days a week).  The ones I missed were because I had the flu and my sister had her baby - and I made them all up.


My kids are my cheerleaders (when I am not stepping on them) and they high five me after my fire drills... they hear me talking to myself or Chalene and they say "Come on Momma, you can do it!"


I've only lost 3 pounds but WHO CARES!
I took my 60 day measurements today and I have lost another 4.5 total inches in the last thirty days (since the last time I measured).
IT'S CRAZY!
(Total of 10.5 inches lost all over in the last 60 days)


I've got energy oozing from every pore
 (and I have always thought I was energetic)
Now... 
I'M ON FIRE!
In fact... these workouts are so awesome you can FEEL your body burning fat every 24 hours later.
It's like your BUZZED!


What I love more than anything is that it's all laid out for you.
The schedule is there and there is no wondering, "Is my body going to get used to this?" 
"Is this going to work?"

If you like bumpin' music, if you long to feel strong, if you even THINK you might need a change -
GO TURBO BABY!


I love it!~
I love Chalene (though there are days where I swear at her and say very hateful things!)
But her famous expression keeps me going...

I can't see myself EVER posting my 30, 60 and soon to be 90 and 120 day photos but trust me... 

These workouts will make your feel and look awesome!  

The proof is in the bicep :)

There is stuff all over You Tube if you need before and after proof - I'll leave you with a couple here...

Whose House?

My HOUSE!

(You'll see what I mean when you start the program!)

Love you girls!

Have a great weekend!

Check it out with these few videos...
Here Chalene explains the difference between Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire - kind of lame, but helpful if you are confused.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz8DJy-YGIQ


Ok... Here is a couple minutes from the Fire 30 workout.
No, I don't do all those jumps - I've had 4 babies and my butt would fall out:)