Healthier Me

I've been joining in with another twin mom to challenge myself to get healthier. The first two weeks were rough, but I think I'm on my way way, at least with the exercising. The first week. My daughter was sick and then I got sick the second week. Finally, the third week, I am feeling more myself and was able to do 90 minutes of running/walking. I am down about 5 pounds and weigh less than I did when I got married and pregnant with Michael. Now I need to start doing some strength training and getting my food intake under control. Some days, I think that I want to run/walk more than every other day. I've been doing great drinking my green smoothies. I'd love to do a couple of days of detox smoothies just to see how I feel. I really need to cut out sugar, carbs, and fat, and even coffee.

Given the fact that I have decided not to pursue surgery for my BRCA2 gene positive status, it's really important to me to change my lifestyle. I need to continue to exercise, eat better, and deal with stress better. I realize that just because I have the gene, it does not mean that I will get cancer, but given that my great grandmother, my grandmother (who died of breast cancer), and my mom have all had cancer and my mom is also positive for BRCA2 gene,my chances of not getting cancer seem slim. I really need to do all I can to be healthy so that even if I do get cancer, my body is strong.

I really need to stop drinking coffee. I have switched to decaf, but I really want off coffee all together. I just bought some new tea. I have been trying to go from coffee to tea. Part of the issue is that I really like going for a ride with the kids and getting a cup of coffee. I think that I just need to let go of buying the coffee and bring my tea.

The other thing I am doing to get healthy is to get a little more organized and be better at cleaning my house. It will be an ongoing project, but one that I really need to keep working on. Some days, I think that I have some form of ADD, but hen other times I think I just need to be better organized and everything will be fine. I feel like if I get better organized, my stress levels will be better. Overall, if my stress levels are better, I will be better.

It slow going, but I feel like I am my way to doing what I need to do. I'm really glad I joined in with this challenge!

Amy

Diets

No not the kind to lose weight, though from what I hear a lot of people eat this way to lose weight.  Last summer I had a blood test for food allergies and this summer, my oldest has the same test.  Unfortunately, we both showed sensitivities to dairy and gluten.  I wasn't surprised about the dairy for either of us, and often wondered if gluten could be an issue.  Now it is time for both of us to go completely dairy and gluten free.

I think that this is going to be a really difficult thing for both of us.  Obviously, since I had the blood test over a year ago and haven't gone completely gluten or dairy free yet, I am going to have a really hard time. The good part for Michael is that I will be the one figuring out what I am going to be making for meals and snacks.  He won't have a choice like I do.  I have to make the right choice for me and him.

I have been reading some blogs that are gluten free focused and dairy free focused.  I am hoping that I will feel some relief from my foggy brain that I sometimes get.  When we talked to the dietician about Michael's  test results, we mentioned that at one point we were concerned about him being on the Autism spectrum.  My husband is no longer concerned, and even though I didn't pick up on things earlier, I am now the one that continues to have concerns that there may be more than just a speech delay.  The dietician mentioned that we may see some changes neurologically once Michael gets the gluten out of his system.  I am hoping that we see some changes since I have heard that diet can play a huge role in people's behaviors.

The other issue with diet is, my mom found out that she is a gene carrier for breast cancer.  I am more than likely going to get tested for the gene, but I also want to change my diet to help keep myself healthy even if I don't have the gene.

I am hoping to find some good bread recipes since that is going to be the hardest for me to give up as well as for Michael to give up.  What I have been finding lately is that I need to let go of what I expect things to taste like.  I can't expect that gluten free and dairy free foods, unless they are naturally gluten and dairy free, to taste the same as the regular foods will taste.

If anyone has any good recipes, cookbooks, blogs, or any info at all, please leave a comment.  If you have any suggestions on how best to tackle this, please leave a comment.  I will be researching and reading blogs often!

Wish me luck!
Amy

My Mom's Cancer Update

I found out on my twins 2nd birthday (January 23, 2011) that my mom's mammogram showed a lump in her left breast.  This is the same one that my grandmothers breast cancer started in.  She has since had a biopsy which revealed that the tumor was 0.9 cm (about 3/4 in) and they removed 3 inches of tissue.  The pathology report stated that she has stage 1 grade 2 breast cancer.  This means that the tumor was small but semi aggressive and definitely invasive.  This meant that they recommended and MRI to r/o any metastases as well as a lymph node biopsy.  She was unable to complete the MRI with out getting sick, so that is one test that they are unable to do for her.  Today was her lymph node biopsy.  I guess, yesterday they injected her with a dye that would tell the surgeon what nodes to remove if any.  My step-father said that the most the surgeon would take out would be 2 nodes, but they ended up only needing to take out 1 node.  I guess that is a good sign.  Now we just have to wait for this pathology report.  As for treatment options, it really depends on the lymph node biopsy.  If the biopsy comes back with cancer, then they are recommending 8 treatments of chemotherapy, then 5 days a week for 6 weeks of radiation.  If the biopsy comes back without cancer, then she can choose either 4 treatments of chemotherapy and then the same radiation treatment or she can choose just to have radiation.  At least one of my sisters and I are thinking that she should do the combo treatment and hopefully knock the cancer out of her system no matter what the results of the biopsy are.  We also think that she can do conventional treatment along with CAM therapies (complementary and alternative medicine). 

Because of this and the other cancers and heart disease in my family I am attempting to get a little healthier.  One day I will be able to say that I am eating the way I want to be eating and exercising like I should be!  The warm weather can't come fast enough.  Maybe this is the push I need to get rid of this baby weight (ok teh baby weight is gone,  this is jsut my fat)!

Amy

Progress?

Lately, we have been trying many new things in our household.  I have started back to work, started to exercise, started to get back to cooking more, and trying to be better organzined in general, but also around cleaning.  I have gotten some good suggestions on the cleaning front.  I know what to do, I just need to be better at doing it.  I need to continue to get out and exercise so that I am healthy for my husband and my children.  I need to plan my meals better so that our family eats healthier.  These are all things that I need to do so that we have a better life as a family.

I can't wait for the weather to cool off.  I know I'm probably one of the few that feels that way, but I hate the heat and my kids don't do well in it either.  Once the fall comes and things cool off a bit, I will definitely be getting the kids back to the park.  Maybe there will be more playgroups once summer vacations die down.  I know that the kids love the park, but it is just too hot out there now.  My kids are all so physical!  They all need to run and climb on things that are appropriate, not things like the kitchen table, or hanging on the curtains.  I think they will sleep mcuh better once the weather cools off too.

Since I have gotten some great suggestions from my other posts, any good ideas on organizing your time, especially now that I am back to work, even if it is only part time?  Any good ideas on getting dinners planned for my husband?  Hopefully, I can get some organization so that I can work on getting back to being creative.  I have plenty of projects to work on and plenty more that I want to start.

Even though life is getting crazier every day, I love the life I have.  I have 3 beautiful children, my older son who is 10 1/2 month older than my twins.  The three of them are extremely physical and always on the move.  I am able to be home with them for most of the day and when I do have to go to work, they are home with daddy.  Even though life as a wife and mom of 3 small kids so close in age, I love being a wife and a mom.  I love my family and hope that some day my life will get organized so that life will be a little easier.  Right now though, I am enjoying my time with my family!

Amy

Trying To Raise Healthy Kids

I have another blog (http://thehandmadeandnaturallife.blogspot.com) where I write about the lifestyle that I wish to lead vs this blog where I wrote about the kids.  While writing on my other blog, I got an idea to write on this one.I have been struggling to get myself to a good place health wise.  The last few years have been pretty crazy.  Spring of 2006 I applied for grad school and was accepted.  A couple of days after my acceptance, my grandmother who I had been living with died.  A couple of months later I started grad school full time and planned to be done in 1 year.  Christmas that year, I got engaged and we planned a wedding for June 2007, with my graduation being May 2007.  I was pregnant 1 month after we got married, and we were thrilled and my MIL ded just after I found out I was pregnant.  3 months after I delivered my son, I found out I was pregnant again.  This was not a surprise as we had hoped to have our children close in age.  Oh, and with my first pregnancy I got pre-eclampsia, was on bed rest for 6 weeks, and continued on blood pressure meds through my next pregnancy.  11 weeks into my 2nd pregnancy, I had a little scare and we found out I was pregnant with twins.  I then went on bed rest at 23 weeks with the twins, til I delivered them via c-section after my blood pressure went up to 188/111, yes on meds.  Then the twins got RSV at 2 1/2 weeks and 3 1/2 weeks (Son and daughter respectively).  Then I had to get used to 3 kids.  Now, life is just crazy, but in an absolutely fabulous way!

Why am I writing all that?  Life has been crazy for the last 4 years, but now it has settled and I need to get myself back on track.  I need to lose weight, start exercising on a regular basis, and start eating healthier.  There have been lots of things that have spurred me on to this.
Some of them are:
1.) I have 3 children and want to ensure that I am healthy for them
2.) I am married to a fabulous man that I want to share my life with for a very long time.
3.) I am getting closer to 40 and my mother's brother died at 42 from a heart attack (given my past BP issues I feel like I need to really get on track with my health, never mind that I have big time heart disease and cancer in my family)
4.) I have been watching Losing It with Jillian and it is totally motivating me to make big changes in my life.
5.) I just want to feel good about myself, how I look and how I feel!

I'm sure there are many more reasons, but these are the biggest ones right now.  My biggest goal is to not buy food items that will get me into trouble.  I may need to look to others for help with finding tasty foods to create so that I can keep on track with out wanting all those foods that are bad for me.  I am going to the MD for my annual physical in a couple of weeks.  I want to be able to tell her that I am moving in the right direction even though I may not be exactly where I want to be.  So if any of you reading this blog want to share any good healthy recipes or cookbooks or any other resources, send them on!  I know that a few of my followers are really good healthy eaters and I know that they will be a great resource for me!

Thanks for taking the time to read this and send forward any resources!
Amy