The Protocol

The Protocol

The plan that I have developed is a combination of protocols created by Dr. Stephen Cabral and information I have gathered over the past several months from listening to podcasts and reading books. Most of my information that I am using is coming from two main sources: The Cabral Concept Podcast and Dr. Hyman's Broken Brain book as well as as his docuseries which contained interviews from over 30 experts from all fields within the medical community. 

Now, I'm not one to believe in following only one proven approach. I believe in combining multiple methods to figure out what works best for the individual, in this case, myself. However, considering the fact that my state of health has rapidly declined over the past several months, I have decided to focus mainly on the protocols developed by Dr. Cabral as a way to clean and reset my body. Once my body is back to a healthy, functioning state, I will go back to using the multi-method approach to maintain my health.

Now, in order to pinpoint the underlying cause of symptoms, it's best to do lab tests. These tests will give you the data you need in order to determine exactly what is going on with the body. However, lab tests are expensive, so I have decided to forgo the tests and go straight to the protocols. I have scheduled a physical and regular blood work next month in order to look at some of the main health markers, which I am excited about and will share with you!

So with that said, the plan:

Rest/Sleep

Deep Sleep!

Rest/sleep is so underrated nowadays, yet it's one of THE most important things you can do for your body in order to maintain optimal health. Your body NEEDS rest. It's during rest when your body detoxifies, heals and repairs. Without rest, your body cannot do it's job!

Now, there were multiple factors involved in my lack of sleep:

• Callie nursing, co-sleeping and waking up multiple times a night
• Dis-regulated cortisol levels
• Bad pillows
• Stress and Anxiety
• SUGAR and Caffeine

I would struggle to fall asleep, and when I did, I would wake up a few hours later, and once again, struggle to fall back to sleep. It was an ugly cycle that left me tired and moody.

So I made some changes:

1. Encouraged Callie to sleep in her own bed, all night
2. Stopped all activity (household chores, electronics, etc)1 hour before bed and just relaxed
3. Added more head support (better, bigger pillows!)
4. Added Adrenal Soothe to my nighttime routine

I made the last two changes a little under 3 weeks ago, and all I can say is, "WOW!". So this is how it feels to be fully rested? I get about 7 hours of rest, straight through without waking. And if I do wake up, I can fall right back to sleep. Now, that's not to say I can't disrupt this cycle like I did the other night.

A few days ago, I decided to have a handful (or 5) of chocolate chips (SUGAR!) (for the first time in weeks) right after dinner - a food I used to literally live off of daily - and that night I woke up several times and suffered from stomach pains, bloating, night sweats, and a skin itching. A clear sign that I do have CBO and that I'm on the right track with my healing! It also shows how truly sensitive I am to caffeine. Even caffeine in chocolate will disrupt my sleep. 

Food and Nutrition

I don't think I need to go too in depth with food. It's pretty simple. Eat a balanced diet consisting of fruits, veggies, healthy fats and clean proteins. Limit or avoid caffeine, dairy, gluten and alcohol. Supplement when needed. 

I'm working on my diet, but due to the CBO, I have weak digestion, so eating a lot of food doesn't come easy. Therefore, I have included in my diet the Daily Nutritional Support: a Multi-Vitamin, Mineral and Protein shake in one. It contains all your daily nutritional needs in one shake and it's easy to digest and absorb - something I need right now. On top of that, I take Omega 3s in the form of Fish Oil as well as my Fruits and Greens through a powder as well. 

Remove Environmental and Household Toxins

Image: Back to Health 4 You

I plan to go more into depth regarding environmental and household toxins, but just to note, this includes: food, water, air, beauty products, household cleaning products, heavy metals, halogens, plastics, electromagnetic fields, and the list goes on. 

Physical Activity

Image: BiteScience

Ah, my favorite. We all know how much I love to workout. But, at the end of the day, it is a stressor on the body. And when the body is sick, it can do more harm than good   if the workout is too much for the body to recover from. 

So, while I am still lifting and training 5x a week, I am taking it easier, not going as heavy on the weights and as fast on the cardio, and I am taking sunbathing breaks when the weather is nice. 

Manage Stress

Meditating is one of the best ways you can manage stress!

This is obviously easier said than done, but this past year has taught me a lot about priorities and self-care. I no longer over-fill my plate. I say "no" when I need to and I ask for help when I need it. I take breaks; I work overtime only when absolutely necessary; I'm mindful of my emotions; and I meditate whenever I can. Chronic stress is one of the main causes of dis-ease. Make sure to de-stress every single day!

Heal the Body!

All of the factors above are extremely important to healing the body and later maintaining optimal health. However, "if the damage has already been done", you must address the root causes, provide extra support to the body to heal through supplementation and bring back balance. 

As I stated before, testing is the BEST way to pinpoint the root causes, but I'd much rather spend my money and do a complete reset of the body. So, with that said, here is the complete plan of protocols as recommended by Dr. Cabral: 

• Parasite Protocol
• Intestinal Cleanse
• 7-Day Detox
• Candida and Bacteria Overgrowth (CBO) Protocol 
• Intestinal Cleanse 2
• Gut Rebuilding Protocol
• Heavy Metal Detox

It will be a lengthy process filled with supplements, multiple detoxes, and special diets, but it will be worth it in the long run!

Parasite Cleanse

Image: Episode 1124

You may be wondering why I decided to include a parasite cleanse when it's not listed as a potential root cause in my last post. Well, for starters, live pathogens can prevent your body from fully benefiting and healing from the other protocols and cleanses. This is because live pathogens can "steal" your nutrients and also prevent the gut lining from healing due to the protective layer they create along the gut in order to survive. Therefore, it's really important to kill these bugs before starting any other cleanse. Considering the amount of money I intend to invest in order to heal, I want to make sure that I am setting my body up for success!

In addition, here are a few other reasons why I think I need to do a parasite cleanse:

1. I love seared, raw tuna and raw oysters and I have been consuming quite a lot of both ever since we moved. Who knows what kind of parasites I may have consumed. 
2. I have also consumed sashimi in the past year from our local sushi restaurant, which included all sorts of raw fish, some local, and some, not so much.
3. I have traveled out of country multiple times in my lifetime, one time resulting in "food poisoning" and a trip to the hospital. While this may be irrelevant, know that some parasites can live in your body for 10 years! 
4. In addition, I have also experienced some possible symptoms of parasites to include:
1. Night Sweats
2. Unexplainable skin itching, especially at night when the parasites are most active - I would wake up at night unable to calm the itching on my back
3. Adult acne, especially on the back and forehead
4. Bloating and digestive issues, especially at night
5. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies as well as unexplainable anemia
6. Strong craving for sugary foods

So, as you can see, to rule out parasites would be counterintuitive to my healing process. Plus, parasites may contribute to CBO, so again, best to kill everything!

The Parasite Protocol is one of the easiest cleanses I will be following on this journey. All that is required is:

Image: Equilibrium Nutrition

Weeks 1-3

• Consume 2 capsules of FloraFilm (an intestinal enzyme) upon waking
• Consume 2 capsules of FloraFilm along with 4 capsules of ParaPro Support Herbs at night, before bed

Weeks 4-6

• Consume 2 capsules of FloraFilm upon waking and 2 capsules before bed
• Consume 2 doses of Biocidin Drops, 1x upon waking and 1x before bed

In addition, I am to consume:

• 1 raw garlic, crushed and swallowed before bed
• As much as I can of coconut oil, papaya seeds, oregano, pineapple, onion, and garlic 

I just finished the first half of the cleanse and I am already seeing positive changes. The night sweats and skin itching has disappeared and I have less bloating. My mood has significantly improved thanks to the Adrenal Soothe which is allowing me to sleep through the night, and the nutritional support that is providing my body with everything it needs to function. My hair is slowly looking thicker and fuller again, although quite a bit is still falling out. Overall, I am quite pleased with the changes I have experienced so far! Just the fact that I am finally getting a full-nights rest, and waking with the sun, as opposed to my alarm, has made all of this worth it! I'm slowly starting to feel like me again!

It's important to note that there are multiple factors, besides the cleanse, that have contributed to these positive changes, but I am excited to continue with the protocol plan I have in place as I continue working towards optimal health!

My goal moving forward is to capture my progress at least weekly in hopes that my health journey can help someone else out there who may be dealing with similar issues. My life purpose has always been to help others, and this is just one way I get to do just that! If you have experienced similar symptoms or wish to know more, please don't hesitate to reach out! I am always happy to help!

"Every day in every way, I am getting better and better" - Dr. Stephen Cabral

Stay Positive!
Beth 

This is My Story: Part I

Photo Credit: A bowl full of lemons

PART I

If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that I am currently going through my own little health journey. As I stated in my post, I have always had a love for health, nutrition and fitness. It started back when I was recovering from anorexia at the age of 13; I had used it to recover in the healthiest way possible. Ever since, my passion has always been the one thing I could count on to keep me afloat during the toughest of times. For example, it helped me through years of depression. It also taught me self-love when I was healing through emotional trauma. Fitness and health have also always been my go to for learning and education. I could listen about it, study it and practice it day in and day out without ever getting tired or annoyed of it. I guess that’s why they call it a “passion”.

I live to workout!

But being a health and fitness guru doesn’t leave me completely immune to downfalls such as nutrient deficiencies, overtraining or the like. Sometimes, we health and fitness enthusiasts don’t always practice what we preach and as a result, we’re given something new to fix or resolve: ourselves.

Now, I’m not going to go too far back into my past to explain my current condition, although, it is important to understand the whole picture to include past relationship with food (I had an eating disorder at 13), emotional traumatic experiences (school bullying and relationship struggles), genetic predispositions (for me that would be hypothyroidism, diabetes, high blood pressure, just to name a few), etc. Instead, I’m going to start from where I believe things started going “down hill” and how they contributed to where I’m at now.

At the end of 2017, we had just moved to a new state during one of the most hectic times of the year: Thanksgiving/Christmas. Not the best time, but at the beach, it’s sort of the only time, so, we rolled with it. It was definitely a stressful time between moving and having to make sure all the gifts were purchased, but isn’t that why Christmas time always involves alcohol and cookies? It’s guaranteed to be stressful! And so is moving! But we made it through. The holidays passed, we were settled in, life was good. That was until my husband lost his job just a couple of months later.

 

This is home

At first I didn’t stress because he was given a pretty nice payout that could hold us for at least a good 4-5 months. But as months passed and no job found, I began to worry. On top of that, my children were still home full time (as I worked from home full-time) and I was still in the process of healing from past emotional trauma. I was going through quite a lot, but I was maintaining a morning beach meditation practice, working out daily and eating really well, so my body was able to handle the stress. At least, so I thought...

Several months after the job loss, I discovered I had an infection - the first one in over a decade. I figured it was just an anomaly, so I thought nothing of it. I made a few attempts to heal it naturally, but I was being really impatient, so I went straight for the antibiotics. My thought process was, my body is healthy and strong, so I could just use the antibiotics, kill the infection and reinnoculate my gut with good bacteria/probiotics right afterwards and everything would be fine. But I was wrong! All I did was start a chain reaction of issues that would eventually lead to what I have today.

While on antibiotics, I had contracted what I believe was bronchitis. I had it all: congestion, cough, mucus build up, etc - it sucked, but I pushed through it, doing what I knew was best for my body. At the same time, we were preparing for our family trip to Disney that we were leaving for in a couple of weeks…

Yeah, I know! Talk about timing! No job, expensive trip, sick body, airflight – Great combo of stress overload! Add to it more news that my company had just been purchased by another company – which means I just lost a sense of job security – and yeah, you could say I was slightly stressed and chronically worried about EVERYTHING.

At the tail end of my sickness, we took off on our flight to Disney – and my ears would not pop. Instead, it felt like fluid was pushed into my ear canals the moment the pressure changed. I spent the entire flight trying to get them to pop, with no success. Talk about painful! I spent the entire week with muted hearing and this constant feeling of things moving in my ear every time I swallowed or yawned. Just when I thought I was getting better from weeks of bronchitis, this occurred. Now I was really getting annoyed. I was supposed to be this model of health and fitness, so why the hell was my body falling apart on me!?

After our trip, my sinus cavities were still congested and my ears, still clogged and painful. So I decided to seek answers. My first stop, the ENT. I was so positive that I was going to get some answers during my appointment that day. But after an exam and a hearing test, all that was concluded was that my hearing was near perfect, even though I struggled to hear, and that the “trapped” fluid could just be from tight jaw muscles pushing against the ear canal and causing blockage. The cure? Don’t yawn, no excessive chewing (bye, bye gum) and eat soft foods…what!? That’s it? All I could think was, something is just not right. And so I continued to dig…

At that same appointment, I was beginning to show signs of something even worse occurring in my body…but what, I would not find out until a few days later.

It was November of 2018 when my body said enough was enough. What started as a cold turned into a multitude of unexplainable symptoms: Facial edema (my face was swollen), fever, shakes, fully body pain, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, loss of appetite, asphyxia or tightening of the throat, ear pain, pain in my abdomen where my liver was located, among several other symptoms. It. Was. Awful. I didn’t know what was going on, although based on my research and symptoms, I had it narrowed it down to a possible EBV viral infection. Of course, being the person that I am, I tried to recover from it naturally through rest and hydration. But after over a week of seeing no changes, my husband finally forced me to go to emergency care.

 

Not even a filter could hide the swelling

The doctor could not figure out what was wrong. She said she believed it was just a combination of multiple infections taking over my body. I had told her I thought it was the EBV virus and asked her to test for it, which later on, came back negative. Since she was unsure of what was going on, I was given fluids and prescribed antibiotics and steroids as well as given nausea reducing medications so that I could attempt to eat. She also withdrew blood to check on my liver enzyme count and gallbladder since both were swollen and/or tender.

Being as sick as I was, I wasn’t going to turn down the antibiotics and steroids - even though I debated several times. After all, it was the use of antibiotics that had gotten me to this point! After a few days of being on the prescriptions, most of my symptoms had disappeared and I felt almost normal again... except for the consistent sinus irritations and the tight feeling in my throat.

I returned for a follow up and to review my blood work, which at the time I had very little knowledge about. I was told simply that my liver enzyme count was up and that I was borderline anemic. This was shocking news to me considering I just had my iron counts tested only a few months back and was told that they looked great. She prescribed me proton pump inhibitors with the assumption that my tight throat was related to acid reflux, more steroids just in the case the swelling returned and asked that I get an ultrasound done on my liver to make sure nothing was wrong.

After a couple months, I never touched either meds, but I did finally decide to get the ultrasound done. Based on my research, I was sure the elevated enzymes were related to me being sick, but in my mind I was thinking, better safe than sorry. So I went. Finds out, nothing was wrong with my liver and my gallbladder was just a bit sludgy. Hmm ok. So still, no answers, but at least I was somewhat better.

Even though I had mostly recovered from a majority of the symptoms I was experiencing, I was still dealing with minor chronic symptoms such as sinus congestion, post-nasal drip, muffled hearing, ear pain, tightness in the throat, digestion issues and insomnia. But between the holidays, birthdays, new careers (yes, we both started new jobs/positions at the exact same time in January of 2019!), and other things going on, I just didn’t have the time to address them, so I just “dealt” with them, hoping, that through proper supplementation, healthy eating and good habits, they would eventually resolve themselves.

During this time, I also started listening to health podcasts and reading health related books. I figured I could at least educate myself on the underlying root causes of many dis-eases of the body and, in the process, learn about what I could do to heal my body. And THAT, I did!

To be continued in PART II...

Weeks 24 – 27: Living Happily Uncomfortable + Birthing Options: Home vs Hospital

 

In the past month my belly has grown at a rapid rate. I think my belly has finally reached the maximum amount it can “normally” stretch before the real skin stretching begins. Every day my belly feels like it is being pushed out to abnormal lengths. It’s tight, heavy and uuuuuuuuuncomfortable! And when she moves…ouch! BUT I’m not complaining because I’m happy! All this stretching means that my baby girl is growing which is super important. The only downside? My clothing options are decreasing by the day.  My only pair of work pants are becoming extremely uncomfortable to wear; my jeans, while fit with a rubber band, tend to fall consistently; and my belly is beginning to outgrow my favorite dresses. Is it time for a trip to the consignment shop for maternity clothes? Yes, yes I think so.

In other news, I’ve been doing some serious thinking on whether or not I want to give birth to my baby in a hospital as I had originally planned. While it may be a better option financially, personally I fear that my requests as listed on my birth plan would not be met or completely ignored. I want a natural, stress free, medical intervention free birth. Will I get that at a hospital? Not likely. So I have decided to weigh my options and see what it takes to have a midwife instead of an OB and a home birth instead of a hospital birth. I just feel a home birth will be so much more personal and relaxing. I’ll be able to choose the way I labor, the way I deliver and what to do with my baby after she is born. I’ll have freedom! My body, my baby, my choice.

Have you had any experience with a midwife or home birth? If so, how was it?

DIET

Breakfast: I have been adding some variety to my breakfast lately. (Shocker, I know!). I still love me a delicious parfait loaded with banana and pomegranate seeds topped with nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds and flax. Superfood heaven right there! I’ve also been testing out a few fruit smoothies as well as a few hearty, creamy smoothies like pumpkin pie. Yumm! My most recent obsession is apples, nut butter and banana! We went apple picking 2 weekends ago and my house WAS loaded with apples, so I decided why not indulge in as many as I can! I’ve almost hit that “I’m sick of ‘em” point. Almost.

Lunch: Nothing new here. Still salads, salads and MORE salads with my fave dressing: lemon garlic tahini! Nom nom nooooom!

Dinner: Still eating what’s in season. I have a serious obsession now with greens. I literally CRAVE cooked greens with garlic and lemon (Can you see a pattern here!?). Soooooo good!  Sometimes I’ll throw in some olives or tomatoes or even chickpeas. Seriously, ridiculously, obsessively good.

Snacks: Sprouted Trail Mix and Hummus top the list! Oh and cookies. Exclusively Angela’s (From Oh She Glows) Vegan, Gluten Free ChocolateChip Cookies. I can, and sometimes do, eat them all….day….long! Call me pregnant cookie monster. It’s that serious. Cookie, cookie, cookie, coooooookie!

 

Cravings: Greens, soups, and cookies

 

EXERCISE

I still take my dog, Rex, on a daily walk around the neighborhood. It takes us anywhere between 15-30 minutes and is approximately ¼ - ½ a mile. Not too far but a nice, brisk walk none the less. Now that it’s getting a lot colder outside, I’m all for quick and easy.

I’ve also been trying to incorporate a prenatal yoga class or two during the week. It’s sad to see how weak I am ever since I lost all of my  weight and gained it all back. My muscles lack the tone and strength that they used to have. Hopefully the yoga plus the walking will help me gain some of that back. It’s been really nice to relax, breath and stretch! I can really feel it in my back and hips. They love me J

 

PREGNANCY

Weeks 24 and 25

Honestly, at this point, I don’t recall much about weeks 24 and 25 except for the fact that I was growing by the day.  Time is flying by so fast and with the fall/holiday season in full swing, we’ve been busy baking goodies, picking apples, attending festivals and enjoying the cooler weather. My pregnancy has become such a part of my life that I literally have to write down things about my pregnancy in order for me to remember. Sad.

24 Weeks!



25 Weeks!

Week 26

In week 26 I started dealing with some nausea, especially after I ate. I was afraid that I was going to have to deal with the third trimester morning sickness, but thankfully it went away after a few days. My daughter was recovering from a pretty bad cold so I wonder if maybe I caught a small bit of it.

As for the rest of the week, well, it was quite busy. First, my husband came home with a new, slightly used, Nissan Pathfinder after realizing that in a few months we would be traveling with not only a child and a baby, but also with a grown pup. With our family quickly expanding, it was only smart to purchase a vehicle that would comfortably fit us all. So far, the family, including Rex, is totally loving it!

That weekend, we drove our new vehicle up to Graves Mountain to attend their annual Apple Fest. While it was wet and a bit chilly, the time spent with family and our pup was still enjoyable. What surprised me the most was that even after all that standing and walking, I was not sore! How is that!? I get home, stand for 4 hours and I feel like my body was hit by a truck. Weird.

Lastly, I forced my husband to drive me into “town” to seek out maternity clothes at a consignment shop that I had heard so much about. While the selection of my size, my style clothing was very small, I still walked out with three dresses and a pair of hideous, yet comfortable dress pants for only $40. A deal!? I think so. I’m in love with dresses and wish to wear them all the time. I have a feeling consignment shopping will be my new favorite hobby for the next couple of months. After all, I’m not getting smaller. Just ask my husband…

On Sunday morning, while lying in bed waiting for my husband to wake up.

Husband: “I’m hungry!”

Me: “Well, I don’t know what you’re going to eat. I need to go grocery shopping. Eat your pork rinds from yesterday.”

Husband: “I’m hungry! I’m hungry!”

Me: (Lifting shirt to watch belly move)

Husband: “Well, we can tell SOMEONE’s being well fed!”

We both busted out laughing! Yes, my husband called me fat but at the same time I couldn’t be mad because he honestly had a point. Have you seen this thing!?

26 Weeks!

 

Week 27

In week 27 I started dealing with a new pregnancy symptom: feet swelling.  Every evening my feet, especially my left foot, would swell to the point that it was visibly puffy and red. It wasn’t painful or uncomfortable, but I could definitely feel it. Knowing that swelling, while normal, can also be a sign of a serious condition such as preeclampsia, I took precautions and rested a soon as it became visible. Elevating my feet seemed to help and the swelling would be gone by morning. The odd thing is, the swelling occurred all week long, until Friday. From Friday into the weekend, I dealt with very little if any swelling. So weird.

I’ve also been dealing with boosting my self confidence. The lack of clothing options, plus my hatred for the maternity dress pants that I find absolutely unfitting, has left me a bit down in the dumps. I desire to be beautiful and somewhat sexy yet all I see is frumpy. My hair is dragging, my beautiful long nails, all broken and my feet and legs slightly swollen. I hope I can get out of this rut soon because I know I’m beautiful. I just have to see it for myself. It doesn’t help that I’m a bottle full of raging hormones. I used to never cry and now I cry 2-3 times a day! The joys of pregnancy!

Week 27!

On Friday, I had my one month checkup at the OB. Everything is looking great. The baby is growing, again, on point! Her head, belly and femur all measure perfectly. Her heartbeat was rapid; between the 140’s – 150’s. She weighed in at around 2lbs and 5oz and was smiling for us while watching her on the 3D cam. Every time I see her I fall more and more in love with her. She’s already perfect.

 

 

As for momma, I gained 10lbs in one month!! Yes, I’m 137lbs right now! I finally reached my pre-pregnancy weight, plus some, which was good news for everyone. My BP was 120/74; normal for me. And the swelling, according to my doc, is completely normal. Checking in perfect!

That day, reality finally hit. This baby is coming SOON! My doctor notified me that after my next appointment I would be visiting every 2 weeks to make sure I’m progressing well. Every two weeks!? Am I seriously that close!? All I could do was panic. I have so much to do!

 

Checklist

And then there’s this…. I don’t even know where to start

1. Decide on type of birth and contact a midwife ASAP
2. Find a hypnobirthing class
3. Stock up on needed oils for delivery and post partum
4. Continue yoga routine
5. Finish baby registry for babyshower
6. Stress less and ENJOY pregnancy

That last one is a doozy…

Any advice!?

Until next time, enjoy the cooler weather and have a Happy Halloween!

Beth

16 Weeks: The Mystery of the Dreadful Weekends

This week has been a very long and very interesting week. My emotions are on a complete roller coaster ride right now and new symptoms are popping up…again! I have been eating well, thank goodness, and exercising when I can. Best of all, I feel great…except for during the weekends.

The weekends are a complete dread for me. Between Friday and Sunday my body goes through this normal routine of headaches, vomiting and exhaustion. I have no idea exactly WHY I go through this every single weekend, but I believe I have narrowed it down to either too much sleep, too much physical activity combined with not enough food and water, or a slack on taking my prenatals (I’m bad, I know!). Whatever it is, I dread the weekends. I’m hoping to one day figure it all out and actually enjoy a Saturday not keeled over the porcelain throne. I’m really tired of cleaning that thing daily.

Do you have any thoughts on what it could be? Is my body just doing all its work on the weekends sending my hormones on a surge during these days? Anyone?

 

My Current Diet

I am currently obsessssssed with yummy morning milkshakes loaded with 20 plus grams of protein and tons of healthy energy producing carbs. These nutrient loaded milkshakes keep me satisfied, energized and most importantly, busy while driving into work. I get a bit nauseous in the car so sipping continuously seems to help. This week I made a couple of varieties: strawberry banana, chocolate and PB and J! The PB and J was obviously my fave! Want the recipe!? You got it!

High Protein “PB and J” Milkshake

• 2 frozen bananas
• 5 strawberries (or more!)
• 1 packet of Justin’s Almond or Peanut Butter
• 1 scoop of Sunwarrior’s Vanilla Warrior Blend Protein Powder (optional)
• 2 cups almond milk and/or water
• 1 tsp of maca powder
• 1 small handful of ice
• 1 Tbsp cacao nibs

1. In a blender, blend together everything but the cacao nibs until well blended and smooth.
2. Add in cacao nibs and do a quick blend just to mix and to break the nibs up a bit.
3. Pour into your favorite cup, add your fave glass straw, sip and enjoy!

For lunch I’ve been sticking to small salads loaded with lots of olives – another yummy obsession of mine – usually topped with a creamy dressing for more of a fill. Mid-afternoon I snack on raw veggies or fruit such as celery sticks, carrots, peaches, figs or whatever is in season. As for dinner, I cook up whatever veggie I’m already making for my family and usually combine it with gluten-free noodles or rice for some heartiness.

Looking at my current menu, I guess you can say I’m trying to follow a “Raw Til 4” diet: raw fruits and veggies until 4 then a cooked meal after 4 or for dinner. It’s been working well for me and I don’t end up waking up in the middle of the night starving. As I say, if it works, then stick to it!

 

My Exercise Routine

Yeahh I don’t really have one but I can tell I need to start one. I will take a random walk or bike ride every now and then if the weather is really nice, but for the most part I’ve been sitting on my bum. During the evening I’m on my feet most and by the time I’m done my body is sore and completely exhausted. Therefore, I listen and rest. No need to overdo it.

However, I have thought about incorporating some prenatal yoga a few times a week. My body has been experiencing joint pains thanks to the relaxin hormone that is loosening up my joints for birth and I can tell a good light stretch is in order. I just need to make sure I take it easy J

Do you have any suggestions for a prenatal exercise that is easy on the body?

 

My Pregnancy

This week my body has been feeling quite sore all over: my pelvic bone, hip joints, tail bone and back to be specific. I think it’s a combination of relaxin, soreness from random exercises and the increase in sitting during the day. I used to stand all day at work and now I only stand to file, walk around the building or cook and clean.  That’s nothing compared to the 6-10 hours I am used to. My solution? Exercise more and stretch!

This week I’ve also been feeling those little flitters and flutters and some punches that some women feel around this time. At first I assumed they were just gas or digestion but I have now been able to distinguish the difference between bodily functions and baby movements….I think. I seem to only be able to feel these little movements when I’m sitting down with a slump. Weird but true. It’s an amazing feeling though, to feel your baby move. It gives me reassurance to know my little baby is alive and well. It can also leave me with severe anxiety should I not feel the baby move much at all. The joys of pregnancy! Overall, it’s been a fun new experience this week. Now I’m just waiting til baby gets big enough to where daddy and sister can feel the movements too!

In other news, I had one of my many 2 weeks appointments today. They were short staffed so I got stuck with one of the doctors as my technician for the day. As much as I like the doctors, having a technician can be more fun for me. Usually they spend more time searching around and they tend to always give you photos at the end of the day. They’re also more trustworthy when it comes to knowing the sex of your baby; not that the doctor doesn’t know. It’s just that the technicians tend to do it more often. J

Today I got no photos, very little viewing of my baby, and an unsure answer as to what the sex of my baby is. I was still happy to see my not-so-little one, but I would have been happier if I got to see a full view of my baby, see it move and possibly get a photo to share. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait til next time. It is, after all, only 2 weeks away! Overall, everything looked good. The heartbeat was at 150, which was lower than normal, but it made sense considering my little avocado was just chilling and not moving very much for the doctor…which was quite unusual. Any other time s/he is causing trouble. My cervix is measuring normal as well and my placenta is moving up away from my cervix; another plus considering it was a concern last time. All in all everything looks “normal” which is what we high-risk mommas want to hear.

I’m truly thankful that everything is looking normal and healthy so far. I can’t ask for anything else…well, maybe for more time. Yeah more time would be good.

Until next week J

*Beth*

From Food to Babies? A Special Announcement + A New Subject for the Blog

Hi!

So….how are you!? I know it’s been a while since we’ve talked but trust me when I say I have a very good reason why…and this time I truly do.

For the past 16 weeks my body has been adjusting to some major changes thanks to this little bundle called a baby. The journey has been both a blessing and a curse, but I am very happy to say that things have finally calmed down and I am now in the blissful stages of pregnancy. I am once again energetic, happy and best of all, able to eat.

With time permitting, my goal is to blog about my journey through pregnancy and motherhood as the health and environmentally conscience individual that I am. Building and raising a baby requires a lot of health and diet related decisions, which I hope you can help me with! It’s been 8 years since I was last pregnant and my ideals about food, health, etc. has completely changed making this feel like a whole new experience for me and my family. I also want to document this experience in hopes that it helps other like minded moms out there relate. After all, there’s nothing more comforting than knowing you’re not alone.

So to begin, I think it’s only best to back track on the last 15 weeks of my life as a newly pregnant momma. It’s an interesting story that should NOT go untold.

Discovery

Before my missed cycle, before I even took a stick test, I knew something was “wrong” with my body. I could tell my hormones were off by the random changes my body was going through. I guess learning to tune in and listen to my body finally paid off. The first thing I noticed was a sudden flare up of back acne. Random, large zits would pop up daily on my back and wouldn’t go away. At first I thought it was a reaction to the new shampoo I was using, but even after not using it for a week, the acne continued. (Keep in mind, my first pregnancy was symptom free from beginning to end.) That was sign number one.

The second thing I noticed was a swing in my emotions. Don’t get me wrong, as a woman and human being having emotional swings isn’t all that rare. It happens, but usually when I haven’t eaten right or during that time of the month; never mid-month when I’m usually my happiest self. In addition, I also noticed I became very annoyed with people being in my personal space. I couldn’t even take my daughter or husband being near my face, or in my bubble for a long period of time. It was sort of sad honestly because I felt like I was being mean and hateful. What happened to the happy, loving person I used to be?

After waiting a week after my missed period I finally took a test. My husband was convinced that my cycle was just off, but I knew that was not the case. Ever since I started my raw food journey, my cycle was on point every single month. It was so well scheduled I could plan trips around it without an issue. No way was it all of a sudden late. Of course, I was right. The test came out faintly positive. To be sure I took one more the following day and sure enough, we were having a baby!

It was a shock to us as this was totally unplanned, but we were no doubt happy and thrilled. Having lost two in 2013, and swearing we would never try again, we knew that this baby was a miracle from God.

Misery

The first few weeks of my pregnancy were quite a breeze. I had some sharp pains here and there, some cramping, along with tiny bouts of nausea, but nothing serious. I thought to myself, maybe this pregnancy will be just like my first: easy, breezy, and stress free. Haha, did I jinx that one.

All of a sudden, I was suffering from migraines that wouldn’t ease with water or sleep; severe nausea; strong food aversions; and eventually, severe vomiting. I could barely keep food or water down. My dreams of having a completely raw food pregnancy were toast. Instead, I was living off organic saltines, ice cubes, seltzer water and rice when I could manage it. My multi-vitamins weren’t staying down either, leading me to panic about the health of my baby. No vitamins, no healthy foods and little water….what kind of damage is this going to cause? As much as I wanted to take care of this little human inside of me, all I focused on was taking care of me. Eat, drink, throw up, sleep, repeat – that was my routine for 7 weeks straight.

Scared

It the midst of all the pregnancy horror, one day I noticed the early signs of an oncoming cycle or for those who are pregnant, a miscarriage. It frightened me to tears and I immediately called my doctor for an early appointment. Having miscarried before, the situation was nerve wrecking and left me anxious to eventually see my baby. Thankfully, all was well; really well actually. However, to be safe, the doctor prescribed me prometrium and scheduled me an ultrasound for that same day.

Now, many of you who know me very, very well, know medications are off the books for me unless there is a desperate need for them. If you don’t know what prometrium is, it’s basically a boost of progesterone hormones in order to help keep the uterus functioning properly. I researched, read and debated about whether or not I should pick up my prescription for almost two weeks. Finally I decided my answer would be no. Even though it could potentially help, at the end of the day, I learned it wouldn't prevent a miscarriage and the side effects made it seem like life could possibly be even more miserable and stressful, which was NOT what I needed. I determined I would leave it the hands of fate, or in my case, God. If this baby was meant to stay, then it will.

The ultrasound that day went perfect. Even though I was a complete mess, I finally got to see the reason why I was going through so much fuss. My little cocoon was doing just fine, measuring at 7 weeks, 1 day (weirdly almost 2 weeks prior to what I predicted), with a heartbeat of 136. Seeing him/her put my mind at ease, at least for the time being, and thankfully, all was well.

7 Weeks, 1 Day

Becoming High Risk

At my next appointment, aka my regularly scheduled “first” appointment, my doctor expressed her concerns about the shape of my uterus which she examined from the ultrasound scans. Instead of being the typical oval shaped that it should be, mine showed to be somewhat heart shaped or medically speaking, bicornuate. If this is your first time hearing about such an anomaly you’re reaction is probably similar to what mine was – “Cool. Okay. And?”.  Apparently, having such a unique shaped baby cave can actually put you at high risk. How?

A bicornuate uterus means that I have, what they like to call, two horns or two cavities as opposed to one: a right and a left. The baby settles into one side and happily grows. However, depending on the length of the “septum” in between the two cavities, the baby’s growth could be stunted. I could miscarry, go into preterm labor, or worse.

Now, let me reiterate just one more time how beautiful my first pregnancy went. No symptoms; easy labor; and THIS never came up. Never. And I was born with it! I never had an issue with it during my pregnancy so why should I now, right? I guess for once I’d like to curse the advancement of technology and its ability to now see a more accurate viewing of my screwed up baby cave. If it wasn’t for it, I wouldn’t be in this high risk situation. Of course, I’m sure miscarrying twice has something to do with it too and well, all complaining aside, it’s been a blessing. An expensive blessing, but a blessing. I do get to see my baby every 2 weeks!

My doctor sent me to the Maternal Fetal Associates of the Mid-Atlantic, a place that services high-risk patients, and where almost all pregnant women go for their First Trimester Screening, for a more thorough screening of my uterus to determine if the bicornuate diagnosis was accurate. Although difficult to see, the doctor stated that the diagnosis seemed accurate and asked me to come back every 2 weeks to keep an eye on everything and for my First Trimester Screening. My reaction, of course, was yippee, I get to see my baby every two weeks! What a way to keep my mind at ease! Being high-risk wasn’t so bad after all.

10 Weeks, 2 Days

The Benefits of Eating Raw Vegan

Even though I wasn’t doing so well with my diet, my body was still in amazing shape. The proof? The results of my blood work showed everything was doing fine. I was healthy, and, wait for it, NOT ANEMIC! Now anemia, especially among pregnant women, seems to be a major issue. Prior to becoming vegan and during my first pregnancy, I was anemic and prescribed those gosh awful iron pills to supplement. Ever since then I haven’t had my blood analyzed and therefore, never knew how my iron levels were...until now! Apparently I’m doing great! THANK YOU HEALTHY DIET and thank you greens!

Sorry, I had to boast a bit J

14 Weeks Baby Bump: 10% Baby, 90% fat and water retention!

 

First Trimester Screening

Nothing is more nerve wrecking than waiting for the results of these pregnancy tests and screenings. As a mother, all I wish is for a healthy baby, but when there’s a test that can determine otherwise, well, I worry.

The First Trimester Test is composed of two different tests: a blood test and a screening of the baby’s neural tubes. The blood test was easy, yet painful. Having lacked in fluids that day, drawing blood from my middle finger became a serious task for the nurse. All she needed was 5 drops and my finger was giving her nothing. Eventually she got what she needed, but in turn I got a seriously bruised middle finger that lasted a week. As for the screening, that I enjoyed because I was able to see my baby move in the process. At that time, s/he was measuring at 12 weeks, 3 days, exactly on point, with a heartbeat of around 160.

After about a week or so the result of my screening came in and everything looked great.  I could finally relax for a bit and finally go back to living my pregnant life semi-normally.

12 Weeks, 3 Days

The Present

Since my First Trimester Screening, I have had one other ultrasound, which again, showed that everything was doing great. The baby is growing exactly on point and so far, everything with me is also looking good. The only small concern they had was that my placenta was lying low towards my cervix, but apparently that’s normal early in the pregnancy. Whew.

To date I am 16 weeks along. The vomiting has significantly subsided and I am once again enjoying foods of all varieties. I am not 100% raw, but I do eat a lot of raw foods. I have gone from worrying about eating in general to now worrying about the safety of what I am consuming. From herbal teas, to protein powders, to even chocolate, everything seems to have a safety concern when it comes to being pregnant. In my future posts I’ll be addressing these concerns along with updates on my pregnancy.

 

14 Weeks, 1 Day

Well, I hope you’re as excited as I am to start this journey. As I expressed before, this is all pretty new to me, and I am going to need all the help I can get! I was never cautious about what I consumed or what activities I did with my first pregnancy. This go around, it’s all about making sure that I’m healthy and fit, because a healthy momma means a healthy baby!

So I want to know, what’s your go to snack!? I need ideas!

Beth