I Love Vegetables...seriously, I do!

A little over 2 years ago we dramatically changed the way we eat at our house.  Jeremy and I both grew up in Meat and Potatoes kind of families.  Every night dinner had some kind of meat, some kind of starch and a veggie.  Salads were for special occasions and filled only a small bowl.  Vegetables were an afterthought when we went to the grocery store, and we only bought the veggies we needed for individual meals.  Our fresh food consumption was very typical of those who grew up in our generation.

It all changed when we read the book Eat to Live by Dr. Jay Fuhrman.  We became educated about what animal products do to our bodies.  We learned about how increasing our fruits and vegetable consumption could help us not only be healthier but be stronger too.

These pictures are a pretty accurate depiction of the salads we eat on a daily basis. Yes you read that right, I said daily.  We eat mostly fresh vegetables, beans, fruit and whole grains.  We try to have 90% of our calories come from those things and 10% can be animal products (meat, cheese, milk, yogurt).  This helps us to stay healthier and be in better shape.

Living in Utah however, our options for fresh produce are pretty limited.  We love the summer when we can plant a garden and shop on Saturdays at the local Farmer's Market.  We love the taste of fresh lettuce, spinach, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, edemame, peas...the list goes on and on and on. 

We have such a short growing season here, so most of the year we depend on getting our fresh greens from the grocery store.  This is not something we love, but something we do because we have to.

Recently, I was introduced to Field to Families.  It is a program that brings fresh organic produce to those of us who live in an area that is cold more than hot. 

Field to Families is the brain child of one of my favorite Farmer's Market vendors, Preston Parker and Parker Family Farms.  I accost Preston at his booth weekly waiting for the sunsugar tomato plants and then the sunsugar tomatoes.  His wife and I have bonded over a shared obsession love of these fabulous tomatoes.

Preston wanted fresh produce year round, so he teamed with a farm in California and Field to Families was born.

Here's how it works.  On Tuesday, the organic produce is picked in California and put on a truck.  It arrives here in Utah on Friday and on Saturday you can pick it up.  Pretty simple isn't it?  Last week we got romaine lettuce, spinach, oranges, cabbage, broccoli, and tomatoes.  All for just $15!

We have also gotten leeks, green onions, lemons, avocados and kale in the past.  The produce is amazingly fresh and tastes oh so good.  To have good lettuce in the winter is just...in a word...AMAZING!

Now I know that there are other programs in the area that do something similar to this, but here is where it is different.  In the summer, you get LOCAL produce.  So, you are supporting a local farm.  Also, it is all organic!

Really, you can't beat that.

So, if you want some fabulous produce, go on over to Field to Families and sign up today.  You really won't regret it.

Oh, and if you want to read another review about Field to Families that is MUCH funnier than mine, head on over to Mrs. Looneytunes and see what she has to say.

*I did receive 5 free pick ups of produce in exchange for a review.  And after having those 5 pick ups, I can't imagine my life without them, so I will be purchasing pick ups for the rest of my life!

Thyroid Issues

January is National Thyroid Awareness Month

When Seth was 14 months old I thought I was pregnant.  I mean, I'd done it two times before and I knew what it felt like to be pregnant.  I was BONE tired all the time.  Seriously exhausted all the time.  I just couldn't wake up.  I was also having a really hard time losing weight.  I couldn't get it off and I couldn't wake up.  It was making me crazy.  I took so many pregnancy tests that I should have bought stock in E.P.T!  

Finally, I went to my doctor.  He ran a lot of tests and found out that my thyroid was was really low.  I had no idea what the thyroid was or did.  I quickly learned though.

The thyroid is a small gland located in the middle of the lower neck, which produces hormones that regulate many functions including temperature, weight gain, and weight loss.  Many Americans experience various problems with the functioning of their thyroid.  Some red flags to watch for are:

• sudden weight gain or increase in body fat
• inability to lose weight despite proper diet and exercise
• fatigue, insomnia or restless sleep, anxiety or panic attacks
• gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation
• chronic sinusitis or lingering infections

 It is important if you notice these warning signs you see your physician to learn more. Cause I'm not a doctor!

For those of us in the childbearing years, it is also very crucial that you get it checked if you suspect this could be a problem for you.  Low thyroid levels contribute to miscarriages.  During my pregnancies with Amelia and Libby, I had to get my thyroid checked every trimester.  This not only reassured me, but was vital for the health of my pregnancies.

There are also many online resources for those seeking more information and support.  One online resource is the Fibro 360 Community – Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Center.  This online community not only offers a network of support, but also resources to those seeking more information about fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and related disorders including those concerning the thyroid.

This is a community I could have used when I first was diagnosed.  And now that I have been on my thyroid medication for 4 1/2 years, I feel that I can help those who are very new in this journey.

 If you’d like to learn more or would like to join the Fibro 360 Community, please visit Fibro 360 on Facebook .  You can also follow Fibro 360 on Twitter.

Could you use a little pampering?  One of you lucky readers will win a $25 gift card to Amazon.com to be used on whatever you need!  Let Fibro 360 treat you!

To enter, please visit the Fibro 360 Community on Facebook and become a fan, then let us know in the comments.  Would you like a bonus entry?  Let me know that you follow @Fibro360 on Twitter!

Contest ends January 31^st at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Finally, Some Answers.

I have hinted to some health issues I've been having.  We all know about my never-ending quest for sugar in all forms.  That was just one of my symptoms.  I have some bowel issues that I won't get into (you're welcome) and gas that makes my friends sure that I am rotting from the inside.  I am in constant abdominal pain, have headaches all the time, and am exhausted constantly.  Granted I have 3 children, very active children, but they don't cause my headaches and are only partially responsible for my exhaustion.

My darling Jeremy is always trying to fix things.  He is an engineer after all, that is what he does.  So, he has been searching for a way to help me over the last several years.  When he mentioned to me that I might be gluten intolerant, I couldn't imagine giving up my beloved bread.  Seriously, my favorite place to go eat is Great Harvest!  I love bread, I love baking and was terrified at the possibility of having to give it up.  So, I refused to think that was the problem and continued on in pain.

Then my dear friend, Shannon, emailed me telling me that she was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  As she described her symptoms and the fact that after she was off gluten she no longer craved sugar (WHAT?!?!) I realized that maybe there was something to this.

So, I went off gluten for a week and a half.  I felt amazing.  Seriously, I had energy, was sleeping better (minus that whole baby waking up multiple times a night to feast on the all night Mommy diner), my headaches were gone and I did not NEED sweets...really, I didn't even want them.  Unheard of for me, or anyone in my family for that matter.

I called my doctor's office and let them know what was going on.  I was instructed to go back on gluten for 2 weeks and then they could test me for Celiac disease. 

So, back on gluten I went and again I felt run-down, bloated, gassy, in pain, headaches...yep, it was all back.

Monday was the magical day where I went to the doctor and he said, "I think we're on the right track here".  I was given the all clear to go off gluten again and feel like I am finally on the road to getting some answers.

I never go to the doctor for myself.  I have been living in pain for YEARS.  If this is all it takes to fix this I will be thrilled and will be kicking myself that I didn't do it sooner.

So, here I go on my gluten-free journey.  I am reading The Gluten Free Girl right now and love it.  Shauna James-Ahern is amazing, if you don't believe me, go check out her website.  She is going to help me make a gluten-free Thanksgiving thankyouverymuch.

Are any of you gluten-free?  Do you know anyone who is?  I would love to have more recipe ideas and will take any tips and advice you have to offer.  Who else is on this journey toward healing with me?