supplement when necessary

In general, our goal is get the nutrients we need from our food rather than relying on supercharged vitamins that may or may not be efficiently absorbed. But in times of heightened need, such as the depleted state resulting from 2 yrs of pregnancy-nursing-pregnancy, supplements make a much-appreciated difference in how my body functions. Right now I'm taking quite a few things:

• Liquid Chlorophyll for anemic-type tiredness (image above shows how the body converts it to hemoglobin, thus holding onto iron more efficiently)
• Bone Up Calcium capsules (calcium in presence of magnesium for best absorption)
• Vit D3 in 2,000 IU doses 2x daily (my body was badly depleted; it absorbs best in the presence of Calcium)
• Cod Liver Oil capsules (can't handle the liquid right now, too smelly)
• Various prenatal & B-complex throughout pregnancy (honestly whatever kind we can afford at the time)
• Skullcap for restless sleep & to ward off anxiety (2 caps twice daily)
• Alfalfa to reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (2 caps 3x daily)
• Cranberry concentrate for bladder health (extract isn't enough if you've already got a UTI, stick to the concentrate)

For the past month:

• Pregnancy Tea, 4 brewed cups daily, from Blessed Herbs: contains organic raspberry leaf, stinging nettles leaf, oatstraw & alfalfa leaf
• 5W for the last 5 weeks of pregnancy: contains black cohosh root, squaw vine herb, dong quai root, butcher's broom root, red raspberry leaves
• Evening Primrose Oil, 1300mg (only since 36 week mark)

vitameatavegamin

This is how I feel after researching for a while to find an organic, food-based supplement with nutrients in their most natural state (preferably for less than $40/month per person). Juice Plus was an option for a while, but but since it's still summer & seasonal produce is easy to obtain (even organic is somewhat available), I've been juicing things myself in addition to eating coconut oil/cream & cod liver oil. I'm just not convinced that conventional vitamins do for our bodies what food-based nutritional supplements can offer, but we also can't afford stuff like Garden of Life.

But now I'm. so. excited. After talking with the in-laws, it seems there might be an affordable, whole-food-based supplement that we can sustain long-term! Standard Process makes a product (among some more specific options depending on your needs) called Catalyn that will function as a prenatal multi without being a "mega-dose" that the body can't use efficiently. After checking out their farming & manufacturing practices, research & product ingredient lists... yes please! I'm also looking into the Trace Mineral B12 for its iron content during future pregnancies.  They offer options that are vegetarian lacto-ovo, but generally speaking there are animal products listed as ingredients. I'll periodically update after we've been on them for a bit.

juicing for joint pain

Last night was the first volleyball game I've played since getting pregnant with Elijah, so a year & a half. It was fun, but I've never been this achy before especially in my knees (sports injuries from high school). I've taken GCM for years, which is very helpful to take the edge off. Over July 4th weekend I was given our first juicer, from Mama Dompe! We were discussing homeopathic ways of dealing with joint pain, which I am experiencing more now than ever before. From time to time, I will post recipes that seem to treat symptoms most effectively. For joints, this is a fav:

  

Joint Pain Relief Juice – Omega 3 Greens

2 cups of spinach or broccoli florets
2 cups of parsley
2 inch slice of ginger root
1 apple or 1/4 pineapple
handful of blueberries

Wash all produce thoroughly. Remove apple stem or slice pineapple in half, then quarters, then eighths. Juice the green vegetables and ginger first followed by the apple/pineapple/berries, this will help flush the green juice out through the juicer. Broccoli, kale and parsley are all good plant sources of omega 3 and also contain vitamin C. These greens can be bitter so the fruit helps to sweeten things and add more vitamin C.

when you can't eat: juice

One unfortunate side-effect of illness is being unable to eat. You're laying there hungry but not really in the mood for food, or maybe not even keeping food down, & knowing that without fuel your body will heal slower & slower. I've been sick twice since Elijah was born, & both times I've worried that my milk supply would wane or dry up altogether. One very refreshing alternative to eating, that doesn't feed the virus with processed sugary sports drinks, is to juice. Sip it slowly, dilute if it's too thick to enjoy, & add ginger if you're feeling queasy! 

My current favorite is:

4 carrots
2 apples
2 inch slice of ginger root
10 oz. coconut water

Juicing is also a gentle way to detox, & there's an entry about making it a Juice Feast (not a fast) that really encouraged me recently. Bottoms up, folks.

a bottomless pit: food philosophy

 photo of our table compliments of Maya Lee

Before I get too carried away with recipes, I'd like to give you a little background on our kitchen. We take great strides to eat local, fresh, and in season. We use non-toxic (and usually homemade) cleaners to take care of spills and bring our own bags to carry things home in. We grow, can, pickle and try to only eat out when we can't make it better at home. We believe in eating well, not simply to decrease our impact on the environment, but primarily to fuel our bodies with the highest possible quality of food.

What we choose to eat is often considered an unusually organic, traditional foods diet. Rather than try to convince or take sides about food, I like to offer the resources that led me to the diet we embrace. Initially I read The Maker's Diet in tandem with looking up Old Testament references about the food & cleanliness customs of the ancient Hebrew people. From there, Nourishing Traditions has been very helpful in deciding how to prepare foods in a deliberate manner while looking to include as many varieties as are in-season & reasonable for our lifestyle. To give you an idea of the philosophy, this link is a helpful introduction.

We drink raw milk from a local farm that we trust, unpasteurized-unhomogenized-

full fat. In VA you have to own a share in a herd to legally obtain raw milk (so it's from your own cow, on paper). A Campaign for Real Milk has a list of farms you can contact, state-by-state. From raw milk I make kefir (strong yogurt that's great for the digestive system) & ricotta to put in quiche (with farm eggs, spinach, etc) or lasagna (with farm beef). I freeze the whey in ice cube trays to add to smoothies or baby food as needed. I also add whey instead of water to the sourdough bread we make from a liquid starter someone gave me a while back. 

In terms of online recipes & natural food recommendations, we often reference 101 Cookbooks for vegetarian & gluten-free recipes (anyone whose friend or relative has Celiac disease, show your love by doing research) & My New Roots, a holistic nutritionist & CNM who posts amazing recipes full of really healthy ingredients that almost feels like cheating. I totally changed my shopping list after reading a few of her suggestions, & the Smooth Criminal Chocolate Mousse Tart is next as far as I'm concerned.