Go Raw While Breastfeeding – Chlorella

I watched a video on YouTube earlier about whether or not it was safe to go raw while breastfeeding.  Like many people, my main concern is that the toxins my body gets rid of will be released into my breast milk, which obviously could be harmful to my son. 

.

Most people I’ve talked to advise to wait until you have stopped breastfeeding before going 100% raw.  The guy on the video earlier, however, seemed to have a different perspective.

.

I’m not sure if he was specifically referring to going raw, but he did bring some good information to the table.  He talked about a few different studies that basically prove that changing to a cleaner diet doesn’t significantly elevate the toxicity levels in breast milk.  What’s more interesting is that Chlorella supposedly aids in leaching the toxins from the body.  (In other words, supplementing with chlorella while going raw may help get rid of all the junk in your system.) 

.

I realize that going raw isn’t the same as just “improving” one’s diet.  It is a much more serious process.  I’ve experienced severe detox symptoms first hand, and it’s not fun.  It’s just common sense that if I try to go raw while breastfeeding, some toxins will be passed along to Axel.  The question I have is whether or not it would be worth it anyway.
.

.

I don’t want to go raw permanently, but it would be nice to do it for a couple of days.  I’d love to give my body a break by only drinking green smoothies and juice for a few days.  (I’d probably incorporate some sprouts, as well.)  I probably won’t be able to go completely raw until I’m done breastfeeding anyway, simply because we aren’t in a stable enough position financially to do so.

.

What do you all think?  Have any of you successfully gone raw while breastfeeding?  Have you heard of anyone attempting to do it, only to find that it just wasn’t possible?  I could really use some help.  I don’t want Axel to suffer through detox, obviously, but at the same time, isn’t he suffering right now by not having optimum nutrition?  This really is a controversial issue, especially among raw food circles.  It’s hard to make an educated decision when there is so little information out there on the subject.

.

So, if you or someone you know has gone raw while breastfeeding, please, PLEASE share your experience.  It would be so helpful to me, and I would be forever grateful.  I just don’t feel “well” right now, and I really think a couple days off of cooked food would benefit me immensely.  Thank you all.

.

February 27, 2010 | Tags: , , | 11 Comments »

How To Make Green Smoothies

Ahh, the love flame that once burned bright between green smoothies and I has been rekindled.  Patrick has also joined the delicious love triangle (well, I guess it only became a love triangle after he joined… ?).  I have already noticed a huge difference in the way I feel.  Green smoothies are amazing.

.

I drank my first (in a long time, at least) about a week ago.  I made it simple by using only romaine lettuce, bananas, and water.  It tasted pretty good, but I think that was mainly because I hadn’t had a green smoothie in so long.  The best part was that it gave me a ridiculous energy boost within about an hour of drinking it.  I seriously started having flash backs of when I was raw a few years back.  Those were the days…

.

A few days after drinking my first “so-so” green smoothie, I decided to make one again.  I actually made two, because Patrick wanted to drink some as well.  I used romaine lettuce, chilled bananas, kiwis, and fresh grapefruit juice.  It tasted superb.  The more I drink, the more I crave becoming a 100% raw vegan.  It gives me hope that one day, we will obtain our goal.

.

So, what are the benefits of drinking green smoothies?  Well, if you aren’t a salad eating type of person, they are a great way to get greens into your body.  Just blend up some romaine, spinach, or even kale, add your favorite fruits, and presto, you have a delicious, nutrient dense green smoothie.  Surprisingly, the fruit really does cover up the green taste.  (This, of course, depends on how much of each ingredient you use.) 

.

Some of you are probably thinking, “ew, that’s disgusting!”  Let me tell you, it’s NOT!  And, even if you are particularly fond of the first green smoothie you make, you can always change up your recipe the next time.  The possibilities are endless.  Plus, I can almost guarantee that if you drink a smoothie daily for a week, you will be hooked.  Your body will be begging for more.  Mine sure is.

.

How about a recipe?  I’ll add more later, but here’s the one I came up with the other day.  I strongly encourage you to try this.  You won’t be sorry.  Green Smoothies are like coffee on steroids.

.

Green Smoothie #1

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • 2 chilled bananas (peel and break into pieces, then place in freezer for 1 hour prior to use)
  • 2 kiwis
  • 2 grapefruit (you can chill these before hand as well, then squeeze juice into smoothie mix)

.

Mix the fruit together first, then add the lettuce a few leaves at a time.  Pour into two large glasses for you and a friend. 

.

Enjoy!

.

February 25, 2010 | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments »

Unschooling Young Children – Natural Learning

Not that long ago, I probably would have mocked someone who thought like I do now.  I can hardly fathom how much I’ve changed over the past couple of years.  It’s unbelievable.

.

Another thing that blows my mind is that Patrick and I both desire to unschool.  I’m so excited that we are on the same page on most of the big issues concerning Axel.  Fighting about these things would not be fun.

.

I’ve been stressing out lately about how exactly I’m going to go about teaching our little boy important things.  The problem with my thinking, though, is that I have no idea what “important” is yet, because Axel is ultimately the one who will decide that.  Sure, I think reading and writing is crucial, but why does it have to be taught to every child at age 5?  Why not 7, or 3?  What if reading is something that Axel simply isn’t interested in?  Am I supposed to shove literature down his throat?  Shouldn’t I teach my child whenever he is ready and willing?  I just don’t get why every kid has to fit into the same little cookie cutter mold.  It’s frustrating.

.

When we first started considering unschooling, I was completely freaked out because I thought it meant that books were outlawed, or any other “training” materials.  After researching more, I found that the whole point of unschooling is that you are basically letting your child lead his own education.  In other words, if Axel wants to play outside for 6 hours straight, that’s okay.  Or, if Axel is interested in flash card drills, we have the freedom to do them.  It’s not about what you do, or even how you do it, it’s simply about believing in your child.

.

From a Christian perspective, I think it’s all about trusting that God knew what He was doing when he created your child.  We as parents don’t have to force our interests, hobbies, talents, or anything our government says must be “learned,” on our kids. My son has been blessed with special gifts, and I feel like it’s my job to nurture those gifts, and to love him as much as possible along the way.  This is the best path for our family.

.

Funny thing is, Axel is already showing me that natural learning is the best route for us.  I frequently find myself trying to force Axel to do something, only to realize half way through it that he is already doing something of his own.  For instance, the other day I was trying to “teach” him how to use his toy hammer.  I was chanting, “see Axel, you hold the hammer right here, and hit it on the ground… hold it here, hit it on the ground… see how mommy does it?… now you try.”  Well, after awhile I gave up, because all he wanted to do was pick up the hammer, switch it from hand to hand, and examine the different sides.  Once I realized that he was learning something important (without my help mind you), I was able to take a step back and happily observe.  He didn’t need me to teach him to do anything.  All he needed was my love, and a smile from me every now and then when he looked up, wondering if he was making me proud.  And, I can honestly say, he was. 

.

Ironically, when I stopped trying to teach him how to play, and just played, he started picking up on what I was doing.  Shortly after I let go, and just had fun, he picked up the hammer, pounded it on the ground, and smiled, like it was no big thing.  And, you know what?  To him, it really wasn’t.  He looked at me as if to say, “mom, I’ve got this, don’t worry about me.” 

.

It’s hard, if not impossible, not to worry about our children.  They are so precious.  We desire them to have great lives, and the only way we know how to teach them that is to attempt to force them to act like we do, and to learn to do things the way we learned to do them.  We must remember, though, that our purpose is not to make them into miniatures of ourselves, but instead to help them turn into the people they were created to be. 

.

This is gonna be a tough one.

February 23, 2010 | Tags: , | 5 Comments »

Best Food Deals In DFW Area This Week

First off, let me just apologize.  It probably appears that my natural parenting site has transformed into a foodie blog.  That is not the case.  It just so happens that right now food is the subject I most feel like writing about.

.

How does it relate to natural parenting, you ask?  Well, everything I’m eating directly relates to Axel, since he’s still nursing.  The fact that he has food allergies/sensitivities just amplifies that relationship.

.

He still isn’t pooping well.  Yesterday was HORRIBLE!  He struggled all day trying to pass his stools. It broke my heart.  It was really depressing because the last time he eliminated (1 1/2 weeks ago), he did so much more easily than he had in months.  It was a relief.  Unfortunately, I started eating buckwheat, thinking that would be okay, and it wasn’t.  He got all stopped up again.  Also, the avocados he was eating messed him up, which was surprising.  It’s too bad because he really likes them!

.

I know that bananas are constipating, or at least, can be, but I mushed some up with some raw, ground up flax seeds, and fed them to him.  I did it hoping that it would help clean him out, because pear just wasn’t doing the job.  I think it worked, because like I said, he did go yesterday.  Now, if I can just be really careful not to eat anything, maybe, just maybe he’ll get into a consistent elimination pattern.  I can’t tell you how much of a relief that would be for me (and for him, I can imagine).

.

I thought I was doing really well with avoiding certain foods.  I wasn’t 100%, though.  I found out after a few weeks that my salad dressing had xanthan gum in it.  I had cut out corn, but I stupidly glanced through the ingredients list on the bottle, searching specifically for “corn,” and I missed the xanthan gum part.  :(   Now I’m more careful.

.

Let’s get to the deals of the week.  That is what this post was meant to be about, right?  I got sidetracked.

.

Sprouts

  • Tangelos are .77 cents per pound
  • Navel oranges- .69 cents/lb (Juicy and sweet!)
  • Zucchini is .77/pound- They have great flavor.
  • Broccoli is .77 cents/lb – It always seems to be good, you just have to make sure to pick out the crunchy heads.
  • Organic apples are .99 cents per pound – They aren’t the best by themselves, but they’re great for juicing.
  • Cluster tomatoes- .99 cents per pound (I love them sliced and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper!)
  • OH! They also have large grapefruit for .19 cents each, and Patrick says they are very good!

.

Cox Farms Market

  • 5 Pounds of potatoes are still .99 cents.  Woohoo!
  • Coconut ice cream is on sale for $3.59.  A pint is usually about 5 dollars.

.

Whole Foods

  • Grapefruit are still $8.99 for the big 18 pound bag.
  • Organic kiwis are .50 cents each, and they’re very tasty.

.

That’s all for this weeks good food deals in DFW.  Happy munching!

February 20, 2010 | Tags: , , | 7 Comments »

Vegan Batch (Bulk) Cooking – Freeze Ahead Meals

.
I know it’s been four excruciating long days, but this time, the post delay wasn’t entirely my fault. We haven’t had power in almost two days! We had a decent sized storm on Thursday, and ended up with almost a foot of snow. It’s the most “real” snow I’ve ever seen in my life! I’ve discovered that I can actually enjoy cold weather if there is fluffy white ice to play with. I just wish I would have been able to go sledding.

.

The downside to the snow storm was the power outage.  Or, should I say, “is” the power outage, as we still have no electricity.  Patrick was able to bring a generator home, which is how I’m typing this right now.  (Don’t worry, our refrigerator is also plugged in.)

.

We’ve been freezing our butts off!  Who knew 52 degrees could be so cold?  I sure am looking forward to a hot shower, hopefully that will happen by tomorrow, especially considering it’s Valentines Day!  (It’s also one of Patrick and my anniversaries, but that’s a private matter… or was.)

.

To the point.  We cooked a ton of food last Saturday, and froze a bunch of it for future meals (thank goodness for that generator!).  We decided to do this simply because I’ve gotten rather tired of cooking, and cleaning dishes every single night.  It gets old fast, as I’m sure many of you know from experience.  Anyway, when I was searching for vegan freeze ahead meals, there was virtually no recipes to be found.  It really surprised me considering vegan-ism has become such a large market. 

.

Since I had no luck with finding info online, I ended up cooking some previously used recipes, but in larger quantities.  I also added vegan potato soup, which was a first time things for me, and it turned out really good.  It had a smooth creamy texture, something I never thought I could accomplish without milk.  Plus, it had the added benefit of not making my stomach turn after eating it.  :)

.

We ended up cooking quite a few different meals, but I decided that I’m going to stick to one recipe per post, that way they are easily accessible to people who aren’t familiar with my blog.  Today we’ll go over the potato leek soup, and the few variations I came up with.

.

If you are looking for a rich comfort food, than you should definitely try this recipe.  It’s creamy, and very flavorful, similar to something you would find at La Madeleine.  It would be fabulous with some crunchy french bread to dip in it.  Mmmm…

.

Just to be fair, I want to let you all know that I did not come up with this recipe on my own.  It is from The Great American Detox Diet, by Alex Jamieson.  I did make some changes, though, so it’s not technically the same recipe.  (I omitted the rosemary and garlic, and I used less leek.)

.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 Leeks, white and light green parts washed and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
  • 4 Cups chopped yellow onion
  • Salt (to your liking)
  • 2 1/2 Pounds potatoes
  • 8 Cups vegetable stock

.

        1.   Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add the oil.

        2.   Add the leeks, onion, and salt and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion begins to turn translucent.

        3.   Add the potatoes and vegetable stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 minutes.

        4.   Remove the soup from the heat and scoop the soup into a blender, and blend in small amounts until all is creamy. 

        5.   Serve hot.

.

This recipes makes a good amount of soup, probably about 8-12 servings, so you will have leftovers for a few days.  We actually made three huge pots full (about 4 gallons), but we did vary the recipe from pot to pot.

.

.

For instance, we made one pot of zucchini potato soup.  I wasn’t exact with the ingredients, but it was roughly as follows:

.

  • 3 Parts Zucchini
  • 3 Parts Potato
  • 1 Bell pepper
  • 1 Part Carrots
  • 2 Parts Celery
  • Salt
  • Cayenne
  • And a few other spices to taste

.

The last pot of soup was similar, but with different amounts of the ingredients, and other spices.  One thing to keep in mind is that vegetable stock isn’t necessary if you are adding a bunch of vegetables to the soup.  By doing so, you are basically making your own stock during cooking.  Save the money, and just use water!

.

February 14, 2010 | Tags: , , , | No Comments »
« Older Entries