Upon doing some research today, I've happened upon some links that you may find helpful.
The Meatrix
A corny, but informative look at factory farms and their effect on the meat and dairy industry. There is also a link for you to find organic farms and markets in your area who carry healthy alternatives.
Hydration Blog
Learn all there is to know about becoming properly hydrated. Dispell myths about hydration and find out what dehydrates you. Links to good water (yes, there are different types of water!) you can buy online, too.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Checking in...
I've been writing a lot lately about things unrelated directly to my fitness or weight loss.
I figured it was time for an update, despite not only having fallen off the wagon, but having survived it backing up over me, as well. The last few days I've been battling that desire to do emotional eating. I think it's that whole time change thing. I never handle this time of year well. I've drunk a TON of pop in the last couple days and eaten nothing but crap. I'm still happy to report that I haven't gained more than a few pounds, though. Which, if you'd see what's passed my lips, you'd wonder how the number hasn't gone much higher.
I'm going to try to get back to the gym this weekend. My masseur tonight expressed his disappointment. Not in me personally, but he pointed out how much I'd enjoyed the results and he was excited for me to see those results. (Have I mentioned I love him? He's awesome.) I've been needing a kick in the butt. I think him being disappointed in my lazy behavior might be just what I needed. (Thanks, Chris!)
So there you have it.
I figured it was time for an update, despite not only having fallen off the wagon, but having survived it backing up over me, as well. The last few days I've been battling that desire to do emotional eating. I think it's that whole time change thing. I never handle this time of year well. I've drunk a TON of pop in the last couple days and eaten nothing but crap. I'm still happy to report that I haven't gained more than a few pounds, though. Which, if you'd see what's passed my lips, you'd wonder how the number hasn't gone much higher.
I'm going to try to get back to the gym this weekend. My masseur tonight expressed his disappointment. Not in me personally, but he pointed out how much I'd enjoyed the results and he was excited for me to see those results. (Have I mentioned I love him? He's awesome.) I've been needing a kick in the butt. I think him being disappointed in my lazy behavior might be just what I needed. (Thanks, Chris!)
So there you have it.
A closer look at vaccines, specifically the H1N1
There are NUMEROUS things about the H1N1 vaccine that have people convinced they need it. Unfortunately many of these things that are convincing people they need it are based on myths. The biggest things to know before choosing to be vaccinated are these:
1. A vaccine is not a shot of chemicals that fight off the disease, the vaccine is a shot of chemicals as well as a dose OF the disease. Ideally, vaccines were designed to give the body a small dose of an illness to help boost a body's natural immunity to it. Over time, the vaccines have evolved into including more and more unnatural ingredients and essentially is more toxic to the body than it's good for it. For instance, the H1N1 vaccine's primary ingredient is a mercury-based product. Another key ingredient is formaldehyde. Pregnant women, babies and children are being encouraged to get a vaccine that, were it NOT in a vaccine, would be told to avoid at all costs.
Another thing to remember is that every day a disease is in existance it has mutated into something new. So the vaccine that scientists have spent the last year perfecting and getting approved by the DNA isn't for the flu strain that is currently being spread. It's the one from a year ago (or longer, depending on how long it's taken to develop).
2. The people telling you that you need a vaccine are the same people who are either employed BY a pharmaceutical company or benefit financially FROM a pharmaceutical company. Any and EVERY pharmaceutical company has a FINANCIAL gain from your vaccine. Every dose means money in their pockets. It's no longer about health. It's about money. Many people have the belief "My doctor wouldn't steer me wrong." Next time you're in your doctor's office, read the name on the pens, the calendars, the note pads, etc. I guarantee you, they will have the name of some medicine on them. Those are called kickbacks. Doctors agree to use those things as advertisements in exchange for "free samples" of the drugs the pharmaceutical reps are trying to sell to patients. (Piece of trivia for today: When your doctor goes to a medical conference, they're given manuals/study guides/books, etc. Who has provided the information that your doctors learn at these conferences? Pharmaceutical companies. Many/most of these books even have advertisements for the newest drugs on the market.)
Something else to consider: children have received "basic" vaccines for dozens and dozens of years, but it wasn't until the last ten years or so that researchers have made the connection between vaccinations and numerous health issues such as autism. The health "officials" who are promising you that this vaccine is safe are the same ones who promise the parents of those autistic children the same thing. Think about it.
3. Our bodies are designed to fight off illnesses naturally, if we'll allow them to. Let's pick apart the common cold, for instance. Most times, the minute we start coughing, we medicate with something to quiet a cough. The thing we don't realize is that the cough is there for a reason. There are foreign things in our lungs (due to the cold virus) and our body is trying to expel them so we don't become sicker. By quieting that cough, you're actually enabling that junk to stay in your lungs and increase, causing us to get sicker and we stay sicker longer because we continue to keep medicating. If we muddle through the miserable cough, our body expels the junk in our lungs and we're better more quickly.
What's the first thing you do when you get a fever? Take Tylenol (or another fever reducer) to get your temperature back to normal, right? This is actually the most foolish thing you can do. When we're sick, our body has increased its core temperature to "burn off" (for lack of a better term) the virus (or bacteria) that has infected our bodies. Consider the warning on most poultry for instance. It tells you to cook the meat to avoid a salmonella contamination. The same is true for our bodies. The longer that fever is artificially set back to normal, the longer that virus/bacteria is in our bodies. The longer its in our bodies, the more it multiplies and spreads. So something that may've started out as a simple bronchial infection ends up being pnemonia. If we let the fever burn off naturally, it WILL burn itself out...and with it, it'll take the nasty things that are making us sick.
4. Specificially regarding H1N1: It's the flu. Plain and simple. Yes, people have died from it. People have died from the regular flu, too, but you don't see them on the news. Bottom line is this: anyone who dies from any illness dies because their bodies aren't able to fight off the illness.
If we fill our bodies with artificial "immunity" through medication, we're going to become more and more reliant on those means to fight off the slightest thing and will essentially have much worse symptoms for the simplest of illnesses because our bodies no longer know how to fight something off.
I'm not a doctor, nurse or scientist. I don't work for some herbal remedy company. I'm not some tree-hugging naturalist. I only know what I've researched and what works for my family. I refuse to just "go with the flow" when it comes to my health and the health of my family. Too many things *don't* make sense about modern medicine for me to just take one for the team. The things I've shared here are things I've learned from the research I've done.
We eat healthily, we exercise, we hydrate well and when we feel ourselves getting sick we know it's because our bodies immunity levels aren't as high as they could/should be. We usually visit our kinesiologist (a form of chiropractic care that focuses on the body as a whole rather than just the spine & back muscles) and we also take herbal remedies that help our body deal with additional strains such as hormones or a lack of nutrients for whatever reason. Our family personally uses a product called "Immucore," the minute we start getting the sniffles or a stomach ache. It's just one example of an herbally based product to help our body rebuild white blood cells. You can google for dozens of others if that's something you're interested in.
Bottom line, only you can decide if you want to vaccinate or not. I hope that I've provided you information so you can make a better informed decision. You don't have to take my word. Do a search for H1N1 vaccine risks and side effects. Then do a search for "flu vaccine risks and side effects" to get a broader spectrum of results. Educate yourself from ALL aspects. Don't just trust blindly simply because someone has a medical degree. Remember...every time you get sick, they get paid.
1. A vaccine is not a shot of chemicals that fight off the disease, the vaccine is a shot of chemicals as well as a dose OF the disease. Ideally, vaccines were designed to give the body a small dose of an illness to help boost a body's natural immunity to it. Over time, the vaccines have evolved into including more and more unnatural ingredients and essentially is more toxic to the body than it's good for it. For instance, the H1N1 vaccine's primary ingredient is a mercury-based product. Another key ingredient is formaldehyde. Pregnant women, babies and children are being encouraged to get a vaccine that, were it NOT in a vaccine, would be told to avoid at all costs.
Another thing to remember is that every day a disease is in existance it has mutated into something new. So the vaccine that scientists have spent the last year perfecting and getting approved by the DNA isn't for the flu strain that is currently being spread. It's the one from a year ago (or longer, depending on how long it's taken to develop).
2. The people telling you that you need a vaccine are the same people who are either employed BY a pharmaceutical company or benefit financially FROM a pharmaceutical company. Any and EVERY pharmaceutical company has a FINANCIAL gain from your vaccine. Every dose means money in their pockets. It's no longer about health. It's about money. Many people have the belief "My doctor wouldn't steer me wrong." Next time you're in your doctor's office, read the name on the pens, the calendars, the note pads, etc. I guarantee you, they will have the name of some medicine on them. Those are called kickbacks. Doctors agree to use those things as advertisements in exchange for "free samples" of the drugs the pharmaceutical reps are trying to sell to patients. (Piece of trivia for today: When your doctor goes to a medical conference, they're given manuals/study guides/books, etc. Who has provided the information that your doctors learn at these conferences? Pharmaceutical companies. Many/most of these books even have advertisements for the newest drugs on the market.)
Something else to consider: children have received "basic" vaccines for dozens and dozens of years, but it wasn't until the last ten years or so that researchers have made the connection between vaccinations and numerous health issues such as autism. The health "officials" who are promising you that this vaccine is safe are the same ones who promise the parents of those autistic children the same thing. Think about it.
3. Our bodies are designed to fight off illnesses naturally, if we'll allow them to. Let's pick apart the common cold, for instance. Most times, the minute we start coughing, we medicate with something to quiet a cough. The thing we don't realize is that the cough is there for a reason. There are foreign things in our lungs (due to the cold virus) and our body is trying to expel them so we don't become sicker. By quieting that cough, you're actually enabling that junk to stay in your lungs and increase, causing us to get sicker and we stay sicker longer because we continue to keep medicating. If we muddle through the miserable cough, our body expels the junk in our lungs and we're better more quickly.
What's the first thing you do when you get a fever? Take Tylenol (or another fever reducer) to get your temperature back to normal, right? This is actually the most foolish thing you can do. When we're sick, our body has increased its core temperature to "burn off" (for lack of a better term) the virus (or bacteria) that has infected our bodies. Consider the warning on most poultry for instance. It tells you to cook the meat to avoid a salmonella contamination. The same is true for our bodies. The longer that fever is artificially set back to normal, the longer that virus/bacteria is in our bodies. The longer its in our bodies, the more it multiplies and spreads. So something that may've started out as a simple bronchial infection ends up being pnemonia. If we let the fever burn off naturally, it WILL burn itself out...and with it, it'll take the nasty things that are making us sick.
4. Specificially regarding H1N1: It's the flu. Plain and simple. Yes, people have died from it. People have died from the regular flu, too, but you don't see them on the news. Bottom line is this: anyone who dies from any illness dies because their bodies aren't able to fight off the illness.
If we fill our bodies with artificial "immunity" through medication, we're going to become more and more reliant on those means to fight off the slightest thing and will essentially have much worse symptoms for the simplest of illnesses because our bodies no longer know how to fight something off.
I'm not a doctor, nurse or scientist. I don't work for some herbal remedy company. I'm not some tree-hugging naturalist. I only know what I've researched and what works for my family. I refuse to just "go with the flow" when it comes to my health and the health of my family. Too many things *don't* make sense about modern medicine for me to just take one for the team. The things I've shared here are things I've learned from the research I've done.
We eat healthily, we exercise, we hydrate well and when we feel ourselves getting sick we know it's because our bodies immunity levels aren't as high as they could/should be. We usually visit our kinesiologist (a form of chiropractic care that focuses on the body as a whole rather than just the spine & back muscles) and we also take herbal remedies that help our body deal with additional strains such as hormones or a lack of nutrients for whatever reason. Our family personally uses a product called "Immucore," the minute we start getting the sniffles or a stomach ache. It's just one example of an herbally based product to help our body rebuild white blood cells. You can google for dozens of others if that's something you're interested in.
Bottom line, only you can decide if you want to vaccinate or not. I hope that I've provided you information so you can make a better informed decision. You don't have to take my word. Do a search for H1N1 vaccine risks and side effects. Then do a search for "flu vaccine risks and side effects" to get a broader spectrum of results. Educate yourself from ALL aspects. Don't just trust blindly simply because someone has a medical degree. Remember...every time you get sick, they get paid.
Monday, November 2, 2009
One of two ways...
"Oh my God, that's Mel?! I didn't even recognize her!"
I can take this one of two ways.
1. I've made amazing progress and I look fantastic.
2. I was such a troll before and I'm finally tolerable to look at.
My mood for the day usually determines which way I take a statement like that.
I *want* to always react the first way, but let's face it, when you've never really felt pretty, it's easy to fall into the second reaction, especially if you're like me and don't take compliments well. I've tried very hard to keep in focus what my real reasons are for losing weight: living longer and living healthier. The vanity reason is obviously there, as it is for any woman, but I'm trying NOT to make that my main reason for losing weight. I think when the focus is more about how I look, it's easy to lose track when I start noticing that difference in my appearance.
Every compliment is a struggle. Every time I hear "You're looking great, Mel, keep it up" or something like that, I have to stop and tell myself to JUST. SAY. THANK YOU. instead of shrugging it off or worse: being defensive.
So please try to understand where I'm coming from if I say "thank you" with a grimace on my face. I may be staying "Thank you" but my complete thought is "Thank you for allowing a troll like me to be seen in public with you." It's something I'm working on and if you knew me before I started losing weight, you'd know how far I've come. It's just a slow process.
I can take this one of two ways.
1. I've made amazing progress and I look fantastic.
2. I was such a troll before and I'm finally tolerable to look at.
My mood for the day usually determines which way I take a statement like that.
I *want* to always react the first way, but let's face it, when you've never really felt pretty, it's easy to fall into the second reaction, especially if you're like me and don't take compliments well. I've tried very hard to keep in focus what my real reasons are for losing weight: living longer and living healthier. The vanity reason is obviously there, as it is for any woman, but I'm trying NOT to make that my main reason for losing weight. I think when the focus is more about how I look, it's easy to lose track when I start noticing that difference in my appearance.
Every compliment is a struggle. Every time I hear "You're looking great, Mel, keep it up" or something like that, I have to stop and tell myself to JUST. SAY. THANK YOU. instead of shrugging it off or worse: being defensive.
So please try to understand where I'm coming from if I say "thank you" with a grimace on my face. I may be staying "Thank you" but my complete thought is "Thank you for allowing a troll like me to be seen in public with you." It's something I'm working on and if you knew me before I started losing weight, you'd know how far I've come. It's just a slow process.
Been a slacker
So I've been a sloth the last few weeks.
I've lost my motivation.
I miss Danny Wood's tweets about what he's eating, what things he's doing to keep in shape. I know I can't blame him and I don't, but I do know I was more productive when he tweeted those things. It helped that I knew I'd be seeing the guys in concert. The fact that there aren't any shows coming up is a downer.
The season change is a bummer, too. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE fall and I really don't mind winter as far as temperatures go, but my moods plummet the minute daylight savings hits. And please save your breath. I know working out will help increase my adrenaline and seratonin, which in turn will help my moods. I know that. I believe it. I just need to get the motivation to get to the gym.
This is the first cold weather season since I got on this fitness train and I'll be honest, I'm working very hard at NOT relying on thick sweatshirts and bulky sweaters to cover the pounds I may put back on. I predict it will be a struggle.
So I decided to sit down and come up with a list of things to motivate me during a time when I don't feel all that motivated. This is what i came up with.
1. I've come way too far to stop now.
2. Joe will start touring in January. I want to look good when I see him next year.
3. I feel better when I eat better.
4. I want the energy to get everything done around my house that I have planned.
5. I want to see a size 14 before Joe's birthday.
These aren't things that will motivate everyone, but they work for me.
I've lost my motivation.
I miss Danny Wood's tweets about what he's eating, what things he's doing to keep in shape. I know I can't blame him and I don't, but I do know I was more productive when he tweeted those things. It helped that I knew I'd be seeing the guys in concert. The fact that there aren't any shows coming up is a downer.
The season change is a bummer, too. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE fall and I really don't mind winter as far as temperatures go, but my moods plummet the minute daylight savings hits. And please save your breath. I know working out will help increase my adrenaline and seratonin, which in turn will help my moods. I know that. I believe it. I just need to get the motivation to get to the gym.
This is the first cold weather season since I got on this fitness train and I'll be honest, I'm working very hard at NOT relying on thick sweatshirts and bulky sweaters to cover the pounds I may put back on. I predict it will be a struggle.
So I decided to sit down and come up with a list of things to motivate me during a time when I don't feel all that motivated. This is what i came up with.
1. I've come way too far to stop now.
2. Joe will start touring in January. I want to look good when I see him next year.
3. I feel better when I eat better.
4. I want the energy to get everything done around my house that I have planned.
5. I want to see a size 14 before Joe's birthday.
These aren't things that will motivate everyone, but they work for me.
I'm just me.
"Giiiiiiirl, you just....MMMM!"
Those were the first words uttered by our friend Mike when we walked into the Halloween Party last night. He ended the sentence in a growl and a shake of the head and a playfully lecherous grin. I guess I don't see it. It's hard for me, really. Having been a heifer most of my life, I don't see that I'm any different than I've ever been. I'm just me. I have my moments of confidence, but like any woman with self-esteem issues, I constantly question compliments and the only things I really notice are how many fat days I have a week, how much the numbers on the scale fluctuate and how I haven't gone down another size in almost two months. I don't see this vixen my friends seem to see. I don't know that I ever will.
But even my husband says she's there. He said last night I carry myself differently. I'm more confident, less introverted and I even smile more than I used to. He said he wished I could see myself the way he sees me.
The thing is..and I may spend time in therapy for this, I guess I consider almost any declaration of accomplishment egotistical and an unattractive quality in any human being. So while I have learned to take compliments better, I still brush them off because they make me uncomfortable. I know I've lost weight. I know those thirty-ish pounds I've lost are a HUGE accomplishment, but to point it out, feels awkward to me. To celebrate them for more than a general statement of "I lost ____ pounds," to me, seems self-serving and the *LAST* thing I ever want to be is self-absorbed or egotistical.
I have over 400 followers on Twitter and I still sit back and say "what the hell?" I know many of those people follow me because of the weight loss I've achieved over the last few months, but it still seems weird to me. There are celebrities who've lost more weight than I have. There are tried-and-true people who live healthy lifestyles daily who are far more "together" than I am. Why the hell do 400+ people want to follow me? I'm just me, ya know? I tell people the same thing when it comes to my writing...or my singing....or anything else they try to compliment me on: I'm just me. I'm nobody special.
Those were the first words uttered by our friend Mike when we walked into the Halloween Party last night. He ended the sentence in a growl and a shake of the head and a playfully lecherous grin. I guess I don't see it. It's hard for me, really. Having been a heifer most of my life, I don't see that I'm any different than I've ever been. I'm just me. I have my moments of confidence, but like any woman with self-esteem issues, I constantly question compliments and the only things I really notice are how many fat days I have a week, how much the numbers on the scale fluctuate and how I haven't gone down another size in almost two months. I don't see this vixen my friends seem to see. I don't know that I ever will.
But even my husband says she's there. He said last night I carry myself differently. I'm more confident, less introverted and I even smile more than I used to. He said he wished I could see myself the way he sees me.
The thing is..and I may spend time in therapy for this, I guess I consider almost any declaration of accomplishment egotistical and an unattractive quality in any human being. So while I have learned to take compliments better, I still brush them off because they make me uncomfortable. I know I've lost weight. I know those thirty-ish pounds I've lost are a HUGE accomplishment, but to point it out, feels awkward to me. To celebrate them for more than a general statement of "I lost ____ pounds," to me, seems self-serving and the *LAST* thing I ever want to be is self-absorbed or egotistical.
I have over 400 followers on Twitter and I still sit back and say "what the hell?" I know many of those people follow me because of the weight loss I've achieved over the last few months, but it still seems weird to me. There are celebrities who've lost more weight than I have. There are tried-and-true people who live healthy lifestyles daily who are far more "together" than I am. Why the hell do 400+ people want to follow me? I'm just me, ya know? I tell people the same thing when it comes to my writing...or my singing....or anything else they try to compliment me on: I'm just me. I'm nobody special.
I'm MUCH more comfortable just blending into the background than being out there in the spotlight. And I'm discovering just how uncomfortable I am receiving compliments, too. This weight loss thing is much more difficult than I realized. It's so much more than just losing weight. There's responsibility with it, too. I didn't know about it. I sure don't know what to do with it and furthermore, I don't think I'm qualified to take it on. So...how do I just lose the weight and return everything else that comes along with it?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Can we do it? YES WE CAN!
212 years ago, the first vaccine was administered. Since then, vaccines have been developed for hundreds of diseases and illnesses. They were developed with the general idea to expose our bodies to a small dose of whatever disease/illness we're wanting to ward off in an attempt for our bodies to boost their immunities to fight it naturally.
Let me repeat myself slowly so I know you've heard me.
You are being injected WITH THE DISEASE you're trying to ward off.
Are you listening?
When you are given a pertussis vaccine, you're being given WHOOPING COUGH.
When you go in for a chicken pox vaccine, you're being given CHICKEN POX.
When you get your H1N1 vaccine, you're being given H1N1.
HELLO?!?!?! Does anybody see anything WRONG with this?
Our bodies are designed to fight off disease and illness naturally. When we become ill, our bodies develop certain symptoms: coughing, sneezing, vomiting, fever, etc. Let's take a fever, for instance. If you have an aquarium, you know that you can't turn the thermostat up too high on it or what happens? The fish die, right? The same is true for our bodies. Our bodies can tell when there's something not right. It turns up its internal thermostat naturally and burns off the bad "fish" or bacteria/virus/etc. When you take a fever reducer, you're allowing those bad "fish" to not just hang out, but you're giving them optimum body temperatures to multiply, essentially making yourself sicker. Let the fever burn itself out. Trust your body to do what it needs to do.
The same is true for all this vaccine business. You may never be exposed to H1N1 (for example), but if you are exposed and you're living a healthy lifestyle (healthy in this sense meaning a balanced diet, exercise and taking the proper amounts of vitamins/supplements) and taking precautions (such as proper hand washing, encouraging children to cough into their elbow, etc), you will not get sick.
Did you hear me?
You. Will. Not. Get. Sick.
The key to staying healthy isn't in MEDICINES or VACCINATIONS, it's in taking the right steps so your body can do what its been designed to do. The more you fill it with pharmaceutical remedies, the less likely it is to do its job. Your body will turn on you.
As far as meds & vaccines go, ask yourself these questions:
1) Who has created these medicines and vaccines?
2) Who is telling you that you NEED these medicines and vaccines?
(Hint: the answers are the same.)
I'm not a doctor and you don't have to take my word for anything. I'm simply telling you what I know to be true for myself and my family. I've done the research. I've read the articles. I've experimented with medicines as well as herbal supplements. I know what works. I know what doesn't. You can believe me or not, but for God's sake, instead of just succumbing to public paranoia, do the friggin' legwork before you poison yourself or your family.
Can our bodies heal themselves?
YES THEY CAN!
Let me repeat myself slowly so I know you've heard me.
You are being injected WITH THE DISEASE you're trying to ward off.
Are you listening?
When you are given a pertussis vaccine, you're being given WHOOPING COUGH.
When you go in for a chicken pox vaccine, you're being given CHICKEN POX.
When you get your H1N1 vaccine, you're being given H1N1.
HELLO?!?!?! Does anybody see anything WRONG with this?
Our bodies are designed to fight off disease and illness naturally. When we become ill, our bodies develop certain symptoms: coughing, sneezing, vomiting, fever, etc. Let's take a fever, for instance. If you have an aquarium, you know that you can't turn the thermostat up too high on it or what happens? The fish die, right? The same is true for our bodies. Our bodies can tell when there's something not right. It turns up its internal thermostat naturally and burns off the bad "fish" or bacteria/virus/etc. When you take a fever reducer, you're allowing those bad "fish" to not just hang out, but you're giving them optimum body temperatures to multiply, essentially making yourself sicker. Let the fever burn itself out. Trust your body to do what it needs to do.
The same is true for all this vaccine business. You may never be exposed to H1N1 (for example), but if you are exposed and you're living a healthy lifestyle (healthy in this sense meaning a balanced diet, exercise and taking the proper amounts of vitamins/supplements) and taking precautions (such as proper hand washing, encouraging children to cough into their elbow, etc), you will not get sick.
Did you hear me?
You. Will. Not. Get. Sick.
The key to staying healthy isn't in MEDICINES or VACCINATIONS, it's in taking the right steps so your body can do what its been designed to do. The more you fill it with pharmaceutical remedies, the less likely it is to do its job. Your body will turn on you.
As far as meds & vaccines go, ask yourself these questions:
1) Who has created these medicines and vaccines?
2) Who is telling you that you NEED these medicines and vaccines?
(Hint: the answers are the same.)
I'm not a doctor and you don't have to take my word for anything. I'm simply telling you what I know to be true for myself and my family. I've done the research. I've read the articles. I've experimented with medicines as well as herbal supplements. I know what works. I know what doesn't. You can believe me or not, but for God's sake, instead of just succumbing to public paranoia, do the friggin' legwork before you poison yourself or your family.
Can our bodies heal themselves?
YES THEY CAN!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Some basics
Obviously a balanced diet and exercise routine will help you feel & look better. We know that. That's been instilled in us since health class in elementary school. Food pyramids, PE class and all of it. We know this. It isn't new information.
But there are some basics, too that you need to know if you're going to tackle any weight/fitness/health issue.
1) Hydration
You've heard that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. What you may not have heard is WHY. Our bodies are designed perfectly to heal and protect us...as long as we're giving it what it needs to do this. Water not only helps with maintaining good skin & hair, but it flushes toxins from our bodies. When we work our muscles, those muscles put off toxins that can ultimately damage our health. Whether you're in the gym 5 days a week or just folding a load of laundry, you're working muscles. Obviously, the more the muscles are worked, the more toxins they produce, but either way, you have to get the toxins out of your body. Plain water is the best way to do this. The more you drink, the better, but at a minimum, you should be drinking eight 8oz glasses each day. If you're awake twelve hours a day, that's only a bottle of water every three hours.
When you don't get enough water, you will feel it. Chances are your body will retain water (think PMS bloating, for instance). Your ankles may get puffy, your face may feel swollen. You'll notice it when you get up in the morning - those sheet marks on your face? They're not from sleeping too hard on wrinkled linens. They're from not being hydrated. Same with the wrinkles toes & fingers when you're in the bath too long.
How do you know you're getting enough water? Your pee should be almost clear. (Yes, I know that's graphic.)
2) Sleep
When it comes to sleep, you're going to have to follow the whole "Do as I say, not as I do" thing, I'm afraid. I am HORRIBLE about maintaining a good sleep schedule. I know what I need to do. I just don't always do it. Six to eight hours is a good amount of sleep. Ideally, you should go to bed at the same time each night and wake up the same time each morning in order to keep yourself on a schedule, urging your body to function the way it should on a schedule, as well.
Stress and illness can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule. This shouldn't come as a surprise. What might surprise you, though is learning that sitting around all day without doing anything physical can also cause sleeplessness. If you aren't exerting your body in any way, it has nowhere to spend the energy you're taking in. That energy *has* to be spent somewhere. If you're working out, that energy is spent during your work out. If you're not, though, that energy seeps out during the time when you *should* be sleeping. That's where you get that late night "second wind."
3) Eating well
Obviously eating healthy foods are going to contribute to overall better health & weight loss. But instead of seeking out "low-fat," "low cal," or "diet" foods, you should be looking at the labels and choosing natural, organic or whole foods. If you look at the label and you can't pronounce the first few ingredients, put it back. For those who don't know, the list of ingredients on a label are listed in the order from highest concentration to the lowest. Let's look at the label for "Hawaiian Punch- Fruit Juicy Red", for instance:
INGREDIENTS:
Water, high fructose corn syrup and 2% or less of each of the following: concentrated juices (pineapple, orange, passionfruit, apple), purees (apricot, papaya, guava), citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, pectin, gum acadia, glycerol ester of wood rosin, sodium hexametaphosphate, red #40, blue#1, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Water is the first ingredient. This isn't bad. High fructose corn syrup. This is a manufactured ingredient, which means it's not natural. The third ingredients listed are a very small percentage of fruit juices. What this means is that there is more corn syrup in this juice than there is actual juice. There are also dyes & artificial flavors added, which are also, obviously, unnatural. While these ingredients are approved by the FDA, that doesn't mean they're GOOD for us. It simply means they're not going to kill us. Our bodies don't know how to process things like "sodium hexametaphosphate" and will oftentimes react negatively to them: nausea, diarrhea or constipation, headaches and more severe reactions. Why put yourself through that? Read labels.
There are more basics I'll add later, I'm sure, but this should help you get started.
"Dieting" doesn't have to be hard, just pay closer attention to what you're doing. Most of this is common sense.
But there are some basics, too that you need to know if you're going to tackle any weight/fitness/health issue.
1) Hydration
You've heard that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. What you may not have heard is WHY. Our bodies are designed perfectly to heal and protect us...as long as we're giving it what it needs to do this. Water not only helps with maintaining good skin & hair, but it flushes toxins from our bodies. When we work our muscles, those muscles put off toxins that can ultimately damage our health. Whether you're in the gym 5 days a week or just folding a load of laundry, you're working muscles. Obviously, the more the muscles are worked, the more toxins they produce, but either way, you have to get the toxins out of your body. Plain water is the best way to do this. The more you drink, the better, but at a minimum, you should be drinking eight 8oz glasses each day. If you're awake twelve hours a day, that's only a bottle of water every three hours.
When you don't get enough water, you will feel it. Chances are your body will retain water (think PMS bloating, for instance). Your ankles may get puffy, your face may feel swollen. You'll notice it when you get up in the morning - those sheet marks on your face? They're not from sleeping too hard on wrinkled linens. They're from not being hydrated. Same with the wrinkles toes & fingers when you're in the bath too long.
How do you know you're getting enough water? Your pee should be almost clear. (Yes, I know that's graphic.)
2) Sleep
When it comes to sleep, you're going to have to follow the whole "Do as I say, not as I do" thing, I'm afraid. I am HORRIBLE about maintaining a good sleep schedule. I know what I need to do. I just don't always do it. Six to eight hours is a good amount of sleep. Ideally, you should go to bed at the same time each night and wake up the same time each morning in order to keep yourself on a schedule, urging your body to function the way it should on a schedule, as well.
Stress and illness can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule. This shouldn't come as a surprise. What might surprise you, though is learning that sitting around all day without doing anything physical can also cause sleeplessness. If you aren't exerting your body in any way, it has nowhere to spend the energy you're taking in. That energy *has* to be spent somewhere. If you're working out, that energy is spent during your work out. If you're not, though, that energy seeps out during the time when you *should* be sleeping. That's where you get that late night "second wind."
3) Eating well
Obviously eating healthy foods are going to contribute to overall better health & weight loss. But instead of seeking out "low-fat," "low cal," or "diet" foods, you should be looking at the labels and choosing natural, organic or whole foods. If you look at the label and you can't pronounce the first few ingredients, put it back. For those who don't know, the list of ingredients on a label are listed in the order from highest concentration to the lowest. Let's look at the label for "Hawaiian Punch- Fruit Juicy Red", for instance:
INGREDIENTS:
Water, high fructose corn syrup and 2% or less of each of the following: concentrated juices (pineapple, orange, passionfruit, apple), purees (apricot, papaya, guava), citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, pectin, gum acadia, glycerol ester of wood rosin, sodium hexametaphosphate, red #40, blue#1, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Water is the first ingredient. This isn't bad. High fructose corn syrup. This is a manufactured ingredient, which means it's not natural. The third ingredients listed are a very small percentage of fruit juices. What this means is that there is more corn syrup in this juice than there is actual juice. There are also dyes & artificial flavors added, which are also, obviously, unnatural. While these ingredients are approved by the FDA, that doesn't mean they're GOOD for us. It simply means they're not going to kill us. Our bodies don't know how to process things like "sodium hexametaphosphate" and will oftentimes react negatively to them: nausea, diarrhea or constipation, headaches and more severe reactions. Why put yourself through that? Read labels.
There are more basics I'll add later, I'm sure, but this should help you get started.
"Dieting" doesn't have to be hard, just pay closer attention to what you're doing. Most of this is common sense.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
I never even thought about this.
My twelve-year-old hugged me tonight.
She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me.
Normally, this wouldn't constitute anything newsworthy; she hugs me all the time and is plentiful with her affection. Tonight, though, she said "Mom, I can get my arms wrapped all the way around you and grab my wrists!"
I asked her "Was this not the case before?"
She answered, "No, mom. I could touch my fingers, but I couldn't grab my wrists. You're doing so good, Mom!"
That, my friends, is progress.
She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me.
Normally, this wouldn't constitute anything newsworthy; she hugs me all the time and is plentiful with her affection. Tonight, though, she said "Mom, I can get my arms wrapped all the way around you and grab my wrists!"
I asked her "Was this not the case before?"
She answered, "No, mom. I could touch my fingers, but I couldn't grab my wrists. You're doing so good, Mom!"
That, my friends, is progress.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Boosting immunity
Somebody just asked how to boost your immunity.
THIS is it. I use it religiously.
I've always been pretty skeptical when it comes to herbal remedies and I think we all know where I stand on medication, so for me to stand behind ImmuCore, you know I'm not blowing smoke.
My chiropractor recommended it to me a couple years ago when I'd been fighting sinus infections. He is able to kick my body back into shape through adjustments, of course, but sometimes our bodies are so reliant on outside help that they don't stay in adjustment like they should. He suggested I try this to help that.
Whenever I feel myself getting run down, sniffly, stuffed up, nauseous or any other number of symptoms, I take two ImmuCore. Typically that's enough for my body to take over and build the T-cells it needs to fight off whatever is trying to take over. If it helps a little bit, but doesn't take away the symptoms, I'll take another one an hour later. If, by then, I'm not feeling better, I schedule an appointment with my chiro and have him adjust me. These steps always take care of the problem.
I'm amazed at how well this product works for me and my family. Because of ImmuCore and my chiropractor, I don't even have a regular medical doctor anymore. Ironically, I'm healthier for it!
THIS is it. I use it religiously.
I've always been pretty skeptical when it comes to herbal remedies and I think we all know where I stand on medication, so for me to stand behind ImmuCore, you know I'm not blowing smoke.
My chiropractor recommended it to me a couple years ago when I'd been fighting sinus infections. He is able to kick my body back into shape through adjustments, of course, but sometimes our bodies are so reliant on outside help that they don't stay in adjustment like they should. He suggested I try this to help that.
Whenever I feel myself getting run down, sniffly, stuffed up, nauseous or any other number of symptoms, I take two ImmuCore. Typically that's enough for my body to take over and build the T-cells it needs to fight off whatever is trying to take over. If it helps a little bit, but doesn't take away the symptoms, I'll take another one an hour later. If, by then, I'm not feeling better, I schedule an appointment with my chiro and have him adjust me. These steps always take care of the problem.
I'm amazed at how well this product works for me and my family. Because of ImmuCore and my chiropractor, I don't even have a regular medical doctor anymore. Ironically, I'm healthier for it!
It's that time, ladies
True story.
I was watching old episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 last fall. The episode where the girls do a self exam and Brenda discovers a lump came on. Now, I'll be the first to admit, I'm *NOT* good about remembering to do my checks monthly, so the show was a good reminder.
I didn't know how good.
So at Aaron Spelling's insistence, I felt myself up. I'm all over Lefty. Scar tissue and glands, but no lumps. Awesome! Righty...bah bah bah....checkin' it out...gland....scar tissue....gland...gland...lump....gland....gla....whoa. WTF? What was that? God, it feels like a rock! So I check it from another angle. Hmm...still pea gravel. Shit.
I don't panic, per se, because I've found lumps before. But this one isn't squishy like the other ones so I am concerned. I call my doctor and make an appointment. Upon her examination, she decides that despite my age & health history a mammogram wouldn't be a bad idea. I had the mammogram and ultrasound, both of which determined that there was something there. The radiologist thinks that my lump is probably related to my breast reduction in 1997. Sometimes with reductions there can be fat necrosis (dead tissue) and that necrotic tissue can develop calcium deposits, which is what she thinks is showing up on the scans. She gave me a couple of options as to how we could proceed. Having had a family history of breast cancer, I chose to have it biopsied. As it turns out, the fear I felt was unfounded. It turned out to be the calcium deposit on the scar tissue. They removed almost all of it through the biopsy and while that whole thing was another giant mess (allergies to the medical glue, more necrotic tissue, blah blah), I still have both my boobies.
So this is a reminder, ladies.
Do your exams.
Set aside a day, schedule it on your calendar. Plug it into your Blackberry, Set an email reminder. Do whatever it takes, but do your self exam. It could save your life.
I was watching old episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 last fall. The episode where the girls do a self exam and Brenda discovers a lump came on. Now, I'll be the first to admit, I'm *NOT* good about remembering to do my checks monthly, so the show was a good reminder.
I didn't know how good.
So at Aaron Spelling's insistence, I felt myself up. I'm all over Lefty. Scar tissue and glands, but no lumps. Awesome! Righty...bah bah bah....checkin' it out...gland....scar tissue....gland...gland...lump....gland....gla....whoa. WTF? What was that? God, it feels like a rock! So I check it from another angle. Hmm...still pea gravel. Shit.
I don't panic, per se, because I've found lumps before. But this one isn't squishy like the other ones so I am concerned. I call my doctor and make an appointment. Upon her examination, she decides that despite my age & health history a mammogram wouldn't be a bad idea. I had the mammogram and ultrasound, both of which determined that there was something there. The radiologist thinks that my lump is probably related to my breast reduction in 1997. Sometimes with reductions there can be fat necrosis (dead tissue) and that necrotic tissue can develop calcium deposits, which is what she thinks is showing up on the scans. She gave me a couple of options as to how we could proceed. Having had a family history of breast cancer, I chose to have it biopsied. As it turns out, the fear I felt was unfounded. It turned out to be the calcium deposit on the scar tissue. They removed almost all of it through the biopsy and while that whole thing was another giant mess (allergies to the medical glue, more necrotic tissue, blah blah), I still have both my boobies.
So this is a reminder, ladies.
Do your exams.
Set aside a day, schedule it on your calendar. Plug it into your Blackberry, Set an email reminder. Do whatever it takes, but do your self exam. It could save your life.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
As requested...
...here I am.
I'm not sure what I can offer today except discouragement and frustration, but I'm here anyway. It's been a helluva week on a personal-level and doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. I won't go into it all here, but if you've got some prayers of strength and encouragement to send my way, that'd be great.
I'm still on the diet train, but my gym membership lapsed and I have had too many other expenses to renew. I'll get back on the train soon, though. I haven't worked this hard to stop now, that's for DAMN sure!
I'm also fighting off some sinus bug. My head's clogged and I'm tired all the time. I hate that feeling. It's one I haven't felt in a while, especially considering how healthily I've been trying to live, so I'm pissed about that more than anything. I don't have TIME to spend laying around sleeping and resting up...dammit!
I haven't weighed myself yet today, but I'm certain I've gained again. It's been an incredibly busy week and I've been having to eat a lot while on-the-go, which is never good and since I'm a stress eater and the last couple weeks have been extremely stressful, you can add that into my equation, too. I'll pull myself together one of these days and start kickin' ass again. I'm not too worried about that. This is just a setback, not a stopping point.
In the meantime, I *am* going to have an apple pie from McDonald's tonight. And I'm NOT going to feel the least bit bad about it either. It's either the pie or a bottle of wine. I remember a day not too long ago when it would've been both....times two.
Baby steps.
I'm not sure what I can offer today except discouragement and frustration, but I'm here anyway. It's been a helluva week on a personal-level and doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. I won't go into it all here, but if you've got some prayers of strength and encouragement to send my way, that'd be great.
I'm still on the diet train, but my gym membership lapsed and I have had too many other expenses to renew. I'll get back on the train soon, though. I haven't worked this hard to stop now, that's for DAMN sure!
I'm also fighting off some sinus bug. My head's clogged and I'm tired all the time. I hate that feeling. It's one I haven't felt in a while, especially considering how healthily I've been trying to live, so I'm pissed about that more than anything. I don't have TIME to spend laying around sleeping and resting up...dammit!
I haven't weighed myself yet today, but I'm certain I've gained again. It's been an incredibly busy week and I've been having to eat a lot while on-the-go, which is never good and since I'm a stress eater and the last couple weeks have been extremely stressful, you can add that into my equation, too. I'll pull myself together one of these days and start kickin' ass again. I'm not too worried about that. This is just a setback, not a stopping point.
In the meantime, I *am* going to have an apple pie from McDonald's tonight. And I'm NOT going to feel the least bit bad about it either. It's either the pie or a bottle of wine. I remember a day not too long ago when it would've been both....times two.
Baby steps.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Who's that girl?
I meant to write about this over the weekend and it slipped my mind. How, I'm not sure, because it's actually one of those "WHOA!" moments that a fat girls dreams about.
I remember as a kid I played with my Barbie dolls and one of my favorite scenarios was to take my plainest doll and dress her frumpily, make her hair look simple and pretend that she was one of those girls who just blended into the background. Then I would imagine there was some sort of social function, like a dance or a party and I would transform my ho-hum girl into a beautiful woman. I'd jazz up her hair, dress her in my most sparkly outfit and find the greatest shoes. She'd walk into the room and the other dolls would whisper back and forth "Who's that?" I know Freud would have had a blast with that one because honestly, I always wanted that for myself.
I was never beautiful growing up. I was plain, chubby and a little on the frumpy side. I always imagined that same scenario for myself....the social event being a wedding, class reunion or something along those lines. Someday, my peers would see this huge transformation from chubby Melanie into beautiful Melanie.
I'm not to the point yet where I'm getting the double-takes (at least if I am, I'm not noticing them)...but I did have a mini-transformation moment Friday night. There was a wedding reception and many of the guests were people I hadn't seen since late winter/early spring. Some of them follow me on Facebook, so my weight loss wasn't completely shocking to them, but for many, they hadn't seen me since Sweater Season.
I can't tell you how many people nudged their spouse, asking them "Is that Mel?" But I do know that many people gave me that awkward "Hmm, do I know you" look before they recognized my voice. It's odd, actually. I've looked pretty much the same since high school, so for someone NOT to recognize me is completely foreign to me. I have to say, I kinda like it.
The surprised look on people's faces is probably my favorite part of this whole thing.
I like playing "Who's that girl?"
I remember as a kid I played with my Barbie dolls and one of my favorite scenarios was to take my plainest doll and dress her frumpily, make her hair look simple and pretend that she was one of those girls who just blended into the background. Then I would imagine there was some sort of social function, like a dance or a party and I would transform my ho-hum girl into a beautiful woman. I'd jazz up her hair, dress her in my most sparkly outfit and find the greatest shoes. She'd walk into the room and the other dolls would whisper back and forth "Who's that?" I know Freud would have had a blast with that one because honestly, I always wanted that for myself.
I was never beautiful growing up. I was plain, chubby and a little on the frumpy side. I always imagined that same scenario for myself....the social event being a wedding, class reunion or something along those lines. Someday, my peers would see this huge transformation from chubby Melanie into beautiful Melanie.
I'm not to the point yet where I'm getting the double-takes (at least if I am, I'm not noticing them)...but I did have a mini-transformation moment Friday night. There was a wedding reception and many of the guests were people I hadn't seen since late winter/early spring. Some of them follow me on Facebook, so my weight loss wasn't completely shocking to them, but for many, they hadn't seen me since Sweater Season.
I can't tell you how many people nudged their spouse, asking them "Is that Mel?" But I do know that many people gave me that awkward "Hmm, do I know you" look before they recognized my voice. It's odd, actually. I've looked pretty much the same since high school, so for someone NOT to recognize me is completely foreign to me. I have to say, I kinda like it.
The surprised look on people's faces is probably my favorite part of this whole thing.
I like playing "Who's that girl?"
I only have myself to blame
Weigh-in this week wasn't good. I'm up 3lbs. I'm not happy about it and I was stubborn enough to pause for a few minutes and think about what caused me to gain.
Water weight? Mother Nature? Those Doritos from earlier this week? Muscle-weighs-more-than-fat?
Sure, I'd LOVE to blame any of those things, but I know it boils down to pure laziness. I haven't been to the gym like I should. I haven't been eating as well as I could be. I haven't been drinking as much water as I should be. It's all my own fault.
I'll own it.
And I'll have ONE more cookie (okay it might be partly Mother Nature's fault), then tomorrow? I'm kickin' ass at the gym again - as long as my back will allow it. I did seriously pull a muscle tonight and that's not a good thing when you rely on your body being in good shape.
I will say that I am trying not to be too hard on myself. This is the first gain I've had since I started. I've plateaued a lot and gone up or down a pound or so from week to week. Honestly, to have gone this far without the typical roller coaster I usually ride is surprising and something I see as a bit of a milestone. I'm usually up and down all over the place by now. The fact that I'm not is impressive, if I do say so myself. I think this proves (if to no one but myself) that this time is different.
So even this weight gain isn't a setback. I refuse to let it be. I've got new clothes I have to fit into. This scale-needle-moving-the-wrong-direction thing won't become a habit. Believe me!
Water weight? Mother Nature? Those Doritos from earlier this week? Muscle-weighs-more-than-fat?
Sure, I'd LOVE to blame any of those things, but I know it boils down to pure laziness. I haven't been to the gym like I should. I haven't been eating as well as I could be. I haven't been drinking as much water as I should be. It's all my own fault.
I'll own it.
And I'll have ONE more cookie (okay it might be partly Mother Nature's fault), then tomorrow? I'm kickin' ass at the gym again - as long as my back will allow it. I did seriously pull a muscle tonight and that's not a good thing when you rely on your body being in good shape.
I will say that I am trying not to be too hard on myself. This is the first gain I've had since I started. I've plateaued a lot and gone up or down a pound or so from week to week. Honestly, to have gone this far without the typical roller coaster I usually ride is surprising and something I see as a bit of a milestone. I'm usually up and down all over the place by now. The fact that I'm not is impressive, if I do say so myself. I think this proves (if to no one but myself) that this time is different.
So even this weight gain isn't a setback. I refuse to let it be. I've got new clothes I have to fit into. This scale-needle-moving-the-wrong-direction thing won't become a habit. Believe me!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Dangers of Splenda??
This isn't to pick on my girls who love their diet sodas & drink mixes...it's to widen your view of how dangerous artificial sweeteners are. We've known for years that Aspartame has caused cancer in lab rats. What's a weight-watching girl to do??
If McNeil Nutritionists are to be believed, we should switch to Splenda! Splenda is marketed as no-calorie, natural sweetener. It's made by combining sugar with chlorine atoms, which they point out are in numerous foods & beverages we consume daily. What they DON'T tell you, however is how dangerous excessive chlorine consumption is...or how more of it can be absorbed by those with healthy GI tracts, as opposed to those with unhealthy intestines. On the Splenda website, they don't tell you about the toxicity of the product, but they're sure quick to point out how it's FDA-approved and safe for children & pregnant women.
Based on EVERYTHING that I've read outside the Splenda website, I beg to differ. Don't believe me, though. Do your own research. Google "Splenda Harmful" "Splenda Side effects" and "Is Splenda safe". Read the links I've provided here:
Why is Splenda Potentially Harmful?
Splenda - harmful?
Splenda - Potentially Harmful to Humans?
Dangers of Splenda
Truth about Splenda
Sucralose Toxicity Information
Please don't think I'm preaching. I've BEEN where you are. I *LOVE* sugar. I love soda..and sweet tea. I thought I couldn't live without them...and some days I still indulge. But I refuse to drink the fake stuff. It will kill me FAR more quickly than the sugar in regular drinks. I've learned how to doctor stuff up a little bit...I add lemon juice to my water instead of Crystal Light. If it's cold enough, I can drink almost anything unsweetened.
Please do the research if you won't take my word for it. This stuff is NOT natural. It's NOT an alternative. It's death in a granule.
If McNeil Nutritionists are to be believed, we should switch to Splenda! Splenda is marketed as no-calorie, natural sweetener. It's made by combining sugar with chlorine atoms, which they point out are in numerous foods & beverages we consume daily. What they DON'T tell you, however is how dangerous excessive chlorine consumption is...or how more of it can be absorbed by those with healthy GI tracts, as opposed to those with unhealthy intestines. On the Splenda website, they don't tell you about the toxicity of the product, but they're sure quick to point out how it's FDA-approved and safe for children & pregnant women.
Based on EVERYTHING that I've read outside the Splenda website, I beg to differ. Don't believe me, though. Do your own research. Google "Splenda Harmful" "Splenda Side effects" and "Is Splenda safe". Read the links I've provided here:
Why is Splenda Potentially Harmful?
Splenda - harmful?
Splenda - Potentially Harmful to Humans?
Dangers of Splenda
Truth about Splenda
Sucralose Toxicity Information
Please don't think I'm preaching. I've BEEN where you are. I *LOVE* sugar. I love soda..and sweet tea. I thought I couldn't live without them...and some days I still indulge. But I refuse to drink the fake stuff. It will kill me FAR more quickly than the sugar in regular drinks. I've learned how to doctor stuff up a little bit...I add lemon juice to my water instead of Crystal Light. If it's cold enough, I can drink almost anything unsweetened.
Please do the research if you won't take my word for it. This stuff is NOT natural. It's NOT an alternative. It's death in a granule.
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