Feeling Bleh? Check Out Vitamin D!

I don't know about you, but lately I've been just feeling lousy. Not enough to be sick, just enough to feel like all I want to do is curl up and sleep. Yet, when I try to sleep at night, I toss and turn and twitch until it's time to get up in the morning feeling groggy and disconnected. And I think I know why!

Everybody gets a little low and irritable this time of year... I mean, c'mon, we want summer and we want it NOW! It's because in all the gray skies and muddy ground, the damp air, we just want to see the sun. Our bodies crave the sunlight, because it offers us the purest form of pick-me-up... vitamin D!

Right now, since it is near impossible to find a ray of sun, we have to be satisfied with taking in our vitamin D through supplements or food. But the main point is: we need to be taking it!! Most people are unaware that they are incredibly deficient in this vitamin. Unless you have been tested and told you are AOK on the "D" list, you are probably in need of it. 

Let me share with you a few of the dangers of not getting enough vitamin D:

• Bone weakness
• Dental problems
• Gout
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Weight gain
• Psoriasis

That last one was my special plague last year, and I'm pretty sure it was because I hadn't been eating very healthy, I was stressed, and my vitamin D was low. No fun! Now I am still dealing with the side effects, and I could have prevented it with one simple supplement.

There aren't a whole lot of foods high in vitamin D, but some of the good ones are:

• Mushrooms
• Salmon (all kinds of fish are good, too)
• Beef
• Milk
• Eggs
• Sardines

The best way, however, is to get the real thing. If you can see the sun, go out and soak it up! You can't get too much vitamin D from the sun - your body naturally regulates your intake. Aren't we just awesome?

*As you know, I am not a doctor. If you think you might be vitamin D deficient, check it out. Make sure it is ok with your healthcare provider before taking more than 2000 IU a day.

Shamwalk FINISHED!!

Second 5K down! This time we had the little girls, so J. ran with S. and I walk/jogged with H. My goal was to shave time off my 53:07 from the Frigid 5K two weeks ago - I don't have my time yet for this race, but I know I moved a lot faster! I even found a burst of energy to sprint to the finish line.

Our lovely registration ladies

Number 227!

These sweeties couldn't understand why everyone 

was running by their house!

Lizzy holding a direction sign

Walking in the big woods - 

It's actually a little creepy...

One mile to go! 

Mom made us all proud - 

third place in her age division!

This woman, Janelle, after being told she 

would never walk again, finished the 5K while the 

rest of us cheered her on... It was so inspiring!

We all had a great morning, despite the freezing rain, and when we made it home, we celebrated with home-made bacon cheeseburgers. No calorie counting... just delicious protein! Mom said it reminded her of a sign I showed her that said, "Run like there's bacon at the finish line." :)

Frigid 5K FINISHED!

I am still alive! Sorry I didn't post sooner... this girl had to take a nap. But, the main point is, I finished! My number was 26 & J's was 25, so that was kind of cool. We were running in the same age category, which doesn't happen very often! I think there were about 150-200 participants of all ages. The super serious runners were out there in slimline leggings and under armor shirts, while the rest of us varied from yoga pants to sweatshirts. Since we were "walkers" we were in the back of the line with most of the sweatshirt wearers. I wore a pair of gray leggings under my exercise sweats and I stayed perfectly warm in my lovely Columbia jacket from Aunt P. 

When the start gun went off, everybody cheered and even the slowpokes got off to a jogging, jostling start. There was about a three block run down town before we turned off into the residential area, and J. was encouraging me to run as far as the turn. I thought I was going to have to quit the race right there! I breathed in  too deeply and it made my lungs cold, so I had to spend some serious time breathing into my scarf to catch my breath again. I decided right there that I wasn't going to do any more of that, so I stayed at a steady walk for the rest of the way. 

At the 1 mile marker I groaned at the thought of walking another step. I had taped my arches for support, but my calves were pulsing and I still wasn't sure if my throat was OK. J wanted to jog ahead, so I waved her on and set a comfortable pace. I had noticed that two ladies ahead of me kept turning around and encouraging someone behind me to hurry up, but she had the same mindset of not wanting to slip and get hurt. When she caught up to me, we started talking and spent the last two miles walking and discussing how crazy we were to be doing what we were doing. 

Just before the finish line, I saw J. standing there waiting for me so we could cross the finish line together. I felt bad, because she would have had a much better time, but she started with me, and wanted to finish our first 5K together! Getting across that finish line was such a great feeling - I didn't care what my time was, I had actually made it without falling apart! When Mom checked the time charts, J & I had crossed the finish line at 53:07. N. made it at 36:30 and Mom clocked 40:07. 

Mile marker accomplished! Coming up we have the Shamwalk 5K in two weeks... hopefully it will be warmer and I can shave a few minutes off my time. :)

Frigid 5K

Well folks, this is probably the earliest I will ever post something on My Inner Piece of Mind! I don't do mornings...

We are about to head off to the Frigid 5K, my first ever! The temperature right now is 23F and a light snow. The snow isn't great, but the temperature is very good compared to feeling like 16 yesterday! As long as the course isn't slippery, I'm happy.

Here goes - I would totally do mobile uploads, but I haven't figured that one out yet, or even if I can do posts from my "dumb" phone. So you'll just have to wait for pictures!

Au Revoir!

Good Ol' Green Super Juice

Remember a while back when my computer crashed while I was saving the world as Agent Tanya? Even though I still haven't pinpointed the reason why my computer went kerphlooey, I think I may have unlocked the secret to being a great superhero! It's not the suit or the good looks or the money... it's the green juice! Look!

Tony Stark aka Iron Man

Bruce Wayne aka Batman

Alfred isn't a superhero, but he's awesome, so here is a bonus pic.

Since I have a not-so-secret desire to be a superhero, and because losing weight and working out open up all sorts of opportunities... I teamed up with my awesome sidekick, Mom, and made my own green juice:

This, my friends, is kale, turnip greens, carrots, apples, and celery. I've been having a glass every morning for breakfast. I haven't noticed any superhuman strength yet, but I know it's coming. One of these days, something will flash by your window, and when you get up to see what it is, there will be a single kale leaf sitting on the sill with a message written on it: Sleep safe tonight... Super Green Girl is watching over you. If that doesn't creep you out, I don't know what will. Maybe the headline "Celery Stalker Remains Anonymous Terror" will make you turn to me for help. One can hope.

Go, Go, Granola!

When I first tried these, I couldn't believe they were sugar free! There was a pan of them in the refrigerator and I kept taking "just one more." This is a recipe my sister made and modified, and we are going to be taking them with us as snacks for our 5K on Saturday (which is so soon!). 

Picky Girl's Healthy Granola Bars:

(This is a great base to experiment with. Mix & make them your own!)

Ingredients:

1/2 C peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)

1/3 C honey

1/4 C coconut oil

1 1/2 C quick oats or old fashioned oats

2 T wheat germ (we substitute with ground pecans)

1/2 C flax meal

2 T cocoa powder

1/4 C mixed in, like dark chocolate chips, coconut, peanuts, etc. (optional)

Directions:

1. Line an 8x8 in. pan with wax paper & set aside.

2. Mix the oats, wheat germ, flax, and any add-ins in a large bowl. Set to the side.

3. In a sauce pan, heat peanut butter, coconut oil, and honey, constantly stirring until just beginning to bubble. Add cocoa powder and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture over your dry ingredients and stir well to combine. Dump mixture into the 8x8 and press down with a spatula. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or if you are impatient like we are, put them in the freezer for 15 minutes! Cut with a knife and store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Enjoy! What are some of your favorite things to add into granola bars?

Cleaning My Clock

I did it! I tried coconut oil pulling! It really wasn't that bad; since it's my first time, I just swished it for five minutes. I will eventually work myself up to the full twenty minutes, but I wanted to just see what it was like this time. The flavor wasn't bad, and after reading all the benefits that are supposed to result (cavities healing, toxin cleansing, drainage reducing, etc.), I felt like I was dumb to not try it!

I also took some apple cider vinegar, because that has a whole slough of benefits as well, one of which is helping rid your body of cellulite - awesome!

Then, I filled up my arsenal of water bottles... It's convincing myself to drink them that is the challenge! But I am trying to be better. I've also been sipping down herbal teas, like green tea and yogi detox tea. 

In other news, I touched the top burner element on the toaster oven and cooked my hand. Seriously, it  turned my skin brown, and you could smell it burn... way gross. Today it's just red, and sore. I keep showing it to N, so now I will share it with you:

Yesterday, I got a lovely surprise in the mail, by way of a package from my friend Judy! I don't get snail mail often, even though I love it, and I was so happy! 

She sent me a copy of the magazine, Artful Blogging, which had beautiful photos inside:

It inspired me to do a little more in keeping track of how my posts are organized and tagged, so I've been at work updating all my earlier posts with labels to help with searches. Anyone else have a tip on how to get my blog out there and set up in a way that folks want to stop and stay awhile? I would love to hear feedback!

I'm Good, I Yam!

Do you know how awesome sweet potatoes are? They are a great source of vitamin D, iron, magnesium, potassium, beta carotene, and have collagen, which keeps your skin healthy and smooth. Not to mention, they are called "sweet" potatoes for a good reason... they are tasty! They don't need to be candied or marshmallow topped to be delicious - in fact, if you are on a no sugar diet, these things are candy. 

I cook mine according to my good friend Betty C's recipe: place them in boiling, salted water and boil for 30 minutes or until they are easily pierced by a fork. Then, you can just peel the skins right off of them with your fingers. Unlike me, you should probably wait a while, otherwise they are seriously 'hot potatoes'...

Mash them with a fork, and add butter if you wish. They are most excellent when they are hot, but I have eaten them cold, and they are good that way too. I don't understand why people don't make their own baby food out of cooked veggies more often... why not make fresh, preservative-free food for your little one? Spare them the disgusting spinach apple beef with noodle mess-in-a-jar & give them warm yammy yumminess. :)

FYI, Americans use "yam" interchangeably with sweet potato, however, true yams are white, tasteless, and rarely seen in the US. But, as with many words, we have taken it and made it our own... just be prepared for the politically correct people in your life to give you a lecture on the true meaning of dioscorea rotundata.

Fish Oil & Goat Cheese

I have to tell you something. I started trying to eat healthier on Monday, but I didn't tell you, because I posted that recipe for Nutella cookies and I didn't want to look like a huge hypocrite... So, I'm telling you today because I feel so much better confessing. 

For my sister's wedding last year, I lost 30 pounds over the course of about six months. Then, due to laziness, and a few other uncontrollable circumstances (who plans to get depressed over boys that don't make sense?), I gained back 25 of those pounds. And I feel it. In my back, in my knees, in my pajama pants.

So, I'm taking control again - this time to keep it off for good, despite cookies and heartbreaks. In the next twelve weeks I want to cut back on portions, drink TONS more water, and eat healthier. However, I may post cookie recipes here occasionally. Please don't judge... it's therapeutic. 

I've been taking these fish oil capsules that help stave away my psoriasis, and boy, is it gross when you belch the rest of the day. Not saying that I do, that would be horribly unladylike, but if one did it would be nasty. 

We got some goat cheese from Aldi's on Sunday, and it is super, super good! Normally I shy away from any sort of goaty product, but I really can't quit craving this stuff. It still has a strange aftertaste, but it's more like you are standing fifteen feet away from the goat instead of directly licking the goat (which is what drinking bad goat milk tastes like, fyi). I made the above pita sandwich with turkey, lettuce, and the yummy cheese.

I am considering doing coconut pulling (a cleansing mouth rinse). Has anybody out there tried this? Did you get good results?

Henna Head!

Last summer I started trying to lighten my hair to bring out the red highlights using vinegar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and lengthy exposure to the sun... while it succeeded in lightening my hair by several shades (and also completely drying it out, requiring me to do an egg rinse), it didn't actually achieve the lovely copper hues I was looking for. I would never use commercial dye, so I started looking into natural alternatives, such as henna. Henna is used in India as a temporary tattoo dye, and it is also a natural way to color hair, if you buy a pure form that doesn't have additives.

I chose a brand called Rainbow henna, the Persian Copper shade. 

Since I wanted to really strengthen and nourish my hair, we did a mix of egg, yogurt, and coconut oil with the henna powder. The powder starts out green, and when mixed with hot water releases a chemical that turns it red... it also releases a very pungent smell. N. described it as, "Baby food... actually, more like the end result of baby food." It wasn't unbearable, but not the kind of smell you would love to have around. It did go away once I washed my hair though, so no worries.

I have very thick hair, so it took longer than normal - you can see the white paste I put around my hairline to keep from dyeing my skin, and I wore a trash bag to keep it off my clothes. N. patiently brushed it onto sections of my hair and Mom kept everything clean and tidy.

Once all the mix had been brushed on my hair, we wrapped it in plastic, then a towel, and heated the hair shafts using a space heater and blow dryer. Which worked great until we blew the breaker... 

I wore the turban for about an hour, then rinsed my hair out in our basement utility sink (it makes quite a mess, so not a good idea for the shower unless you want to clean it out afterward). When I started drying my roots they looked almost neon orange, but as the hair dried it toned down. When I washed my hair this morning the water was orange, but I think most of that was the dye coming off my scalp, not my hair.

My end result... silky soft, shiny hair with lovely red mid-tones. Not too orange, but I have no idea how this would react with blonde hair. I would have been fine with a little more copper brightness, but I am totally pleased with the result! Maybe next time I will leave it on a little longer and see if that deepens the red.

Anybody have a brand/method/routine for when they do henna? If you try it out for yourself and post pictures, please put a link in the comments!