community babies

My parents had to be in Jackson this afternoon for an appointment. Instead of studying, yet again for finals, I decided to take the night off and visit with them. We first made a pit stop into Rainbow….as we have been doing since I was about 10 years old.

Side note:  I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but my mom used to drive over to Jackson to buy 50 pounds of organic carrots once a week when I was 14 years old because my dad had cancer and she was convinced an all-raw diet, including copious amounts of carrot juice, would cure him. My dad ended up having surgery regardless and is now cancer free (thank the good lord) but we all drank so much carrot juice, our skin turned the color of tangerines.

Anyway. We stopped into Rainbow to buy our new latest favorite food item…Amande (cultured almondmilk yogurt). and then, convinced that I must have new, warm running clothes (by my father of course) we took off down Lakeland where we sat in traffic for at least 30 minutes. All you people who live down Lakeland, I don’t know how you do it. Not only is it the heaviest traffic area in Jackson, it’s also full of the most idiotic drivers around. But I digress.

 We stopped to eat at Osaka because I’m trying to eat Paleolithic this week and sushi is most definitely on my diet. We then made it to our destination—Target. I am now the proud owner of new under-shirts and more pants that look like yoga pants but my dad is convinced they are for running. Either way, they will be warm and now I can continue my early morning runs. In the 23 degree weather.

 As we were in the checkout line (around 7:30pm) I heard my mom say, “oh gosh, we’ve got to get back to Meridian, your dad has to get up at 4:30am to work the ER in Neshoba”.

It was at that moment my heart melted. I had no idea my dad had to get up at 4:30am to drive an hour to then work a 12 hours shift….in the Emergency Room.

My dad is 61 years old. He still works about 60 hours a week. He maintains a very busy private practice and he still works the ER at least once a week and probably 2 weekends a month.

He doesn’t have to work this much.

He does it to take care of his four, now GROWN, children.

My dad would have never told me that he had to work because I’ve never heard him complain once in his life. I’ve never heard him complain when my mom spends his money.  I’ve never heard him complain that his grown children are still virtually completely dependent on him (except my brother, Brian, who is now a big-dog in the corporate world).

My dad drives a 1989 Toyota Previa with no air-conditiong, no radio and probably no heat. But we all have nice cars. (Well, mine’s not so nice now but at one time it was).

My dad works so that his family has all they need and more often, all they want. He always puts himself, his needs, and desires last.

When I start making money, the first thing I’m going to do is take my parents on a long trip.

I hope that in turn, I will be able to take as good of care of my parents as they age, as they have of me my entire life.

I’ve always said that I won’t change my last name if I should ever marry because no man on earth could ever compare to my dad.

I guess I’m writing this because I was thinking about how much help I need in life. With everything. Just to make it through the day requires a ton of help from family, friends, classmates, teachers, etc. There isn’t anything I do that is solely an effort of just me and me only. It’s all a combined effort from everyone in my life.

We joke that my nephew (my parent’s first grandchild) is our “community baby”.  My sister, his mother, is an excellent mom and would be quite capable of raising him herself, but because he lives at my parents house and is the FIRST for everybody (first nephew, grandchild, baby, etc) we all act as his care-takes. We are quite obsessed with that little boy (as if you couldn’t already tell). We call him our “community baby” because  not only do we all help take care of him, we all LOVE taking care of him.

I think in that sense, the majority of us are community babies.

And if you’re not,

It’s not too late to become one.

Learning to let people help you; learning to ask for help, is about the greatest and best thing you can possibly do for your life.

On this last day in November, I am most thankful for you. For all of you who take care of me; who encourage me; who support me; who admonish me; who speak the truth to me; who pull me up when I fall down; who laugh with me; who cry with me; who love me.

as always,

your community gal,

Jen

picture source here 

2 new super foods: Vega & Chia Seeds

This week I would like to introduce you to 2 of my newest, favorite “super foods” that I just can NOT live without.

They aren’t really “new” but they are new to me!

They are:

Vega

And

Chia Seeds.

“Weird”. You’re probably saying to yourself. And yes, it is a little weird that I’m so excited about 2 super-duper healthy products, but hey, my goal is to be as healthy and happy as possible. So, why not?!

Fist off, I don’t even know where to begin on Vega. So, I will let the stats (off their website) do it for you.

Features & Benefits 
Formulated by Brendan Brazier, vegan, professional Ironman triathlete and best-selling author on performance nutrition, Vega is made exclusively from natural plant-based whole foods.

A synergistic collection of Brendan's favorite plant-based superfoods, Vega is not only a complete meal replacement, but also an ideal daily health-optimizing supplement.

High in fiber, protein and essential fatty acids, Vega is naturally filling and satisfying, helping to reduce appetite and cravings. Each serving of Vega supplies:

26g of Broad Spectrum Protein

·                     40% of calories from protein, with all essential amino acids in ideal balance

·                     Alkaline forming, 35% raw protein with enzymes intact

·                     Protein sourced from hemp, yellow pea, brown rice, flax and chlorella

6g of Essential Fatty Acids

·                     30% of calories from naturally occurring fats from whole foods

·                     EFAs mostly in the form of hard to get Omega 3s and zero trans fats

·                     EFAs sourced from whole flax seed (not flax meal), hemp and chlorella

17g of Quality Carbohydrates

·                     30% of calories from naturally occurring complex carbohydrates; no maltodextrin

·                     Naturally low glycemic index and no sugars or sugar derivatives added

·                     Carbohydrates sourced from hemp, flax, brown rice and maca

15g of Fabulous Fiber

·                     Contains both soluble and insoluble fiber

·                     Helps balance blood sugar, reduce insulin, improve elimination

·                     Fiber sourced from hemp, flax, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and chlorella

Full Serving of ChlorEssence (High CGF Chlorella)

·                     Rich in protein, chlorophyll and nucleic acids DNA & RNA

·                     Cleanse, nourish, rejuvenate cells and activate, support immune system

·                     Special cell wall fiber binds to and removes heavy metals and other toxins from the body

Full Serving of MacaSure (Organic Gelatinized Maca)

·                     Rich in alkaloids, glucosinolates, minerals and sterols

·                     Increase energy, reduce stress, balance hormones, improve libido

·                     Gelatinization enhances potency and ease of digestion/absorption

Mixed Berry Complex (ORAC 800 blend)

·                     Great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals

·                     Helps defend against free radical damage

Probiotics (Dairy-free)

·                     Beneficial form of bacteria

·                     Helps maintains healthy intestinal flora

Digestive Enzymes

·                     Facilitates breakdown of food to improve absorption

·                     Helps reduce nutritional stress digestion places on the body

100% Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamins & Minerals

·                     All essential minerals present in easily absorbable form

·                     All essential vitamins present in natural form

With just 220 calories and 2g of net carbs per serving (natural flavor), Vega is an excellent choice for those on a calorie-reduced diet. High in fiber, protein and essential fats, Vega is naturally filling and satisfying, helping to suppress appetite and cravings.

Easily digested, alkaline and great-tasting, Vega is clean and green, containing no animal products, corn, dairy, egg, fillers, gluten, soy, sugar, wheat or yeast. Absolutely no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners and GMO and pesticide-free.

Vega is available in wholesome and delicious Natural, Berry, Vanilla Chai and Chocolate flavors, in three sizes: individual 30g Snack Packs, small bottles containing 7-8 servings and large bottles containing 15-17 servings. One serving of Vega is a complete meal, exceeding all meal replacement requirements, but people with smaller appetites may find half a serving sufficiently satiating.

Each serving of Vega contains a full dose of MacaSure and ChlorEssence!

I have started adding Vega to my Kale Smoothie in the mornings and I literally stay full for almost 4 hours. It’s amazing. It is a little thicker than normal protein powders but the health benefits can not be beat.

The second supper food I have been adding to my morning smoothie is 

Chia Seeds!

The nutritional profile of the Chia seed is amazing. Here are some of the nutrients you'll find in chia seeds:

·                                 high in omega 3 fatty acids - The Chia seed naturally contains 60% omega 3 fatty acid

·                                 high in fiber - Chia seeds absorb up to 30 times its weight in water or other liquids like juices. A 15 gm serving of chia seeds will provide 4 to 5 gm of fiber. We all need at least 35gm of fiber per day to stay healthy.

·                                 high in Protein - between 19 to 23% of the seed by weight is protein

·                                 full of antioxidants

·                                 B Vitamins - Chia seeds contain Vitamins C and E, plus Cinnamic acids, which prevent the good fats in Chia seeds from oxidizing, or going bad.

·                                 Boron - necessary to bone health

·                                 Calcium - 2 oz of chia seeds contains 600 mg of Calcium, compared to 120mg for a cup of milk.

Chia seeds are useful for:

·                                 weight loss

·                                 heart disease

·                                 diabetes

·                                 bone health

·                                 digestive disorders

Both of these products can be purchased at Rainbow Whole Foods or you can order them off the web. They are a bit pricey ,but I think their benefits are totally worth it.

Jess! 

By the way, I would have never stumbled upon these two little nifty super foods without my dear friend, Jessica Criddle. Jess works in the Supplement department at Rainbow and has a vast array of knowledge on all things good for you! She not only introduced me to these 2 new super foods, but she was also kind enough to give me samples of both.

Thank you, Jess! Go see her if you have any health questions! That girl KNOWS her stuff!

I hope everyone is staying healthy and happy despite this mostly gloomy weather.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.~Buddha

at last

Today was a happy day for me.

I broke my fast.

I lasted for 12 days. Actually 11and ¾. But who’s counting;)

I made a very expensive trip to Rainbow Whole Foods after yoga this afternoon and purchased a lot of organic produce. And some other yummy things as well. Including the much dreamt of Almond Butter;)

I then came home and juiced my little heart out. I borrowed my Mother's Champion Juicer, which is what I grew up with, and I absolutely love it!

Carrots, Beets, and Apple.

And then Carrots, Beets, and Celery, and Ginger!

And then my tummy started to growl.

And I gave in.

That Almond butter has been calling my name for days now! I got a little carried away and ended up eating 2 whole apples dipped in Almond butter and then home-made granola I bought at Rainbow. I might have over-done it but boy it tasted good!

Although this cleanse was a little harder than the others I’ve done, it was well worth it. I have glowing skin, am more grounded and aware of my surroundings (boy, are all my senses heightened!) and best yet, my jeans fit again. Hooray!!

On another note, I started my Physics class today. Looks like it’s going to be a doozy. Lots of studying will commence shortly.

And I started up a team for Relay For Life 2011!!! So, If you are interested in being a part of my team or just donating a little of your money, please let me know! Any amount will be appreciated!

Other than that,

Happy Hump Day, Bloggers!