Putting My Money Where My Weight Is

I've gone all crazy this year!  Ok - not really but kind of for me.  I decided to join the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans Weightloss challenge and with that Diet Bet.  Ever heard of it?  Me either!!!

So basically, you pay $25 to join.  Then you weigh in (based on their guidelines) and if you lose 4% of your body weight within the challenge deadline - you get paid from the pot.  I don't have to lose a whole lot to win a share but I can't be lazy either.

Goals

1. Start juicing and eating vegan again.  
2. Exercise daily.
3. Use my dehydrator at least once a month.

Challenges

1. The expense of a vegan diet and the complicated aspect of the same.  
2. Making time for exercise and cookng.
3. Keeping my energy levels up for all of the above.

I'm considering the Fluidity Fitness program.  If anyone knows anything about it or has experience with it - let me know.  I'd be interested to hear if it is as good as it seems.  It looks like it would be really good for my back.

Oatmeal Pancake Recipe

I needed a breakfast to feed the family and immediately thought, "Pancakes!" I did not have the time or resources to make super healthy ones, so I opted for some pancake mix. I pulled the bag down and I only had about a cup and a half of mix. I improvised and the end result was a big hit.

In fact, my daughter Lyvie said, "this is the greatest thing I've ever eaten!" Here some pics and the recipe!


Oatmeal Pancakes
This pancakes are so delicious. They are moderately healthy. If you have a gluten issue, you can purchase gluten free pancake mix and gluten free oats.


Ingredients:

• 3 part oats to 1 part pancake mix
• Cinnamon to taste
• Vanilla to taste
• 1/4 cup (or less) Vanilla Agave Nectar (see ad below for link)
• Warm water until pancake mix consistency

Directions

1. Ladle or pour onto hot griddle in pancake size portions.
2. Flip.

You will have a super yummy, moderately healthy, oatmeal cookie tasting - PANCAKE!

Effective Treatment for Alopecia - Part 2

I am not a doctor. I am not prescribing this plan in an attempt to treat a disease or illness. This is merely my opinion and the results of my own experience. Consult with your doctor before ceasing any medication.

Here we go, Part 2 of this blog series on how I effectively treated my Alopecia. I have gotten a few questions, so I wanted to address those in this blog.

How long were you on the diet?

I have now been on a modified version of the vegan diet (as mentioned in Part 1 of this blog series) for nearly a year now. I say modified because I cheat - often! I cheat out of laziness, being so busy, and pure cravings. However, I eat vegan more often than I do not.

How much hair growth did you have?

I only did the Fish Oil for about a month. I gave my bottle to a family member who needed it worse than I did. However, I am buying a new bottle today. That said, in the month that I did the fish oil, I did have peach fuzz on my head and nothing more. This is significant because I have had AU for over 25 years with no regrowth.

I am not going into this to grow hair but rather to build my cells and immune system. Hair growth would just be the icing on the cake.

Where do you get your calcium if you are not drinking milk?

This is a big one! Here is a FAQ that answers the why and now I will answer the what! I get my calcium through natural plant sources and then supplement with Vitamin D so that it is better absorbed.

Here are some plant sources of calcium (as found on Livestrong.com):

• Green Leafy Vegetables
• Legumes
• Nuts and Seeds
• Whole Grains

In Part 3 of this blog series, I'll answer more questions and maybe even throw in a delicious non-dairy milk recipe!

Effective Treatment for Alopecia - Part 1

I am not a doctor. I am not prescribing this plan in an attempt to treat a disease or illness. This is merely my opinion and the results of my own experience. Consult with your doctor before ceasing any medication.

While speaking at Alopeciapalooza last week, I made mention of how I used my diet to effective treat the symptoms of Alopecia. It is my desire to use what I have learned to help other, and not to profit from my experience. So here it is (for free) my personal treatment plan.

Omit from your diet:
All dairy and as many animal products as possible.
I completely removed milk, cheese, yogurt, and anything else containing dairy. I saw immediate results with this. My IBS symptoms disappeared and I saw much less joint pain and headaches.

Watch out for hidden sources of dairy. You do have to read labels. I'll be sure to list some calcium sources in my next blog along with other valuable information, including how to respond to negative comments about your diet. This will help it to not seem so overwhelming!

I personally removed almost all animal products. I occasionally enjoyed a little seafood and rarely some free range chicken or an egg. Other than that, animal products gone! It was easy once I got used to it. Trust me - healthy tastes much better than animal products.

Gluten be gone! I'm currently seeing a connection with gluten as well. I have found that if you remove all the processed junk, you remove most of the gluten. More fresh fruits and vegetables equals less gluten! I also cut out as much bread as I can, this helps as well. I try to buy gluten-free options when possible and affordable.

Supplement with:

• Pharmax Fish Oil (daily) - providing much needed Omegas. I believe this was a key contributor of my hair regrowth.
• Juicing - My favorite recipe. (As often as possible - at least once or twice a day. Don't let the word "weightloss" throw you - it can be used as a snack instead of a meal replacement.)
  Store bought juice does not count. This has to be freshly extracted juice made from a juicer - not a blender.

Improvements include:

• My monthly cycle completely regulated itself.
• IBS symptoms gone.
• No more headaches.
• Joint pain gone (including pain from ruptured discs in my back).
• Energy renewed.
• Glowing skin!
• Nails became healthy.
• A little hair growth.