The Life and Adventures of Cateepoo

Listening to Our Voice

2009-11-11T08:44:00.006-06:00

Ancient people were intuitively aware of the inherent order, the natural perfection of the universe. Nature was not an enemy to be conquered, but a friend that supplied food and water for physical needs and beauty to satisfy spiritual and emotional needs. When people got sick, they knew how to use natural remedies to heal themselves, and they trusted the inherent perfection of nature to assist in healing.

We must once again start accepting nature's ways, trusting and nourishing our intuitive selves. We will then be in a better balance with our rational, intellectual selves, resulting in exciting opportunities to create the world as we really want it. ~ Donna Gates, Body Ecology Diet

In November of 2004 when I had been on Methotrexate, plaquenil and predisone for many months and saw my body and spirit quickly declining, I searched for additional help. That help came from a naturopath in the city who from the first visit gave me hope that my body was capable of healing and a feeling of empowerment that I was in charge of that healing. With her help I learned that in order to feel better I would have to put in some hard work. I was ready. I accepted each of her challenges and within two months my inflammation rates were finally within a normal range again and slowly I started seeing my body heal and experience remission.

Several years later I started experiencing extreme pain in my feet again and having flare-ups in my shoulders. My rheumatologist recommended moving to new medications and handed me several handouts. I refused to read them. I knew that wasn't the path I was meant to take. In the years I had worked with my naturopath and was required to learn about my own personal body with all its aches, pains, fears, etc, I had learned to listen to myself. I had been given the wonderful gift that Donna Gates speaks about in her book "start accepting nature's ways, trusting and nourishing our intuitive selves."

In February 2008 I took myself off all medications. (I had been off predisone for some time and slowly reduced the others) In hindsight I wish I had first looked at my current diet and made sure it was still as clean as it had once been. If I had looked at my diet before going off medications I would have realized that I had slowly incorporated many toxins back into my diet: wine, a little dairy and gluten here and there, and lots of sugar. Sure, I was still eating lots of good things, but unfortunately my body is not able to handle the toxins. So, with a weakened body I took myself off meds and experienced a full body flare-up which made it that much easier to continue adding back the toxic foods.

When I started seeing my current chiropractor and acupuncturist, they both recommended some diet changes and I explained to them that I wasn't ready for diet changes again. I knew I needed them but I was exhausted from fighting the pain and inflammation that comes with RA and emotionally drained. I just wanted someone else to "fix" my problem. As you can see, that didn't work.

Luckily that gift of trusting my own intuition and listening to myself was still inside me and ready to make a comeback. You see, once you really start listening to yourself, it is hard to stop. The Body Ecology Diet kept coming back to me in different ways as if it wasn't going to leave me alone until I gave it a try. I had read the book several years ago and found it intimidating, but with the new read, it made perfect sense. I knew I had to try it.

In the last two months of the diet I have experienced pain that I haven't experienced in a long time, if ever. My body has been working hard to clear out the toxins and I thank it each day for the work it does. Each day I learn something new about my physical and emotional body. I feel my spirit strengthening and my confidence growing. I visualize all the repair work that my body is doing on the inside so that when it has the strength, it will be able to work on my joints. I am learning patience beyond anything I ever imagined and that makes me happy. I almost hesitate to say this but in the last few days the pain in my knee has reduced and the swelling is shrinking. I find this interesting that it is happening at the same time I am seeing changes occuring for the better with my digestion.

For me choosing a medication free route is not just about the fact that I fear what medications may do to my body as they try to relieve the pain and swelling, but it is about finding the core cause for that pain and inflammation. It is about learning about myself and learning to trust in myself and nature. It is about nourishing my body and that of my families so that one day they do not have to experience what I am experiencing today. Being medication free is empowering to me. I like having some control over how I feel and with medications I just never felt that way. We each have a path to follow and when we listen to our own voices, we know which path fits for who we are. I am happy with my choices and happy that I have learned to listen to my voice.

A New Rheumatoid Arthritis Store

2009-11-07T15:45:00.001-06:00

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy, a great friend and fellow rheumatoid arthritis hero has been sharing his superhero powers with the world for six months now. In my opinion, his most powerful abilities lie in his ability to write about his personal experiences with rheumatoid arthritis and that he has no problem sharing the voices of other RA bloggers on his blog.

Recently RA Guy took his superpowers one step further and added a store that is powered by Amazon and has a nice selection of books, cds, videos, and health and personal care items that may help in soothing your RA or other chronic pain. I like that Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy always does a complete research on topics related to RA and keeps an open mind about both traditional and conventional medicine which you will see in his store. So check it out. You might find some ideas to add to your Christmas wish list or gifts you want to give to others.

My personal favorites from his store:
Real Food: What to Eat and Why By Nina Planck - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. Several years ago I was encouraging all my friends and family to read this book.
Nelson Bach USA - Rescue Remedy Pastille - I always carry Rescue remedy with me and pop one in whenever I am worried or having negative thoughts. (Some days I go through a lot).
Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist - I haven't actually read this one but have seen several interviews about the book online. Michael J. Fox is a true inspiration.
You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay - I have read several of Louise Hay's books and blogged often about her daily affirmations. We can all learn from her writings.

People In My Life : Jesus

2009-11-06T08:35:00.003-06:00

Thursday morning I introduced the topic of "Work" to my low level English as a Second Language students by discussing their jobs. Each person shared what they could about their jobs which was very interesting. When we got to Jesus he shared that he no longer works. He is retired. He moved to the United States from Mexico 42 years ago. For 36 years Jesus worked for the same company as a fork lift driver and then in the shipping department. Jesus shared that when he first started working the job he told his manager he was going to quit because he didn't know enough English to do the job. Luckily for Jesus, his manager had faith in him and sent him to classes that focused on the language necessary for his job. As Jesus spoke, I could see my younger students really focusing in on his story. They knew he had something important to share. He said his dream was to put his children through college. He showed pictures of all four of his children who not only graduated from college, but graduated from private colleges. Two of his children are now investigators, one is a lawyer and one an engineer. Jesus shared that he put in a lot of hours to make his dream come true - a lot of 12 hour/7 days a week to get there. When asked if his family suffered because of his long work weeks, he said they made the time together. Now that Jesus is retired and his dream of his children attending college is behind him, he is now focusing on himself. He said he now has the time to devote to learning English for himself. When he was finished speaking, the class applauded him.

Cooking to Heal

2009-11-04T12:23:00.003-06:00

The Body Ecology Diet foods build the immune system and nourish the body and spirit. They should be cooked with the intention to heal. A cook's vibrations are always in the food he or she cooks. Many spiritual leaders choose a spiritually elevated follower to cook for them. They know that only a well-balanced, centered person has the power to create meals with a harmonious and positive energy. Creating a meal can be an expression of love for those who will eat it. Whether you cook for yourself or for those you love, it's important to cook with the intention to heal, with calmness and appreciation for the benefits the food can bring. -Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates

Since the Body Ecology Diet requires that I make 100% of the foods I eat right now, it does take time. I don't mind. Over the years I have learned to appreciate being in the kitchen. I have learned that the food I make, even in its simplest form, is a gift I give my family. This way of thinking has brought great benefits to me. Since my children were very young, they have worked side by side with me in the kitchen chopping veggies, baking muffins, and cleaning the dishes. When you work together in the kitchen, wonderful things happen - you sing together, you laugh, you confide, and you talk. Yesterday was a day that Alexander, Sophia and I spent in the kitchen. First Alexander poked holes in six coconuts to drain the water for my coconut water kefir and then he cut each coconut so I could scrap the meat out and ferment it as well. Afterwards I cut cabbage, carrots, daikon, and kale so that it could start fermenting. Sophia came in to help by pounding the veggies to release their juices and then put the veggies in jars for me. Neither one had to be coaxed or bribed to help. I love that both of my children are not only supportive of me dealing with my rheumatoid arthritis through natural means, but that they lovingly help me prepare foods that are intended to heal my body. With so much love going into the foods I eat, I don't know how they can't be healing.

Body Ecology Diet Update

2009-11-02T09:09:00.003-06:00

Our bodies are often compared to an onion that has many layers. In order to experience complete recovery of health problems we must peel away at each of the layers that have contributed to our unhealthy body. For me, that means that before I can experience freedom from joint pain and swelling, I must first work on other areas of my body ~ my colon, my digestion and my liver. The idea of working on other areas of my body instead of my joints has actually been liberating. I am not even focusing on whether or not my joints feel good because I know that they are the weakest part of me and in order for them to feel good, I have to strengthen other areas of my body first.

In the last few weeks I have experienced a lot of detox symptoms ~ body odor, bad breathe, fatigue, joint pain, and anger. Last week the anger was strong. In fact I even woke up feeling angry. I felt relief last night when I read that as the liver is cleansing a person may feel a lot of anger and should warn their family. Oops....too late for that. Also, as the liver is cleansing, expect knee pain. Yikes, that is happening too.

I am visualizing my body doing a lot of healing that can't be seen or felt right now except through detox symptoms. I am staying true to the diet and so far haven't slipped once. What keeps me from resisting foods off my list? Whenever I imagine really eating the food, I visualize it attacking my body and then it doesn't sound as good.

In the last few weeks I have continued to lose weight (12 pounds! Hopefully that levels off soon) and have had numerous complements on my skin. It seems to have a glow it hasn't had in some time! I am glad others are noticing! Our bodies do a lot of work for us and are able to handle so much that we throw at them. I am happy to be giving back to my body.

Kids Benefiting From My Diet

2009-10-29T12:40:00.005-05:00

Last night I was preparing my Body Ecology Diet dinner of soaked and cooked red quinoa mixed with veggies - broccoli, onion, kale, yellow pepper, carrots, garlic and Herbamare seasoning. Sophia said, "Mmmm....I liked when you made that the other night and gave us some." Yay! I love when what I am doing to improve my health also affects the health of my children. Both kids have been eating more salads and Alexander has tried everything I have eaten. Some things he has liked and others he didn't care for. They have always been good eaters but reducing sugar and adding more veggies can never hurt.

Haunted House

2009-10-26T08:21:00.005-05:00

For several years now Sophia has wanted to visit a haunted house. Last year, when she was ten years old we decided to attend our park district's haunted house as a family. It was fun but the "hauntings" were a little lame. This year she was ready for the real thing. We spent some time online reading reviews and deciding on which house to attend. Last night was our big night.

Sophia was so excited and happy that I was going to be the one going with her. With my flare-up last week, I had warned her that Steve might be taking her instead of me, which she was fine with, but preferred to do this with me. When I woke up Sunday morning I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had slept almost through the entire night and and the pain and stiffness in my knee, shoulders, and fingers was reduced. As Steve, Alexander, and Sophia woke up they each commented on how much better I looked. I was even able to take a short walk with Izzy and Sophia. Yippeee for me!!!!

Experiencing new things with Sophia is one of the highlights of my life. "Living in the moment" comes naturally for her and I didn't want to miss this opportunity with her. I know that in the next few years many of these first time experiences will be happening with her peers and it was important for me to have this fun evening with her. Oh, and it was fun.

We arrived about 15 minutes before the haunted house opened and still waited in line for a while. However, the wait was fun. Actors dressed as different characters were "haunting" those of us waiting in line and they had lots of fun with Sophia. At one point in line she said, "Maybe we shouldn't do this." I told her that was fine even though I knew she would do it.

Finally our time came to enter the "HAUNTED BASEMENT". We SCREAMED and SCREAMED and SCREAMED some more. Together we held onto each other throughout the whole experience. It was wonderful! As we exited, it was raining. What a perfect way to complete the evening. The entire way home we talked about how scared we were and how much fun we had. Sophia said, "This would be really fun to do with a group of friends." She is right. It would be fun to do with a group of friends and I hope that next year she gets that experience too, but for this year, I am glad it was me. Before heading off to bed she gave me the biggest hug ever and told me how happy she was that we went together. I am happy too.

Thank You Rheumatoid Arthritis

2009-10-23T08:44:00.004-05:00

I teach a three hour class on Tuesday/Thursday mornings, head home, and go back again in the evening for another three hour class. Mornings are new to me this semester so I was lucky last week when my body began flaring up that we were on a week long break to do placement testing and I could just rest. But, I started back yesterday morning with a body that is still in a flare-up. Since mornings tend to be the worse, I had a difficult time hiding my flare-up as I walked into the community college and to my classroom. I was stopped by many teachers and my boss who all genuinely wanted to know what was wrong. I have never had to explain my RA to so many people in one day. Usually I can hide it or just say I am having some knee problems and move on. Yesterday people wanted an education. I briefly explained to several people my journey from medications to no medications. Surprisingly, they all nodded in agreement to my explanation of why I am off drugs and following an alternative path. But also surprisingly were the questions they had about the disease. Why does this happen to young people? (He-he, I am still considered young!) What can you do to cure it? What set it off initially? You can go into remission? They honestly wanted to know the answers and I could see the sympathy they felt for me. (I am still not comfortable with sympathy but I know it comes from caring hearts that will be sending me healing thoughts and I am not too proud to accept those.)

I left work yesterday morning feeling vulnerable that my body had forced me to verbally share my story with so many people in one day. I also felt proud of myself because I didn't cry and I let each person know that although I am experiencing a rough patch right now, that I also have good days. As I was sharing this positive piece of information, I believed it and visualizations of me bike riding even came to my mind as I was talking. How amazing is that?

By evening I was actually feeling worse than I did that morning. My long morning had worn me out and my body was feeling it. I had 16 students arrive last night. We did our normal introductions and I learned each person's name (I will remain known as "teacher" for the next eight weeks even though I ask them to call me Cathy) as well as some personal stories about each person. With each new class I always know from the first night whether there will be a strong connection or not. I felt it with this class and decided for the first time ever to publicly share with a group that I have a disease known as rheumatoid arthritis. I shared with them that there may be nights I arrive to class with a limp, there may be nights I struggle to write on the board, there might be nights I ask for help and there might be nights I feel absolutely wonderful. As I was talking, I had to turn once to the board to choke back the tears, but I did it. I didn't plan to share this information, but decided it needed to be shared. I am proud of myself. I accomplished a lot yesterday. I shared a part of me that I like to keep hidden, a part of me that is very vulnerable. That is hard. But, rheumatoid arthritis is not all bad. It has been given to me as a gift to learn about myself and to grow as a person. Yesterday was a growing experience for me. Thank you rheumatoid arthritis!

Fermentation. Yummy, Yummy for Your Body!

2009-10-23T08:03:00.003-05:00

One of The Body Ecology Diet's Superfoods is fermented veggies. According to the book, The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates, raw cultured veggies have been around for thousands of years and provide many good things for our bodies:
~They are rich in lactobacilli and enzymes, alkaline forming and loaded with vitamins.
~They reestablish a healthy inner ecosystem.
~They improve digestion.
~Increase longevity.
~Control cravings.
~They are cleansing.

When I first took on fermenting veggies, I felt it was going to be a huge chore. Not so! It does require some time cutting veggies, but overall doesn't take much time, especially when you consider that you have several jars of veggies ready to eat anytime. Just remember not to heat the fermented veggies because the heat will kill the valuable bacteria and enzymes brought out in the fermentation process.

My last batch of veggies that are fermenting now look so pretty with all their colors. I added green and purple cabbage, kale, ginger, daikon radish, green onions and carrots. That is what is fun about this, you can be as creative as you like. There are specific recipes that can be used or you can create your own.

I like the fermented veggies best in a salad. I just add 1/2 cup or so to a regular salad and it tastes delicious. I also wrap them in nori for a snack. I do have to admit that it did take my taste palate an entire jar full of the veggies before it was ready to accept this new taste. I have never been exposed to fermented veggies in the past, but they do grow on you so don't give up. The benefits to your body are worth it!

Here is a video by the author of Wild Fermentation showing how simple it really is to create your own fermented veggies.

Hard Days

2009-10-21T15:44:00.004-05:00

My body is going through a huge cleansing and healing process and in the mean time, my body feels like crap. Donna Gates, the author of The Body Ecology Diet, compares our body to cleaning our house. Once we start a big cleaning project in our house, everything looks worse than when we started as we pull things out of closets and drawers and move around dust. Once the chaos is over and everything finds its rightful place again, the house looks and feels so much better. I have been so good on this diet and all I can do it remind myself over and over that right now it is experiencing the worst part of the clean-up and once my digestive tract and liver are working to the best of their ability again that I will experience a body that not only looks good but also feels good.

I am not sure how others handle a flare-up but for me I become withdrawn. I enjoy my family around me but other than that, I need to be alone. Sometimes, like today, it is because I fear that I will break down in tears if I talk to others, sometimes it is because the energy used to get up and move around takes everything I have to give and then of course there is just my own personality which is somewhat quiet anyhow. My friend who is studying to be a naturopath is taking a homeopathy class right now. I have used a lot of homeopathy in my RA adventures, some that have worked miracles and others that didn't do so much. She keeps asking me questions trying to find a remedy that might work for my current circumstances. One of the recent questions was whether or not I like people around when I am experiencing a flare-up. From this one question more followed that were more detailed. These questions seemed to justify how I often feel because when I am in a flare-up, I know I seem distance and maybe a little disinterested in friends and acquintances, but it isn't so. I just need to save my energy for my family and me. When we have a busy day, like today, I know that if I overuse my energy there will not be any left to make dinner, read with my son, talk with my husband or even listen attentively to my daughter. I can't risk that anymore than I have to.

Today is hard. I feel emotional. I feel lots of pain. I feel frustration and I feel overwhelmed. However, another part of me, the deep down inside part believes so strongly in my body and its ability to heal that it can't give up. I know I have to continue trusting that the foods I eat are doing wonderful things within my body. I have to continue reminding my brain that it is healing. I have to continue doing what I believe in and that is healing. Today that healing is just coming with lots of tears. But tears are a way of releasing toxins so maybe that is a good thing, right?

Top Ten Perks to Being Bedridden

2009-10-18T09:02:00.004-05:00

My bed and I have become quite good friends since Thursday when my body went into a flare-up it has not experienced in some time. Every joint was attacked and attacked hard. But, that doesn't mean my life came to an end. No way! Being bedridden does not have to be an awful experience, especially if you can ignore the smell coming from your body and the dishes piling up around you. (I have been quite content ignoring them but Sophia mentioned last night that I might want to shower today.)

Top Ten Perks to Being Bedridden:
1. My puppy Izzy seems quite content snuggled up next to me protecting me. She has even let me sleep in a bit in the morning.
2. It gives me a chance to catch up on all the TV shows I recorded but never watched.
3. Extra reading time.
4. Sophia always spends her time next to me which is the biggest reward of being bedridden.
5. I get out of cleaning the kitchen.
6. I am able to pat myself on the back for having prepared foods on my diet ahead of time so I could continue to eat foods that will nourish me.
7. I save water because I continue to wear the same clothes day after day.
8. I have plenty of time to explore all of my emotions.
9. With only a little asking, I can have food and drink brought to me around the clock.
10. Since both of our bathrooms require taking stairs if on the main level, I don't have to worry about any stairs while hanging out in my bed all day.

Down time can be good and I obviously needed it, but today the sun is shining and my flare-up seems to be dwindling. I feel optimistic that my bedridden days will soon be over, that my body had time to cleanse, and that it will soon be moving ahead to the next step of healing.

42 Years Old Today!

2009-10-15T10:37:00.005-05:00

Today is my 42nd birthday!!!!! With each birthday I feel lucky to be me. I am fortunate to have great friendships, a wonderful family, two children that I adore, a dog that makes me smile and a husband that still makes me as happy as the day I met him.

My life has been fairly mellow compared to many but I thought it would be fun to look at what it has held for me.

I am number four out of six children.
I grew up Catholic.
My godmother was an elderly woman named Agnes who I absolutely loved.
My older siblings were my role models.
My mom volunteered bussed us to a school outside of our neighborhood for elementary school.
I reached my full height by the time I was in third grade.
My grandparents owned a huge garden and treated us kids like real people. To this day I thank them for that experience.
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My first job was at 12 years old. I worked in a Stretch-N-Sew store.
I learned to drive at 14 with my dad. I loved those early Sunday mornings together.
The first time I got drunk I walked into the house without shoes on a snowy night.
I worked at Baskin Robbins and JCPenney through high school.
I don't believe I gave my parents much grief growing up. Really!
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I didn't enjoy high school. I was ready to start working.
I graduated half way through my senior year and starting working.
I graduated with my BS in Education in four years from a small Catholic college.
I am still in touch with one of my professors.
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I went to watch my sister Stacey skydive and ended up going myself and then calling Steve so he could do it too.
My house has been broken into once (we walked in on them) and my car once.
I once ran the Turkey Trot with my sister and came in the top three for my age. I think I was only 23.
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I have been married longer than I have been single.
I had two c-sections. (The birth can still be beautiful!)
I nursed for eight years.
I practice attachment parenting.
With each year I am a parent and wife, I appreciate my mom that much more.
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I worked in a doctor's office through college.
I worked in new homes for about two years. It wasn't my cup of tea but allowed me to make some extra money knowing Steve was home with the kids.
I taught 5th grade for five years and ESL to kids for two years.
I have taught ESL to adults for the last eight years but consider myself a stay at home mom.
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Steve brought flowers to my work once and left them in the car for me. I didn't even know he was there.
When we first started dating, my car broke down and Steve let me take his car. He rode the bus carrying his guitar and amp.
When picking me up, Steve has never once been late.
For our 15th anniversary Steve bought me a necklace and earrings. I lost one of the earrings but I wear the necklace almost daily.
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I am an introvert and need lots of alone time.
I love reading although I consider myself a poor reader.
Being a mother is the thing I am most proud of doing.
I love nights when we are all home snuggled up watching TV together.
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I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2004.
I have been gluten free/dairy free since the end of 2004.
I have experienced remission and plan to experience it again.
I do believe our bodies can heal.
I have been off all medications since February, 2008.
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I am a spiritual, yet not religious person.
I love discussing unschooling, health, children, relationships, etc but don't like confrontations.
I tend to feel I need to "save" the underdog which often causes me to be in confrontations.
I like being me.

Thank you each for being a part of my life. Thanks to my friends and siblings who make me laugh and remind me of who I am. Thanks to my parents for giving me life, for loving me for so many years, and giving me the values as a child that have remained with me to this day.

Family Blog

2009-10-14T09:55:00.000-05:00

Last November I decided to take my love of blogging one step further and create a family blog for my extended family. We decided to keep it private, which at first I didn't think was necessary, but now kind of like. Each one of us is a contributor. On the blog we keep an updated list of birthdays and honor each person on their special day. We can also find this year's Christmas exchange list on the blog. The blog is the place to go for addresses and phone numbers. We have a large family: six of us originally with now 22 grandchildren and many great grandchildren so keeping up with birthdays, addresses, etc can be a challenge.

This morning I was looking through the blog and it just felt beautiful to look at all the stories and pictures that have been shared in the last year. Recently a photo of a sonogram was put on the blog by my niece who has been waiting to be a momma for a long time and a picture of Caesar, my sister's ten year old lab that died over the weekend. Many of the photos will be shared on Facebook and on personal blogs, but it isn't the same as having all the photos and stories of our extended family in one place. It reminds me of a photo album of our complete family.

It will be fun to look back through our blog in another year and see where my nieces and nephews, my brothers and sisters, my parents, and my myself have been over the year. It will be enjoyable to see new babies, new homes, vacations, sports, and more. And unfortunately, I am sure it will be a place to share heartaches. Thanks to each of my family members for contributing to the blog. We are scattered in our different places but our connection remains strong.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

2009-10-14T09:40:00.002-05:00

The other day on Facebook I entered into a conversation my sister Sherry posted on pumpkin muffins. I mentioned I have a really good recipe for gluten free muffins that are loved by everyone - gluten free or not! It was asked that I share the recipe here. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
¾ cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup maple syrup or honey
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons molasses
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup cooking oil
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon allspice
¾ cup brown rice flour
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
½ cup potato starch (I use quinoa flour)
½ cup raisins (I use chocolate chips)
1/3 cup tapioca flour Cooking spray or paper liners

Preheat oven to 350. Spray standard 12-muffin pan with cooking spray/oil or paper liners. Combine pumpkin, maple syrup, molasses, oil, egg and vinegar in large mixing bowl. Beat on low until very, very smooth – about 1 minute.

Combine remaining ingredients (except nuts and raisins or chocolate chips) and add to pumpkin mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened. Stir in nuts and raisins/chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared muffin pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Serves 12

Positive Energy from Gifts

2009-10-11T10:47:00.005-05:00

When I initially entered the blogger world my own world seemed to be constantly changing and I wanted a place to share those changes without bombarding my family and friends through emails and phone calls. What I never imagined when I started blogging was that I would find unbelievable support and friendship from fellow bloggers. Since blogging I have found several blogger friends that I email with on a regular basis and feel a strong connection with their lives even though we have never personally met.

Recently I received a package from one of those blogger friends. Inside were four beautiful scarves - one for each of my family members and myself as well as a pair of fingerless knitted gloves. My body becomes painfully cold very easily, especially my hands, wrists and feet. Receiving gifts that warm my body are gifts that I cherish and warm my heart each time I put them one on because I know my blogger friend truly understands how cold feels to my body.

We are each enjoying our scarves. Sophia likes hers so much that she has even tried to convince Alexander to give up his so she has another color to add to her wardrobe! My mittens are kept in my purse so I can pull them out on walks, while shopping, when leaving work, on cold mornings at home or whenever I need them. What I really like is that since they are fingerless, I can wear them while shopping since walking in the freezer section can cause pain to my hands and I can even leave them on while paying! Also, if the house is cold I can wear them and type!

Thank you to my blogger friend (not sure if this friend wants to be named) for thinking of my family and me. Each time I put on my scarf (which I have had numerous positive comments) or my mittens, I feel a positive energy!

People Are Nice

2009-10-07T10:03:00.003-05:00

People really are nice. Yesterday I had two examples of people's niceness that made me feel good inside.

First, I entered my classroom at 8:30am greeted by a reusable cloth bag filled with a cup of tea and two apple pies from McDonald's. One of my students wanted to do something special for me. It was so sweet, especially since she remembered I drink tea and not coffee. One part of me felt this overwhelming feeling of graciousness to Marina for thinking about me on this cold morning and another part of me went into a complete panic - I couldn't eat anything she brought. Not only have we boycotted McDonald's for years but this did not fit into my diet at all and I have done so well sticking to only the foods on my list. I knew I couldn't eat it but needed to make it look as if I was. I gave Marina a big hug and let her know that I appreciated her thinking of me. The good feeling I felt yesterday that someone took the time to think of me stayed with me all day yesterday and is still with me today.

Second, last night at work our students had to fill out evaluations of their teachers so I switched classrooms with another teacher to do the evaluations. On my way out a young gal asked me if I color my hair. At first I thought, "Okay, here comes the comment about the gray highlights." But as we talked more I could tell she genuinely liked the color of my hair. Wow! I left her classroom and headed to break. While in the restroom I looked at myself and thought, "Your hair does look pretty good." As many of you know I stopped coloring my hair a while back and have been very pleased with the results!

Body Ecology Diet

2009-10-07T09:45:00.001-05:00

I have completed an entire month of the Body Ecology Diet! I read Donna Gates book a few years ago and felt like it was too much for me and returned the book to the library. Over the last few years the diet has come back to me several times and I finally felt like I needed to listen to this message that was coming to me and research it again. When I read through the book this time it made perfect sense to me. The time had come where I felt open minded to trying this diet and seeing what it would do for me.

~In the last month I have learned to ferment and eat fermented vegetables. It isn't as difficult as I imagined. As long as I keep on a regular schedule of preparing the veggies, my one hour investment of chopping will provide several weeks worth of fermented veggies ready to eat! I like knowing that the veggies I am eating are full of probiotics that are working towards repairing my digestive system and creating a new environment balanced out with good bacteria.

~My favorite part of the day is drinking coconut water kefir. Together Alexander and I cut the coconuts, drain the juice and begin the fermentation process of the water. When it is ready to drink I add either unsweetened cranberry juice/black currant juice or lemon juice and a little stevia. Delicious! This drink helps to break down my foods and allow them to digest easier.

~I have made some wonderful soups that I enjoy for breakfast or anytime I need a little snack.

~This is a gluten free diet which I have been following for the last four and half years but this is more restrictive. I am only allowed amarath, millet, quinoa and buckwheat preferably in the whole grain rather than flour. So, I am experimenting with some new recipes. One night I made Buckwheat Croquettes and Alexander LOVED them. Only, he felt bad for eating my food. No problem. I am more than happy to share.

~I making my own salad dressing which uses olive oil, dulce, apple cider vinegar and a little lemon juice - all of which continue the process of breaking down my foods and making them easier to digest.

~Best of all as I prepare my foods I think of how each food is healing my complete body. I have been able to resist temptations because I visualize the tempting food as an invader that is trying to harm my body and must be saved by the foods on my list.

How Am I Feeling?
I would like to say that my joint pain is gone but it is not. In The Body Ecology Diet book Donna Gates reminds us often that healing is a slow process and there are many layers to healing. So, I am not discouraged because I know in my heart that healing is happening and I am seeing it is other areas. Within the first week of the diet a sensitive tooth I have had for the last two years is no longer sensitive. This diet allows for no sugar at all in the beginning phase - including fruit. That could be helping my sensitive tooth. A cyst I have on my wrist has decreased in size and the bloating I have been experiencing for some time is gone. Plus, I have lost about seven pounds. I am not really looking for anymore weight loss but Donna Gates did share that as the toxins are eliminated from our bodies, we will lose weight. In the last few days I have had a small reduction in swelling of my knee. This is great news for me especially since the weather in Chicago has been rainy and cold.

I am seeing changes happen and remind myself often that we are like onions with several layers. It took us years and years to add on the layers that finally contributed to our chronic disease and it will take work to get those layers off. But with each layer we are one step closer to being free of chronic disease and free of future health problems. Thanks to everyone that keeps motivating me each and everyday, especially Steve, Alexander and Sophia who praise my efforts and make adjustments in their own eating habits to help me. Thanks to my sister Stacey who calls every few days just to see how I am doing. She motivates me, listens to me and encourages me more than she will every know. And to one of my best friends, Olif, who receives my daily emails sharing my ups and downs. Also, thanks to each of my blogger friends who daily provide posts that make me laugh or give me new things to think about. I have a lot of support surrounding me and because of this, I feel strong continuing my diet and my journey. I feel very optimistic and very much in control of my own health. I like that feeling.

The Gluten Free 'Dish'

2009-10-07T08:00:00.004-05:00

My good friend Debbie at The Gluten Free Dish has been nominated by Dr. Geoffrey W. Rutledge MD, PhD to be a part of Wellshere Health Bloggers Network. Check out her site which is full of great gluten free recipes as well as heart felt information about healthy living. Then, if you like what you see, vote for her at Wellspere Health Bloggers Network.

Also, be sure to check out her Kid Friendly Gluten and Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole. It is made with sweet potatoes and is absolutely delicious. I think this might have been the recipe that created the friendship I have with Debbie who has been a wonderful friend along my rheumatoid arthritis journey this last year. Thanks Debbie. You are a very special person.

We All Carry a Doctor Within Us

2009-09-30T09:04:00.006-05:00

"The witch doctor succeeds for the same reason all the rest of us succeed. Each patient carries his own doctor inside himself or herself. They come to us not knowing that cure. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work. " ~Albert Schweitzer, M.D.

When I was seeing a naturopath regularly about four years ago, I left each and every appointment with a feeling that not only would my body heal but that I was the one responsible for making that happen. She supplied me with her knowledge but left much of the work to me. By doing this, I felt strong in my fight against rheumatoid arthritis. Also, I made the greatest leaps in my recovery that I have ever made. In the last few years, I think I have allowed myself to fall into a mode of half believing that I carry that doctor inside myself. However, recently, I have been rediscovering that belief again and I really like it. It makes me feel strong and free.

As I enter week four of the Body Ecology Diet, I am slowly seeing changes in myself physically and mentally. I am enjoying foods that are nourishing my body and replenishing missing vitamins and minerals. Daily I am preparing foods that are not only healing a digestive tract that has suffered for some time but also healing my joints and who knows what else. I am eating fermented foods that put good bacteria into my body that will help protect me from future illnesses. I am treating my body as a whole realizing that each system works together and for one to work correctly, they all have to work correctly. By listening to the doctor within myself, I was drawn to a diet that is working towards not just the immediate release of pain in my joints but an overall healthy body that will be able to enjoy the things in life I most enjoy for some time.

I am rediscovering that as I listen to the doctor within myself I feel more in tune with who I am and what I want to accomplish. I feel my spirit becoming more aligned with its true self. I like trusting the doctor within myself. It feels right.

Everything Shapes Us.

2009-09-23T16:35:00.003-05:00

Today I received a package from my mom. A few days back she sent me an email letting me know that she had something she had been meaning to mail to me but now seemed like the right time. Inside my package was a beautiful print by Kelly Rae Roberts that reads "everything shapes us". Not only is the print absolutely beautiful, but so is the message on the back that shares the artist's road to finding her heart's passion and a quote from her. "My hope is that my work invokes a sense of clarity and peace inside of you as you walk your own path in life, and that it inspires you to discover you own limitlessness."

When I first opened the package and saw the beautiful woman with painted wings, she somehow reminded me of myself - dark hair and brown eyes. But the message immediately brought to mind how my mom knows that right now I am following a path that is right for me. She knows that I have been very fortunate to have experienced 41 years of experiences that have been shaping me for the changes that are happening within me right now.

As child number four out of six kids, I was surrounded by people who loved me and "shaped" me with the values I still hold dear to me today.

When Steve and I were engaged to be married we attended an Engaged Encounter. The weekend was led by two couples, one of which said something that has "shaped" my married life. They said, "Remember that you are always an example, whether you realize it or not. When others see you and your spouse together, your relationship, good or bad will affect them." I have always kept this message in the back of my mind in the way I treat my husband and I believe that message must be in his mind too because he always shows his love for me and I think it has helped "shape" others.

When Alexander was born and cried at night one night when I let the wrong books for me "shape" me into believing that he was better off in his own crib away from me than snuggled up next to me nursing, Steve reminded me to follow my heart and bring him back to bed with us. Together with that one decision our parenting style was known to us. This parenting style went on to "shape" our children into the loving, caring people they are today and also to "shape" us into more caring adults.

Today I had three teenage boys in my car. I needed to stop by Whole Foods before heading home and asked them if they wanted to stay in the car or come into the store and wait for me. They chose to wait in the car but one of the boys said, "Thanks for at least asking us." "Shaping"...letting others know we care about their opinions.

This evening Steve discussed a conversation he had at work today about homeschooling. One of the guys said something like "A girl like your daughter would be exactly the kind of girl we would look for in college." I asked Steve, "You mean because she would be a naive homeschooler?" Yes. We both giggled. Our Sophia has a good sense of people. She steers away from those that she believes will hurt her. Because she has been "shaped" to experience only good relationships with people that care for her, she chooses to stay away from those that don't have that interest in her. Naive she isn't. Smart she is.

As I read and learn about new things to heal my body I have to remember that "everything shapes us". I guess that is why I feel this need to read only those things that are leading me in the direction my heart is telling me to go. If I read outside of that, I risk "shaping" myself into something that my heart didn't intend me to be.

Our lives are full of experiences and all of those experiences shape who we are and who we become. People I meet for lasting relationships to the stranger I meet who smiles at me to the news I listen to on TV to the environment I choose to surround myself- they all help "shape" me. I feel so fortunate that I have been "shaped" into the person I am today and that I am following the path that feels right for who I am.

Determination

2009-09-20T12:38:00.002-05:00

"When your determination changes, everything else will begin to move in the direction you desire. The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately... orient itself toward your success."
- Daisaku Ikeda

This is exactly how I feel right now!!!

People In My Life: My Sister Stacey

2009-09-20T12:02:00.004-05:00

Growing up in a family with six children allows for many adventures and many kinds of relationships. With each of my siblings I have a unique relationship that I am thankful for each and every day. This morning I finished talking on the phone with my sister Stacey who lives 700 miles away. We try to catch up on each other's lives once a week and our phone calls generally last several hours.

When I talk to Stacey on the phone or in person, I can let my guard down. She knows my strengths and weaknesses which makes it so much easier to share my fears and frustrations. She is also my cheerleader. If she knows I am experiencing a big flare-up she will call to check on me. In the two weeks that I have been on this diet, she has called during the week to see how I am doing. It feels great to know someone is thinking about the challenges you are going through. She goes one step further though in cheering me on. In order to learn more about the diet I am on, she bought the book and is reading it. This may not seem like a big deal but it is huge to me. What better message can she send than to learn about the things I am doing so she can encourage me more. She may decide this diet is a good match for her too or she may not. Either way is fine because I know that she will support my decisions and continuously encourage me.

When I talk with Stacey we discuss so many things: our spirituality, our beliefs in religion, family, friends, spouses, children, health, etc, etc. The list goes on. With her I feel a sense of freedom to discuss topics I may not generally participate in like politics and this morning immigration. We often see things the same way but find that we each can bring new knowledge to the other one.

Stacey brings many good things to my life. She is a constant reminder that full time workers and full time mothers can incorporate healthy diets and exercise into their lives. There is always time when you make it. She reminds me to always ask more questions. For the last three years she has fought doctors who claimed her son would "grow out" of his tics and seizures and gone on to find alternative routes for him. Stacey is strong. She has shown me that even though a mother may need to work, she can still practice attachment parenting. If ever there was a woman succeeding at being Super Mom, it is my sister Stacey.

People In My Life: Suzanne from Cameroon

2009-09-17T15:30:00.003-05:00

Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been. - Mark Twain

I find other people's lives interesting. Maybe that is why I enjoy my job so much. Every eight weeks I get to meet 20-30 (well, double that now that I am teaching two classes) new people with lives very different than my own. Although I am their "teacher", I learn so much from each of them.

This quad Suzanne, a 65 year old woman, is in my "high beginning" class. Suzanne is her American name. She is from Cameroon and speaks French as well as many African languages. She was married when she was 16 years old, had nine children, lost two of them, and was widowed when she was only 40 years old. She has lived in the United States for the last six years with her son and his family.

Each evening that I enter my classroom, I find Suzanne has already arrived and is studying. She greets me with the most beautiful smile and when she shares an answer or a story in class her eyes light up. She reminds me of a teenager the way she giggles when she talks. She seems to love life. I feel like she is a magnet that pulls me in and makes me want to smile and feel good about life too. I have noticed that it isn't just me that has noticed these traits about Suzanne. Although she is a grandmother, she always has young men choosing to sit next to her. I think they see the same beauty in her that I do.

Besides her beautiful personality, her contagious smile, and her magically lit up eyes, Suzanne has skin that intrigues me. Her dark black skin is covered with various scars and several years of wrinkles. Sometimes I find myself wanting to reach out and touch her skin. I get this sense that by touching the scars and wrinkles I will gain access to all of her knowledge and stories. I find myself wanting to leave our classroom and go sit with a cup of tea for hours listening to story after story of her life.

I am lucky. I feel like I continuously have people entering my life that give me new things to think about and new things to admire. I know that Suzanne's smile, giggles, eyes and skin will always remain a sunny place in my mind. I thank her for that.

Daily Affirmation

2009-09-17T13:33:00.001-05:00

I claim my own power, and I lovingly create my own reality.
~Louise Hay Daily Affirmation

Everyday Health Blog Post

2009-09-16T05:36:00.004-05:00

Check out this week's post about My Addiction to Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I am not sure yet how I feel about writing a weekly post for Everyday Health. It is always therapeutic to write about my experiences with rheumatoid arthritis and honestly I love writing. I appreciate that this gives me one more outlet to share my way of thinking about rheumatoid arthritis. But, I also believe that I think about rheumatoid arthritis too much.

As I enter week two of my diet, I feel a need to back away from all things RA related and I am not sure how I feel about having to purposely focus on rheumatoid arthritis every week. I feel the need to see myself free of RA and see myself doing the things I want to do. I hesitate in saying this because I don't want any of my friends in the RA community to think that I don't appreciate their stories and support because it isn't that at all. I just feel like I become too consumed sometimes with reading about the lives of others and this can throw me off track of my own beliefs in healing. I realize that my approach to rheumatoid arthritis is quite different than the majority and for some is maybe even viewed as being irresponsible or in denial because I am not taking the medication route. But, it is the right track for me. So, even though I may not be reading as many RA blogs right now, please know that I am still sending healing thoughts to all of my RA blogger friends. I just need to take a temporary break from RA for now.