NO to GMOs!

Doing a lot of research today and I came across this video!

"Mike's Anti-GMO rap is not only great music, it's just the kind of creative way we need to get the message out to people who may not even know they are eating dangerous genetically modified organisms every day. Great job Mike!"

- Jeffrey Smith, executive director, Institute for Responsible Technology

"Just say no to GMOs is the Battle Hymn for our new Organic Republic. Take action against Monsanto and their mad scientists and indentured politicians."

- Ronnie Cummins, Director, Organic Consumers Association

Forks Over Knives

I finally finished watching Forks Over Knives today and thought I was a wonderful movie which is now on netflixs! Really makes me question my eating habits and lifestyle.  I am inspired  by every book, movie, article, or whatever material is out there that contains information on the healthiest life style possible.
I am passionate about  my daughter and I living a life style free of sickness and disease. I highly recommend watching this film.

Slowly but Surly ....

I was going through some of my old blogs and found a couple post talking about losing that baby weight.  Well it's almost been a year and although I am not were I want to be just yet I am pretty happy with how far I've come! I am getting better at planning out meals and I don't look so lost at the grocery store any more! The only thing I currently struggle with is sometimes finding the energy to do p90x everyday! About every 4th day my body is so sore and I'm so tired from working that I fail to work out some days.  Living with my brother there is only one real issue, the junk food he brings in.   When I shop  I try to avoid the middle isles so Im not even tempted with the baked goods and sugary products! But then my I have a sweet tooth late at night and I see his oreo's in the pantry ( A cookie that I'm not even a fan of) I have to tell myself it's not worth it, but even then sometimes I still cave and have one or four!
But hopefully in the coming weeks my workouts will become more routine! My brother said he would start waking up early with me so we can knock out P90X in the mornings.  Hoping that soon I can actually complete a true 90 days of the program !

 These Pictures are taken almost exactly 1 year apart 

{ I was about 38 weeks Pregnant and then second pic Ella was taken about a week ago }

My 90 Days!

Okay So I am so ready to see my doctor on Thursday, why? Because I am hoping to hear that I am healed up and ready to start working out again! This weekend I started reading through the P90X packet and nutrition plan.  I have decided that while I am home with Ella during the days this program will be great since I wont even have to leave home to go to the gym!  I would really like to start my 90 days no longer than Aug. 1st that way by November I can hopefully have a body I am proud of again!  I am really trying to prepare myself so I will make it through the complete 90 days.  Today I am writing out my meal plan and I am going to watch the video's and make sure that I do every thing possible to set myself up for success.  I don't think people realize how ready I am to start working out and how working out really helps me with my stress.  I could use to help! The program encourages people taking before and after photo's which I don't mind except for now I have a few stretch marks which is wonderful.  I hear nothing but great things about this program so I am ready to test my dedication out and ready to see great results! 

Acupuncture and My Tuesday...

Yesterday was an eventful day for me! It was my Dad's birthday, which I thought went awesome.  It was a pretty chill day at the office and I left early for a doctors appointment.  Everything is looking good! I am now 37 weeks, my baby is concerned full-term now.  My weight has been almost the exact same for these last two months.  The last check up I had lost 2lbs, this appointment I gain 2 lbs so I am back at the same weight I have been! Awesome, I'm glad is staying consistent! My doctor checked me for the first time to see if I was dilated. Found out that I am not dilated yet, but I'm 80% phase which means my body is getting ready for labor! YAY! But I also got scared I still don't see how a baby is going to fit it's way through (ouch!)!  My OB then let me know that I could have this baby ANYTIME now and also that it's safe to have her anytime now!
After the doctor I went to my Chiropractor to get adjusted.  After I told him about my doctors appointment he asked it I was wanting to start acupuncture to help induce my labor.  I said "YES!" then he asked
"So, your ready to have this baby as soon as tonight then, right??...Because it could induce you that fast..."  
WOW, that stopped me in my tracks! No, I am honestly not "ready" but then again how can I be, I feel like it's going to be a fly by the seat of my pants type deal! I am making sure however I do the best I can to be ready and prepare in any way I can!
So yes we started acupuncture yesterday.  He put tiny needles (like the one in the picture above) in both of my small toes, inside of my ankles and in my wrist.  Then I was told to lay there for 15 minutes. Just 3 minutes into it I could feel my body responding.  Then I started to feel ready sick! My sister in law came into the room and helped me sit up which made me feel better. I had started to sweat and feel a little light headed.  The doctor came in and put two more acupuncture needles in the webbed part of my hands (between my thumb and pointer finger) to help take away the nausea, it worked.  I sat there for the remanding time and was fine.
Later that night I went to dinner with my parents and then to a coffee shop to hang out for my Dad's Birthday.  Once I got home I went to change into some sweat pants, as I lifted my left leg into my pants I got a sharp piercing  pain running up through my body and I froze! It hurt sooo bad! I after the pain stopped I started walk and on my second step, as I came down on my right leg I felt my body wanting to collapse.  I was in pain.  I could not put any weight on my right leg or it caused awful pain in my groin area! I know I had pulled something or that something was not right.  This pain lasted all night! Which ment I was CRAWLING to the bathroom for all my many pee brakes that I have to take! Awful night and awful pain that brought me to tears.  I could barely sleep, if I moved to fast or the wrong way I felt that pain.  The only way to keep from hurting was to not move the lower half of my body at all.
I woke up this morning felling a little better, I still can't put much wight on my right side though.  I went to my chiropractor again and was told I had a spasm and to take it easy it's starting to heal... We are also going to do acupuncture again tomorrow.
So today I am trying to take it easy as I crawl or walk funny til this pulled whatever gets better....(sigh)....

Currently Reading and Loving...

This week I'm reading Jillian Michaels new book, Master Your Metabolism.  I picked this book up at Barnes and Noble on Sunday and I am currently half way through it.  There is a lot of information in this book so I have read and re-read the first couple of chapters trying to soak up all of its knowledge. Being to health guru I strive to be, this book was a real eye opener on how wrong I had been doing things with my diet pills and extreme calorie cuts in the past. I have been looking for a healthy answer to not only weight loss but to an over all healthy life style, and I think I have found it Thanks to Jillian! She preaches on a lot of things I already have felt so passionate about when it comes to the food the average American consumes.  I never knew that our hormones (male and female) have everything to do with our metabolism, weight loss, and quality of life!

I strongly believe that this book is for EVERY American living our corrupt westernized pattern diet!

I am convinced the problem is that people just don't care enough about their health and sadly about their families health as well (Heart Breaking)!!! I know this because so many times I talk to my friends about health and the corrupt food industries of today and their reply, 

"Well, you are over reacting Jenn, I love and eat my burgers and chicken nuggets and look at me, I'm still alive and breathing!" 

Ugh! Can't win them all! But dear reader if you are even a bit interested in your health and the health of your loved ones then I HIGHLY recommend Jillian Michaels book along with this book: 

Michael Pollan's book,  In the Defense of Food , Another great read about how our food has become the way it is.  Talks about the lack of "REAL FOOD" we as Americans actually consume. And how the FDA and Government really don't care about our health at all , only about the dollars they can profit from these faux food we eat every day that are cheap in cost; however in the long run it's costing us more in medical problems! As you might see I'm very passionate about health and I encourage you, BEG of you to read and get informed about the things we are putting in our bodies!  

IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS!! 

Just you don't know something does not mean it can't hurt you!

Don't Tell Peta!

For anyone has known me these last three years get ready to read this twice: I ATE CHICKEN TODAY! Yes, madness... Well let me start by saying it has been over three years since I have ate our feathered friend, chicken.  When I was 20 I read the book skinny bitch which was followed by a list of other vegetarian and vegan books.  I decided in Feb of 2007 that I was going to be a Pescetarian.  Which basically meant I was a vegetarian who ate fish and other sea food products.  The books I read really opened my eyes up to how awful the meats we eat today are, filled with hormones, steroids, pesticides, and antibiotics! The reason why I have been a Pescetarian and not a full vegetarian?  Honestly it's because the books I read didn't go into much gross detail about the fish and my favorite thing is a nice SUSHI dinner!!! Yum! But really fish these days are no better than the meat we eat (well maybe, just a little though).  I could go into all my research on how food industries have totally screwed America's health for their gain and profit but that would have me typing this blog entry ALL NIGHt. Anyway I guess the lingering question is why am I eating meat NOW?  It all started after I found out I was pregnant honestly, which sounds odd probably.  But I had a bad iron deficiency and my doctor really wanted me to eat a high protein low carb diet! How on earth was I going to manage that when the only meat I ate was fish and since I was pregnant eating fish was something I shouldn't do often! 

Long story short about 3 or 4 months into my pregnancy I decided to eat a steak, I even had the craving for one! So my friend Jesse went to the store bought a filet to cookout for me and was super excited to see his weirdo friend finally eat like a "normal person" again.  From that day on I will eat a steak every once and awhile and I also will eat Bison.  Bison or Buffalo meat is VERY high in iron plus my family buys the farm raised with no added hormones.

But Chicken on the other hand is loaded with hormones and steroids! They are dirty and just not grown the way God intended them to be anymore! I have been reading lots of weight loss books and diet books lately preparing myself for this post-pregnancy weight loss and like you may all ready know MOST diets include the basic Grilled Chicken and Veggie Formula.  So I started to change my thinking maybe I will just have to start buying "Farm Raised" chicken breast! 

Today I did not eat organic chicken however, I went to a wedding shower and hadn't ate (DUMB DUMB DUMB idea) and everything had chicken in it.  I got a plate of food and told my mom 

"I know this has chicken in but if I don't feed me and my baby I'm going to pass out."

  So that easy I ate chicken. GASP. 

I can't believe it, without a fight, without asking if there was anything else for me to eat- Nope just ate it!

Wait thats not all! Tonight my Dad grilled Chicken outside and I ate a one of the grilled chicken breast! It was good, I didn't gag or even get grossed out! It's like I wasn't myself! ( I am not a freak I've just been against eating animal flesh for so long, I surprised myself)!

So I guess what I am saying is that I am now going to look for organic chicken to buy so that once I write out my diet plan at lest the chicken breast I will try to eat will be farmed raised and not factory produced.  Although I will still hold to my mostly plant based diet and continue to try to eat mostly raw fruits and veggies, but Mama needs her protein too! 

To Buy Organic or Not To Buy?

I would love to be able to grow my own fruits and veggies but since I am a soon to be single full time working mom, where will I find the time???  I found this on Cool Hunting Web Site, The Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet. It breaks down what you should spend some $$$ money on when deciding to buy organic or not.

They also have an app for all of us iphone users, very cool!

Gym, You Are My Friend!

Yesterday I decided to make it a goal to start back at the Gym again.  Although I can't do much of the workout I use to I still can do a brisk walk on the treadmill and day dream about getting a fit body after my sweet baby girl is born.  I didn't realize how much I had missed the feeling of working out and walking out of the gym feeling pleased I was there instead of spending my time watching TV or being lazy.  

They say it takes 21 days to create a habit.  I am now 34 days away from my due date so I had this awesome idea of making going to the gym and eating better a habit now so that way my body can whip back into shape faster. 

THE MAIN REASON though I started putting my Nikkie's back on my feet ... I hear the more I walk and force myself to stay active, the easier LABOR will be!!! 

I had many moms at my shower tell me "MAKE SURE YOU ARE WALKING!"

I can not wait for the labor to be over with and to hold my baby in my arms!!!! 

A healthy life style has always been important to me but now that I will have a child of my own, more so than ever I want to set a great example of eating and taking care of my body.

I will be seeing that treadmill later tonight for another 45 min of brisk walking and becoming a step closer to a possible better delivery experience!

Food Rant #1

I watched this Documentary by filmmaker Robert Kenner for the second time this weekend and was reminded of the many problems in our food industry today!

If you have never heard of this film it is a documentary of how each year the food industry becomes more and more corrupt.  How is this happening? It's happening because big companies are taking over super markets and profiting big time for the price of the consumers health! Three years ago I read the book Skinny Bitch by by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, that was the year my food diet would change forever.  They both are vegans and although I am not a vegan the more I read about our meat industry today the more I want to go one step father and go on a all organic raw food diet.  Well after reading the book Skinny Bitch I began to buy books and do more research about our food industry.  I'll warn you right now the more you read the more disgusted you'll become with our fast food america.  Although I believe its easy to read and change your eating for a week, month, or even year then go back to that McD's burger if you stop reading and choose to "forget" what you are truly putting into your body! My point is people need to be talking more about what is happening to our food industry as these government funded companies take over!  There is a heart braking story in this film about a mom who lost her 4 year soon to E-coli shortly after he was feed a burger from a place that was selling beef from an infected cow.  Can you imagine losing your child because the FDA's focus is more on profit than on consumer safety?? 

There are so many shocking facts through out this documentary that effect our life every time we put something in our mouth! I encourage everyone reading this to watch the film and then share it with anyone and everyone you know!  I am not some vegan freak that throws blood on people wearing fur or extreme hippie by any means!!! I admit I love Sushi  (Yes I love eating fish and I know once I start to research fish closely I may choose that it's not worth eating because of the growing heath risk).   The meat we eat today is different than the meat our great grandparents where eating years ago and it continues to change. America's food corporations don't want us to know what we are eating, where the meat is coming from (hell it might not be from the US!), or what disease and inflection the animal might have had that was "killed" by the antibodies fed to the meat before saluter! 

I think every one should become more aware of what we eat and then if you STILL want to pollute your body with fast food, soda, and so on... then go ahead! But why wouldn't you choose to live the healthiest life possible for you and your family? Okay, that's my rant about "food" for the night.

NOW GO RENT OR WATCH INSTANTLY via NetFlix FOOD, Inc.!!!!

Tell me what you think, was it an eye opener? Did it make you mad? Will this change any of your choices??

I Love Veggies!

So anyone who has known me the past 2 or 3 years knows that I have fallen in love with the "Raw Food Moment" or the veggie life style. I admit since I found out I was pregnant last October I have ate the occasional steak filet, Bison Meat ( No hormones added, lean, Im convinced the healthiest meat out there to eat) and Fish. But I really want to eat mostly raw, fresh, fruits and vegetables. I have many reasons I won't go into now, but I discovered this restaurant online that I really want to Visit the next Time I'm in LA. Veggie Grill has four locations in California. Their menu is all Plant-Based (Awesome!). Their Web site is www.veggiegrill.com . What do you think ?