Taking Back My Health Since I've Become a Mom 9 Yrs Ago...

Hey A.. How much caffeine are you drinking? Even if you drink enough water, you may be counteracting it with caffeine. You need to drink 8, 8oz glasses per day, but everytime you have 8 oz of caffeine, you have to add another 8 oz. of water.

Also, have you had a professional bike fit? My husband was having terrible headaches after biking and it was because his bike fit was off. I think you might live in Boulder, in which case I would highly recommend the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.

My mom and step mom do whats called Isagenix. You can look it up on Isagenix.com if you would like. If you want more info you could call Lisa at ###-###-####. she doesn't get home until after 4pm or theres Chris at ###-###-####. My stepmom is about the same age and she has lost the inches. I hope this helps and gl

Hi A.,
Wow, you've gotten some really excellent advise from everyone. But, thought I'd add my 2 cents worth to the mix ;)
There are natural health supplements that you can take that may resolve all your issues of health, weight, etc. Also, nontoxic/organic cleaners can often be helpful to the process. Check out my website and about the cleaners, which are concentrated and very afforalbe. Also, you can link to the health supplement info and I could send you testimonials if you'd like further information.
http://www.shaklee.net/sowing4health/getclean/index
Take care and blessings for your and your family's health.
L.

Look at website: www.slimbodycoach.com. It's a wonderful lifestyle change, not a diet. It gives free support too. (I was the Round 1 winner in 2007). It really works, so try it! Give it your all and you'll see amazing results.

The book that sits on my counter all the time is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Best book/cookbook I've read so far, and I've read a lot of health books. It has some really amazing information on nourishing your body. My family has gotten use to eating this way. Even the kids. It takes time to get use to eating the nourishing traditon way, but we feel great.
Chiropractic has great results with migraines!! Visit obergchiro.com for some info on migraines and chiropractic. This is my husbands site. We don't live in Boulder but it has some useful info anyway.

Good for you! Your desire to feel healthy again is the most important motivation to help you make good choices for your health. Your diet and exercise are the most important factors that influence your health, energy level,weight and,yes,even headaches.

Find an exercise that you enjoy, maybe one that you can do inside a recreation center, so out of the sun. You could also take up mall walking. It is fun to window shop and walk in a cool airconditioned mall. Do it at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes at a time.

Nutrition is the most important aspect of your health. Stay away from the fad diets and work on eating a wide variety of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains and small amounts of protein in fish, chicken, legumes, soy, etc. Keep your water intake up to half your body weight in ounces each day. You will find that your energy improves dramatically if you eliminate the processed foods, the soda drinks, whether sweetened or diet; they are both terrible for your health. Any food with a label that includes high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated (or fractionated)fats of any kind should be avoided! Avoid fast food fries, chicken nuggets,and burgers, etc. as they have so much fat and so many preservatives in them they can literally make you sick over time.
There is a whole food product that I have found useful in improving my diet. It is called Juice Plus. It is 17 fruits, vegetables and grains that have been juiced, the sugar and most of the salt removed and dehydrated. They are put in a capsule, chewable or gummie form, so are easy to take. Juice Plus is the most throughly research nutritional product on the market today. You can look up the research on www.madjuicer.com There is a 24 hour health education line that you can call to hear doctors, dieticians and scientists give lots of important information (on recorded calls) about nutrition and health: 1-800-942-1260.
Good luck! You can contact me if you have questions. ____@____.com

I think it's great that your making a change to be healthy, and it seems like you've gotten a lot of great advice. In terms of sun protection and eating well, I think you've already gotten some good tips. I wanted to comment on the migraines, because I used to get them all the time. It may be the sun, but it might also be the activity/exercise. If something is out in your neck or back, either activity could aggravate it and trigger a migraine. You could experiment by trying similar activities indoors, such as spinning, to see if you still get a migraine, or a different sort of activity outdoors, such as walking. I tried EVERYTHING to get rid of my migraines: prescriptions, dietary changes, allergy doctor, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic... all of which brought a small degree of temporary relief. I have a bum shoulder and some feet and neck issues that were at the root of things. I was finally able to get the help I needed with MAT therapy (Muscular Activation Therapy); yoga also helps a lot. Now, I rarely get migraines. I go to a woman in Northwest Denver, Raquel Cecil, for MAT and hardly ever get migraines now! Good luck!

I can relate - i am 40 and working on shedding my extra weight too. Go to www.Vitalityforlife.com Take a tour and if you like what you see I would be happy to help you get started with them. Sometimes migranes can be brought on by toxic chemicals in the home. A friend of mine experienced this and once she detoxed her home the migranes were gone.
I would be happy to help you how to do that too.

If you would like to know more you can email me at: ____@____.com

Sometimes, too much information can be overwhelming. That sounds like where you are. I would work at one thing at a time. Exercise is a great place to start. If the sun gives you migraines, you can do stuff early in the morning or at a gym. Also, make sure that you get plenty of hydration, as dehydration can contribute to headaches.
With food, I would start by phasing out the white starches. Buy whole wheat bread (we like Sara Lee's heart healthy plus) and brown rice and whole grain, low sugar cereals. Cut down on cookies and cakes and such. The kids will complain, but they will get used to it. So will you. Add in a bunch of fruits and veggies, and make sure it is a variety. My kids (9,7,4) have gotten used to snacking on apples or carrots, and getting a good serving of veggies at dinner - a lot because we don't offer alternatives and that's what they see us do. Go for low-fat proteins, such as beans, white meat, fish, and some good cuts of red meat (i've heard that O blood type needs red meat). After making these changes, I would assess how you and your family are feeling before you worry about alternative medicine or anything like that.

GATORADE! If I don't drink something like gatorade during my outdoor workout I get headaches. You may be drinking too much water and washing out your electrolytes.

As for a diet don't make a drastic change because it will be too new and hard to do. Start with making healthy choices. Add a salad (garden salad no meat balsalmic dressing) to every meal as your side dish. Reduce your portion sizes. Eat fruit for dessert. Look at the labels of what you are eating, typically the fewer the ingredients the better the food is for you (as long as you recognize those ingredients). Ingredients are listed in order of amount in the food so if sugar is listed first then that food will have a ton of sugar in it. And pasta is not bad for you, you can by wheat pasta at Safeway.

Eat your veggies(not fried).
M.

I don't have a response on the food aspect but the migraines, I have suffered with migraines for years. I had to drop out of school 7 years ago because of chronic migraines. I am now able to take care of most of my migraines without any medication. I learned how to use pressure points (I just checked books out from the library) and I found a lotion at WalMart that is a headache relief lotion--if you want the name let me know I will find it for you. I don't have it handy at the moment, anyway I paid $5 for it and I keep one in the car because light sensitivity is one of my triggers. I use it to help relax when I start to tense up from the lights. and I use the pressure points at the base of my neck, on the balls of my head (I don't know what else to call them lol) and temples and the third eye.
I've only had 2 full blown migraines in the past year and they were both in the past couple of months (stress being a huge trigger for me as well) but I was able to take care of those with only a caffineated drink and Excedrin.
I haven't taken prescriptions for my migraines for 5 years now because it was important to me to try to find a natural solution. Anyway I hope this helps and if you want to know more about anything I do for the migraines I am more than happy to share. I have used the public library for most of my information, and filtered it for what works for me...

I had gained weight and was feeling really tired. My mom kept pushing me to try the South Beach Diet. It was invented by a Cardiologist to help his patients that had bad hearts and stuff. When they started following it they lost lots of weight. It is easy. It is real food, not bars and teas and stuff that you have to buy. It is a diet you can live with for the rest your life. And best of all you will feel good and lose lots of weight. It is healthy for all your family, including your kids, so you don't need to cook a meal for yourself and for the rest of the family. It is easy to follow with no measuring, calculating or complicated things. In a one sentence summary: Replace unhealthy fats with healthy and unhealthy carbs with healthy ones. It has 3 phases. The first phase is pretty strict and might be a little hard but it only lasts 2 weeks and you lose 7-14 pounds without feeling hungry. No bread, no pasta, no fruit. After that you start adding things back, but you eat fruit, not drink fruit juice. You can have whole grain bread and pasta, but not white. You can eat eggs, and low fat meats, but avoid lard and hydrogenated oils. Phase 2 you lose slowlywhile watching what you eat. phase 3 is maintenance and nothing is really off limits, but you have to chose where you splurge. You can't have bread and pasta and dessert, but you can sometimes have some. It really works.

i've lost 100 pounds by doing this:
1. pray for help. i have been guided how to eat and exercise via inspiration.
2. drink 8-10 glasses of water, or what your body needs.
3. stop drinking soda pop. it depletes your body of calcium.
4. lay off the sweets. now and then is okay, but the less the better.
5. eat healthy. stay away from fried foods. Raw vegetables are wonderful, but so are steamed. use applesauce instead of sugar. try to use less grease. olive oil is great to use. stear away from processed foods.
in reguards to your family and probably you, don't jump into a diet. work your way in gradually. buy wheat bread or all grain bread instead of white. go from whole milk down to the next level until you get away with your family complaining that they wished they had 2% instead of skim. my weight loss has taken me at least 5 years. i'm still working on it and am continually learning more and feeling better.
with exercise, experiment. pilates is a great start. play with jogging, walking, martial arts, and swimming for cardio.

Many people are sun sensitive, including myself, and that does not mean that you can't enjoy working outside and riding your bike! Here are the things that I have found help keep me from getting a migraine from sun exposure:
1) wear a wide brimmed hat that shields both your face and neck (wear a helmet when biking, of course)
2) Drink lots of water while working outside. I've found wearing a camelback helped me remember to be constantly sipping.
3) Wear sunglasses. The glare causes me to squint, and the eye strain sometimes triggers my migraines.
4) Wear light weight, long sleeved clothing designed for sun protection. They have some great stuff at REI. These garments help prevent overheating.
5) Take breaks in the shade. Even 5 minutes of resting, relaxing, cooling down, and actively drinking help.

As for the eating, I think my family has gone more toward just watching calories and nutrients. In general the easiest way is to try to buy only fresh or flash frozen foods. So try to feed your family shopping only in the produce department, bakery, meat/fish department, and frozen fruit/veggies. The chemicals, sugar, salt, and whatnot in so many packaged foods are usually not so healthy for you, so they are good to cut out. Try taking your kids to a farmer's market and letting them pick out what they want to try and eat.

Good luck and let us know what you end up trying!

Your migraines are probably caused by hormone imbalance. Try natural progesterone cream to help with that.

check out www.mountainnaturalmedicine.com and she would be happy to help you. I highly recommend Dr. Figler. She would be a great resource for you. Just email and talk with her.

I would be happy to talk with you about the progesterone cream. Also make sure you are not using any soap or lotions or makeup that contains mineral oil.

Best wishes.

Hi A.,
I can relate to feeling older than your age. I, in many ways, feel better (at 42) than I have since I was a teen. I have 4 children--motherhood does take its toll. Changing my diet was huge but it took me about 10 years of research to find what I consider truly healthy eating. I am only slightly familiar with the Ayurvedic diet--it always seemed overwhelming to learn all the do's and don'ts. I'm sure it has merit though, with its many centuries of use. We tried many things (including a vegetarian diet--nearly destroyed my husband's health with that) but what truly felt right was when I discovered the work of Weston A. Price via the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (try your library). You can find tons of info and well-documented articles at westonaprice.org. We are all so much healthier now.
Another recommendation for you (especially for your migraines) is to try EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). I use it in my healing practice and it can be phenomenally effective with migraines and other types of headaches. The basic manual is available for free online at emofree.com as well as 100s (1000s?) of case examples of its use. It is a fabulous self-help tool.
I mention both of these things because they are low- to no-cost to learn and use. There are other things that I could recommend but there are costs involved, such as Network Spinal Analysis chiropractic, Healing Touch or Reiki, BioSET for sensitivities, etc.
I just want you to know that it is definitely possible to feel better! Feel free to email me privately if you have any questions.
B. (Fort Collins)

I was 60 and feeling 70 a few years ago. What brought me out of it was water aerobics. I went to an arthritis class, but you could probably go to a regular one. I have never been healthier than I am now.I go to the Central Utah Wellness Institute in Provo. Its across from the UVRMC hospital. Rec centers offer classes, too. As far as diet, I would recommend The regular food pyramid. You cant get healthier than that. Maybe supplement it with some Ensure of a protien milk shake.

Hello, My best advice, is to follow the food pyramid. It is honestly the best thing out there. All these fad "healthy" diets always leave somthing important out. As far as giving your kids whole grain stuff, start out small. Don't all of the sudden go all whole wheat. Or mix them until they are used to it. Like with pasta you could mix them and gradually work out the white noodles. There are better whole grain breads out there that aren't so heavy that your kids won't even touch it. Sara Lee has a good one, as does a Sam's Club brand. The key is lots of fruits and veggies with moderate carbs and meat sparingly. Everything in Moderation. Your headaches may just be your bodies reaction to releasing stress that has been held in those muscles. Keep going, you'll loosen up. Ask a doc though they may have some good advice. Good luck!

Hi A.,

For migraines, try drinking more water. When we dehydrate, the brain is the first thing that reacts to it.

For weight loss...an apple 1/2 hour before a main meal, and a glass of water with. Eat until your satisfied. It take a half of an hour for your tummy to tell your brain it is full.

Walk 15 minutes a day, in the morning before 10 a.m. Between 11 and 4 are the hottest times of the day. (You can also walk early evening.)

I also take a product called REDOXX,180 capsules, thirty nine dollars. (I took 1 capsule for each 25 pounds of body weight, once a day, which for me is 8) the bottle lasted me approx 22 days.
After I started loosing the weight, (I lost 10 pounds in 2 months,) I only took 2 a day. That bottle then lasts 3 months. So it is a bargain after the initial month.
That website is www.thenaturalpetvet.net/4life They also have natural nutritional products for pets/and horses!

The REDOXX has boosted my energy levels, and mental alertness, and has help me maintain my weight. (It has Calcium Montmorillonite Clay in it.)

Hope this helps!

C.

Hi A.,

I can help you! I have a business in the wellness industry involving a line of incredible all natural products. Our flagship product is called Body Balance. It's a liquid nutritional (made from Aloe juice and 9 sea vegetables)and many people (my business partner included) have experienced tremendous relief from migraines. We've seen tons of people be able to go off of their various medications once taking the product over time. And almost everyone experiences increased vitality and energy. It also really helps reduce cravings and many people lose weight because they stop craving chocolate, soda, carbs, etc. Here are some of the commonly reported benefits of Body Balance:

• Increased vitality and energy
• Respiration support
• General feeling of well-being
• Enhanced digestion
• Nervous system support
• Improved metabolism
• Supports the immune system
• Detoxification support
• Mental clarity and focus
• Emotional stability
• Reduced cravings
• Circulation support
• Improved sleep
• Youthing
• Hormonal support

It provides over 120 naturally-occurring vital nutrients, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Body Balance consists of virtually every vitamin, mineral, ultra trace mineral, amino acid, and enzyme useful for optimal health (some in trace amounts), as well as fiber. Basically, once we give the body what it needs it works the way it's meant to.

Anyway, you can try Body Balance risk-free... the company offers a 45-day money-back guarantee. Check it out here: http://www.LifeForceSuccess.com and please let me know if you have any questions.

Also, I'd be happy to get you on the phone w/ my business partner, Annie, if you'd like to talk to someone about migraines (she's an RN as well!). Let me know what I can do...

Best of luck to you!

-A.

Hi A.,
I know I am responding to this late. I am sure you have received lots of good advice.I and a lot of other people I know take a organic whole food liquid. This awesome product has been around for 24 years. You will feel such a huge difference, you won't believe it. It has all the minerals, trace minerals, vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids,macro minerals, and bioflavonoids. You need these things replenished everyday. And it tastes wonderful. You should at least give it a try. www.lifeforce.net/20627479. Let me know if you need more information. And GOOD HEALTH TO YOU.
J.