Hey Ya'll,
You hear you can no longer eat gluten- the doctor flatly states, "You can't eat anymore barley, rye, oats, or wheat- period". Alright- what's your reaction? Shock, disgust, anger?
Or- are you like me and when you hear this your instantly hit with an insatiable curiosity and some deep bell goes off because you know that finally a truth has been found?
I was happy- I am happy, and the longer I stay away and better I feel- the happier and happier I become. I cannot tell you the INCREDIBLE changes occurring with my body, which of course is making me just one heck of a happy girl! First off, my skin! I have struggled with acne for over 10 years. I've tried Acutane, retinol, ProActive, blah blah blah. My skin never recovered, although it might improve- it would not clear up completely and heal.
Well, thanks to ending my relationship with gluten, and finding a gifted aesthetician my skin has NEVER looked better (well okay when I was a baby maybe but you get the idea). My skin is so clear and healthy looking. This is a huge development and I am just tickled pink.
My energy has improved, my lean body mass is increasing (with exercise), I want to do more and more things, I'm losing weight, and well- I'm glowing.
I am so happy to be living this lifestyle, it's like I have finally taken a huge step in the right direction and I can see a very bright future. I know I'll reach my goal of Optimal Radiant Health.
Oh, on a side note- I can't get enough apples right now. Want a non-gluten-containing yummy treat? Core a nice organic apple, sprinkle on cinnamon and bake or broil for about 5-10 minutes. No sugar needed- it's sweet and delicious- sweet as pie.
Besos!
Jades
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
This Week In This Girl's Life
Hello my Friends,
I hope this finds y'all doing well, I trust everyone had your full of Thanksgiving delights and is able to freely move around and is nearing the end of endless turkey sandwiches and cranberry snacks.
My week was quite good. I ended up spending most of it alone as my Mom had to fly out of town last minute and my Dad has been MIA at the Texas coast for a month now.
On T Day I entered my first race, the Turkey Trot, and trotted around the Capital and downtown area with 14,000 other athletes. It was a wonderful way to start the day. Families brought their children and pets, big-time athletes showed off and demonstrated their inspiring abilities, and of course we had our token Austin quirky characters. I found myself smiling in these peoples' company and spontaneously decided to make this a new TDay tradition for myself. I want to be around people who care enough about health, family, and community to show up and work together on a pretty November day.
I left happy and inspired, next year I will be one of the 5 mile runners and get a photograph of me crossing the finish line in all my glory. I then went into Whole Foods and got a double shot of espresso, blended with ice: No sugar, milk, syrup (I think I've named all the choices the barrista gave me). It was yummy and I felt special gripping my fancy-smanzy coffee drink browsing the aisles. I checked out sugar substitutes, bright colored produce, and people watched. I then meandered over to my best friend's house and had the meal.
She is an incredible chef and made quite the vegan spread. The colors were amazing, and I took some shots for her. I found myself realizing that what made the spread so unique looking was not the lack of meat, eggs, or dairy- it was the vast rainbow of color. Thanksgiving spreads are usually monotone, I came to realize. I had never fully realized this before, but the more I think about it the more sure I am of this recent discovery; which led to another decision being made that any Thanksgiving meal I make will have all the colors in it.
I did not partake in her beautiful food, being that it was heavily laden with gluten. Instead she graciously steamed me bright spinach and sparkling asparagus, and after several phone calls of encouragement an insistence from her, I even brought my own organic grass-fed steak. Dessert consisted of perhaps the best apple I've ever had sprinkled with cinnamon. It was a wonderful meal, and I felt great. It left me with a sense of well being and happiness, and plenty of energy which I put t towards happily cleaning the house when I got home.
Cliche was it might be, I have been thinking a lot lately about what I am thankful for. But really, isn't that the point of Thanksgiving? So perhaps it is not cliche, but intentional focus on what I have and the gratitude I feel because of it.
I am thankful for many, many things. My family immediately comes to mind, the relationships I have and cherish, the healthy body I'm creating to reach it's full potential, our laid back kitty, Easy, and me. Yes me- this Thanksgiving what makes me proud is I'm learning to show up for myself. I'm conscious, aware, and respectful of me- and gosh darn it, I love myself.
Hallelujah, now that's something to be thankful about.
Besos, Jades
I hope this finds y'all doing well, I trust everyone had your full of Thanksgiving delights and is able to freely move around and is nearing the end of endless turkey sandwiches and cranberry snacks.
My week was quite good. I ended up spending most of it alone as my Mom had to fly out of town last minute and my Dad has been MIA at the Texas coast for a month now.
On T Day I entered my first race, the Turkey Trot, and trotted around the Capital and downtown area with 14,000 other athletes. It was a wonderful way to start the day. Families brought their children and pets, big-time athletes showed off and demonstrated their inspiring abilities, and of course we had our token Austin quirky characters. I found myself smiling in these peoples' company and spontaneously decided to make this a new TDay tradition for myself. I want to be around people who care enough about health, family, and community to show up and work together on a pretty November day.
I left happy and inspired, next year I will be one of the 5 mile runners and get a photograph of me crossing the finish line in all my glory. I then went into Whole Foods and got a double shot of espresso, blended with ice: No sugar, milk, syrup (I think I've named all the choices the barrista gave me). It was yummy and I felt special gripping my fancy-smanzy coffee drink browsing the aisles. I checked out sugar substitutes, bright colored produce, and people watched. I then meandered over to my best friend's house and had the meal.
She is an incredible chef and made quite the vegan spread. The colors were amazing, and I took some shots for her. I found myself realizing that what made the spread so unique looking was not the lack of meat, eggs, or dairy- it was the vast rainbow of color. Thanksgiving spreads are usually monotone, I came to realize. I had never fully realized this before, but the more I think about it the more sure I am of this recent discovery; which led to another decision being made that any Thanksgiving meal I make will have all the colors in it.
I did not partake in her beautiful food, being that it was heavily laden with gluten. Instead she graciously steamed me bright spinach and sparkling asparagus, and after several phone calls of encouragement an insistence from her, I even brought my own organic grass-fed steak. Dessert consisted of perhaps the best apple I've ever had sprinkled with cinnamon. It was a wonderful meal, and I felt great. It left me with a sense of well being and happiness, and plenty of energy which I put t towards happily cleaning the house when I got home.
Cliche was it might be, I have been thinking a lot lately about what I am thankful for. But really, isn't that the point of Thanksgiving? So perhaps it is not cliche, but intentional focus on what I have and the gratitude I feel because of it.
I am thankful for many, many things. My family immediately comes to mind, the relationships I have and cherish, the healthy body I'm creating to reach it's full potential, our laid back kitty, Easy, and me. Yes me- this Thanksgiving what makes me proud is I'm learning to show up for myself. I'm conscious, aware, and respectful of me- and gosh darn it, I love myself.
Hallelujah, now that's something to be thankful about.
Besos, Jades
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Allergies
Hey Ya'll!
Alrighty, I'm sure you've heard of allergies. People are allergic to all sorts of things- foods, plants, pollutants, fabrics, etc. What is an allergy? An allergy is an immune reaction wherein your body essentially rejects something it finds harmful. The symptoms range from itchy eyes to stomach pains, headaches, severe illness, closing of the throat, etc. There's also different types of antibody reactions, which then create different allergic reactions.
Why are allergies important? Besides the physical discomfort exposure to allergens can create, there are more serious physiological and psychological affects.
When your body is in immune response it shuts down or limits many of its metabolic functions. It almost goes into a "preserve" mode wherein it limits functions in order to protect the body and use energy in for the immune defense. This is taxing on the body and limits effective digestion, metabolism, and other bodily functions. It is extremely difficult to lose weight in the presence of allergic exposure because 1) the body is in the immune defense mode and 2) the body retains fluid to help protect itself from the allergen.
This immune response leads into many psychological problems and has been linked with learning disabilities, depression, and even schizophrenia. The link between emotional problems and allergen exposure should not be over looked. Many studies show an intrinsic link and you should take heed. This can especially be useful for a child suffering from learning disabilities. Instead of putting the child on mind-altering (and chemistry - hormone altering which has devastating affects long term) their allergies must be tested.
I personally had my allergies tested through Austin Wellness Clinic here in Austin, Texas. I worked with Dr. Vince Bellonzi. Here is an exerpt from his website: "There are two types of reactions: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) reaction, and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) reaction. IgE reactions are more immediate and generally occur minutes or hours after a food is ingested. These are also more obvious reactions often resulting in swelling, rash, and in severe cases, asphyxiation. On the other hand, IgG reactions are more difficult to detect, with the effects occurring subtly, sometimes for days after the food is ingested. These allergies can only be determined by the difficult process of eliminating suspected foods, or by advanced testing." www.Austinwellnessclinic.com (It should be noted that I am not accepting any endorsement, matter fact, Dr. Bellonzi doesn't know I'm writing this).
The long and short of it is that more and more studies are revealing the link between impaired mental and physical health to allergies. Find yourself a health professional who can test for both types (or go to two different professionals) if you or someone you know is having physical and/or mental problems and be amazed at what you find- it's life changing.
Best in Health,
Jades
Alrighty, I'm sure you've heard of allergies. People are allergic to all sorts of things- foods, plants, pollutants, fabrics, etc. What is an allergy? An allergy is an immune reaction wherein your body essentially rejects something it finds harmful. The symptoms range from itchy eyes to stomach pains, headaches, severe illness, closing of the throat, etc. There's also different types of antibody reactions, which then create different allergic reactions.
Why are allergies important? Besides the physical discomfort exposure to allergens can create, there are more serious physiological and psychological affects.
When your body is in immune response it shuts down or limits many of its metabolic functions. It almost goes into a "preserve" mode wherein it limits functions in order to protect the body and use energy in for the immune defense. This is taxing on the body and limits effective digestion, metabolism, and other bodily functions. It is extremely difficult to lose weight in the presence of allergic exposure because 1) the body is in the immune defense mode and 2) the body retains fluid to help protect itself from the allergen.
This immune response leads into many psychological problems and has been linked with learning disabilities, depression, and even schizophrenia. The link between emotional problems and allergen exposure should not be over looked. Many studies show an intrinsic link and you should take heed. This can especially be useful for a child suffering from learning disabilities. Instead of putting the child on mind-altering (and chemistry - hormone altering which has devastating affects long term) their allergies must be tested.
I personally had my allergies tested through Austin Wellness Clinic here in Austin, Texas. I worked with Dr. Vince Bellonzi. Here is an exerpt from his website: "There are two types of reactions: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) reaction, and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) reaction. IgE reactions are more immediate and generally occur minutes or hours after a food is ingested. These are also more obvious reactions often resulting in swelling, rash, and in severe cases, asphyxiation. On the other hand, IgG reactions are more difficult to detect, with the effects occurring subtly, sometimes for days after the food is ingested. These allergies can only be determined by the difficult process of eliminating suspected foods, or by advanced testing." www.Austinwellnessclinic.com (It should be noted that I am not accepting any endorsement, matter fact, Dr. Bellonzi doesn't know I'm writing this).
The long and short of it is that more and more studies are revealing the link between impaired mental and physical health to allergies. Find yourself a health professional who can test for both types (or go to two different professionals) if you or someone you know is having physical and/or mental problems and be amazed at what you find- it's life changing.
Best in Health,
Jades
Friday, November 13, 2009
I'm a Vlogger!
Hey Ya'll!
Drum roll please, guess what- I'm on Utube! Yeah, how exciting is this? You can find me at lifewithjades.
My channel is going to reflect my life, interest, career endeavors, and Optimal Health journey.
I am not just losing weight, I've done that before, I can do that. Now I'm changing my life and achieving Optimal Health. I'm releasing pounds, increasing muscle, handling my sugar sensitivity and food allergies, and creating a lifestyle wherein I excel.
My gluten and casein free diet is going well. I've had a few slips and definitely feel the difference. The terrible feeling I have afterwards is definitely motivating to stay on track. Not to mention the weight gain eating something I'm allergic to causes- it creates major water retention and makes for frustration.
Optimal Health- to me that means I will have confidence in how I look and not use my weight to stop me. I will be able to pursue anything I desire (acting/ modeling/ being an athlete/ physical rigorous adventure type activities/ wearing a bikini/ living in a way I' m proud of) and not have an excuse to be "afraid of my light". Optimal Health, to me, means Radiance.
ML,
Jades
Drum roll please, guess what- I'm on Utube! Yeah, how exciting is this? You can find me at lifewithjades.
My channel is going to reflect my life, interest, career endeavors, and Optimal Health journey.
I am not just losing weight, I've done that before, I can do that. Now I'm changing my life and achieving Optimal Health. I'm releasing pounds, increasing muscle, handling my sugar sensitivity and food allergies, and creating a lifestyle wherein I excel.
My gluten and casein free diet is going well. I've had a few slips and definitely feel the difference. The terrible feeling I have afterwards is definitely motivating to stay on track. Not to mention the weight gain eating something I'm allergic to causes- it creates major water retention and makes for frustration.
Optimal Health- to me that means I will have confidence in how I look and not use my weight to stop me. I will be able to pursue anything I desire (acting/ modeling/ being an athlete/ physical rigorous adventure type activities/ wearing a bikini/ living in a way I' m proud of) and not have an excuse to be "afraid of my light". Optimal Health, to me, means Radiance.
ML,
Jades
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Gluten Intolerance; Say What?
Hi Ya'll,
How's your week going? Mine is going really great so far. Let me catch you up to speed.
I got the results back from the allergy test and it revealed some very interesting things. As previously mentioned, the culprits- almonds, beets, wheat, goat and cow milk, cheese, pineapple, zucchini, brewer and baker's yeast, and also gluten intolerance.
First off, gluten-gluten-gluten. Turns out gluten and I are not friends. First question, what exactly is gluten? Gluten is the protein in many grains, such as wheat, barley, spelt, etc. It is the sticky stuff that is a binding agent and thus used in a lot of baking, sietan, etc. I've done some research and found it also is found in lots of baked goods, sand which meats, ice cream, candy, vegan foods, etc. Moral of the story is you really have to check out labels to ensure it isn't hiding somewhere in there.
I have cut out my allergic foods for the past week and the difference already is amazing. I experienced immediate increase energy, clarity, lessening of cravings and appetite, and weight loss. The difference in my overall attitude was amazing. I was "slipped" some gluten on accident Halloween night (nutritional yeast in a potato) and at the next morning woke up with a pounding headache, itchy skin/ eyes/ nose, and major lethargy. There were also some beets in a salad I had, and again, experienced my throat swelling, itchiness, and moodiness. So, the allergy thing is true- and it's making a big difference in how I'm feeling, my weight loss, my mood, and overall happiness.
I'm really happy to have done these tests and looking forward to continual research into gluten and casein free lifestyle. I'm really onto something here, and with patience and understanding finding the correct lifestyle for myself.
This week I've concentrated on positive reinforcement as well. I'm making positive affirmations and really focusing on what I want, who I want around me to help me get there, and the exact steps I am taking- and need to take to accomplish those goals.
Happy Week!
ML,
Jades
How's your week going? Mine is going really great so far. Let me catch you up to speed.
I got the results back from the allergy test and it revealed some very interesting things. As previously mentioned, the culprits- almonds, beets, wheat, goat and cow milk, cheese, pineapple, zucchini, brewer and baker's yeast, and also gluten intolerance.
First off, gluten-gluten-gluten. Turns out gluten and I are not friends. First question, what exactly is gluten? Gluten is the protein in many grains, such as wheat, barley, spelt, etc. It is the sticky stuff that is a binding agent and thus used in a lot of baking, sietan, etc. I've done some research and found it also is found in lots of baked goods, sand which meats, ice cream, candy, vegan foods, etc. Moral of the story is you really have to check out labels to ensure it isn't hiding somewhere in there.
I have cut out my allergic foods for the past week and the difference already is amazing. I experienced immediate increase energy, clarity, lessening of cravings and appetite, and weight loss. The difference in my overall attitude was amazing. I was "slipped" some gluten on accident Halloween night (nutritional yeast in a potato) and at the next morning woke up with a pounding headache, itchy skin/ eyes/ nose, and major lethargy. There were also some beets in a salad I had, and again, experienced my throat swelling, itchiness, and moodiness. So, the allergy thing is true- and it's making a big difference in how I'm feeling, my weight loss, my mood, and overall happiness.
I'm really happy to have done these tests and looking forward to continual research into gluten and casein free lifestyle. I'm really onto something here, and with patience and understanding finding the correct lifestyle for myself.
This week I've concentrated on positive reinforcement as well. I'm making positive affirmations and really focusing on what I want, who I want around me to help me get there, and the exact steps I am taking- and need to take to accomplish those goals.
Happy Week!
ML,
Jades
Thursday, October 29, 2009
What Motivates You?
Hi Ya'll!
I've been thinking a lot lately about motivation, and knowing thyself. In case you haven't caught on, seems like I'm on a real roll with this entire learning about myself- learning who I am- understanding myself. Personal integrity, being true to myself, honoring who I am and acting on it- these are current themes for me.
It's interesting because there a lot of things I've "known" about myself but never really taken time to inspect and really see these things for myself. It's like things I've known, but almost taken for granted. Truly being in the present and caring enough to get to honestly know me has been a really worthwhile journey, I'm happier and happier.
Last night I sat down and made a flashcard of the things that motivate me, and what type of motivation works for me. I'm a "pleasure seeking" person. In other words, you can be motivated by pain or happiness. Pain can be categorized as such things as a bootcamp type yelling or enforcing training methodology, or gaining so much weight that you feel awful (pain) and are spurred into doing something about it, or see a picture taken of yourself and feel so bad about how you look (again pain) you decided to change your diet and get in shape. For the last few years, I have been completely "pain motivated". Handling things only when they were too much to bear and allowing someone close to me to dictate over me in a painful fashion.
Recently I realized that this is entirely wrong for me. I'm not wired (although I'm not saying it doesn't work, or may be the RIGHT motivation for some) that way. I thrive off of positive motivation, which for me means: praise, admiration, encouragement, support, competition, inspiration, knowing it's been done before, and the pursuit of feeling good and being happy.
Actively recognizing this has changed how I approach my goals and get to where I want to be. It's an awesome discovery and I hope that you too will be kind to yourself, and take some time out to reflect and discover how you're motivated; and then be a good enough friend of your own to operate off your discovery.
ML,
Jades
I've been thinking a lot lately about motivation, and knowing thyself. In case you haven't caught on, seems like I'm on a real roll with this entire learning about myself- learning who I am- understanding myself. Personal integrity, being true to myself, honoring who I am and acting on it- these are current themes for me.
It's interesting because there a lot of things I've "known" about myself but never really taken time to inspect and really see these things for myself. It's like things I've known, but almost taken for granted. Truly being in the present and caring enough to get to honestly know me has been a really worthwhile journey, I'm happier and happier.
Last night I sat down and made a flashcard of the things that motivate me, and what type of motivation works for me. I'm a "pleasure seeking" person. In other words, you can be motivated by pain or happiness. Pain can be categorized as such things as a bootcamp type yelling or enforcing training methodology, or gaining so much weight that you feel awful (pain) and are spurred into doing something about it, or see a picture taken of yourself and feel so bad about how you look (again pain) you decided to change your diet and get in shape. For the last few years, I have been completely "pain motivated". Handling things only when they were too much to bear and allowing someone close to me to dictate over me in a painful fashion.
Recently I realized that this is entirely wrong for me. I'm not wired (although I'm not saying it doesn't work, or may be the RIGHT motivation for some) that way. I thrive off of positive motivation, which for me means: praise, admiration, encouragement, support, competition, inspiration, knowing it's been done before, and the pursuit of feeling good and being happy.
Actively recognizing this has changed how I approach my goals and get to where I want to be. It's an awesome discovery and I hope that you too will be kind to yourself, and take some time out to reflect and discover how you're motivated; and then be a good enough friend of your own to operate off your discovery.
ML,
Jades
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Health: Allergies?
Hey Guys,
Just got my blood work back from the Doc and am very interested in the results. I have long suspected some sort of gluten intolerance, and other allergies and could hardly wait to find out.
Well, turns out I was right. I do have a gluten intolerance, and turns out a casein intolerance as well. So, my allergies are: aramanth, kidney and pinto beans, cheese, cow and goat milk, pineapple, almonds, wheat, bakers and brewer's yeast, zucchini, and wheat.
The only ones I'm really sad about is the pineapple and zucchini. Pineapple is an addiction of mine, and I eat zucchini like you can't believe. Leads me to believe that some of my cravings may indicate an sensitivity...hhmmmm...food for thought.
My doctor also said that it's very likely I have a candida overgrowth, which is simply a yeast in the body. You always have good flora in your body, but sometimes due to a number of factors this good to bad flora ratio can be overthrown and the bad starts to dominate.
So what does all this mean? I have had some unoptimal body issues and this helps unlock the door on why. I feel much more cause over my health and empowered with this knowledge.
I'll keep you posted on my new casein, gluten, allergry-free lifestyle! :-)
ML,
Jades
Just got my blood work back from the Doc and am very interested in the results. I have long suspected some sort of gluten intolerance, and other allergies and could hardly wait to find out.
Well, turns out I was right. I do have a gluten intolerance, and turns out a casein intolerance as well. So, my allergies are: aramanth, kidney and pinto beans, cheese, cow and goat milk, pineapple, almonds, wheat, bakers and brewer's yeast, zucchini, and wheat.
The only ones I'm really sad about is the pineapple and zucchini. Pineapple is an addiction of mine, and I eat zucchini like you can't believe. Leads me to believe that some of my cravings may indicate an sensitivity...hhmmmm...food for thought.
My doctor also said that it's very likely I have a candida overgrowth, which is simply a yeast in the body. You always have good flora in your body, but sometimes due to a number of factors this good to bad flora ratio can be overthrown and the bad starts to dominate.
So what does all this mean? I have had some unoptimal body issues and this helps unlock the door on why. I feel much more cause over my health and empowered with this knowledge.
I'll keep you posted on my new casein, gluten, allergry-free lifestyle! :-)
ML,
Jades
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