Harvest Box

Look what arrived today! My very first Harvest Box. :)

They are having a special at the moment where if you sign up and enter a specific code, you can get your first Box for free and your second box for half price. So I decided to give it a go. Basically you get this little tray of treats delivered to your door, as many times a week as you want. I am getting it twice a week. Friday's delivery will come home with me for my weekend study snack, and Tuesday's delivery will stay at work for snacks.

Each box comes with four different mixes. When you sign up you can look through what is available, and anything that contains something you don't like you can just select "no thanks" and you will not get those. They do a mix of seeds, nuts and dried fruits.

Want to give it a go?  Click here to sign up and enter the following code - 19456KBL4GU - to get your first box for free. If you hate it, cancel it, and it will cost you nothing. 

xox

Anxiety

I had an interesting revelation on the whole caffeine/diet coke/anxiety issue last night. Last year when I gave up the caffeine I had a terrible bout of intense anxiety that lasted well over 6 months. I can see that I can not blame this on the caffeine withdrawal, it was just the trigger that set off a very terrible time for me.


This time when I gave it up I had mild anxiety for a few weeks. For the last 2 weeks it has been completely gone.

On Saturday night I went to a party and had some Diet Coke. It was okay. Last night 48 hours after the DC, I got hit with a very intense anxiety attack. It lasted all night. It was absolutely horrible.

Thankfully it is gone this morning.

However I don’t believe the caffeine triggered it. I feel it was the chemicals and crap that is in the DC. To test this theory I am going to have some coffee on Friday. If I do not get an anxiety attack on Sunday (48 hours later) then my theory will be confirmed. I will let you know how it goes.

As for my healthy habits, so far so good. I had an interesting comment from Sassy who suggested that instead of eliminating things, I replace them. I actually really like that concept. However I am not going to do that with chips. The reason being, I do not need them, or even like them very much. I never eat them out of hunger. It is a habit only. A habit I have no intention of keeping. So this one I will eliminate. However future unhealthy habits may be replaced. Thanks Sassy for your comment.

xox

Developing Healthy Habits

It is time for me to really start getting into some healthy habits. I talk the talk but do not walk the walk, and enough is enough. If I want to be a good Naturopath I need to follow what will be preaching and live a healthier life.


Plus, I really want to be the healthiest I can be when I turn 40 next year. I am not talking about losing weight – I am so over wanting to lose weight, I just don’t care. I want to be healthy. If weight loss comes along with that then so be it. If not, then that is okay too. As long as I am happy and healthy.

So in order to do this I am going to start adding healthy habits and eliminating unhealthy habits every week.

Week 1 starts today.

+ Healthy Habit – drink 2L of water every day

- Unhealthy habit – stop eating potato chips. I am having a couple of packets a week again and it is no good.

I will check in periodically on this and each Monday add one more healthy habit and remove one more unhealthy habit. This is not a Challenge or an all or nothing thing. This is just me trying to develop an healthy way of life.

If you have any ideas of healthy habits I could be incorporating or eliminating, I would love to hear them.

xox

Update

Sorry I have not been around a lot, this week has been dominated by Study. This is my boy Starr. He has made a little burrow for himself in the bushes along the side of the driveway.

Last night, after a looooong day of study, we went to a Solstice party up in the Hills. It was a great night. I made cheese-less mini-quiches to take.

They ended up as cheese-less by accident, I forgot to add the cheese to the mix. But they still tasted pretty good.

The party was awesome. Great people, great conversations, lots of laughs. It was a huge amount of fun.

Today was a bit of a lazy day. I submitted my first assignment this morning which was a great relief. Now I just have to wait for it to be marked. I did a bit more study, unpacked some more boxes from our storage shed, then sat down and watched Friends DVDs.

Ross got home from Archery and decided we were off to the beach for Veggie Burgers for dinner.

Yum!

xox

I Got A Trophy

The Leukaemia Foundation sent one of their lovely volunteers around to my office this week to give me a little something as a thank you for my fundraising efforts for the Worlds Greatest Shave. They had a Thank You party on Friday night for their Top 20 Fundraisers and I was not able to go (as I was broken down on my way to the Retreat ;) ).

What a lovely surprise. I certainly didn't expect anything, which is what made it extra special.

xox

A Weekend Spiritual Connection Retreat

I have had - such  -an amazing weekend. I am not going to go into it all because to be honest, it is really quite personal, but I'll give you the blurb.

It started Friday night with my fist lesson of the weekend (first of many many lessons).

Listen to your gut.

My car broke down on the way there. And I knew it would. All day I knew there was something wrong, even though the car drove perfectly in the morning. But I convinced myself I was being paranoid. Luckily I got it to a town where I had phone service so I could call the RAA. The car had to be towed to the depot - in the opposite direction to where I was headed. So I let them take it while I sat in the closed up town in the dark trying to figure out how to get to the Retreat.

Luckily for me one of the facilitators was happy to come and get me. So I got there late, but I got there.

I really surprised myself by staying completely calm throughout, and arrived in surprisingly good spirits.

The weekend was filled with meditations, and workshops, and card readings (we were doing for each other), and healings (both done within on ourselves and by the facilitators when needed), and sharing, and the most amazing food imaginable.

The food... Oh the food...

All vegetarian. All organic. All incredible. I was in food heaven. We started Friday night with haloumi & vegetable skewers, with a devine chickpeas salad followed by a banana and tofu pudding. Breakfast on Saturday was a selection of organic muesli's and cereals, fruit, toast, rhubarb compote, yogurts, nuts and seeds. Lunch organic pumpkin soup with the most amazing bread. Afternoon tea was a mouth watering apple and date loaf. Dinner was a devine roasted vegetable lasagne followed by apple pie. But the piece de resistance (for me anyway) was Sunday breakfast. Eggs scrambled with basil pesto and feta on a bed of spinach with tomato and cooked mushroom. It was heavenly. Before we left we had some incredible chocolate brownies to finish off the weekend.

I came away from the weekend feeling amazing. I had revelations and insights and have come away with a stronger sense of who I am and where I need to be headed.

I met some absolutely amazing women. Women who have so much inner strength and light. Women who I really connected with and llok forward to spending time with in the future.

xox

Retreat

I am very excited. This weekend I am heading off to a Spiritual Retreat. I leave tonight straight from work and will be home Sunday afternoon. It is a weekend of workshops, and meditations, and amazing organic vegetarian food. I am really looking forward to it.

I have wanted to do something like this for the longest time, so I am really pleased I am finally getting to do it. The phone will be off. There is no internet, no TV, no computers. It is going to be amazing. Very "Zen". :)

xox

Caffeine Update

Thought I would give a caffeine update. It has now been nearly 3 weeks since I quite the caffeine. I have struggled with it more this time than last time. I really really miss the Diet Coke. Not the taste of it. I think it is the chemicals in it, rather than the caffeine. The cravings are starting to lessen thankfully, but they are still there.

The headaches lasted only a few days but I did use a lot of Reiki to get them under control. Because they were caused by a toxin withdrawal and not a physical problem, the Reiki was effective.

Thankfully the anxiety is nowhere near as bad this time as last time. That was my biggest concern, but I am in a better place in my life this year so I am hoping that will help to keep it at bay.

Hopefully this time I will stay off it permanently. I am sleeping better, my poops are better, and I seem to be craving less sugar (that would be coming offthte artificial sweeteners more than the caffeine).

xox

Apologies

For some reason I can not leave comments on other blogs at the moment. I have been trying to leave comments for Sassy and Mel for 2 days with no success. I apologise and please know I have not been ignoring you.

Hopefully Blogger gets their shit together soon so I can tell you both how much I love you. :)

xox

Camp Quality

Last night was our first planning meeting for our 2012 Senior Camp. This is going to be a spectacularly awesome camp! I am so thrilled to be able to be part of the planning process.

For those of you who don't know about Camp Quality, it is a not-for-profit organisation whose goal is to create fun times and amazing memories for kids living with or in remission from cancer. We offer support and "Fun Therapy" to the whole family. Click on the image above if you want more info.

I have been involved as a volunteer since 1998. I was a companion in Southern Qld for 5 years before coming back to SA and have been both a companion and part of the leadership teams since being here. I took a couple of years break a few years back, which turned out to be exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries.

Being a volunteer with Camp Quality is without a doubt one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Meeting and getting to know these absolutely amazing and inspiring children is an experience I can not even begin  to explain. My life is definitely richer for being involved with this organisation.

xox

Study Day

That is our oldest kitty, Shiva, snuggling up to Ross.

Well, today was my first full study day. I will probably not have too many full days of study, but because I am away next weekend, and already have commitments most evenings this week, I figured I should get a whole day in.

My two subjects this study block are 'Naturopathic Framework' and 'OH&S'. I was hoping to get stuck into 'Naturopathic Framework' but my text books have not arrived yet. I have everything I need for OH&S from the online portal so OH&S it was.

I got started after breakfast. About 45 minutes later I heard a light knock on the door and in comes Ross carrying...

My favourite tea brewing and some honey to sweeten it with. How amazing is that! I was so blown away.

After a while it was time for my first study break. I went outside to see what Ross was up to and discovered he had set up my trainer.

So I grabbed my shoes and jumped on. My first ride since February. It felt absolutely amazing. I only did 10 minutes because I did not want to overdo it and risk further injury. My Achilles feels absolutely fine now, although a little fatigued, so I am glad I stopped at 10 minutes. It was so amazing to be back on the bike. I figure I will get on a few times a week and slowly increase my time. Once I am up to 30 minutes I will go out on the road for a real ride. As much as I am dying to do that I am going to be patient, and take my time. I am going to heal properly.

The rest of the day has been studying with breaks interspersed throughout. The OH&S subject has 3 topics to read through with quite a few weblinks to read and study activities etc. Then there are 2 assignments and an exam. I have done everything except for the assignments and exam. I can not believe how much I got through. I am tired but feeling a lot more confident about getting through all the work I need to get through.

Back to work tomorrow and a Camp Quality planning meeting tomorrow night, so a long day ahead.

xox

Thinking About Eating

Last night I was feeling pretty crappy. Earlier I had been feeling great, full of energy, body feeling great. But by last night it had all changed. So I started to think about what I had eaten all day. Some very interesting things came up.

For breakfast I had pancakes from a packet. They tasted a bit bland, but the honey I had on them was great. I spent the morning feeling quite lethargic. I just figured it was because I had not slept well. In reality it was probably related to the pancakes.

For lunch we had fresh bread rolls (additive free) and some home made dahl (also additive free) with lentils and chickpeas. In the afternoon I really perked up. Lots of energy, body feeling great.

For dinner we had pizza from the pizza shop. Undoubtedly full of crap. I ended up bloated and gassy and got tired real quick.

Putting it all together it is pretty clear. The quality of the food I eat directly impacts me, not only how my body feels physically, but also how I am mentally and psychologically.

To most people this is probably a bit of a "duh" moment. But for me it is kind of a revelation as I have never thought about food in this way before. To me food has always been about immediate taste and gratification. But if I change my thinking about food to look at the bigger picture, everything is different. If I think about how I am going to feel in the hours after eating, it will change the choices I make.

Especially considering that I am now studying. I need to have energy and mental alertness. Today for example. I plan on getting about 5 or 6 hours of study in. So I need to make sure my energy levels are up. That means eating a good breakfast, and a good lunch, to get me through the day. If I eat the crap I would normally eat I will not have an effective and productive study session.

Now, more than ever, I need to be thinking about what I am eating. I am working 45-50 hours a week. I am meant to be studying 12-15 hours a week. I am on the planning committee for our next Camp. Plus I have a husband I like to spend time with and other interests that I do not wish to give up. If I want to be able to fit everything into my life I need to have energy. So I need to fuel my body properly.

This is going to take thought and planning. And there will probably be a lot of trial and error, and many mistakes along the way. But both Ross and I are committed to changing how we eat.

Looks like the pizza shop is about to lose some business...

xox

Bread Baking

I had a great day with Mum. She came over this morning with supplies and her bread machine. I have one (a second hand one I was given and have never used) and we decided to use them at the same time to save time.

We made 2 dozen wholemeal rolls.

We used the bread machines to do all the hard work (mixing and kneading), then let them rise in front of the living room window before baking them in the oven. They taste absolutely delicious. I was surprised at how easy they were to make. I will definitely be doing this again. :)

We also spent some time getting the garden sorted. My entire garden is going to be in pots as we do not know how long we will get to stay here.

So far I have lettuce, bok choy and some herbs coming up. I got some more pots ready and will get some more seedlings next time I am at the Farmers Market.

Tomorrow is a study day.

I love long weekends. :)

xox

Sewing, Food, and Stuff

That is Kimba. No particular reason, just that she looks gorgeous in this pic. :)

Yesterday morning I was wondering what to do with my free day. So many options.  I decided to clear my study desk off...

And turn it into my sewing table. :)

I spent the morning sewing with Friends DVD's playing on the laptop next me. I managed to get the blocks for another quilt for me and Ross finished. I just need to buy the fabric for the sashings now, so that will be next month before it is finished. Then I will have 2 tops finished and just need to quilt them. I am hoping they will be done before the end of winter as they are for snuggling on the couch, but there is a pretty big time factor involved, and with my studies I am not sure if they will be done to use this year.

I also got some filler blocks done for a group quilt I am putting together. This is going to be for a gift, so I will not be able to post any pics until it has been given and received. :)

I spent the rest of the afternoon doing exactly what I had planned. Absolutely nothing. :) It was awesome.

This morning we decided to have pancakes for breakfast. I cheated and used this.

Only because we still had it in the cupboard. Although this says "No Artificial Flavours or Colours" on the container, it does have preservatives including an anti-caking agent (which is nasty stuff) so I will not be buying it again. From now on pancakes will need to be made from scratch.

I was planning on having it them with Maple Syrup, but it had gone off, so I had some lovely organic honey instead.

Yummmmmooooooo. Now I am waiting for Mum to come over to teach me how to make my own bread. I can not wait!

xox

Updated Hair Pic

Just realised I have not given you an update of how the hair is growing back. This was taken a couple of weeks ago now. It has grown a little since then. :)

I got a call from the Leukaemia Foundation this week. I have been invited to a "Top Fundraisers" Thank you party which I can not go to, so they called to personally thank me. How wonderful is that. :)

xox

Long Weekend

Oh how I love long weekends. Especially ones like this where I have absolutely no need to leave the house. I plan on being a complete sloth. LOL. Actually, that is untrue. I do have some plans. But I still don't plan on leaving the house. :)

Today I have no plans. Ross is working this mornings then heading to his Archery club this afternoon. I am not sure what I am going to do. A bit of housework. Perhaps some knitting or sewing. But not much. Tomorrow Mum is coming over to help me set up my garden and to show me how to make bread. I can't wait. Then Monday I am devoting to study. It is going to be a great 3 days. :)

xox

Hello Lovely People

I just realised it has been too long since my last post.

I have been amazingly busy. Brief overview - Friends to dinner, cooking, unloading and unpacking our storage shed, practicing Reiki, Body Mind & Psychic Fair, Camp Quality, out to dinner with friends, started studying, work is insane.

That about covers it. I have loads of photos I keep meaning to upload and just have not had the chance.

College is going to keep me super busy for the next few years, but I will do my best to still post a few times a week and to check in when I can. I do still read all your blogs, but often don't have time to comment.

I will do a better post on the long weekend.

xox

Some Interesting Developments....

I am now nearly to 100 hours since my last hit of caffeine. On Monday morning the headaches were so bad I thought I would die. I caught the bus to work and spent the entire trip focusing my Reiki energy onto my head and the parts of me that needed help. By 9.15 the headache was gone.

Yesterday I was a bit headachey, and due to an excessively bad day at work really really wanted some Coke. But I didn't.

Today I have no headaches, but am tired and really really thirsty. The anxiety has started as well. The good news is that this time I was ready for it so am not freaked out by it. I can mange it and in time it will go away.

So for the last week or so I have been paying attention to what I have been eating. To the taste, the scent, the texture, and most importantly how my body feels during and after eating. I have discovered some interesting things. Some foods I thought I loved, I don't actually like the taste of. It is the texture that I enjoy. Some foods I thought sat well inside my stomach, do not. Some foods I thought I reacted to, I don't when eaten alone.

This is a really interesting time for me. Especially discovering that I do not actually like the taste of hot chips. It is the texture. So I need to focus on finding something with a similar texture (and none of the fat). I also do not like how I feel after eating them (especially the gas - I owe my Chiropractor an apology for last nights smells...) LOL

On other news I may not have mentioned, on the weekend I became attuned to Reiki level 2. I am now a qualified Reiki practitioner. It takes 21 days for the energies to settle then I can start actually doing this properly. The interesting thing is that on Day 21 I will be in the middle of a weekend spiritual retreat. I am expecting this to be a very powerful day for me (it is also my sister birthday although I am not sure of that will have any impact).

The spiritual retreat is something I have always wanted to do. This one came up only a week ago and I jumped at the chance to participate.

Lastly, in a week and a half I will be starting back in the world of study. I have been accepted into the Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy. I am really looking forward to it. but also nervous abut studying again and the amount of time commitment it will be. But I really want this so I will make it work.

xox