at least i don't have cancer

"I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." - Persian proverb

Years ago, I remember having a conversation with a friend at work about gratitude. We talked about this whole idea of "comparative thankfulness." We all do it, right? I may hate my job but at least I HAVE a job. I may need to lose a few pounds but at least I'm not "morbidly obese." I may be divorced but at least I have my children. And so on.... 

Comparing ourselves to others eventually breaks down if you play it out to the end. There's everything right about being thankful for the many things we take for granted each day, especially in a world where we gaze with envy at the guy on our right who seems to have all those things we know should be ours, if life was really fair. (How fitting is it that emerald green is Pantone's official color of 2013?) But back to that poor guy who has no feet. What about HIM?

Picture, if you will, a long line of people standing shoulder to shoulder with each person voicing gratitude for something the person next to them is lacking. What happens, when we reach the end of that line, to the guy who's living out all of our worst case scenarios? "I got nothin'" is all that's left to say as he turns to empty space to the left.

I doubt we often think of it this way. But I do. I've been privileged to know a few of those so-called "end-of-the liners." I've wondered how it must feel to know it's YOUR name inserted into someone's "at least I'm not -----" declaration of gratitude.

I realize I can't solve the mystery of human suffering in one silly little blog post. If you know me, you're well aware I'm not that smart. Truth be told, I desire a life of health, wealth and happiness. I want to die peacefully in my sleep at the ripe old age of 95 (still having all my faculties intact), with my loving husband and many adoring friends at my side. Seriously. Who, in their right mind, would ASK to suffer?

But here is what I have observed: In my own times of hardship and in the lives of many I know who have experienced much greater suffering than I could even imagine, I am driven to a keen awareness of need and a complete dependence on the One who is much greater than I am. I HAVE no bootstraps. All I have is need. And all I need, is need. And in the midst of that, it is He who gives us a most special and mysterious promised measure of grace that we cannot otherwise know. Even in the presence of tremendous pain and suffering, there is a type of joy that is clearly not of this world and cannot be mustered up in our own strength because, remember, there IS no strength when you have nothing. 

So it leaves me to wonder if the "end-of-the-liners" may at some level be pointing back at the people to the right with the same sadness and pity that was directed at them, wondering if they will ever know how it feels to have the one thing that may, indeed, be the key to the truest type of joy which comes wrapped as the gift of suffering. 

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:8-10

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I post this as a tribute to Katie Beth Craig, daughter of my dear longtime friends, Lisa and Jay. Twenty five years ago on this day, we celebrated her arrival. 

Severe cerebral palsy caused you to suffer greatly for the 15 years that you were with us but you leave a legacy of joy that will not be forgotten by all who were privileged to know you. We miss your bright smiles and we long for the day we will see you again. We will dance and we will sing together for a very long time. And, at last, all will be right.

chicken soup for the cold

The husband and I have been smitten with just a touch of a bug, so I'm dragging out my arsenal of our best tried and true remedies. And while I can't claim they ward off every viral invasion, I'm convinced that we've managed to avoid the plague more than most and, if we can't hold it off completely, we seem to get back up on our feet again faster than we did before we started this regimen. 

I bought an organic rotisserie chicken the other day so I had what I needed to make a delicious and healing chicken soup. Store bought broth is okay but the homemade variety is infinitely better for you and quite simple to make, actually. According to the nutrition experts at The Weston A. Price Foundation,  "Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain."

Recipes vary, depending on where you find them but the key element is the time required for cooking. Most say 1-2 days. Don't be scared. Once you throw the ingredients in the pot, it totally takes care of itself and it makes your house smell amazing! I cook mine on the stove top but I may try to do it in the slow cooker next time around, as was done here. Once your broth is finished, then you can sip on it as is or make it into the chicken soup of your choice. Often, I will use some and freeze some for later. Today, I added back the cooked meat from the chicken, broccoli and lots of mushrooms (including shitake) because I like them and because of their awesome healing properties. Oh, and this time I threw a healthy amount of fresh rosemary into the broth as it was cooking and boy, was it good! 

We also load up on supplements the minute we suspect the crud is creeping up or even if we've spent time in close quarters with someone who is sick. The key here is early and often. Zicam and Airborne are good to keep on hand but even before those came into being, we discovered Wellness Formula by Source Naturals and I still swear by these ginormous horse pills that totally wreak of garlic. I often take 10-12 of them in a single day at the first sign of a scratchy throat and most of the time it sends my sickness running straight for the nearest, more welcoming host. (So long, suckers!!) And, as I said earlier, even if it doesn't knock it out, it shortens the duration.

Okay, so can I blow your mind now? Did you know that the majority of your immune system is actually located in your GUT? Yep, it's true. So what does that mean? It means that you need to keep your innards functioning well all the time to help you ward off the demons. A healthy diet includes a healthy dose of probiotics, so naturally fermented foods should be part of your normal diet. And you should step it up if you're feeling a bit puny. I challenge you to check out some new and different foods, but if you can't bring yourself to that, then by all means find a good supplement. 

Last but not least, give yourself permission to SLOW IT DOWN. A day or two of rest when you first feel the ick may save you a week or more of downtime later on if you try to soldier through. I realize not everyone has the luxury to make this decision but anything you can do to replace the rush with some rest is better than nothing. Sometimes I feel like a baby when I do it but I'm convinced it makes sense.

I've got a good system that works for me but I don't claim to have the market cornered. I'd love to hear what works for you! Do tell.......

 

breakfast of champions

For those who are new to Paleo eating or are trying to cut back on grain consumption, breakfast can be a real beast. I still sometimes opt for a toasted slice of my favorite millet bread with some sunflower nut butter (at least it's gluten free) but I'm slowly making the switch to true Paleo options and I can happily report that I don't find myself digging around for snacks an hour later when I start my day out this way.

I was a cereal girl for many, many years and, if left to my own devices and all things were equal, I'd go for something sweet and bread-y every freakin' day of my life. Cakes, muffins, donuts, pastries, biscuits (with a cup of coffee) is the stuff dreams are made of, if you ask me. However, I cannot deny the glaring evidence that tells me I'm not doing myself any favors by starting off my day in the nutritional hole, so to speak. Protein-rich, stick-to-your-rib options beat Bojangles, Aunt Jemima and Tony the Tiger with a stick.

The simplest down-and-dirty quick option is an egg or two with one of those almond biscuits I shared in my last post about grains. It doesn't look like much on a plate, but it does the trick. And if you make a double batch of biscuits and stash them in the freezer, you can pull one out and microwave for a few seconds. Easy peasy Paleo fast food.

Lately, I've been kicking this one up a notch, thanks to a great idea from my friend Heidi. She spreads out a thin layer of baked spaghetti squash in a skillet with some coconut oil and then cracks an egg over it. Let it cook a few minutes so the squash can brown a bit around the edges and then flip the whole thing over. Any time you can get in a vegetable serving before noon you're definitely in the bonus position! She sometimes will even serve that over thinly sliced spinach but I haven't elevated myself to that level yet. I feel it coming, though....;-)

There are all kinds of yummy gluten and grain free recipes out there for Paleo pancakes, waffles, muffins and other breakfast treats. Many can be made ahead and frozen or you can try these on the weekend. Smoothies can be good but just make sure you're not getting a bunch of added sugar in your protein powder and, if you do strictly fruits/vegetables, you should have an egg or a handful of nuts along with it for protein.

I'm always on the lookout for new ideas to try so keep an eye on my Pinterest "Breakfast of Champions" board. And I'm open to your awesome suggestions so send them my way!

Here's to starting well!


 

grains are gross

Now that I have your attention, let me tell you how I really feel. Strict Paleo/Primal eaters are hard core in their anti-grain beliefs. I take a bit softer approach but I did go gluten-free many years before I knew what Paleo was so, except for an occasional cheat, I stay away from wheat and I've reaped many rewards in return. 

I won't get preachy here but I want to include a couple of links to a fuller explanation, in case you want to know more about the thinking behind this crazy no-grain notion. Believe me, these people are serious about it and they don't mince words. But you may find them to be insightful. In our house, we haven't completely eliminated all grains but we've significantly reduced our consumption because we're pretty convinced that grains are very difficult to digest and, therefore, inflammation. And inflammation is ugly on every level.

Mark's Daily Apple 
Everyday Paleo 

Let's get one thing straight, though. I'm not anti-carb. We NEED them. We just don't need as many of them and we think we do and we want to consume the kind that will give us the most nutritionally dense bang for our buck. So let's talk about some good places to start. If you're not convinced yet (or ever) that you want to jump in with both feet, you can still test the waters with a few simple baby steps. 

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Anti-pasta

I've never been a huge pasta lover so at some level it was easy to cut it out and faggetaboutit. However, there are a few favorite recipes I wanted to keep in rotation and spaghetti squash is a good alternative. Now, when I make my beloved Cincinnati Chili, I simply serve it over baked spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti. It's different, yes, so don't try to trick your kids into believing it's the real thing. But it's good in it's own right and it's counts as another nutrient-dense vegetable serving, so how can THAT be bad? Give it a whirl under one of your own favorite sauces and see what you think.

Almond flour

Almond flour is a real staple for Paleo eaters and for those who suffer from things like Celiac and other digestive and/or auto-immune diseases. I've gathered quite a collection of favorite recipes from various sources that I will share with you in upcoming posts. Maybe this goes without saying but definitely you should NOT try to substitute almond flour for regular flour in one of your favorite cake or cookie recipes. I can pretty much guarantee you'll be disappointed. Use a recipe specifically designed for it.

I find that I miss my grains mostly at breakfast. I used to eat a slice of toasted millet bread with sunflower butter every single morning. I still do that on occasion but mostly I have an egg and a biscuit made with almond flour. The almond flour (made from 100% blanched almonds milled into a fine flour) is obviously grain-free and quite high in protein and good fat and all kinds of other nutrients. I order mine online from Honeyville Grains. Trader Joe's has almond meal for about the same price but the almonds aren't blanched so it has a coarser texture. One small biscuit is dense, super filling and satisfies my craving for bread. It may not look like much on your plate but I guarantee that if you eat it you won't be hungry an hour later. Oh, and if you like them, I suggest you do what I do: Always make a double recipe and throw them in the freezer so all you have to do in the mornings is pop one in the microwave for about 20 seconds and you're good to go.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!!

Source: elanaspantry.com via Kathi on Pinterest

lions and tigers and cannibals. oh my.

I set a number of personal goals for myself in 2013. I spend much of my time alone and much of it in silence, with only the voices in my head to keep me company. I love Ted Talks, so this year I'm vowing to view or listen to at least one of them each week. Of course, I hadn't really thought through how I would carry out my plan so today I logged on to the website and became immediately overwhelmed with all the choices before me. So I randomly selected something that looked interesting to me from a list of the most recent talks and now, in hindsight, I believe it was the perfect kick-off to my year.

It should come as no surprise to me that I would be drawn to the particular talk I chose, being your classic Type 6 in the ancient personality-type system called the Enneagram. In his book, The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective, Richard Rohr says that we sixes have a special importance because our root sin (each "type" has a particular sin associated with it) was not recognized as such in Western society: fear. How did he know I love being special? Many people who have worked with the Enneagram for a long time are convinced that the six is by far the most frequently encountered human type in our society, yet he claims that at Enneagram workshops, only a few are willing to identify themselves as such. More good news.

In our most immature, or unredeemed state, we sixes are anxious, fearful and even paranoid. We tend to hold our cards close because we believe whatever we divulge about ourselves will be used against us. The list goes on but I think you see where I'm going with this and perhaps you get now that my randomly selected Ted Talk 2013.1 probably wasn't a random choice at all.

In her talk, "What Fear Can Teach Us," novelist Karen Thompson Walker suggests that the most creative minds are the ones who fail to leave all fear behind. She goes on to make an interesting link between fear and stories, as they both possess the same components or architecture. Fears provoke vivid imagery and suspense, and so do the best stories. Both force us to think about the future and, in a good story, one thing always leads to another. So the real question is, "How do we choose to READ our fears?" And our answer to that question will have a profound affect on how we will choose to live our lives. Properly read, they can offer a little wisdom, a little insight and ultimately lead us to the truth.

So I leave you with this thought, and the link to the video I viewed:

"Courage means to feel fear, but in its proper context and perspective.In The Republic Plato Makes the Guardians of the City the mavens of courage. The way they acquire that virtue is to learn what should legitimately be feared and what should not be." - The 9 Ways of Working.

May your 2013 be year of great courage and beauty.

open mouth. insert food.

Because I often speak about things like nutrition and CrossFit with (sometimes nauseating) frequency and passion, some people are tempted to hold me up as perfect "model of health," assuming that it comes naturally to me and I've got it all figured out. Yeah. Not so much. Truth be told, like most of us, I struggle to know what is best for my body and how to faithfully live that out each day.

I was a pretty sickly kid, suffering from horrible and regular migraines starting when I was 2 years old. My diet consisted almost entirely of the processed foods that were new and all the rage when I was growing up. My poor mother didn't enjoy cooking and, frankly, had very little understanding of what it meant to eat "well" so she was happy to let me eat cake for breakfast if that's what I wanted, because at least I was eating SOMETHING. Honestly, I shudder when I think about the lack of real nourishment that my body needed so desperately.

Me, at 6 years old, right after my tonsilectomy. That cute little outfit can't disguise the fact that I'm barely more than a skeleton underneath it all.

In college, I made a huge shift for good and started running regularly. I learned more about good nutrition but old patterns were hard to break. Like many young women, I walked into the world of anorexia/bulimia. Autoimmune disease hunted me down in the form of Graves' disease in my late 20s so my thyroid gland was irradiated and no longer functions. I have a laundry list of food sensitivities as long as my arm, a crooked spine, a bulging disc in my lower back that rests on a nerve leading down my left leg, and now the beginnings of arthritis in the same area. I endured 9 years of (unsuccessful) fertility treatment in my 30s and early 40s. 

Other than that, I'm a model of health.

My point here is that I've spent most of my adult life interested in how to take care of my fragile little body, making many mistakes along the way. My husband recently remarked that our list of "fad" diets over the last 30 years is trumped only by our legendary lineup of hairstyles. Okay, that stung a bit but I think he's right! We joke about it but we agree that much of we did was based on the best scientific information that was available at the time. Remember the low-fat lalapalooza of the 1990s? In my mind, I can still look across the table in the break room at my co-workers' palid plates of boneless skinless chicken breasts and that horrid low fat pasta salad that was all the rage. Seriously, who even LIKED that crap? Back in those days, I could easily polish off an entire sleeve of graham crackers or 1/2 a box of animal crackers in one sitting, thinking I was being "good." And breakfast was cereal or a plain bagel or, on a really lucky day, a ginormous chocolate low fat muffin from my favorite bakery. Talk about your monochromatic culinary wasteland! I now, not-so-fondly, call that era "50 Shades of Beige" or "Fade to Brown."

So, what's my point? Back to that passion-for-nutrition-and-health thing. If I struggle with my own laundry list of issues, then I know you likely have your own version. My medical history pales in comparison to some of yours. Others of you are remarkably healthy and simply want to do what you can to stay on the right path. And while I'm far from a professional in any way, shape or form, I do spend lots of time reading and researching, and I love it when friends seek my advice. So I decided put together a series of blog posts with some down and dirty tips and this is my introduction.

The way we're eating at my house could best be described as "Paleo-ish." We learned about the Paleo/Primal way of eating when we started CrossFit and have found that it really works for us. The short story is that we mostly eat meat/fish/eggs, vegetables, fruits and nuts. If we were strict Paleo, that's ALL we would eat but we're not that disciplined and, frankly, not completely convinced that we have to be fundamentalists about it to still receive most of the benefits. If you'd like to know more details, I found an interesting and super entertaining Q&A here: http://www.fitbomb.com/p/why-i-eat-paleo.html. This guy knows way more about nutrition than I ever hope to know (and he's funny) so you'd do yourself a favor to check it out. 

Look for more posts to come in the near future. I promise they'll be shorter and more to the point. And the point here is not just about me (insert snoring sound fx) but, hopefully, more about me helping you move a little further in your journey. Most things are easier when they're done together, right?