Energy for 2013

The last prompt for the January NaBloPoMo is "What will you do to energize yourself in 2013?"

This answer is easy.  I am devoting myself to my schoolwork and my family. Since this year is finally graduation time, that helps a lot with the energy levels.  I want to be done with school and out there working and doing what I planned to do.  I am excited for that.  However, for now while I am home I am concentrating on being the best wife, friend, and guardian I can be.

14 Days of Romance -Intro-

Starting February 1st, I will be doing a segment called 14 days of romance.  The idea behind this to that not everyone can afford a fancy dinner out as well as a large gift and flowers or chocolate.  However, you might be able to afford small gestures every day.  Besides, 14 days worth of romance are much better than one large gesture. 

Mental Energy and Money

Today’s NaBloPoMo prompt is "What reoccurring thought uses up a lot of your mental energy?"

I have thoughts that constantly take up my mental energy.  Basically I get nuts about money and our money situation.  I am still in school and almost done, while I am in my last part I am not working.  That leaves my husband as the only income.  We also have two dependents that we take care of.  Not that I would want to ever make them go away but it makes it hard to live on only one income.  It wouldn't be so bad if the house we own stopped giving us issues.

How to deal with a long power outage

This image is Public Domain

Dealing with a short power outage can be fun.  Dealing with a power outage of days or more is not fun.  Being gluten free it will be harder for me than it will be for others since gluten free food has a very short shelf life outside of a freezer.  However, there are steps to help you during a long power outage.  Quite simply we are not prepared at my house for a long haul.  However, I can go without gluten free products and be very careful about what I eat.

To Play in the Dark

When the power goes out and we don't have electronics to play with the first thing we do is go on a scavenger hunt.  One person finds the flashlights, another finds the batteries, a third, finds the candles and the last makes sure where everyone is so we don't bump into each other.

Energy for the Modern Age

Energy is the topic of the month and you can't talk about energy without wondering what is going to happen when we have used up all the fossil fuels?  Will we move to biofuels? Will our heat come from hydroelectric or wind mills, how about solar power?  All of these are great ideas and while I think cars may be moving to hydrogen engines or electric power, which will lessen the strain on our resources.

Humans and the Environment

Today's prompt is: "What is your biggest concern about the future of the environment?"  My answer is that most humans are my largest concern.  Quite simply we have overpopulated what the earth can easily sustain.  Since humans tend to move in and create an environment that suites us we will "tame" the land around us.  That taming action means that we cut back the natural vegetation, we utilize all the resources, and we keep the animals out.  Quite simply we destroy the natural ecosystem of anywhere we settle.

Super Hero Names? Maybe

If I were to be a super hero my hero name would be Bloodroot.  This is based on the lovely plant with the red roots.  It also is toxic to humans and animals.  This is an easy choice for me since I have been playing online games for a while and it is one of my handles. 

Super Hero or Super Villian?

NaBloPoMo prompt of the day is "How would you start saving the world if you woke up tomorrow with superhuman powers?"  Answer is I probably wouldn't, I might start saving the environment, children and the animals on this planet before I start saving most of the humans.  I think most humans are capable of saving themselves or causing harm to others.  Instead of saving most people, I would concentrate my efforts on making the world a better place as I see it. That is if I do anything to help and don't blend into the background and just live my life.

Gluten is as Kryptonite.

Public Domain

Public Domain

If I were a super human and I had one weakness or Kryptonite as it were, I would have to say it is Gluten, nothing stops me faster than getting into gluten.

Feed me gluten and I will spend a lot of time in the rest room and unable to perform my super tasks.  Even at places where they have gluten free menus and kitchens they will still mess up.

Paint it Red and Go Super Speed!

Not Mine!

Strangely enough today’s Prompt is asking us if we would rather have extreme strength or extreme speed.  In my case I would wish to have the speed, I could get so much more done in a day.  Want to get my blogs posted.  No issue five seconds and I am ready all I have to do is wait for my computer to catch up.  I have visitors coming over in five minutes?  That will give me enough time to clean the house, and take a shower.  Want to run to the store, only a few seconds. 

To be a Superhero

I am torn on what super powers I would want to have.  I am not sure if I want Super Intelligence, or if I want to be a true shape changer (want to be a wolf, go for it.  Feeling fat today, Lose the weight.)

No Writing Energy, Can't Go On

When I run out of energy and I can't blog anymore, I simply stop for a while. I have no issue saving a draft and coming back to in an hour or two.  I may take a bath or read a book between writing times, something to bring back up my energy level.  Because If I were to push through when I really don't want to blog all that I would put out is garbage. 

Being Completely Exhausted

A blogging Kat! I find myself funny. (not my picture)

There have been very few times when I have been completely exhausted, my first day in Fiji, a couple of times on my trip to Germany, a few of my 10 days in Orlando, but I am only talking physically exhausted.  There was only a very few times in my life when I was completely exhausted emotionally, as well as physically and mentally.

To Dream or not to Dream

This picture is Public Domain to the best of my knowledge

The NaBloPoMo question today “If you could be given the option to never sleep and also never be tired, would you take it if it meant you'd also never dream again?”

Music for Energy!

What most people don't know about me is that I am currently going back to school. At my first University I focused in music, to be specific Vocal performance with an Opera Option.  Yep I am a trained Opera singer, papers and everything, I have never used what I have learned and spent so much money on, except for a youtube account that I rarely update.  That experience has given me a finer appreciation of music.  It also leads me to a specific problem.  I don't have a favorite song. That leads us to today’s NaBloPoMo "What is your favorite song that gives you energy?"

For me my musical energy can vary depending on my mood, the day, and what I am doing.  If I am working on school work, blogging, cleaning, ECT...

New Year, New Energy

For this month I will be participating in NaBloPoMo, which is short for National Blog Posting Month (It is not really shorter is it).  Each day they post a question and we the bloggers start typing about the answer as it is relevant to us.  Today’s question is "From where do you draw your energy?"

For me the answer comes in a few different forms.  My main source of energy is my friends and family.  They have been so supportive of me from the time I found out I had Celiac, to when I knew that I wanted to blog about it.  They have been there for me with every Fertility hang up and every loss that I have had.  Without them I don't think I would have even lasted as long as I have. My Husband has been my biggest supporter, I know that I could not have come this far without him.

My secondary source of energy comes from knowing that I may be helping someone.  While it can be a real challenge to get people to answer questions on a post, or to even know who is reading, I keep hoping that someone out there is getting something from my posts.  That they enjoy the recipes, that they have learned from my mistakes and that they have found good products or that they have been able to avoid others.  If I can reach enough of those people then I feel I can make a difference.

I also talk about my infertility and health issues, I want those women to know that they are not alone in having one miscarriage after another, or that they are not the only ones who can't lose weight no matter how little they eat, or who go crazy when their hormones get out of balance, which happens a lot.  Also it might help those that are having these issues and do not yet have a diagnosis. 

So in answer, I get my energy from both my friends and family and from the hope that I might be able to help.  Also, with the New Year, I feel some of my Energy Renewed, I had more entries in a giveaway then I would have dreamed possible at this stage in my blogging, I have a whole bunch of fantastic products to try, I am getting ready for my Valentine’s Day Gift Guide.  I have so many plans; my only hope is that I will be able to build enough readers to get more of these ideas out. 

Question of the day!

Where do you get your energy?

My blood tests came back as Celiac now what?

What do I do now is a question I have helped a few people with.  What are you supposed to do when the blood tests come back as having Celiac, what steps should you be taking?

This strongly depends on your doctor.  If you have a doctor that is going to want more tests then it is not yet time for you to onto a gluten free diet.  All of the tests that the doctor is going to give you requires that eat a normal gluten filled diet for at least two weeks, however most prefer a month.  Find out if your doctor is going to want more testing before you start your diet. Some of the testing a doctor might do is an internal biopsy of your intestinal lining. 

Once all the testing is done then it is time to start at least two weeks of a completely gluten free diet.  This can be really hard since your body can be addicted to Gluten.  I know at one point I honestly thought about stealing some child’s cookie because it looked so good.  I still have cravings after more than a year of being off of gluten.

Until you know what you can in and cannot handle in the food department try sticking to unprocessed meats, normal hard cheeses (if you can tolerate milk) fresh fruit and vegetables, and basic unprocessed potatoes.  I know how exciting this diet sounds; however, you have to give yourself time to heal. 

While you are learning about your tolerances it is highly important that you keep a good vitamin and mineral level.  This can be hard since you are now cutting a LOT of food from your diet.   I suggest having a strong diet of fresh fruit and vegetables for a while in order to make up everything you need until you get a good handle on your nutritional needs.

Find your tolerance, this means finding exactly what you react too.  Personally I do not react to Oats or Corn.  I have the immune deficiency version of Celiac and so my tolerances are different than others.  However, some people will react to different items.  Try items one at a time and see what you react too.  This will be time consuming and annoying.  However, it will be helpful when you are trying to heal.

If you have severe Celiac then it is time to go cleaning out your kitchen as well as deep cleaning what you can in the way of cooking implements, if you can't get it completely clean then you may need to get rid of it.  If others in your house eat normally they need to switch their diets as well while they are in the house. 


Items that are going to have to be replaced:

The first thing that has to go is the toaster.  Unless you can get tiny bit of gluten out of it, the toaster is going to make you sick.  Once you find a gluten free bread alternative that you enjoy you are going to want to toast it (they taste better that way) and it cannot be done in the old toaster.

Depending on what you used your cast iron cooking for it may need to go.  If you cooked gluten containing meals in cast iron it is now into the metal.  

Wooden cooking tools, IE cutting boards, spoons, and rolling pins, these need to go away for the same reason as the cast iron cookware.

For those who are really sensitive then you might want to check out ask.com and their list
http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/settingupthekitchen/tp/Gluten-Free-Cookware-Utensils.htm

Eat out Gluten free and giving back? Yes please!

I was at five Guys burgers and fries yesterday and noticed a sign on the door that caught my attention.  You go to Five Guys and check in using www.kraftcheese.com/checkin.  Not only do you get to eat Gluten free burger (without bun) and amazing fries, but every time you check in in using the link above on a mobile device Kraft cheese will donate a meal to Feeding America. This is going on for only two weeks so maybe you can move a few plans.  It started on the 17th of September and will end October first.  Also I received a coupon for Kraft American cheese slices after checking in.  Not that I really need another insentive to eat great Glutten free food.  Since it is something many of you are going to do anymore, when you go to five guys check in using the above link.  Even something this small can help.  If you want/can do more you can always donate to food banks or feeding America yourself.  If that is not an option this will only take a few minutes, and is perfect while you are eating your peanuts waiting for your food.   

Also If you are going to Five Guys to eat Gluten free be sure to tell them that you have an allergy.  This ensures that they change gloves and in some cases they change the tools they are using to cook the burgers.  Since the fries are already completely GF (cross contamination not withstanding) it makes a great easy place to get lunch or dinner.  They will even allow you to bring in your own bun should you choose.  They just won't handle it themselves. 

Question for those who are in the know, how many fully gluten free restaurants have you been too? 

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/17/4826822/kraft-american-cheese-teams-up.html#storylink=cpy