Get yourself back plus cookie dough frozen yogurt

An appropriate quote from www.fibroblogggerdirectory.com

You’d think a mountainous half-marathon would more than do someone in who suffers from fibromyalgia. Instead, Robie Creek 2015 was a life-changing experience for me.

During the event, I can remember reaching the summit at 8.5 miles and seeing a sign that read, “Robie Creek can be a life-changing event.” I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me. The only thing I’m feeling now is pain and agony.”

But the words on the sign couldn’t be any truer. My old confidence and “can-do” attitude have returned. I’m getting myself back again. I no longer say to myself, “I can’t do that because I have fibromyalgia.” Instead, if I really want to do something, I can make it happen. No, I can’t do everything like a kid without a chronic illness. It takes planning, preparation and adjustments but I can still do it.

Post-Robie, I feel empowered and no longer afraid to take on life’s challenges. Yes, Robie created lots of sore muscles, fatigue and discomfort but I got over that and now, only a good feeling remains.

In the darkest days of my illness, I suffered with depression and sometimes suicidal thoughts. I would shut the door of my bedroom, throw myself on the bed and sob hysterically at times because of what fibromyalgia had taken away from me.

But I could never quite give in to fibromyalgia and just accept the status quo. Doctors I went to for help never saw the whole picture of fibromyalgia, and they never connected the dots. Instead, they treated my low thyroid or they treated my candida overgrowth or they recommended physical therapy for my pain or they prescribed medication for my sinusitis. I got slightly better but without the whole picture, I still floundered.

Then, I discovered the book, From Fatigued to Fantastic, by Jacob Teitelbaum. I recognized myself instantly in his descriptions of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. His “SHINE” protocol was right on target. Read more here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/12/lets-scream-for-acd-phase-1-ice-cream.html

Sleep

Hormonal deficiencies

Infections

Nutritional support

Exercise

I also found great nutritional support from the book, Fast Tract Digestion, by Norman Robillard. Read more here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2014/02/scrutinize-carbs-for-fermentation.html

I was on target to controlling this disabling disease when I crashed on my bike last November and fractured my wrist. Surgery, pain and medications brought all my symptoms crashing back and with it, my negative, “I can’t do anything anymore,” attitude. I was afraid to venture out on my bike or even walk my dogs because of fear of what might happen. I give credit to my husband and a close friend for not giving up on me despite my numerous meltdowns.

At the finish line, I heard my friend shout, “See, I knew you could do it. You’re a strong, fit lady.” I never thought I would hear those words again.

Don’t give up if you are trying to control your fibromyalgia symptoms. There’s no instant remedy or cure. It’s going to take a long time with a lot of ups and downs. Don’t let the “downs” define you.

Once you get to feeling better, stick with your protocol. Don’t get all crazy and think, “Oh, now I can stay up all night, eat like a teenager and just go wild.”

Bailey, the husky, gives me an "I'm glad you are better" slup.

Yes, I am feeling better but everyday is just the same when it comes to how well I treat myself. I spend lots of time in meal preparation, exercising to stretch and strengthen my muscles, and meditating daily. I still take my vitamins and other supplements to support the healing of my digestive tract. Yes, I get tired of it but yes, it’s the only way.

If you want to beat the disease, make yourself a priority. Every now and then, reward yourself with a little treat whether it’s a special outing, extra "me time" or preparing a special recipe.

Cookie dough frozen yogurt

I’ve got a great idea if you want a treat----Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt.

Frosty ice cream plus cookie dough and chocolate chips

Here's what you need:

Make one batch of healthy frosty ice cream + 1 T. of your favorite seed or nut butter. Recipe here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/03/exercise-can-be-part-of-fibromyalgia.html
Make one batch of homemade chocolate chips. Recipe here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/02/fifty-shades-of-carbohydrates.html)
Make one batch of cookie dough: mix 1 cup nut butter, 1/2 cup coconut oil or ghee, 3 T. almond flour, stevia to taste, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, dash of nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. vanilla powder; freeze in bite-size pieces on a parchment-covered baking sheet.

Mixing in the cookie dough and chocolate chips

Mix the healthy frosty ice cream with about half of the cookie dough pieces and chocolate chips. Reserve the rest for nibbling on another time.

Enjoy!

Recipe contributed to:
http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/04/allergy-free-wednesday-165.html

 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

My new found sleep and how it's eased my fibro pain; plus chocolate chip zucchini mini-loaf

Misha strikes another relaxation pose.

Can you believe I am finally sleeping like Misha (our husky pictured above who is known for being a relaxation specialist)? Misha also has penned a book, entitled Misha’s Ultimate Guide to Relaxation. P.S. If you would like a free copy of Misha’s book on relaxation, send me an e-mail and I’ll send you an electronic copy.

How did this phenomenon happen that I now can enjoy sleep like Misha? If you are a fibromyalgia sufferer, you already know that sleep is a precious commodity. For me, sleep grew even more elusive after I suffered a fractured wrist and subsequent surgery in late fall.

Pre-accident, my sleep was far from perfect. Post-accident, sleep was as elusive as searching for water in the Sahara Desert. Everything that helped before (e.g. my Sleep Number bed, Vitamin B supplements, exercise, relaxation techniques) did nothing. Read more in this post:
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/02/when-do-i-get-some-sleep.html

What has made the difference? My healthcare practitioner recommended a natural sleep aid, called Kavinace-Ultra-PM. As a fibro sufferer, I am always looking for safe and natural ways to get better sleep and ease my fibromyalgia pain.

What is Kavinace Ultra PM?

It is a fairly new sleep formula from NeuroScience, Inc. I was told it contained melatonin and trypotophan. I joked I was going to get the same effect as you have after eating a hearty portion of turkey as part of a Thanksgiving meal.


But it wasn’t a joke. I actually fell asleep within 5-10 minutes of taking one Kavinace Ultra PM capsule. I have been taking Kavinace every night for approximately six weeks with the same results each time even when I traveled away from home and slept in a different bed. 


 I was hoping for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep but I’m overjoyed waking up just once during the night.  I usually wake up after 2-3 hours of sleep but am able to fall fast asleep right away. 

When I wake up in the a.m., I am a little groggy but it quickly passes. To me, grogginess is a phenomenon I haven’t experienced in decades. Grogginess is the most common side-effect associated with Kavinace Ultra PM, and some individuals have reported dependency on Kavinace Ultra PM.
 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread, mini loaf

Being able to sleep soundly is the best gift I’ve ever received. The more consecutive days of sound sleep I get, the better I feel overall.

I’ve been feeling so much better I really felt like celebrating the arrival of the first day of spring with a special treat---chocolate chip zucchini bread, mini loaf.
 
Here is what you need:

¼ cup grated zucchini
2 T. almond butter
1 T. almond flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 organic egg
½ tsp. raw vanilla powder or vanilla extract (alcohol free)
Pinch of sea salt
½ tsp. powdered pure stevia powder
1 T. homemade chocolate chips (recipe here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/02/fifty-shades-of-carbohydrates.html)

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini-loaf pan with parchment paper.  Grate the zucchini in your food processor. Add all the other ingredients except for chocolate chips. Blend until it forms a dough.
Spoon the dough into the mini-loaf pan. Bake about 10-12 minutes (check halfway through). Remove from the oven. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Allow them to melt. 

Once the bread has cooled somewhat, slice off a piece and celebrate the arrival of spring, and in my case, my great sleep for a change.

http://www.realfoodallergyfree.com/
 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

Cookie dough yogurt

Misha  with his special buddy, Foxy

How many of you can remember having a special toy, stuffed animal, blanket or doll that you dragged around with you everywhere when you were a little kid? Mine was a doll, named Cindy. My kids had special toys too but I wasn't expecting one of my fur kids to adopt a stuffed animal.

Misha, the husky, has a special buddy, named Foxy. He takes Foxy with him wherever he goes in the house. He even takes him to bed with him at night. Most people would say it's adorable the way he watches over his furry, little pal.

Misha grabs Foxy off the shelf.

But what if Misha were a human adult and had an invisible, six-foot-plus tall bunny rabbit as his special buddy?  Every year around Easter, you can expect to see the Cadbury Easter bunny commercials, the "Sound of Music" and, on some retro TV channel, the classic movie, "Harvey." Jimmy Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd, a wealthy eccentric, whose best friend is a 6'3 1/2" tall, invisible bunny rabbit, named Harvey.

As a kid, I loved this movie. I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to have giant Easter bunny as your friend?" I totally missed the point of the movie which, I think, was accepting others who are different.

These days, I have my own special, invisible "friend," named SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). Doesn't really sound like a friend, does it? It's not a big bunny rabbit but it does cause big digestive problems. I don't go around introducing everyone to my invisible friend, SIBO, like Elwood did Harvey. But I do talk about SIBO in my blog in hopes of informing others who might have the problem about it.

Cookie dough yogurt

Because of SIBO, I probably won't be enjoying many Easter goodies. Maybe Harvey or the Easter bunny can bring me sugar-free, low fermentation Easter goodies. I could probably have a teeny, tiny bite.

Instead, I'll be eating a lot of homemade yogurt that I ferment for 24-hours+ to remove the lactose. Lately, for a delicious, every-now-and-then treat, I've been turning my plain yogurt into Cookie Dough Yogurt. It's sugar-free, has lots of beneficial bacteria and has fairly low fermentation potential.

Here's what you need:

1 cup of plain yogurt, dairy or dairy-free
1 T. coconut oil
1 T. sunbutter, almond butter or peanut butter, your choice, but sugar-free
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 droppers full of liquid vanilla stevia, alcohol-free
1 T. homemade, sugar-free chocolate chips

Here's what you do:

Soften the coconut oil and seed or nut butter. Mix with the yogurt and other ingredients. Put in the fridge to chill and thicken.  To serve, blend in a few chocolate chips. You can make these by blending 2 T. coconut oil, 1 T. cocoa powder and stevia. Allow this mixture to harden in a small pan. Break into chips.

Recipe contributed to:
http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/stove-top-chocolate-doughnuts-peppermint-nutty-roons-dark-chocolate-berry-truffles-nutella-cream-pie-vegan-fudge/

Celebrate spring blueberry, lemon, chocolate bars

Spring blueberry, lemon, chocolate bars

Can you believe spring is finally here? I think Mother Nature forgot to give my neck of the woods the memo. I decided to celebrate spring anyhow with a delicious treat that kind of stretches my current "fermentation potential" diet.

I suffer from IBS-like symptoms, caused by overgrowth of candida and bacteria in my gut. Monitoring the "fermentation potential" (FP) of the foods you eat helps hold bacterial growth in check and over time causes a realignment of good-bad bacteria.


Avocado, chocolate, blueberries and almond butter are among the chief ingredients in my spring celebration bars. All of these foods are considered to be among some of the healthiest on the planet but pose problems for those of us with impaired guts because of their FP.

I don't want to give up on these wonderful foods so I decided to splurge but will nibble, rather than chow down, on these bars. The recipe yields about 10 small bars, each with the FP of 3. My goal is to stay within 20-30 total FP per day.


Here is what you need:

Bottom layer:

3 T. raw almond butter
1 T. coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract (no alcohol)
stevia or other sweetener, to taste

Middle layer:

1/2 small avocado
1/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
1 T. coconut oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract (no alcohol)
stevia or other sweetener, to taste

Ganache or top layer:

1/4 cup cacao powder
1 T. coconut oil
dash of sea salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. almond butter
stevia or other sweetener, to taste

Here is what you do:

Soften bottom layer ingredients in a small bowl. Spread on the bottom of a small loaf pan, lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge or freezer to firm up while you are preparing the middle layer.

For the middle layer, blend the ingredients in your food processor. Spread evenly on the bottom layer and return to fridge or freezer. Note: Allow the middle layer longer to firm up.

Finally, prepare the top layer. Soften the coconut oil and almond butter in the microwave. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Spread over the blueberry layer. Allow to firm up before cutting into 10 small bars.

Have your little spring celebration and store the extra bars in the fridge or freezer.

Misha, the husky, cuddles his little fox buddy.

Happy spring!!!

Recipe contributed to: http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/paleo-chocolate-mint-fest-mint-meltaways-choc-mint-ice-cream-sandwiches-choc-mint-donuts-shake/#more-26328




 http://www.rickiheller.com/2014/03/wellness-weekend-march-20-24/

Pumpkin protein spread, stuffed apples and pumpkin quinoa cookies

Is this the Great Pumpkin, Bailey and Nika?

Why have I become so squash obsessed? It may be that my garden is brimming with all kinds of winter squash (pumpkins, butternut, delicata, spaghetti). It may be the season. Or could it be my own allergy-inflammed body telling me I need a hearty dose of all the good things contained in these vegetables?

Pumpkins and other winter squash are incredibly rich in vital antioxidants and vitamins. These low- calorie vegetables contain vitamin A and flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as leutin, xanthin and carotenes in abundance. Learn more about these super vegetables at http://www.fitalicious.com/2012/10/the-great-pumpkin/

It is the Great Pumpkin!

I am counting on all the antioxidant-power of pumpkins and other winter squash to help me overcome the inflammation of fall allergies. I started by hauling in a few orange beauties from my garden to kitchen. Soon, I had pumpkin puree to make recipe magic. A versatile spread to have around for snacks and toppings is Pumpkin Protein Spread.

Fresh Fruit Compote, a pumpkinish-sort of baked apple, filled with Pumpkin Protein Spread

Pumpkin Protein Spread
(1 serving)
(suitable for ACD-phase 1)

Ingredients:
3 T. pumpkin puree
1 scoop vegan protein powder
1 T. sunbutter or almond butter
dash of cinnamon

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

You can wrap the spread in a collard leaf or add it to my personal favorite, Fresh Fruit Compote, a baked apple, stuffed with fall harvest bounty.

Baked apple with pumpkin protein spread

Fresh Fruit Compote
(1 serving)
(suitable for ACD-maintenance)

Ingredients:
1 cored large apple (I used gala)
1 T. pumpkin seeds (toasted or raw)
1-2 T. frozen cranberries or pomegranate seeds
1 T. pumpkin protein spread or almond or sunbutter
splash of coconut nectar (or agave nectar)
dash of cinnamon
sprinkle of granola
optional: vegan yogurt or coconut cream

Directions:

Core the apple. Stuff with ingredients. Place in a microwave- safe container and microwave for about 4 minutes. Top with granola, yogurt or coconut cream.

"Are there more ways to use pumpkins, Mom? I kind of like chewing on the stem."

While I was going pumpkin-crazy, I had to make up some super easy Pumpkin Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are wholesome enough to eat for breakfast and ready in 6-10 minutes.

Pumpkin Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Makes 2 servings or one really hearty single serving)
(suitable for ACD-phase 3)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
3 T. chia eggs (mix 2 T. chia seed with 4 T. water and store in fridge for use as chia eggs)
3 T. pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 T. sunbutter or almond butter
stevia to taste
1/4 cup cacao chips
1/2 tsp. baking powder
dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
Optional: frosting made by mixing Sunwarrior Chocolate Protein Powder with almond milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Use a large spoon to drop dough onto baking sheet. Flatten slightly with spoon or hands. Bake for 6-10 minutes. Makes about 5-6 cookies. Frost with optional frosting made by mixing almond milk with Sunwarrior Protein Powder.

This recipe was adapted from the Pumpkin Oat Carob Chip Cookie recipe at http://healthy-recipe-group.fitsugar.com/Healthy-Pumpkin-Cookies-19911936

I love pumpkins!

Recipes contributed to:
http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/10/11/wellness-weekend-october-11-15-2012/