Life is so Ridiculously Busy

Here's proof of how busy I've been! Life is so ridiculously busy. I can't catch my breath at times. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I am studying to be a health coach. My job share partner at my primary job retired, so I have been working full time in addition to going to school and starting my new business. Luckily for me we hired someone last week. She starts next Monday!

So, here goes! Check out my websites. I have my health coaching website and my essential oils website. If yo need either service, please keep me in mind. I almost forgot to mention I have a Facebook page and Twitter account, too.

Health Coaching by Michelle: www.healthcoachingbymichelle.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthcoachingbymichelle
Twitter: @HealthCoach_RN
doTerra Essential Oils 

Bone Broth for Healing

Topic of the Day: Bone Broth

Last night I made bone broth. Sure, I've made broth before, but never a healing bone broth. The difference with the two is that one is simmered for several hours and the other isn't.

I had a chicken and was about to throw it out, but remembered reading about the many benefits of using bone broth. Here they are:

Boosts immune system 

Improves digestion and tooth health

Improves allergies and brain health

Healthy development of joints, bones, ligaments, and tendons

Healthy hair, nails and skin

Decreases inflammation

Calms the mind

Aids in sleep

The elements in the bone are what helps you heal. These are bone marrow, calcium, collagen, chondroitin, gelatin, glycosamino glycans, glycine, hyaluronic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and proline. 

Bone broth is assistive in repairing your body from bacterial and viral infections. These are just a few of the many wonderful benefits of bone broth. 

For more detailed information and recipes, please check out these resources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/040493_bone_broth_immune_health_nutrients.html

http://wellnessmama.com/5888/how-to-make-bone-broth-tutorial/

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9890/10-benefits-of-bone-broth-gut-healing-recipe.html

You've Been Served

Last week I had the pleasure of being summoned to jury duty. I think you and I probably have the save reaction when we receive that letter in the mail....dread.

Yes, I needed to find a sitter for my 3 kids and make arrangements for work. I get to the jury room after rushing and found a table where I can set up shop. I was minding my own business doing my thing, but a guy at the table is just going on and on and on. I truly think he liked hearing himself speak. It was funny because he mentioned he was going to go into law school. It seemed quite befitting for him.

Finally, the first round of names were called. I wasn't on the list. A sigh of relief. But is that good or bad? Another hour or two passed and another round of names. I kept hearing my first name, but luckily different last names. Then I hear it...my name was called. Oh, no, not me!

Our group of about 40 were corralled into the court room. We have to sit in the pews in a just so right fashion. Next they go through a bunch of questions that might eliminate a few people immediately. I wasn't one of those. By this time it is around 12:00 noon. My stomach is grumbling. Fourteen names were called. I was #7. Now, I have to move to the jury box. Sweaty palms. Heart rate increasing.

The judge starts asking a series of questions for all 14 potential jurors. Nothing impressive is going on. Finally we get through the 14th potential juror. Yeah! They release us for lunch. I head out to the Thai restaurant up the street, but it is closed. There is another potential juror that had the same idea as me, but to our surprise, the restaurant was closed. I headed to the pizza joint next door and the hostess assumed a gentleman that walked in at the same time was with me. We decided to have lunch together.

It turns out he is an attorney, but also a potential juror. We got to talking about many things. One in particular of how a unique case he is working on should be turned into a movie. You see, we don't really have to pay top dollar to go to the movie theatre to get entertainment, movies are written about characters in our own backyard albeit friends and family. I was trying to rush my lunch when I noticed the lawyers from "my courtroom" were two tables over. No need to rush at this point since they were still eating.

So, now I'm back in the jury box. The lawyers start questioning us. There really was no us, it was just me. They had a field day questioning me. Yep, you got it. I was one of the chosen 7. At that point I was sequestered in the jury room and couldn't leave unless I was walked back into the courtroom. I had to wait back there for the additional potential jurors to get questioned. At 5:30 they finally picked the final jurors. I headed out of there around 6:00 PM.

What made the day a bit frightening was that we were escorted to the parking garage with 2 police officers. Not only did we get escorted, we were taken out the back way, walked to our cars, then they were waiting at the garage exit to make sure we actually left safely.

Day 2 was better planned. I knew what to expect. I could go into great detail, but I won't. The verdict was that the defendants were not guilty, unanimously. The state did not have enough evidence to prove guilt. Yes, we got the same escort to our cars that day, too. It was a one day trial which I thought was incredible.

Although I dreaded the idea of being on a jury, it was a good experience. I learned a lot about the justice system and have a bit more respect for it. I do realize that many of these cases that are publicized on the news are blown out of proportion and the facts of the case aren't even available to the public. It is such a pity what the media frenzy can do to the legal system.

I got to speak with the judge after and appreciated what he does even more. A few days later, I received a letter from him thanking me for my time. It was such a nice and genuine gesture. Who sends personal mail these days? I was really proud at that moment when I read his letter and that I had the privilege to serve on a jury. I felt like I did my American given duty of serving.

Maybe next time I get summoned, I won't have dread, but actually enjoy serving.

My New Favorite Snack

Meet my new favorite snack: Red Bell Peppers!

My two favorite things about red peppers are the crunch and sweetness. Its scientific name is Capsicum Annuum and is a nightshade veggie.  Capsicum is the "hot" part of a pepper, but bell peppers have very little of this, therefore they are on the sweet and tangy side. 

One cup of these crunchy yummy goodnesses only have 1 gram of fat. That is impressive and is chock full of nutrients, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Are you ready to see all the many vitamins and minerals bell peppers have? Here goes in descending order:

vitamin C

vitamin A

vitamin B6

folate

fiber

vitamin E

molybdenum

vitamin K

potassium

manganese

vitamin B2, B3, B1

tryptophan

vitamin B5

magnesium

Did you know paprika comes from powered bell peppers? Yep, that's right. 

Do you know how to choose a good one? Choose those that are deep in color, no spots or dark areas. Heavy and firm are good traits for them to have.

They are sensitive to moisture. If you refrigerate them, cover with a damp cloth.  If you want to speed up their ripening, sit them on your counter.  

I prefer my bell peppers raw, but there are many great ways to prepare them. When we get closer to autumn, I'll post my stuffed bell pepper recipe. Other ways of eating them are sautéed, stuffed, finely chopped in recipes, roasted, and part of the Louisiana Trinity of onions, celery, and bell pepper,  

Just remember that bell peppers are one of the dirty dozen meaning they have more pesticide than other veggies. If you have the option, choose organic for this tasty snack.

Up and Running!

Tonight I launched my very first health coaching Facebook page. I had been putting it off for weeks, but tonight decided this was THE night.

After I made it live, I had 15 likes in less than an hour. How awesome is that?

Here's the link. It is entitled Health Coaching by Michelle. In addition, my official website can be found here.

Long Time No See

Sorry for my absence. I thought it would be a breeze going back to school, working, raising a family, playing taxi cab to our many family events, and blogging. I sure did think WRONG! Scheduling is sometimes circus like, but we manage (not quite sure how, but we do).

I am getting all the basics down, but the extra things like blogging kind of fell by the wayside. My total lifestyle has changed since starting school. I was always feeding my family a healthy diet, but I now go for all organic, non G MO (genetically modified organisms), and no artificial colors. It had gotten a bit more costly in the beginning, but not so much now because we aren't buying all the other "stuff." I don't buy all the junk food (healthy) snacks. I know what to buy now.

I have become a green juice and smoothie aficionado. You just would not believe how much I feel better after I have my green drink. It did take some time getting used to drinking something green. I first had to start with drinking out of an opaque plastic cup just so I couldn't see what I was drinking. Now I'm a pro and I drink it from a clear glass jar. If I don't get it after a few days, I start getting achy and tired. That drink packs a powerful punch!

Going through this journey, I realized I truly need to downsize and purge. I went through so many aspects of life purging. My girls aren't too happy about some of it, but they will get over it. Here's the start of things and subscriptions we eliminated: housekeeper (twice a month), extended cable TV, Spotify, YogaDownload, and some unknown credit card subscription for an unknown service to a company that no longer exists. I am still working on purging everyone's closets and drawers. It is hard work, but is so liberating when complete. The end result is less clutter and more money in our pockets!

My next adventure has been exercising. I have never been a fan of exercising because it often brings on an asthma exacerbation. Therefore, no running or aerobics for me. I am a low key yoga or walking kind of Bayou Chica. My sister and I started a 30 Day Squat Challenge. Today is Day 8...a day of rest. The first few days were ROUGH. But by the fifth day, I am getting into it and enjoying it. I am seeing great results in just the past 7 days.

I'm off to visualize results then actually get some stuff done. Positive words of affirmation can do wonders for the soul.

Girl Scout Camping

Just realized I didn't share my Girl Scout camping experience with you. I must admit that working part time, mom full time, wife full time, and family taxi driver can get very overwhelming. Then I just threw going back to school in the mix and it makes for an even busier life. Joshua Rosenthal, the owner and one of the instructors said just tell people you are in medical school because that's how busy you will be. I agree Joshua.

Our camping trip was changed from Friday through Sunday to Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon at Camp Covington. I was bummed that we would only have one night, but I think this was the perfect amount of time for the girls. It still boggles my mind all the camping gear one needs for camping for just one night. It was a total of 10 Brownie Scouts and 4 adults.

We paired the girls up with a buddy so they were always to be together. It is a safety check essentially. The neat thing is that we paired them with a girl they didn't necessarily know or hang out with. This turned out to be a really great experiment. Great new friendships blossomed.

My daughter was paired with another girl that also likes to camp and do outdoorsy things like her. They had a really great time. This goes for most of the buddy pairings. There was one exception and there always seems to be that one.

One of the girls was just out right mean to her buddy. We had many talks about this, but I think it was a case of opposites that didn't attract. This was the first time one of the girls was so far away from her parents. In the end everyone had a good time. Most differences worked out.

The truly amazing thing that happen was helpfulness of the girls. This happened organically without any requests. They just started cleaning. This never happens at home. All the girls swept and cleaned their cabins without being asked. Two scouts started washing dishes and 2 more asked if they could help. Hello!!! What planet did this girls come from? My daughter was one of these helpful Girl Scouts. She must have stayed at the campground, because that same helpful, asking how she can participate child never made it back to my house.

I am fine with that, but was truly delighted how naturally things came together with the girls. Part of the rules was that the adults let the girls take the role and they sure did. I was a proud mom and Girl Scout camp leader.

My daughter and I had to rush off at 11:00 AM on Sunday to get back home for a championship state swim meet. She did miss swimming on Saturday, but got to participate Sunday. Their team, the South Louisiana Swim Team (SLST) won the championship meet! We won last year and we won this year. She is a bit disappointed that she couldn't swim on Saturday because that was her best swim stroke day. Life is all about decisions and a bit of give-and-take. Regardless, the team won and it was a victory.

I'll have to write more about the meet because my two younger daughters shined that weekend swimming.

Progress

I know it doesn't look like much, but I can actually see the base of my desk. My mother says I inherited the gene for collecting papers from her. She apologized profusely when she saw my great progress. My husband is ecstatic by the before and after.

I actually have room to place my computer and other school related things. Yippee for me because I am even more motivated to study. Notice all the papers below the after picture. That's for recycling. When I finished I had one full Whole Foods paper bag and a Girl Scout cookie box filled with paper.

Let's just hope I can keep my desk this way and get rid of all the paper as it comes in. If you have any tips on removing the clutter and keeping it away, please do share with me.

Back to School

Monday was the first day of school, for me! I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Did you know it is the largest nutrition school in the world? I was surprised to learn that.

It is a really exciting journey for me. I have been on a roller coaster with the health of my family for years. We spend so much money for medical care and health insurance and feel like we don't get much in return. I've become a skeptic of Western medicine. It is a shame because I work in the medical field. I am tired of band aid medicine where they just treat symptoms. I want to get to the root of our health problems and fix them.

I find the better I eat, the better I feel. Food has become my medicine. In addition, I am learning other alternative modalities. Are they really alternative? These are things that have been used for many years, but got squeezed out by Western medicine.

In addition to juicing, I have grown fond of oil pulling. My teeth really like it. They have gotten whiter and feel smoother with less plaque buildup. The main reason I use oil pulling is for my sinuses. After I do it, I have less congestion and mucous. This morning I woke up with a sore throat and after oil pulling (and drinking hot water with ginger, lemon, and cayenne), no more sore throat.

Back to my school excitement. I can't wait to share all of my new knowledge with you!

Cookie Time Lessons

We just finished up Girl Scout cookie sales with SG, my eight year old daughter. As you probably know from my previous posts, we traditionally don't eat processed foods. This would include Girl Scout cookies.

This is SG's 4th year as a Girl Scout and her last year as a Brownie. She's looking forward to becoming a Junior Girl Scout next year.

I have read the ingredients on every flavor of Girl Scout cookies. It isn't pretty. There are so many artificial additives and processed ingredients. I do not agree with pushing something on someone that I wouldn't normally buy. But, I needed to look beyond my beliefs and just move past them. There is a bigger picture here.

My daughter has learned so much about money, management skills, mathematics, responsibility, assertiveness, entrepreneurship, goals, manners, socialization, and good life lessons. One of the first things she realized was that you need to be polite or you won't make a sale. This is something that she has been conscious about since her first sale. Being kind can go a long way.

At school, she was known as the Cookie Girl. She ended up taking a small notebook with her daily to take orders for cookies. The students would track her down to give her their cookie order. Some days she would bring a box with a variety and sell what she has. Since this cookie sale, she has made new friends in school that she might not have made otherwise.

She has become more confidant, too. She was more on the timid side, but not so much anymore. I see her little mind moving. In addition, she is a saver and spends her money only when needed. Not the case right now. SG decided to buy her sisters some cookies (I made an exception for this instance). Another lesson learned was generosity.

Despite my thoughts of Girl Scout cookies, I do feel the organization and these cookie sales are teaching girls really great lessons in life.

Shoulder Recap and New Adventures

Today I had a follow up appointment with the orthopedist for my snowboarding shoulder injury. She was doing her assessment and checking my range of motion and was impressed. She ultimately said, "You healed yourself!" and wanted to know what I did to get to this point. 

Now you have to realize she is the one that said 8 weeks ago that I needed emergent surgery to repair  (or screw the labrum back to my shoulder) the tear. I didn't feel surgery was in my best interest. I was on a mission to heal myself and I did just that. I went to physical therapy twice which I don't think was critical in my recovery.

I took to acupuncture, Body Talk, chiropractic care, Chinese medicine, yoga, positive affirmations, juicing, and eating whole foods. These were my ammunition against surgery. She was impressed by my regimen.  We talked more about it and got on the subject of me going back to school to be a health coach.

This is my exciting news to share. I am on a new adventure with my life and career. I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Health Coach. I start next week and can't contain myself from excitement. I'll be learning more than 100 dietary theories. 

I'll be studying with the world’s top health and wellness experts. My teachers will "included Dr. Andrew Weil, Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; Dr. Deepak Chopra, leader in the field of mind-body medicine; Dr. David Katz, Director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center; Dr. Walter Willett, Chair of Nutrition at Harvard University; Geneen Roth, bestselling author and expert on emotional eating; and many other leading researchers and nutrition authorities." How cool is that! 

Now what makes this more exciting is that my doctor asked if she could refer some of her bariatric patients to me. Once I am able to see patients I just have to give her a call to set up my referrals. I am psyched! 

Roller Derby Moms

Thursday night my daughters' school had skate night for a fundraiser. We always go and I always watch. This night I decided to skate. It was lots of fun being on skates again. I only wish I could have skated faster, but the ground looked so far away. I didn't want to risk a fall. Lucky for me I did stay vertical.

Toward the end of the night they had races for several age categories. My oldest daughter won her category. The next one was for girls 12 and older. No one got out on the rink. I decided I was going to do it. I got a friend of mine to race with me and one more mom decided to join us, too.

The music started and we were off. Of all the music choices, they played Justin Bieber's Baby. I was coasting cautiously around the turns. They were gaining on me. It was one of those crazy surreal moments when everything felt like it was in slow motion. The race was over in less than a minute but it felt like ten. I crossed the finish line first and got my coupon for a free night of skating.

It was pure victory! My daughter and all her friends were so excited. They all came running skating toward me to congratulate me. I felt like the coolest mom ever. To have that feeling from the kids itself was pure victory.

I certainly see skating in my near future.

A friend of mine has a video of the race. If I'm able to upload it, I'll post it here.

Weekend to Remember

Life with three busy little girls can get overwhelming. So overwhelming that you just never have time for your spouse. The biggest form of communication is texting. Yes, this is what my husband and I resort to, texting each other.

We decided to change this and have a "weekend to remember." It was so nice to get away with just the two of us. A friend of ours actually paid for our admission to the weekend. Of course we payed for everything else, but it was certainly a super kind act by our friend.

Basically, it was a marriage retreat. During the weekend, they provided sessions for the couples to break away and discuss certain things. We talked about stuff we didn't realize we needed to talk about. The air certainly got cleared. It truly put our marriage on a level playing field.

It was a faith based weekend which we didn't really expect, but embraced it. We are catholic, so hearing about God outside our one hour a week was a bit different, but enlightening.

The main thing we brought home from this weekend was to communicate and with the right tools.

Addicted to your Mobile Phone?

I am! It is a shame, but it is true. I am addicted to my mobile phone. I can't go a few minutes without checking something on it. Are these things I am checking all that important? Of course not. It is an addiction.

I took measures into my own hands. I had to do an intervention for myself. I went into the notifications section and changed my notifications. I would get a buzz or vibration for every email. I get over 100 emails a day. That's a lot of buzzing.

My kids don't understand my fixation on my phone. Quite frankly, I don't either. Why do I feel it is so important to check my email or Facebook at every stoplight? I think my first step to changing this pattern is to eliminate the notifications which I have already done. I took the first step into minimizing my addiction. I am going to get my life back.

I ran across this article which really resonated with me. Tony Cronin gets it right in his article on the website Mind Body Green. Take his simple quiz and see if you are on your mobile too often. He proceeds to give you tips on weaning yourself off the mobile.

Our days are busy enough, we don't need to spend every little free second checking our phones. Take advantage of those times to meditate, do yoga, take a walk, play with the kids, reflect, and reconnect with people.

This is going to be difficult for me, but I am giving it my all. In addition, I am trying to only check my email twice a day. I might have to keep you posted on this one as I need support in this department.

Well Done New Orleans!

As you know the Super Bowl was just in New Orleans. The city did an amazing job preparing for the event and put on an awesome show. My husband and I went to visit the festivities and were so impressed.

The Verizon Super Bowl Boulevard was a lot of fun. Of course we got to hear some really great local musicians, but we got to try lots of new food from vendors that aren't typically at the usual Woldenberg festivals. There was something special about the city for the Super Bowl; it looked spectacular.

The guests, locals, vendors, shop owners, bus drivers, and everyone else I came in contact with were extremely friendly. There was something in the air that was so uplifting and special. The energy from the city was magnetizing!

I am so happy to be from this great city of New Orleans. If you didn't make it for the Super Bowl, well, you need to make it out here soon.

Dancing Queen

You ever get that something in you that just makes you want to dance? I had the dancing bug today. I LOVE loud music at home when cleaning up. There was something about the music selection on my iPhone that made me shake it.

I danced like I was back in a club in the late 80s or early 90s. My heart rate was pumping. I was sweating. This my friends was a work out like no other. Dancing used to be my passion. I would go dancing 2-4 times a week. I like latin dancing, ballroom dancing, disco dancing, cajun dancing. I do it all, but today it was freestyle! It was like I had no control of my body, it was doing its own thing.

Of course I was home alone, everyone was out. At least I thought so. At one point I turned around and my husband was leaning on the door frame watching me. I have no idea how long he was there. I just went on my way and proceeded to dance. As Usher says, "So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life."

I sure did do that and loved every minute of it. It's like I got that passion back. I have a little kick in my step today. What's going on with me? Is it the daily yoga practice? Is it the daily positive affirmations? I don't know, but I am liking this side of me that got lost somewhere in time.

Movie Stars

Last Sunday the girls and I were in a movie. Yes, can you believe that! We all had a line. Nothing big, but it was a line. It is not a big name producer, but a small indie film movie. 

It was very exciting, but I see why actors have trailers. There is so much waiting. We had to be there at 5:15 and didn't start shooting until about 7:30. By the time I finished my scene it was after 9:00. I had to sign ten page contracts for all of us. Basically, I signed away all our rights to the movie. We are nobodies. 

I do wish the producer success. I think he does have a talent. I just can't wait for production to be over so we can see the final product. Who know's, you might see me on the big screen or on DVD. It is very hush-hush right now. The name of the movie is a secret. None of the actors even know it. 

Project #2

Since the girls had no school Monday, it was Project Monday. The task was to sort through closets and weed out the clothes that no longer fit. We had success!

I had piles of clothes on my dresser from the past week. I got all those sorted and put away and pulled out everything I don't wear. There are plenty of things that don't fit, but I have to hold onto them until I can get smaller clothes to replace them. Yes, I've been pinning and belting all my slacks. I was hoping to get rid of more things in my closet, but I didn't.

The girls were having a great time organizing. I was shocked. The best part is that it is organized and they were the main reason it got done. I LOVE when they contribute like that. The plan is to have a yard sale in the next six weeks. The problem is that in the next six weeks we have Mardi Gras parades and Super Bowl amongst other activities going on in the metro New Orleans area. I don't know how I am going to fit it in.

Shoulder Fate

I've been slacking, but I sort of have an excuse. Remember I told you about our ski vacation? I got hurt along with two others. I ended up with a SLAP tear to my left shoulder. That means surgery. Because of this, I really haven't been in a mood for anything.

That area that says GLENOID LIG. at the bottom center is what tore.

I've been trying to heal myself from within so I don't have to have surgery. I started juicing which I feel has been helping many other areas of my health. In addition, I have been seeing my Chinese medicine doctor/chiropractor and a Body Talk practitioner. I got a double dose of energy medicine on Friday.

Yesterday I started a 21 day yoga challenge. Yes, I am a bit challenged when it comes to my left shoulder, but I was able to do all the poses. I really hope this will help strengthen my arm.

Surprisingly I have had very little pain. The problem is when my shoulder starts to sublux. I just have it push it back where it belongs.

Tomorrow I meet with the orthopedic surgeon to see my options. I just hope they are open to seeing things in my light.

Project #1

Project #1 has been completed! Sunday morning I opened a kitchen cabinet and stuff started falling out like there was no end to it all. This sparked a need for project #1.

The medicine cabinet got cleaned up and organized. Well, it was already organized, but needed the cleaning up. I could not believe how many things were expired. I guess what is even more astonishing is the amount of  prescription and over the counter medications we have.

My true hope is that in the next year, the so-called medicine cabinet will be just an empty cabinet.

Resolutions

Have you made any new year resolutions? I haven't officially, but I am hoping to become more organized. I seem to go in phases of really neat and others when I just don't have the time or energy to do anything.

One day I will post a picture of my office. It is always such a mess. I have got to figure a way to keep it organized. I even hired a professional organizer to help with this room, but it always seems to end up a mess. This will be the first room or area for me to tackle. 

The next few areas I would like to tackle are the medicine cabinet and the laundry room. If you have any organizing tips or resources but send them this way.

Happy New Year

My family and I spent the new year celebration in Breckenridge, Colorado. It was such a beautiful place, but cold.

Most of the days we spent them sledding. There is this public park, Carter Park that offers free sledding. You bring your sled and you sled as much or as little as you would like. My youngest would only go with me then I finally encouraged her to go alone and she was hooked. We had to drag her off the mountain kicking when it was time to go.

 Just hit a bump.

 Oh no, airborne!

Ouch on that landing.

Toward the end of the trip we decided to go skiing and snowboarding. What a mistake! My two older girls took skiing lessons as did my father. My sister, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, and I took snowboarding lessons. All the kids did great, but none of us adults.

My sister fell and got a concussion, my father agitated both shoulders, and my brother-in-law busted up his knee. I fell so much and am full of bruises. The last act was at the very end of my lesson. I was on the snowboard facing the mountain. I thought all was well when I lost my balance and leaned a little too far back and bam! I hit the snow at maybe a 135〫 angle. My whole body jolted and felt jarred. This ended my snowboarding experience.

Thank goodness for all of the other great memories Colorado brought us. It truly was a wonderful experience. I look forward to going again, but without snowboarding.