The Secret In the Sauce

It's a Friday and I've got two weeks of Christmas and personal time I have plans for so I may not be posting and if I do, small and sporadic. I thought I would dedicate this post to those 'naughty colors.' It is really pretty amazing what chemicals can do to us for good and bad. Advil is truly a wonder drug for numbing pain and helping with inflammation, but it also causes nasal polyps (which I have had to have surgically removed twice) and is damaging to the liver. The chemicals that we don't really think about or pay much attention to are those that are in our foods and general every day products like lotions and shampoo. Sodium Laureth Sulfates and other pthalates, parabens, propylene glycol (which is in food and beauty products) all take a toll on our hormones, endocrine system and metabolism (an excellent read on this is Jillian Michaels, "Master Your Metabolism"). For some reason I didn't consider that the skin is a living organism within i

The last two days of Preston bliss came to a screeching halt this morning when I went down to his room for his morning wake-up call and mentioned his lemonade drink (Mars Venus Cleanse Shake) and he thrashed around and angrily said, "Why do I have to keep having that?" It obviously isn't growing on him yet but he is taking the vitamins and supplements and did reach a happy point with the Mars Venus chocolate shake by using Cacao Coconut milk instead of water. The morning unfortunately didn't improve as he was just bugged, unfocused and not happy. He came home from school hungry (and now that I think of it, probably fueled his irritability) and immediately started pushing my buttons. In the spirit of remembering that I can only control myself, I did just that and remained calm and focused and counted his behavior to a time out. He had to start the clock over three times and I did have to drag him back in there twice, but there was no talk and no emotion on my part (he

I promised myself I would get up early tomorrow after getting eight hours of sleep. So, do I get my eight hours and forgo the early morning or get up early and forgo my sleep? Bah. Why is it so hard to get to bed at night? With that being said, I have no major updates tonight or divine words of wisdom, only my health tip for the day. Health Tip For the Day Upon waking, mix 2 teaspoons Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar with 4 ounces water. It is terrible, there is no getting around that one. But, it jump starts you metabolism in the morning and I think there is some miraculous immune boosting properties to doing this. I haven't actually been to their website to see what they tout, but it is doing something good for me. If you feel a sore throat coming on, mix the vinegar with the juice of 1/2 a lemon and a cup of very warm water, gargle and swallow. I swear by this trick. Do it three times in a day and you might either skip the cold or have it pretty easy. As Black Bart from A

It's been a long day but I am smiling in reflection. My cute mother came by to help Preston with his book report (which I didn't object to because I think he does better on the homework front when it isn't me helping him) and he was exciteable but he listened and helped and was in a fantastic mood all night. He wanted to practice his presentation and is very proud of his poster. True, the child has good days and bad days so in the long term time will tell if it is movement in the right direction but he was wonderful tonight. I made vegan Black Bean and Butternut Squash burritos for dinner (I just had mine on a bed of romaine lettuce) compliments of Anglea of ohsheglows.com and they were quite tasty. I even tried the daiya cheese which surprised me as being, well, cheesy! I also made chocolate donuts following a recipe I found on heathereatsalmondbutter.com but I'm going to need to tweak it a bit. Preston scarfed it down though with some ice cream and a dab of chocolat

First of all, here is the Health Tip for Today : Rock salt deodorant rocks. The Heidi turned me onto this and she learned about it from a sweaty mountain biker man at the Whole Foods store. In our quest for all things natural (for body this includes products that are free of pthalates, sulfates, parabens and propylene glycol for starters) we have been looking for a stand-up remedy to deodorant that is aluminum free. I've tried a couple of 'natural' deodorants from health stores and they are absolutely the pits (pun-intended). I randomly saw a facebook post by some woman I don't know that said, "if you want to smell like a dirty hippy, wear natural deodorant." I laughed out loud because I had on natural deodorant that had worn off and I smelled disgusting; it was SO true! I was repulsive to myself. Then I was told to use Young Living's Thieves toothpaste for my underarms which I actually LOVED! But it is fourteen bucks a pop! Then I started swiping some coc

Honestly, being a parent is exhausting. I'm exhausted. I'm exasperated. More than once have I wanted to 'cash in my chips.' I remember stopping by a neighbor's house one night and her husband had been out of town and I could she was done - she wanted to cash in her chips - and she told me that she had served cereal for dinner. I laughed. I can't say I've ever actually done that but I sure didn't think any less of her because I know I've cut corners other places too. With that all being said, I'm guessing you can figure out that it was  less than stellar day. The only shining moment was the last hour before bed when he was totally calm, totally normally and actually very sweet. He started crying over a picture of a sad dog in the sixth Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. He can ben amazingly rude and crazy one minute and the sweetest kid you could have ever hoped for the next. I would totally settle for some in between. Like a twinkie. I don't know

I came across this simple and helfpul article on yahoo today that I felt was applicable to my little Preston, despite it being written with toddlers in mind. Point Two mentions that during their tantrum, they are incapable of hearing any message we have for them and will be until 'we are able to they're sure we understand and hear their message.' Validation, which is not acceptance per say, is a big deal. This is talked about and empasized in both Love and Logic and 1-2-3 Magic. I realized that this is a key piece that I have been skipping for the last little bit. I should have validated Preston when he came home in a rage the other day (after he cooled off of course) and I could have even have done it when he was frustrated about washing his hands ("I know I struggle being interrupted when I'm in the middle of something too buddy"). This is going on my daily 'to do' list. Below is a link to the article on yahoo. It's short and sweet and worth the

I have to admit that I went to bed excited and woke up excited - I have alot of faith that the shakes and supplements will work for Preston. I was listening to a woman talk yesterday and she mentioned that God has the power to do anything - if it is the right course of action. She said that it didn't matter what anybody told you (you will never be able to have kids, you have six months to live) because if you had faith and didn't give up, anything could happen. This really struck me as I know several people and have heard stories of people beating the odds; I have even heard of a few miracles. I know people that were told they wouldn't have children, and now have a family. Miracles do happen and I think they happen when there is alot faith. This thought gave me strength and I am excited because anything can happen really. With that being said, when I got Preston back from his dad last night I gave him 1 C-Lyte and 1 Grapefruit Seed Extract capsule. I need to first say t

That's all I've got to say about that. I'm doing my darndest.

Something Simple - Don't Engage Dr. Phelan's overall policy is that of no talk and no emotion. This is also a primary point in Love and Logic. We need to take good care of ourselves in front of our kids and tell them what WE are going to do (I am leaving in 5 minutes for your choir practice) AND we keep ourselves calm (this is a big one I have noticed for Preston because I think if he knows I can handle him he can rest a little easier). When I was going through my divorce, my therapist gave me the great advice to not 'engage' when my then husband was being argumentative or combative. If I didn't engage or 'take the bait' there was nothing more he could do or say; he pretty much had to drop whatever it was he was kicking against or trying to get me to do. I have found this same tactic extremely valuable with Preston when he tries to draw me into one of his negative spirals. Jim Fay of Love and Logic also says to 'never argue with the ridiculous.' Wh

I met with Preston's psychologist today and told him what I was going to be doing regarding the CURE. He was supportive and mentioned that there is research on supplementation showing that behavior does improve but not to the level that most medications work. That's the tough part is that when Preston is on his medication, he does do very well. It's the before and after side effects that are so nasty and again, the general idea of not knowing truly how else medication affects the body that is so hard for me. We also talked about setting up a behavior plan at school. Both at school and at home, he needs positive reinforcement on what he does well and less punishment for negative behaviors. I still believe in natural consequencing as suggested in Love and Logic, but essentially, avoiding any 'hammers' on naughty behavior; quick and to the point. When he argues with me on consequences, that is countable. Back to reinforcement, he suggested that the teacher needs to

I guess I should first make a big disclosure about little Preston and what ADHD looks like for him so we all have a better gauge on if the Mars Venus approach works for him. Oh, my little Preston. He has a good heart and a sweet spirit, truly. I know the 'true' Preston wants to help, is empathetic and wants to succeed. I only get glimpses of that Preston when he is having an 'on' day and his brain is doing a better job producing what it should be. These glimpses of the 'true' Preston are hard because it makes him seem like he is capable of, well, being a pretty normal eight-year-old. And that is the hardest part about ADHD is that these kids on most levels appear to be totally normal. But they aren't. Preston's psychologist mentioned to us once a conversation he had with a teen that had ADHD. He said that if there were two things he could tell parents of kids with ADHD it would be 1) Don't give up and 2) Don't judge them by their 'good'

As much as medication has been incredibly helpful with Preston, the side effects have been worsening (lack of sleep, lack of appetite and his ADHD behaviors are exacerbated when he is not on the medication in the morning and the night) and his ADHD, ODD and depression/anger have also been increasing while on the medication. I hade someone refer me to a podcast by Dr. John Gray, author of the Mars and Venus books that deals primarily with ADHD and treating ADHD. He is writing a book about ADD/ADHD and has been working with Isagenix and his own team on supplements for those affected by ADHD citing simply that good nutrition and trace minerals can fill in the gaps in the brain that the brain is not producing on its own. Having tried the natural route before, I am skeptical. Afterall, I also understand that ADHD and the impulsive behaviors come from the frontal lobe not being developed sufficiently - that sounds more like a growth issue than lack of minerals. However, with Preston suffer

This is one of many ingredients that is so incredibly naughty. The thing that kills me is that like so many other naughty ingredients, it is in EVERYTHING! In Dr. Bob's Guide to Stop ADHD in 18 Days, he discusses how improper fat metabolism is a root cause of this disorder. He states: Having treated thousands of patients, I believe there must be one significant link between current diet trends and the health challenges facing us today. These dietary habits are also linked to hyperactivity, ADD, ADHD, and ODD. The role of partially hydrogenated fats and the breakdown of proper fat metabolism is a very signifcant factor in behavioral challenges. Partially hydrogenated fats - which have permeated every component of our food chain - stop your body from processing the material needed to send vital messages along never fibers and in the brain.(33) Eeek. Why do we want to eat foods that mess with messages being sent to the brain? Another good book that I read and would recommend is

Honestly, I haven't really ever had what you would call a 'weight problem.' To me it was a problem because I wanted six-pack abs and no fat on my body. For years I tried to get rid of 5 more pounds and I couldn't. I thought I was doing all the right tricks and it has been through this whole journey of finding the right foods for Preston that I found what the right food are in general. First: FAT DOES NOT MAKE US FAT Since beginning my cleanse on Isagenix, I have also embraced fat. Not even just low-fat - I look for grocery store items that are full fat. I'm not afraid! And you shouldn't be either! The cells in our body are protected by fat. Our brain burns the most calories in our body and operates on fat! Have you noticed how no-fat or low-fat has been the norm for the last twenty years and nobody is staying thin or getting thin this way? I even have to wonder if because we have been starving ourselves of good fats that is part of the problem with the rise

I had my hubby take a look at my blog last night as he hasn't really known what I've been up to with it. He asked me if it was something I really wanted to do because in writing about Preston and his ADHD, I am giving him a little bit of a stigma or label. I thought about it all last night as he did have a point. This is what I realized: When I had my first miscarriage, I felt relieved when people talked to me about it and told me their personal experiences with having a miscarriage. When I went through my divorce at the age of 27 after having been married for seven years (and no, it wasn't the 'seven year itch') I craved to talk to people that had been through a divorce. I was so young that I really didn't know anybody that had been through it. I had a friend who was struggling in her marriage call me to talk to me about it. When we experience something in our life that is challenging or traumatic, we want to know that we aren't alone. That somebody els

I just went to the Yahoo main page, where I am always compelled to look at the intriguing stories they do, and found a story this morning about a personal trainer that was intentionally gaining weight. I haven't heard of this other than Hollywood stars that gain weight for certain roles so this definitely peaked my interest. You can read the full article at the following address: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/why-a-personal-trainer-is-making-himself-obese-on-purpose-2583990/ The part that I found most interesting was when he talked about not liking soda in the beginning of this 'journey' to where he now HAS to have one everyday. He admitted to being addicted to all the sugar, white breads and flour, starchy pasta - he loves the taste but found he was hungry again shortly thereafter and craving the same foods. He also had to have his soda to keep the headaches at bay. This made me think of my cute mother who probably has a can of Coke a day but insists that it is

In all of my reading and research I have made the rule in our home that there is one hour of television watching per day and one hour of video game time on Friday's and Saturday's. I have read nothing positive about video games (only the seeming old wives tale that it improves hand-eye coordination, bah!) and only about the harmful effect they have on kids. One author even noted in his patients the improvement in homework, attitude and decreasing ADHD tendencies when video games were removed from the home. With that said, my therapist passed along the results of a study that was done on whether or not fast-paced television shows has an immediate influence on pre-school children. The results were not surprising but very interesting: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/09/08/peds.2010-1919.full.pdf   They are saying these days that kids under two should not be watching television. I have to admit that I have not yet slipped any shows in for my little guy (

"Unfortunately for us parents, natural reinforcers are frequently insufficient motivationfor a child to complete an artificial task. Your son, for example, may be a natural slob - a clean room means nothing to him. Or your little girl may be attention deficit and learning disabled, and homework provides no satisfaction - but much frustration - for her. In these cases you must use artificial reinforcers. For smaller children the best ideas are often relatively small things that can be dished out frequently and in little pieces. With older kids, larger rewards that take longer to earn become more feasible." (1-2-3 Magic, 122) - I'll add that kids with ADHD need small things things that can be dished out frequently. I've noticed with Preston that rewards need to be fairly immediate otherwise it isn't worth it to him. It is also good to do things for kids just 'because you are you and I love you.' That is some wonderful advice our therapist gave me. I

I had another runaway attempt last week by my little Preston and he has been really pushing me to see how patient and in-control I can be. Isn't that sweet of him? I guess when I seem un-breakable somebody is bound to want to see if they can crack me. What a joke! Jillian Michaels has come close to breaking me in her Ripped In 30 workouts and she even quoted Ernest Hemingway, "We are stronger in the places we are broken." "With that being said, I'm going to break you!" And with that being said, Jillian is my pick-me-up for this week. She is wellspring of wisdom and she gives out some pretty fantastic nuggets at the end of her fourth workout which I have quoted below. We all need something extra to help us get through tough moments and I've been repeating after her to keep it in my mind to pull out when I need it most. And I have been needing it more than once a day for the last week or two. Forgive me, I didn't get her quote exactly, but most of it.

So my sister-in-law Heidi called and left me a message and mentioned how frustrated she was that everywhere she went people were offering her kids candy. Candy with the colors, the naughty oils, high fructose corn syrup, the whole nine yards. She wasn't necessarily upset with the people, just the fact that she tries so hard to keep the kids in a good place and she is thwarted at every turn! I was feeling her pain in a distant way thinking "just turn people down when they offer it and give the school alternative treats to give to your boy" when in comes Preston from a friends house and I can smell fruity something on him. I ask him what he had and he said a fruit leather. The fruit leathers I get are okay but when I asked him to show me the wrapper he grabbed and it ran for the bathroom (like I wouldn't be able to follow him in and see what he threw in the garbage). It was of course a fruit roll up rope. It didn't have an ingredient label but those things are u

I was flipping through my October issue of Parenting Magazine this morning and came across a small article titled: "Guilt Free Halloween." I'm thinking, cool - maybe they've come up with some way to enjoy Halloween without the 24-hour day spike in blood sugar. But no! If you've ever seen Pee Wee's Big Adventure then you can imagine my face looking like 'Large Marge's' as I got further and further into this article. The article states: "A new study from Louisiana State University found that kids who eat candy are actually less likely to be obese than their candy-shunning peers. (Even the researchers aren't sure why).  Of the 11,000-plus kids between the ages of 2 and 18 who took part in the study and were followed for five years, the "candy-consumers" were 22 percent less likely to be overweight or obese)."  (50) Well, Jason and I have had the discussion that maybe having treats around would help the kids with their sel