Good morning. Well, for as lovely as it was earlier in the week, it sure is dark, cold, and sullen outside today. Just like last Saturday. It puts the kids in a mood. Fortunately, they’re out with Nate right now raiding the comic book stores for Free Comic Book Day.
There’s a “day” for everything, isn’t there?
So I have music playing, and have lit candles around the house. It’s very mellow and quiet. Clark has recently decided that anywhere that isn’t “being held by mom” is unacceptable, so he’s in the sling again.
I love this thing.
On to Health Group-
I’m fluctuating on the scale between 220 and 223. So I think that’s as low as I’m going to go from delivering the baby. No complaints.
I did my physical therapy exercises and stretches last Friday, Saturday, Sunday, this Monday, and Friday. The only time I remembered them on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, I was busy feeding Clark, or hauling laundry around, or something. So I wish I could say I’d done more, but I’m happy to have started anyway. And I’m already increasing reps on a few things, and adding new exercises and stretches. Nothing too vigorous.
Water consumption is going well.
But what I REALLY want to talk about are the breakfast shakes we discussed last week. They so rock. I appreciate your comments and suggestions so much! We’re still really liking the frozen bananas. I like the fact that I can use a few slices, and don’t have to stick a whole banana in. I don’t like too much banana in my shakes.
Nate likes to make complicated shakes with lots of ingredients. I prefer to keep mine simple. So far, I have 2 favorites. The first is 3/4 cup of soy milk, a handful of frozen strawberries, a scoop each of unflavored/unsweetened protein powder and vitamin powder, and this is the best part, a small handful of pecans.
YUM YUM YUM!!! I can’t stand how yummy that is!
The other one is similar, just instead of the strawberries and pecans, I add 1/2 to 2/3 of a frozen banana and a handful of walnuts. I will add Wheat Germ in the future, but I continue to forget.
These shakes are quite satisfying. I’m craving them at various times throughout the day, but so as not to burn out, I resist.
And now, let me first say that I’m not looking to start a war, but I want to discuss soy milk a little bit. A friend of mine emailed me after reading Monday’s post and said that she used to drink a lot of soy, but has switched off of it because of hormone problems. So I looked on line and found all sorts of conflicting info on soy products, (along with the all-too-common conspiracy theories, of course), however it was confirmed that they do contain a relatively high concentration of plant estrogen. My OB said that it isn’t enough to be a problem, and that women in countries that consume a lot of soy products tend to have less women-specific health problems, but they have higher occurrences of other things. (I think he mentioned stomach cancer, but I don’t remember for sure).
We’ve used soy milk for years, but not a lot. Just for cereal and in baking. We don’t drink it by the glass. We don’t do tofu, or soy cheese, or any of that. Abigail is lactose intolerant, so we can’t do cow milk. Plus, I don’t think it’s healthy to drink in quantity. So our soy intake isn’t high, but it was about to increase with the shakes, which is why I was looking into buying a soy milk maker.
I’m kind of bugged. I want whatever the base of my shake is to be healthy, not just fill the role of liquid. I’ve looked at some recipes for rice milk and almond milk. I tried the almond milk this morning, and while the flavor was fine, I couldn’t strain enough of the pulp out. It was gritty and gross, and made a mediocre shake. I could try it again with cheesecloth or coffee filters or something. I don’t mind buying rice milk already made, but I don’t think of rice milk as being particularly healthy.
I’m not attacking soy milk, or telling you not to drink it. I’m saying that the conflicting information is frustrating to me, and I can’t readily think of another, unquestioningly safe option that sounds appealing.
Even if I decide to continue using soy milk myself, what about my growing girls? They’re my biggest concern, to be honest.
Any thoughts?
May 6th, 2006 at 8:34 am
Tell Nate that I am SO jealous of him and the kids hitting the comic book shop. I wanted to go today, but my husband (the only driver in the family) had to work. It would have been a perfect daddy outing, too, because my kids are just getting interested in comics.
You are making the shakes sound tasty, despite all the work. I know that health is your number one concern, but I am wondering if making them is cheaper than buying ready-made shakes. My husband and I have gone back to Slim-Fast for breakfast because we don’t have a lot of time in the morning. If all the fruit is in the freezer then it could still be assembled quickly, but is the protein powder expensive?
My Health Update week was not good. The treadmill is available and my husband has used it twice. I, however, had oral surgery this week and I’m having a devil of a time getting all the painkillers and anesthetic out of my system. I plan on walking at least 15 minutes on Monday, no matter how I feel. Let’s see if I stick to it!
May 6th, 2006 at 9:21 am
When my dad was growing up he actually drank goat’s milk. He never needed a tetanus needle in his life as the doctor said that the goats milk was actually like a preventative. Do not know how that worked though. I hardly ever drank any sort of milk when I was younger, as I think I was lactose intolerant too. I can drink it now, and my bones are great. Hope this helps you.
May 6th, 2006 at 9:39 am
There was an article in last week’s newsweek (titled “Does Milk Hurt Kids?”) about how many babies and toddlers in the US are turning up with third world illnesses (rickets, kwashiorkor) linked to malnutrition because they are being fed soy milk that isn’t vitamin D-fortified or rice milk… I don’t know what the statistics are for kids or adults though. The article just said that those two shouldn’t be used as a replacement for formula.
May 6th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Hi! Go for the goats milk!!! We went on a homeschool tour of this family run small goat farm, they sell raw organic goats milk to the natural coop who sells it for them but they also sell it from their house. The goats are all family pets. It was the most amazing place! They made fresh ice cream right there and it was amazing!!! I usually get all plugged up or runny nose if i eat real ice cream, not so with goat’s milk! I am sure it would be excellent in your shakes and extremely nutritious!!! In fact, we saw a neat ice cream maker at costco and had to have it for the summer! This website might help you find one near you: http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/print.php?p=1190
The one we went to was http://mysite.verizon.net/jsschleh/gardenhomefarm/ what a treat, they were absolutely amazing nice people!
Anyhow, you look like such a great mom with that sling!
Off to bed…
~heidi m.
May 6th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
from what I know, most (if not all) of the studies that say soy is bad are funded by the USDA and/or the beef industry. Everything in moderation, we all die of something eventually, don’t overdo anything, you’ll be fine. I think the problem with studying eating habits of other cultures is we don’t live in those cultures, so the only thing we’d have in common with them if we changed what/how we eat is what/how we eat. Does that make sense? In any case, I’d me more concerned with the hormones injected into beef/poultry than naturally-ocurring phytoestrogens, and I’m really not all that concerned about even the BGH.
May 6th, 2006 at 11:10 pm
You look beautiful, so healthy and happy. I liked your idea about the morning shakes and have tried a few. We are cow drinkers around here, but I really like the frozen banana idea. Don’t they get brown? Do you cut them up first or freeze them whole?
May 8th, 2006 at 3:33 am
Muhahahah, free comics! Loving that.
I called everyone I knew once I got home, after using both hands to naviage safely, to tell them.
Did you enjoy your “quiet” time?
Did everyone else love what they got?
I loved both Polly #4 and 5; so cute! I can’t wait for the last one.
May 8th, 2006 at 7:52 am
my favorite smoothie is:
pomegranet juice
frozen blueberries
plain yogurt
ground flaxseed
Designer Whey protein powder in vanilla flavor (from TJ’s)
no milk or soy! and yogurt is really healthy, right?
May 8th, 2006 at 8:36 am
I second Jen, everything in moderation. In one of my books I remember reading that in typical American fashion, we overdo-it with soy. I wish I could quote it exactly (can’t find the book), but it stated something to the effect that American women consume 3 times the soy that Asian women do, and that is why it’s beneficial for them and too much of a good thing for us. Moderation is key.
I need to avoid soy because I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which makes me very sensitve to hormones. My milk and meat that I eat need to be growth-hormone-free, I need to avoid soy, I am supposedly even sensitive to the estrogens emitted by plastic. (I was told to not to store my food in tupperware or ziplocs, etc. etc.) I’m guessing the worst warnings out there are probably for people like me. You’re probably fine.
May 8th, 2006 at 8:52 am
How unfortunate about the milk thing. That’s a tough one. My son was lactose intolerant back when he was a baby so we went soy, and then tried to reintroduce milk when he was around 14 months. He outgrew the intolerance, lucky for us, so we don’t have a milk issue.
Allison, you are aware that yogurt is made of cow’s milk, right?