Ode to the Thyroid Gland

 Thyroid...

It's been a few years since you found out I'll be with you the rest of your life.

I'm very slippery, I don't always show up when you test.

People around you can't see or hear me, but your body does. I can attack you anywhere and any way you choose. For example tingling or hand pain.

Remember when you had a lot of energy and had a blast! Well, sometimes I participate in: your energy, and I left you exhausted. I took a little of your memory and part of your concentration.

I can make you sleep for many hours, or I can cause insomnia. Make you tremble and feel cold or hot but for everyone else the temperature is normal.

I can make your feet and hands swell, your face and eyelids swell... I can make you feel very anxious and give you panic attacks.

I'm very complicated...

Do you remember the sudden mood change ? Yes, thats me... I can make you cry for no reason ... and get pissed off for no reason yes that’s me again.

I can make your hair fall out and make it very thin , dry and fragile, I can cause severe acne, cause dry skin, I have no limits or borders.

I will make you gain weight no matter what or how much you eat. Your diet becomes impossible to lose weight yes I take credit for that too.

Doing activities like walking or doing other exercises is a massive effort and really strains your body and you will never get me out of your body, 

You now have to take medication for the rest of your life or I’ll kill you.

I can make your cholesterol high and give you blood pressure problems, that's me!

Heart failure? Me! Elevated liver enzymes? Me! Got dental problems? Me too!

You feel tired..., and your family and friends will be tired of hearing again and again how tired you are". Yep that’s me doing all this too!They don't know that I remove part of the energy your body and mind that’s needed daily to perform normal activities. They will not understand why, this disease attacks your body from the tip of the hair to the tip of your toes , and that every cell and organ of your body requires the appropriate amount of thyroid hormones 

With love ♥ ️...

Your Hypothyroidism

Credit Rachel Ducker 

Wanted to share because this has got to be one of the most accurate descriptions of life with under active thyroid challenges! Every single one of the things she covered I have struggled with over the past 20 plus years! Including the challenge of regular tests not indicating an issue because I was on the low end of “normal” so the Family Dr initially didn’t believe it was my thyroid that was the problem. 

It was my oncologist after my hysterectomy that had to send her a note saying it was clear the her that my normal didn’t align with what the thyroid testing benchmark of normal was and that she saw a body struggling to heal from surgery because the thyroid wasn’t doing it’s part and recommended starting thyroid medication to support my recovery. 

So now when I have loved ones and friends who exhibit symptoms like above I am a strong advocate to PUSH their family Dr to not use the standard test alone to really look and listen to what are going on in their body! 

Be Healthy!  

Margaret 

Live, Laugh. Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Baked Balsamic Chicken

Tik Tok for the win - adding this one to the menu this week! 

3 chicken breast - partially sliced across 

Mix together in bowl:

• 2 tsp olive oil 
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tbsp swerve brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp oregano 
• 1/2 tsp basil 
• 1/2 tsp salt & pepper to taste 
• 2 cloves garlic

Add chicken breast to marinate

Mixed following in baking dish 

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes 
• 1/2 Red onion sliced 
• 1 tbsp Oil and salt 

Mix together well

Layer chicken over top and drizzle with any remaining marinade 

Bake at 430F for 25 minutes 

Remove & Cover chicken

 with 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Return to over until cheese melted and bubbly.

Serve with a side salad 

Bon Appetite

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Game Day appy’s

Sunday means GAME day over here - where the boys get to enjoy some football and afternoon appy’s! Recipe credit 

JALAPEÑO PUFFS

INGREDIENTS

4 oz. Cream cheese, softened

1 ½ c. Shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg, beaten 

1/4 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 Jalapeno peppers finely chopped

6 Slices of bacon, cooked crispy, crumbled

1 tbsp Ranch seasoning

 

Instructions:

In a small mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese until smooth. 

Mix egg into almond flour until well combined. 

Add Shredded cheddar cheese, jalapenos and ranch seasoning to the cream cheese, mix well. 

Stir in almond flour egg mixture until fully incorporated.

Crumble the bacon pieces and place them on a plate.

Form a tablespoon of the jalapeno mixture into a ball, and roll it in the crumbled bacon.

Place on cookie sheet, refrigerate 30 mins. 

Preheat oven to 425.   Bake 10 minutes or until golden and puffed. 

Allow to cool a few minutes before eating.

These are SO tasty - next time I’m gonna double the recipe cause I let the boys wanting more! 

 

Bon Appetite

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Back sore from putting up the Holiday decor?

The “Oil your Joints blend” for all your holiday aches and pains ... I love deep blue and frankincense for supporting pain and inflammation reduction! 

IMO this is a STRONG dilution  suggestion likely meant for supporting serious pain and inflammation so I personally would suggestion using a quarter suggested drops to start to see if it helps and than only increase if/as needed to get relief as everyone’s body is different and sometimes less is more with essential oils! 

Yours in health

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

*post contains affiliate links 

Tasty Tuesday

So what did you serve up for dinner? 

I admit I am proud of myself - I had a shitastic day yesterday with the house falling apart around us right before Christmas followed by another less than steller day at the Dr with the test results from the last round of tests trying to figure out what’s going in with my body raising more concerns than answers and with my trauma response to stress I REALLY wanted to eat a shit load of crappy comfort food to drown my sorrows and get those serotonins flowing for that temporary relief  … but I opted for some extra fresh Parmesan on my salad and I am gonna have a Keto Hot Chocolate with a shot of Forty Creek in it bit later and decompress with some PVR CSI catch up! Than tomorrow I am gonna get myself some healthy and longer lasting serotonin working out the stress in the POOL!

Bon Appetite 

Margaret 

Live, Laigh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

On the Go Diffuser - Yes Please!

So excited about this new rechargeable Pilot diffuser! 

Be lovely to be able to use out on the deck or for a picnic to help create a bug free bubble!

Have a zen field day!

Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life

Charcuterie lunch

Because “charcuterie” is just way more fun to say than “meat, cheese, veggie tray”!

I really do love the Whisps crackers though - perfect crunchy cracker replacement without the grainy side effects! They definitely help to curb that 'chip/cracker' craving!

 

The Garden Vegetable Dip from Epicure is totally Nom nom!

 Basically did 3/4 cup of Greek Yogurt with 1 tablespoon of mayo and 1 tsp on Garden Vegetable seasoning.

There are so many ways you can use the seasonings from Epicure!

• Dip: Combine Garden Veggie Dip Mix with mayo and sour cream or yogurt.
• Season: Stir into scrambled eggs, omelets, soups, and broths.
• Salad Dressing: Whisk ¼ C (60 ml) prepared dip with 1 C (250 ml) buttermilk and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vinegar.
• Spread/Cheese Ball: Mix 1 Tbsp (15 ml) dip mix in 1 C (250 ml) cream cheese. Form into a ball and roll in blend.

 I am still trying to grasp the whole 'macro' counting with Keto lifestyle ... this lunch was a little high in the carbs despite having no grains cause I keep forgetting that dairy has carbs!

Bon Appetite! 

Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life

*post contains affiliate links

Top 13 Oils for Sleep and Diffuser Recipe Must Tries

Well if you are anything like me last night's time change is going to affect your sleep for a few days until your internal clock catches up to the new time on the real world clock! 

So figured today would be a great day to share some of my favorite sleep supporting diffuser blends - the Serenity Blend from doTERRA is one of my all time favorite ready to go blends. However like anything in life the body can come 'use' to supports we give it so changing up your blends can help to ensure that you do not become resistant to support.

If you are an experimenter like me and want to try making up your own favorite blends. Here are some oils that can help support sleep - please note the asterisk regarding internal use of oils. 

I would also add that 'internal use' can be a very heated debate among those who are passionate about oil safety with a seemingly divided camp on the pros and cons of this type of use. As a result it is something that should not be engaged in lightly and without a complete understanding of safe dosage, risk factors and like anything 'health related' with the support of your treating physicians advice. 

Sleep Well

Margaret 

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Non Traditional Pizza yay or nay?

I am typically not one to mess with my traditional pizza - however lately have been trying to increase my palette and add variety to meals while still only having to 'cook once' with the more picky eaters in the house - so doing a 'build your own pizza night' and allowing them to stick to their traditional toppings and me to venture out will help to keep everyone happy! I am the first to admit that I eat with my EYES if something looks fun and appetizing to my eyes I am more inclined to try it. So when the lovely Leanne Cole from my Epic Life Challenge just shared this photo my eyes went WOW that looks delicious and now I just HAVE to try this recipe for Garden Ranch Pizza.

 What You Need

• 1 recipe prepared Creamy Ranch Dip - I am going to use Epicures  
• 1 (12”) prepared thin gluten free pizza crust or whole wheat no red sauce 
• 2 cups of fresh veggies (I would likely do sweet peppers, spinach, cherry tomatoes, grated carrots maybe some broccoli tiny)
• 3/4 C partly-skimmed mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 C 3 Onion Dip Mix seasoning - just the dry not prepared
• 1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated

 What You Do

• Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C).
• Spread Creamy Ranch Dip on pizza shell.
• Add vegetables and top with mozzarella, 3 Onion Dip Mix and Parmesan.
• Bake for approximately 10–15 minutes, or until shell is golden-brown and cheese is melted.

Approximate nutritional info for 2 slices on a whole wheat pizza crust using greek yogurt to make the ranch dip - nutritional info will vary depending on the crust you use and veggie toppings and ranch dip of choice. 

Perfectly balance your plate by enjoying 2 slices of pizza with a side salad and vinaigrette dressing or veggies sticks and shown.

Nom nom nom!

So how about you are you one to venture out and trying alternative 'pizza toppings' or are you your tried and true red sauce and pepperoni and cheese toppings?

What is your favorite pizza?

Drop me a comment.

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Epic Life - Good Food Real Results

So - life got busy and my wagon derailed over the past year or so - stress, injury, anxiety an array of excuses that resulted in my slipping into poor eating habits, poor health habits and slipping into a state where I did not have the mental health to be creative or put myself first at all. As a result I have let my blogging fall on the back burner however 2019 is a brand new year and I have begun to pull myself out of the fog of anxiety and depression and back to making myself and my health a priority again! 

 In September I took one small step towards moving back into the light and pushed myself to participate in a #90daychallenge through my good friend Lisa with her  Epicure business - it was an amazing experience at not getting me back on track with clean eating and moving more but to begin to restore my mental health as well!

The program is VERY simply which I love - a focus on clean eating with attention to a balanced plate and 3 balanced meals a day with a 'dessert' option in the evening meal .... I love this way of eating it is something that is backed with loads of science, research and supported by Canada's food guide and unlike other plans such as Atkins or Keto you do not hear the same alarming warnings on the news about the long term effects of balanced cleaning eating on your liver or kidneys and so forth. Unless required for medical reasons no 'food group' is proposed to be omitted in the Good Food Real Results program - just a focus on the balance and proper portion sizes of the foods you eat. So while I am still eating gluten free myself and many days still lean towards grain free eating due to insulin response from grains - there is room in the plan for accommodating a craving for pasta or bread and still seeing amazing results!

To be sustainable a lifestyle change needs to be maintainable and a commitment to being 'totally' grain free for myself was not something I was able to sustain long term because when I succumb to eating something I felt I 'should not' have I felt guilty and a failure and this led to additional self sabotage of my health  goals! With the Epic Life Good Food Real Results plan I am feeling I can balance a wide variety of foods that fuel and sustain me while seeing amazing results!

Another component of the program is the important role of 'planning' .... you create a written 90 day challenge statement of where you plan to be. The statement is written from the perspective of the 90 days have past and what is your life like - so you can envision your outcome as you move through the 90 days! It is wonderful inspiration to have a vision statement and board to reflect on!  You also plan for your WOOP moments of wish, outcome, obstacles, plan using the 'if and then statement's .... this is great for self reflection of knowing in the past what caused me to derail my success and to plan for those obstacles so that I will better succeed this time around!  And most importantly - you MEAL plan and prep to help make success easier! The plan provides 'sample menus' for the first 4 weeks to help those who need inspiration but also has the flexibility of build your own plan with foods and LOADS of amazing recipes on the Epicure website. Just search 'balanced plate' for ideas!  Having a plan for what you will be eating helps you to stay on task and goal as well as prepping easy to grab healthy foods prevents you from grabbing easy junk type foods!

The other component is keeping a gratitude and food, sleep, exercise journal.  Journal writing is something I have always seen a lot of value in - I know from life experience that writing things out - either formally or informally - has so many amazing benefits for the brain and your mental health and yet often it is the first thing I let 'lapse' when things get busy and this has consistently seen me slip back into states of higher anxiety and depression. Hopefully getting back into this amazing habit is the 'third millionth' time is a charm for me to remember to KEEP AT IT!  In addition to the gratitude journal I also love using the My Fitness Pal app to food journal and track exercise with ... it is really great visual for ensuring that while balancing your plate you also keep your caloric intake 'less' than you need for weight loss goals because lets face it not all food is created equally when it comes to calories - half a cup of broccoli has different caloric intake than 1/2 cup of corn so plate might be balanced but the calories are not!

The last component is accountability - taking measurements, weighing in and photos to help to track your progress and reporting them to both your accountability partner and for the 'challenge' via a private portal to be eligible for prizes! 

The program suggestions weighing in and doing measurements and progress photos every two weeks - I LOVE this because the reality is that the SCALE is not always my friend! My body tends to hold onto weight so I can be eating really well, moving my body lots at the gym and the scale will not budge for days on end - weighing myself or measuring too often during these times can lead to disheartening and self sabotage so 'trusting' the program and waiting for the bi-weekly measuring and photos really helped me to not get stuck in that mindset!   

The last challenge which ran from September 10th to December 4th I was able to release 30 pounds and 24 inches total throughout my chest, waist, hips, biceps and thighs ... an amazing result that I am very proud of!

Another challenge is starting TODAY and I am excited to see what the next 90 days will bring me!

If you would like to join me on the Epic Life Good Food Real Results Challenge more info about joining can be found here!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Life Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!  

Allergy Season Support

I use to suffer severely from seasonal allergies - I went years getting regular allergy shots trying to get them under control and had about two decades where they were 'mild symptoms' on occassion to the point I almost forgot how I use to suffer. 

However last couple years allergies decided to make a vicious come back ... just being outside in the yard had my eyes watering and me skin itching and I could not go anywhere NEAR my garden without breaking out in hives ... it caught me off guard and unprepared for what was available for supporting me and I suffered back with the trail and error of what would help but not THIS year! This year I got a jump start with the help of doTERRA and essential oil blends! 

Love the BREATHE line from doTERRA  ... the vapor stick, mints and oil blend rub helped get me through a nasty cold this past winter and its been a godsend this spring with the start of allergy season ... I have even been able to spend some time helping with the gardening with the help of the TriEase gels although admittedly kinda enjoying delegating that to my spouse cause while I love the look of a pretty garden I do not find weeding and tending the garden soothing relaxation at ALL would totally rather be on the deck sipping a lemon aid admiring his handiwork! 

 If you are a lover of the Breathe line or would like to try it JUNE is an awesome month ... you can earn several pieces from the line for FREE with a $200 PV US order! If you'd like more info about placing an order or how to get a wholesale discount so you can get even MORE of your favorite products at a savings please give me a shout!

Have an amazing day

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Sweet 'n Smoky Salmon

So it's been a while since I have had a chance to blog - life got really busy with other awesome opportunities in my Stampin' business that brought more custom orders and time in the craftroom and in the process I lost my balance of all the plates I have in the air for a bit but I am back at making my health and wellness a priority and with that comes making sharing my journey with others, as a form of accountability, a priority too! 

It is funny how easy it is to slip back into poor habits even when you know better they can just 'sneak back up' on you!

Going to share one of my favorite ways to enjoy Salmon here for you - I adapted the recipe a bit for my own preferences

Sweet 'n Smoky Salmon (adapted from here)

Serves: Makes 4 servings

What You Need:

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Epicure Louisiana Hot and Spicy, divided 
• 2 tablespoons organic coconut palm sugar or honey, divided 
• 1 pound salmon fillets 
  
  

Orange Salsa 

• 2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, in their own juice, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon Epicure Louisiana Hot and Spicy

What You Do:

• For the Salmon, mix juice, oil and 1 tablespoon each Seasoning and sugar or honey in small bowl. Place salmon in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Meanwhile, for the Salsa, mix all ingredients in medium bowl until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.* Mix remaining 1 tablespoon each Seasoning and sugar/honey in small bowl. Remove salmon from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Rub salmon evenly with seasoning mixture.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with Orange Salsa 

 * Alternately if you would rather do on the BBQ for an additional smokey flavor. Soak a Cedar plank for a few hours and bake on the preheated BBQ for the same 10-15 minutes avoiding the 'direct flame'.

Pairs awesome with a light spinach, cranberry and almond salad or the boys had mini potatoes and a side salad. 

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

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Preparing for the Spring Harvest?

Warmer weather is coming so it is once again that time of year when women in Canada prepare for the 'spring harvest'  after a winter of hiding our arms, legs and other bits in parkas its time to shed all the layers and harvest the forest of hair we've often let overgrown during that time! 

For myself, suffering from very sensitive skin and psoriasis on top, finding that perfect 'Spring Harvest and summer maintenance shaving ritual' has always been a challenge! 

As a teen I learned that part of the challenge with my type of psoriasis is that anywhere I injury my skin I will break out in a patch of psoriasis - so getting a nick while SHAVING has always been a nightmare for me and resulted in my shying away from 'shaving' at all!

However hair removal is a large part of our culture and I eventually have to yield to harvesting. As most other hair removal options require harsh chemicals that result in a reaction as well I found out the hard way they too were not options for me - tried waxing, tried sugaring, tried electrolysis, tried removal creams all with no success  :( 

So finally tried an Epilator  which gentle removes hair by the root and while it is gentle on the hardy skin of the LEGS there are a few areas of the body that require 'harvesting' this time of year that I so do not want to PULL the hair out by the ROOT so have to resort to shaving!

With my success at all the other Aloette products and my sensitive skin I am so excited to be able to try Aloette's new NICK'S Shaving Crème as part of my spring harvest regime this year!

All the reviews from testers have been coming back with no nicks here! People are loving the healing effect of the certified organic Aloe Vera and the amazing moisturizing benefits of coconut oil!

When you use Nick’s Shaving Crème for Men and Women you will enjoy a refreshing boost of hydration every time you shave. 

A Farm to Jar blend of coconut oil and aloe vera soothe and nourish skin, preventing redness and irritation. 

Reviewers have shared they have also noticed that they are no longer getting 'ingrown hairs' after shaving - which I am so excited to try for preparing for harvesting for BEACH LEVEL!

Nick’s Shaving Crème blend of beneficial ingredients is perfect for BOTH men and women so can help take up less room in your medicine cabinet! 

Just apply onto damp skin working up a lather, shave with your razor and rinse off with warm water.

 Follow with your regular skincare regime and away you go!

Have an amazing day!


Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life

Help with your DigestZen

This is another one of my FAVORITE go to oils on BOGO today only from doTERRA® ... amazing to help restore balance to the tummy after a heavy meal or in my case after a gluten exposure! Diffuse in the room for aromatherapy application or add a couple drops in some carrier oil rub onto the abdomen or if you are comfortable with internal use of oils a drop or two added to a veggie capsule in replace of 'tums' style support.

DigestZen is known as dōTERRA’s “tummy tamer” blend due to its ability to aid in digestion, soothe stomach upset, and maintain overall digestive health.* This unique blend contains Ginger, Fennel, and Coriander to help ease occasional stomach discomfort, including motion sickness and indigestion, while Peppermint, Tarragon, Anise, and Caraway aid with digestion and help maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract.* DigestZen is great to have on hand when stomach upset occurs and is safe and effective. DigestZen is a healthy, natural, and gentle way to soothe an upset stomach or maintain a healthy digestive system.* 

Read in PDF format here

Order yours directly online OR if you are local to the London area and would like to get FREE shipping and additional savings I have an order going in later tonight for myself and can add a BOGO to it for you!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Ease into Spring with todays BOGO!

TriEase Softgels were developed to protect against seasonal and environmental elements and to promote a healthy respiratory system when needed most.* Each softgel contains equal parts of Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oils, known for their ability to maintain clear breathing and a healthy immune response when combined together.* Used by both veteran and novice essential oil users, this well-known blend is frequently mixed together for its respiratory health benefits.* Now, with TriEase Softgels, this combination can be consumed quickly and easily when traveling, attending outdoor events, or when seasonal or environmental elements are particularly high. TriEase Softgels can be consumed safely on a daily basis during times of seasonal discomfort to promote clear breathing and overall respiratory health!

Click here for full PDF

dōTERRA Breathe is a remarkable blend of essential oils including Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, Ravensara, and Cardamom. dōTERRA Breathe maintains feelings of clear airways and easy breathing while minimizing the effects of seasonal threats. dōTERRA Breathe can be applied topically to the chest, back, or bottom of feet, or diffused at nighttime to calm the senses and promote a restful sleep!

To find out more about the benefits of dōTERRA Breathe and its easy application options here is a quick little video ...

Click here for full PDF

Also please note that in Canada dōTERRA  Breathe is sold under the name 'Easy Air' it is the exact same proprietary blend its just that it was required to be labelled directly in Canada's label laws.

Have an amazing day!


Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.