When this Mother Earth was a young girl becoming a woman was a bit of a wow.

The joke for my parents was the note I left under my mother’s pillow ” I desperately need a bra ” ( Couldn’t they see that? ) When I got my trainer bra I proceeded to sortof bust ( excuse the pun ) right out it it! My mom exclaimed, “where the heck did those come from?”

Compared to most of my high school girlfriends the only drama I had in relationship to getting my period was the one my mother created when I didn’t rinse out my underpants.  I never had all the pain and suffering my friends had. Thus premenstrual syndrome just wasn’t part of what I knew. In HS, I had a normal cycle, normal period,  no concerns. Tons of my friends lost days from school, took drugs, had flow issues, slept with heating pads, and were on the pill to help regulate.

Until my senior year.

Symptoms of PMS: 

weight gain
tender breasts
mild to severe cramping
lower back pain
moodiness
moderate to severe food cravings - usually in the form of chocolate and salt
periods longer than 3 days
heavy bleeding

My senior year in high school was intense for about six million reasons. Whatever the reasons were I was stressed and it showed up physically. As I continued to be stressed,eat poorly and to start life out on my own, my symptoms increased.

I was nutritionally deficient.  Severely.

Stress pulls nutrients from the body. One nutrient in particular, B Complex regulates hormones, contributes to the brain, helps convert food to energy.

In my child bearing years I had horrific first tri-mesters. With what I know now I can’t help but wonder if all those years of nutrient depletion contributed to that.

When trying to conceive my second child I began to read about ovulation. I began to notice a very specific pattern in the way I felt after I ovulated. The pattern was so specific it was rather frightening. It’s not something I ever talked about with my mom or my sisters OR my friends. We didn’t have the internet to discover that tons of woman had these symptoms too.  I never felt I could ask my friends hey do want to cry all the time? I felt like a freak.

After I ovulated, or two weeks after my last period stopped, I’d get tender very full breasts – I’d have to wear a completely different bra. I’d get indescribable lower back pain, I’d start to gain weight – I’d fluctuate up to 10 lbs,  I’d get so moody and weepy. Just about anything would make me cry. I found my ability to cope limited.  This was often more than I could bare – I at times felt deep despair. I’d start cramping about three days before getting my period and then once it began I’d cramp severely and bleed heavily for about seven days. This pattern was worse after the birth of my first child.  I thought this was the way it was supposed to be – the woes of being female. We all go through this, don’t we? I had heard others complain so I thought to myself – I am just like them.  It’s normal to be so miserable. I at one point remember asking my husband if during these times – during the especially weepy emotional times if he could just be nice to me – I actually begged him.  This was not a particularly good time in our marriage.

In addition to this I had blood sugar issues. I had a horrible habit of skipping breakfast. I ate junk. I’d wake each and every morning trembling – I’d eat, only to get a headache – start trembling again a few hours later.  More headaches.

This Mother Earth was a mess.

By the time I had gotten through my second pregnancy, there was nothing left of me – I gave birth to every healthy living cell.

Several years followed. I was a stay at home mom with two kids. My marriage issues intensified. Stress and fear ruled my universe.

I got scared. I began to shift my focus – I wanted my life to be more positive. I began to investigate healthy living, I started Jazzercising – I started to learn about food choices – I began to question things.  A  very wonderful person encouraged and introduced me to supplementation

She asked me to take 2 high quality multi-vitamins, 3 B Complex and to drink a Soy Protein smoothie each morning. While I purchased these three items I heard like heck about it from my husband. He said, you bought what?? I felt undeserving, he was a skeptic. I wasn’t sure this would help me but I wanted to believe her.  I wanted to feel different.  I only took 1/2 of what she recommended. I noticed a little bit more energy and on the days I had a smoothie in the morning. I had no headaches.  She continued to encourage me. I finally took on the full protocol she suggested. Four months later ALL my PMS symptoms disappeared.  Everything.  I was a completely different person.

The difference in my health is what precipitated my sharing wellness with others, the more I learned the more I wanted to share. With the income potential I also began to see a way out of my first marriage. Courage and boldness followed.

I have not had PMS symptoms since 1993.  I began menstruating when I was 12 - since 1997 I had PMS symptoms.  16 years!

I have been absolutely free of PMS symptoms now for 18 years!

I am a huge advocate of supplementation for woman.  A simple regime of a Multi-Vitamin, B Complex and Soy Protein could assist your PMS symptoms too.

Perhaps you know of someone who is wondering if their monthly symptoms are normal or who might be questioning their sanity?

It’s so not normal to have PMS symptoms.

flickr image credit

when she posted that she was working on another collaboration with ceramicist karin ericksson,  an artist I also have admired, thanks to her work with Camilla, I went to peek at the items they were clearing out to make room for their newer pieces.

I was quite taken with this particular piece

i thought, wow – this tile says mother/daughter to me, how totally cool.

on a whim, i ordered it.

and so here it is – just in time for Mothers Day!!

i had to take a close up of the signature. LOOK…both of them signed it!!

when it arrived… I emailed both of them.  i shared that the tile was here, safe and intact and that i was delighted and grateful.

both artists entertained a few forth and back emails with me.

oh my goodness more gush.

perhaps my photography will someday have an adoring following.

yes, i have artist envy.

by the way, my daughter and I?

we are just like the ladies in this tile.

very happening!!

They work, they cook, they clean, they juggle, they shuttle, they worry.

It shows up in stress which takes it’s toll on the body, and it’s now showing up more than ever before.

Moms are tired, maxed out, they can’t sleep, they are overweight.

Woman according to a 2008 survey by the American Pysycholigical Association, are more affected by stress than men. Unhealthy behaviors like comfort eating, poor food choices, smoking and inactivity now shows up in their physical health.  Stressed woman are at risk for serious health concerns down the road

The stress response, also known as flight or flight is a very automatic function of the nervous system. It’s one thing to have it kick in and give you the ability to run like heck when you need it. Yet if the response becomes chronic it can really goof up our hormonal and physical chemistry. This can show up in your heart rate, your blood pressure and your blood sugar. It can actually effect major systems of the body like the immune system, the digestive system, and our reproductive and growth processes.

Normally the stress response is self regulating.  Example: a child gets lost – we go into a full alert panic as we try to find him or her, yet once we find resolve ( and the child ) our bodies become calm again. Balance.
These days everything has become full alert, the body never gets a chance to chill out – it never gets a chance to recharge.

Which are the areas of the body that feel it most?

Digestion - when digestion shuts down it manifests itself physically; a stomach ache, diarrhea, or constipation – if you are stressed and shutting down digestion due to fight or flight responses you are creating a chronic concern. Our digestive system was not meant to be in constant stress. Woman experience Irritable Bowel Syndrome 3 times more than men

Immune Response - suppressed immunity occurs after repeated call to action. The immune system is a very complex balancing act, when it’s in full working order it’s pretty darn miraculous. Yet our full and rigorous lives have us increasing our immunity risk not only to infections but to more serious disorders. Auto-immune diseases are more prevalant in woman.

Cardiovascular Health - if you are constantly stressed you actually raise your heart rate altering your personal chemistry – this chronic acceleration increases risk for heart attack and stroke. Constant fight or flight response can cause an overproduction of cortisol and may have you feeling anxious and depressed

Nervous System - brain cells lose their ability to function and structure when stressed. This shows up in memory function. I thought my classic where is my car parked syndrome was a function of getting older!

Sleep Deprivation- chronic stress and anxiety contributes to sleepless nights, while normally this was thought to be a new mom syndrome, it is now is found in all stages of their lives – woman aren’t getting enough sleep more than ever before. Woman tend to have more insomnia than men. Sleep is what recharges the cortisol connection.

Obesity- the collection of central obesity or the accumulation of abdominal fat is seemingly a direct corralation to the levels of cortisol in the body, this apple type body shape increases the risk of heart disease dramatically.

SIX Ways to Manage MOM Stress

Being a single mom of two has had it’s moments, however parenting by far has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Some of my very roughest times were managed simply by taking care of me first, being a better me – created me as a much better mom

ONE - Identify the stressors, we can not fix what we haven’t identified. Strive to find solutions. Be determined. Besides creating less stress, strident problem solving is a great example for our families

TWO - Schedule personal relaxation times – simply pausing several times a day to breathe, collect and organize your thoughts can recharge even the busiests of moms. Additionally actually scheduling something, anything outside the home regularly can provide just the right relief valve, don’t have the money? A walk with a friend is free. Just do it.

THREE - Eat right. We all know this. I have personally had success with being mindful, eating a variety of foods, and not buying the junk- if it’s around – I’ll eat it!

FOUR - When is bed time? We establish that routine for our kids perhaps it would benefit us as moms too. If our child doesn’t get their nap are they cranky? fatigued? Why would we think anything less for us as moms – go to bed!

FIVE - Movement stimulates all the systems of the body. 10 minutes each and every day is better than nothing. Start with 10 minutes of anything after a big glass of water each and every day and see what a difference that makes for you

SIX - Oh my goodness — Take your vitamins!! Nutritional gaps are inevitable, a really good multi-vitamin is a great start, often we need more. Not sure what you need ? I’d love to help.

Choose high quality nutritional supplements that can assist your stress free path.

Moms don’t forget that a sense of humor goes a long way too!

retro flickr image credit

1 onion, diced

2 T olive oil

1 bay leaf

1 t celery seed

———————

1 C green split peas

1/4 C barley

1/2 C lima beans

2 quarts water

——————–

2 t salt

dash pepper

1 carrot, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

1/2 C chopped parsley

1 potato, diced

1/2 C chopped leeks

1/2 t basil

1/2 t thyme

Saute onion in olive oil until soft, along with bay leaf and celery seed. Stir in peas, barley & limas. Add water & bring to a boil. Cook on low heat 1-1/2 hours. Add salt, pepper, veggies & herbs. Turn head down as low as possible and simmer 1 hour.

Makes 8-9 cups

bay leaf image source – google images.  sorry, but split pea soup images are not that aesthetic.

Here are a few lovely substances one might find in an oven cleaner:

Naphthalene
A white crystalline compound derived from coal tar or petroleum and used in manufacturing dyes, moth repellents, and explosives and as a solvent. Also called tar camphor

Petroleum Distillates
A thick, flammable, yellow-to-black mixture of gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrocarbons that occurs naturally beneath the earth’s surface, can be separated into fractions including natural gas, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, fuel and lubricating oils, paraffin wax, and asphalt and is used as raw material for a wide variety of derivative products.

Butylcelosolve
Any of four flammable alcohols derived from butanes and used in organic synthesis and as solvents.

Carcinogens -
Substances that increase the risk of neoplasms in humans or animals. Both genotoxic chemicals, which affect DNA directly, and nongenotoxic chemicals, which induce neoplasms by other mechanism, are included.

Ammonia -
A colorless, pungent gas extensively used to manufacture fertilizers and a wide variety of nitrogen-containing organic and inorganic chemicals.

Chlorine -
A highly irritating, greenish-yellow gaseous halogen, capable of combining with nearly all other elements, produced principally by electrolysis of sodium chloride and used widely to purify water, as a disinfectant and bleaching agent, and in the manufacture of many important compounds including chloroform and carbon tetrachloride.

Hydrochloric Acid -
A clear, colorless, fuming, poisonous, highly acidic aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride, HCl, used as a chemical intermediate and in petroleum production, ore reduction, food processing, pickling, and metal cleaning. It is found in the stomach in dilute form.

Organochlorine -
Any of various hydrocarbon pesticides, such as DDT, that contain chlorine.

the above definitions sourced from what’s under YOUR Sink?

What if you could clean off burnt on food in your oven without losing nose hairs in the process?

Allow me to share a green clean nugget, a moment of greenness – just you, me and that darn oven.

Consider trying a green clean scouring paste that smells a little like something between bubble gum and cherry Kool-Aid.

Gentle in that it won’t scratch, but mighty in that it works really well !!

It’s NON-TOXIC and bio-degradable too!

Certainly not something one thinks of as an oven cleaner.

How many folks do you know who believe it needs to be really nasty chemical to get the job done?

Try again.  Pick your very toughest stain or oven and let this alternative scouring paste and a little elbow grease take it on!!

circa 1967self-cleaning flickr image

P.S. there is always a reader who has this oven.  love it

It’s the last day of Earth Month.  Earth day is an over done, green washed “whatever”  expression that has lost it’s meaning to perfect looking designer grocery bags, and look good efforts to plant a tree.  I realize I am being very negative.  But many of us who advocate green concerns find this month to be a lot of green noise. Changes that could happen to move things forward via climate change aren’t happening fast enough. For me, my concerns are climate change and our health.

Perhaps I shouldn’t complain, I personally don’t take on climate change like some,  yet I point in admiration to those that do, and I advocate when and where I can.

The way I earn my living is by selling supplements.   The premise of taking supplements is to build your well being, protect and enhance it – it’s in the mind set of prevention.  Prevent illness and you won’t get trapped in the machinery of modern medicine.  I believe this, it’s one thing I feel I might have control over.   I example this as best as I can.  I  eat well – that means eating for health – not eating for taste. I cook from scratch, and gosh darn it,  I take my vitamins.  I champion my clients to do the same. I hope this is somehow doing my part.   I know I help people get well, get off of medications, restore their health.   Is that enough?

In reading about the future of climate change, inevitable atrocities are expected,  especially to our water supply.  This precious commodity needs to be protected.    I heard a statistic that said that our municipalities only treat 3% of the water supply for drinking water,   the other 97% goes to things like washing our cars.   What??   That statistic floored me.  What are we actually doing with our water ?? Do we even know?  Look at the manufacturing of a fast food hamburger and how much water that takes.   We don’t get that water back.  How about the manufacturing of bottled water.  Excuse me, but that’s simply criminal.  Why are we still allowing the manufacturing of bottle water?   Why?

Many of the top health issues are diet related.  The statistics just around the issue of obesity are staggering.  I know this perhaps sounds naive, but as long as 75% of what is purchased at our grocery stores – this so called produced/manufactured food — is still available for folks to consume, become addicted to, and continue to build poor health and illness …nothing will change.

So….couldn’t we just stop making the stuff ?? Yeah – like shut the industry down.   Do people really need ketchup, sugar laden genetically modified corn cereal and diet coke??  If aspartame, high fructose syrup and altered grain are ALL bad for us, why are we still producing it??  I don’t get it.   Why do we manufacture this stuff??  Let’s abolish fast food.   Make it illegal. Can you even imagine it?  If we are such a powerful smart industrious nation, couldn’t we recreate the family meal, implement scratch cooking, lose the BPA lined cans and get back to eating from the land?  A land not sprayed with round up and controlled by some large mega company??  What if the aisles in the grocery stores were reverse and 75% was “live” clean, healthy, health building food??  Let’s fund and champion the organic farmer, real people, hard working people who care. They want to alter the way we are currently eat.  Let the organic farmer take that on!!  What about mandating school lunch programs that serve vegetables.  Period.  Like that’s the only choice.  None of this chicken tenders crap.  What if hospitals and nursing homes served patients vegetable soup, verses plastic peel lid apple juices and jello.   Jello?  Since when does jello do the body good?

With regard to climate change it is predicted that we can look forward to extreme temperatures, super infectious diseases spread by insects who thrive on warmer temperatures, poor air quality and more. This is frightening!

Our bodies human needs to be in  a much stronger place to combat these pending concerns

How we doing on that ?? Is your immunity at it’s very best?   I know I feel as I get older, that I have to work harder to continually build and protect my immune system.   I work with moms and infants who are so immune challenged so early, how are these kids going to be prepared for the fall of our earth’s natural resources? When they can’t even manage a common ear ache without a round of antibiotic.

Obviously my ideas lack some layer of reality in our current model.   I don’t know what leader of what nation would shake things up and make decisions that are not based on profit, greed and harm and actually get to the business of quality living.  Life.  Isn’t that what we are here for ??  Can’t it be a life of wellness for all and save the planet too?

Am I too kumbaya in my thinking??

Or is there potential somehow?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

It’s very important to me to speak to as many families as possible who may be looking for safer more natural approaches to dealing with seasonal allergies or asthma.

testimony:   a mother shared how her children had been on serious allergy medications and asthma steroids,  she enthusiastically reported that her children have now been completely off all the meds since she made three changes:

1.  She removed all her cleaning products and replaced them with the Non-Toxic Green Cleaning Products.  She noticed an improvement in her children’s symptoms within a week, especially, she mentioned, with the laundry products … AND …. you’ll love this part … She talked about how much money she saved from switching brands.

2.  Second, she put her daughter on a simple nutritional supplement program to build her immune system ( Vita C, Natural interferon, a quality probiotic and a superior children’s multi-vitamin )

And

3.   She started making changes in her daughter’s diet …which had been loaded with sugar, carbs, crackers and snacks …. and added more of all things — vegetables … .the goal was towards six vegetables a day.

Please let me know of anyone who comes to mind who may want to know about this safer more natural approach to keeping their children healthy,  reducing or eliminating the medications and all their side effects…
( oh and and save some money, too )

The effort asks computers to take this on for one week.  It’s a super program to observe commute habits and to consider some of these shifts as your personal norm. Try it on!

The director of the ISU Sustainability program Michael McCurdy enthusiastically champions this campaign, he commutes via bicycle to his job, as program director for the local public radio station WGLT

Michael just completed a series of radio/blog interviews to illustrate several who are alternatively commuting year round.   I was the project photographer.

The actual Good To Go challenge is May 12-18,  a friendly competition between individuals, teams and workplaces.  Participants track/report their efforts and are eligible for prizes. The simple goal is to do anything but drive alone.

The main reasons to consider alternative transportation is that it’s really good for you, great for the planet and it saves you money! It also connects you with others in the community!!

More projects by Photographer Karen Hanrahan

Auto-ship saves you money in two ways,  we have certain products that when placed on auto-ship are an additional 10% off member price.  That’s a 25% discount off of retail pricing!

If you place a larger order and put the auto-ship on an every other month rotation – you save on shipping!!   It’s 8.99 to ship up to 9lbs of product.  I think saving on shipping is a great idea!!  Also less shipments means less packaging!

Conveniently you set up a standard what you need order, but if you ever need to add or delete an item it’s as easy as a click or a phone call away.

Auto-ship is self managed program.  I adore working with each of you individually but sometimes the convenience of auto-ship is a win/win for both of us!

Here is a sample email that a customer gets

(note: i played with the language a bit)

Subject: Your Next AutoShip Order Is Going To Ship 

Dear Super Duper Wellness customer,

This message is to remind you that your Product Order AutoShip,  is scheduled for processing in a week

You may view or edit the item(s) shipping in this order at ( specific link is inserted here)  You will need your Member ID and password to access this secure transaction page. You may update your Order AutoShip at any time BEFORE the scheduled processing date of ….

For assistance with your AutoShip, you may call 1-800 – the best wellness company ever, M-F 6AM – 7PM Pacific, or email us…

Thank you for using AutoShip!

If you haven’t noticed I have been hobbying/dabbling/loving/been intoxicated by capturing images around me.

those who know me well understand my desire to bring some layer of uniqueness to the way I do things …my past has always had a yearning for creativity, and I’ve longed for a way to share this expression, even dreaming of earning a living at it!!

while I am not at the professional level just yet…

I have produced some pretty astounding portfolio imagery

This past year I’ve been shouting them out on FB, My Blog, and Tumblr, yet I did not have a pointing place via a professional looking website.

Now I do!!

Note:  the site is a working place, and a work in progress.   I am just tickled by the platform!!

If it’s easier for you here is some specific navigation:

home page

about 

the blog

recently added images …

finally, a place to show featured or current projects in progress

P.S.  should you know a creative seeking a nice user friendly web presence I can’t say enough about my free trial with zenfolio.  Check it out –  I can offer a referral code for a discount to an upgrade should you decide to.  I get a little $ credit also!