The mister and I decided to kick off 2014 with another juice detox. I decided to give it another go because I have been in and out of the doctor’s office for the past few months struggling with an undiagnosable issue.
I have been having a pain above my rib cage, right below my left breast. At times it was so bad that I couldn’t fall asleep at night because of the crushing pressure. It hurt to breath, bend or lay on that side – so I went to the doctor. I thought that the issue was caused by a fall that I had sustained a few weeks before and assumed the doctor would tell me that I had broken a rib. However, after several doctor appointments including my gynecologist and a gastrointestinal specialist – several x-rays, ultrasounds and a CT scan later – the doctor’s couldn’t find anything wrong.
My doctor suggested that I do an elimination diet to see if the pressure could be due to an allergy to diary or gluten or possibly my diet in general. I figured now was a good time to do another juice detox, since the only thing I would be consuming is vegetables and a few fruits, (although she did recommend that I steer clear of cruciferous vegetables, since they can cause gas and bloating). I am currently on day 6 of the detox and the pain has subsided a little bit. I am focused on doing this fast for 2 weeks, last time I completed a 30 day detox, but because I suffer from anemia (I do take an iron supplement), I don’t want to go longer than than this time. Then, I plan to start adding in foods slowly while paying close attention to how my body feels overall.
I will keep you updated on my progress and let you know if at the end of the fast, the pain has gone away. My next steps are going to see a Chiropractor (I wonder if my body is out of whack from sitting at my desk all day) and then possibly an Acupuncturist.
Have to tried an elimination diet before to try to pinpoint a health problem? Was it successful for you? Do you have recommendations? Please share your thoughts below in the comments section, your tips help us all!
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P.S. The photo above is of my favorite breakfast juice, here is the recipe if you are interested:
Let’s face it – eating healthy can be expensive. Actually, groceries in general are expensive – and in today’s economy it is important to stretch your family’s budget in any area that you can. Next to our house payment, our grocery budget is our family’s largest monthly expensive. That is mostly because we eat almost exclusive at home. All three of us pack our lunches and snacks for work and school each morning, and other than an occasional meal out, we eat at home.
The mister is our family’s chef, so he plans out all of our meals for the week, making some ahead of time for night’s that he has to work late and even making all of Eben’s breakfasts and lunches for the week on the weekend. He does all of our cooking from scratch and says that this is the single best way to save money. Since boxed foods are expensive and packed full of perservatives, I agree that cooking from scratch is the way to go.
However, there are other ways that you can save money on your grocery shopping bill, and these ways are also great on the environment too. Read on to get started and save some money in grocery budget in 2014:
1. Track Your Food Budget
Keep all of your grocery shopping receipts for an entire month and place them in an envelope in your kitchen or office. At the end of the month, tally up your food spending for the month. Then, spend some time analyzing your spending to determine what items you could cut from your shopping list and where you could save money. Take that total dollar amount and divide it by four, that is your new food budget for the month – now stick to it for the entire year. By doing this alone, you should be able to cut down on your grocery budget considerably.
2. Stick to the Budget and the List
Once you have established a budget for your grocery shopping, the next step is to make a list and stick to it. I like to organize my list by the layout of my grocery store. I divide it into different sections; produce, dairy, dried goods, household items, etc; This makes it much easier to ensure that I don’t miss anything and don’t have to track back to one area once I have moved on. Most importantly, you have to commit to only purchasing what is on that list and avoid all impulse buying – tell yourself if it isn’t on the list, I am not buying it. Â
3. Join A CSA Or Co-op
A CSA (community supported agriculture) gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship with your local farmers and is a simple concept that can have a profound impact not only your health but on the farm that you support and your local community. We have found that by building a relationship with our local farmer, she is willing to give us any surplus produce at a discounted rate.
Another great option is a food co-op, which is is a collectively owned grocery store. The common goal of a co-op is to bring together a community by providing products that are eco-friendly, organic, fair trade, and socially responsible, many food co-ops will have the option to purchase items in bulk – which can save you money in the long run.
4. Meatless Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday….
Let’s face it organic meat is expensive, not only on our food budget but also on the health of our families and the environment. In our home we do still consume some fish and poultry, however when we eat those proteins we treat them as a side dish and not the main course. We try to have a meatless dinner several times a week, and this has definitely cut down on the size of our grocery bill and our family feels healthier too!
5. Buy More Vegetables and Fruits
In our home, we plan our weekly menus based on what we find in our bi-weekly CSA box (when we are a member of one). We plan meals that are plant based and have found that not only is this great on our budget, it has really boosted our health. We have replaced our regular morning breakfast with smoothies and green juices made using the fresh fruits and vegetables that we receive in our CSA box. If you don’t have a local CSA, other great options include the farmer’s market and produce stands. Eating more fruits and vegetables has not only shrunk our budgets but our waistlines are shrinking too – and that is a good thing!
What ways have you found to cut your grocery store spending?
———————————————————————– The photo is from our stop at our local produce stand – they have the best selection and are a great way to supplement any items that we run out of in between CSA boxes.
Have you been looking for an environmentally friendly lunchbox for school, work or on-the-go that is also stylish and functional? If so, have you considered a bento box? I love the way each food item has it’s own area, keeping dry foods dry and dips and sauces under control.
How do you save the Earth at lunch time? Do you have a particular style of reusable lunch box that you adore. Please share below – your tips help us all!
Hello, Friends. Happy New Year! I am patiently waiting for the mister to get home from work so we can get in the hot tub. It has been in the low 60°’s all day today and I am freezing. Ha! However, it is perfect weather for bike riding, so tomorrow we plan to do exactly that, all day long. We are going to hit one of our favorite forested trails and hope to see some wildlife. If you live in a part of the world that is being hit by crazy cold weather – please stay warm and safe! And if you still have power, grab a blanket and a hot cup of tea and enjoy these few green things:
When was the last time that you simplified your life by getting rid of all of the clutter that surrounds you? The more things that we consume the more consumed we become with these things. It is easy for clutter to take over in today’s fast paced world where a new cell phone comes out every few months and we are tempted to buy around every corner. Buying something new that you already have a perfectly good one of – is it really necessary?
Look around your home and office, consider donating or selling items that you haven’t used in the past year, or bookLupo Enterprises to remove any junk that is no longer useful to anyone, chances are you won’t use them again. Clutter leads to disorganization and they both can add to your stress level. Simplifying your life, leaves you in control – just think how much easier your home will be to clean, how quickly you will be able to find something, how much more relaxed you will become in your own space. This month, I will be sharing simple organizing tips to get you on your way to a completely uncluttered life and a fuller, happier 2014!
YOUR TURN: What areas of organization do you find most challenging?
