Quick Fertility Update

I guess it's about time I give an update to those of you wondering about my fertility status. Well...as of right now we are taking a break from the RE (reproductive encrinologist) and I've been seeking more natural methods. As I posted a couple months ago I have changed my diet to the 'fertility diet' more or less. I am still following this diet (incorporating mostly organic foods, little to no processed foods/sugar, etc) and also started seeing an acupuncturist at Acupuncture NW a little over a month ago. Unfortunately nothing has changed in my cycle so far. The acupuncturist has me seeing her once a week for treatment, as well as taking a customized herb blend 2 times per day and using what they call a "Moxa Stick" to 'warm the uterus' (this is basically a giant incense stick that is put near the abdomen to warm the area of the uterus. I am hoping they are able to help get my cycle back, but have been frustrated so far that nothing seems to be helping when I have given up so much. But as my previous post noted, I am leaving this all up to God and know this is His plan ultimately. So...not much new on the fertility home front....we're just trying to take things one day at a time! And are looking forward to a much needed vacation to Cancun next month to take our minds off everything and give us a chance to relax!!

~*Tasty Organic Recipes*~

Well, it's been about 2 weeks or so since I started my "Fertility Dense Diet" and I'm proud to say that I've been doing really good and eating the healthiest I ever have in my life. Of course it's impossible to be perfect and buying EVERYTHING Organic would be way too spendy..but I've been cooking a lot, staying home and found some really tasty Organic snack crackers (one of my weaknesses!!). I was really having a craving for sugar last week since it had been a week without much except natural sugars so I found a recipe for Organic Cream Cheese Brownies..they were delicious!!! :) I would HIGHLY recommend this recipe, we took it over to Keren and Steve's last week and the plate was gone within an hour as we played Guitar Hero! I didn't change much from her recipe..although I did use more organic ingredients (for the chocolate I used Safeway Organic chocolate chips and a little Organic Dark chocolate, Organic cream cheese, butter, cane sugar and flour.)

Another recipe I tried was Quinoa and Black beans. I had never heard of Quinoa until recently and I've found what an amazing grain it is ...If you're interested..check this out:

The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. It is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains. It is a good complement for legumes, which are often low in methionine and cystine. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids. Some types of wheat come close to matching quinoa's protein content, but grains such as barley, corn, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa. Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein and four ounces a day, about 1/2-cup, will provide a childs protein needs for one day. The 6-7% fat of quinoa is relatively high when compared to other grains, but it boasts a low sodium content and also provides valuable starch and fiber. Quinoa also contains albumen, a protein that is found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues. The seeds are gluten-free which makes this a nutritious and flavorful alternative grain for those with gluten sensitivity. Quinoa would be a worthy addition to anyone's diet, supplying variety as well as good nutrition. The seed is also excellent feed for birds and poultry and the plant itself is good forage for cattle.

Other than my new and exciting recipes ..not much else new in my world. I'm counting down the days until I'm off my 2am-noon shift..although I don't know how much better it will be since I'm going to 10pm-8am....ugh!!! I'm sooo sick of getting stuck with such crappy shifts...but I guess in a few more years it should be getting better..I wish they would hurry up and promote some more dispatchers so I would have more seniority! Oh well...anyways...I'm off to start another new recipe for dinner :) Brown sugar mustard glazed salmon with roasted sweet potatoes..yum!!

Natural Fertility

Well...after some discussion with Andy, thought, prayer and research I have decided what my next step will be to try and help our infertility. I have been researching natural methods of curing infertility in general and came across this website: http://natural-fertility-info.com/ where I found A LOT of useful information. So I'm going to be changing my diet to incorporate MOSTLY organic meats/produce/dairy and wheat/snack items. I don't want to go crazy and throw everything in the house away yet...so I'm just going to start purchasing more organic as things run out and try to be a lot healthier and get away from processed food, chemicals and hormones. I've heard of miracles happening just from dietary changes and I figure it's worth a try!! :)

So I talked to Andy about it yesterday...he's not as sold on it as I am ..but I'm the one making the changes not him...so oh well! And he said the more power to me if it actually works. And..it's a lot better than continuing the stress of infertility medications on my body and increasing that with IVF medications and procedures.

Also..if anyone sees a naturopathic dr. or a nutritionist that they'd recommend I'd be interested in getting their information as I'd like to talk with a professional about this also.

So...here's to getting my body healthy and ready for a baby!! Bring on the 'Fertility Dense Diet'