Eating Healthier Post Baby!

Now don’t get me wrong, I still eat the occasional processed hot dog and deli meats and what not, my diet isn’t ideal, but I do admit that a lot of things have changed after having my son.

I think the biggest thing that really changed is the dairy free diet that I am on. I do not remember if I have mentioned this yet or not, but little Kassiyan has a dairy and soy (I’m guessing) protein allergy. This was discovered around 6 weeks when I noticed blood in his stool, and of course panicked. I was given the option to either continue eating whatever the heck I want and put him on formula (which was a big NO NO for me) or take all these allergic things out of my diet and continue breastfeeding him.

It was very difficult for me. If you know me, or even remember me as the weird cheese eating girl from high school you KNOW how much I love my dairy. If I could I would give up meat instead. But I am going 5.5 months strong for now and I think the only way I am doing it is thanks to God himself!

Anyway, back to eating healthier. Aside from this specific diet that I was pretty much forced to go on, I’ve been trying my best to eat more fruits, berries, veggies and organic. In all honesty, I would eat 100% organic, but the big thing that really comes down to it is the money. It is pricy!!! And with my husband the only one working, money is a big deal in the family. But luckily since we get assistance from the government we are able to eat healthy here and there and afford to eat organic foods. Hopefully no judgement is passed with this. Don’t picture us eating an organic free-range, cage-free $70 turkey every night, we don’t! But we can occasionally afford a trip to Hannaford or Trader Joes to buy some organic produce.

Speaking of Trader Joes- I LOVE that store! Too bad the closest one to us is in Albany and 1.5 hours away!

The other two things I recently started using pretty much in almost EVERYTHING I cook in is Pink Himalayan Salt and Coconut oil. I probably should specify coconut oil is pretty much used for everything in this house!!!

Also, if I may add- I was weirded out by coconut oil in the beginning. Eating it at least. I don’t like coconuts and didn’t want everything tasting like it. Although it smells like it, it does not give a coconut taste to everything. I even started making delicious vegan homemade chocolate with it!!!

Being on a restricted diet you’re left with small choices to cook with and therefore start experimenting. After hearing a lot about these two and reading up on them, I decided to fully change to them. I haven’t had vegetable oil or olive oil in the house… I don’t even remember how long already. Everything I make that needs oil has coconut oil in it- and I have to say it brings a unique- DELICIOUS- and healthy taste to old foods I’ve always prepared with other oils.

Anything that is delicious and healthy is a big win in my book!

As far as the salt, after reading that the cheap white salt that we consume pretty much lacks all the minerals and vitamins  it originally had, and even has iodine removed from it and then chemically re-added into it- makes you really want to rethink ever using that salt again.

I mean at first I was like- pink salt? Really? I gave it a try and taste wise I couldn’t tell a difference at all. If it tastes the same, and is healthier for you- why not make the switch?

Trying to incorporate more veggies into my diet has also been a great addition. I learned some veggies can be added to old meals and not even make a difference to them taste wise. Like spinach. It is pretty much tasteless if you ask me, but it’s healthy! So cooking it with my favorite shrimp or chicken over pasta is a great way to get some extra iron into your system.

I don’t even know how or when I became so interested in trying to eat healthier, just scary thoughts about what is in the regular meats scares me sometimes. A friend of mine told me do you even know what they inject into chicken breasts? They are much bigger and would never even fit into a chicken the way they are sold because of all the hormones and antibiotics that are injected into them. I mean this is scary! Why do companies do this? Sometimes it just scares me to buy anything at all once I start thinking about all this stuff and that we humans consume it and then are sick with God knows what and have weird hormone imbalance or whatever else. I get scared I can wake up with a 3^rd arm sometimes or an extra finger! I know… maybe  a little bizarre… but still!

Sometimes I wish there was some sort of worry free store existent. Where you can go and shop freely without reading the labels or nutrition facts and just be sure that what you are buying is healthy and antibiotic free!

Little baby steps have been taken. Some by force, some by pure fear… but hoping we can fully eat organic one day if money permits.

Also, I don’t know if this has anything to do with it, but I have noticed I have been sick less. I am usually sick 24/7 during the winter and have only been sick 2ce so far and one of the times not even that badly. It could be the post partum diet! Or I know some women say after giving birth they seem to be healthier! Maybe my own breastmilk is boosting my immune system. Who knows!

I still have my thyroid issue and still have tummy issues though, so I can’t brag completely. I recently found out that amber can help regulate your thyroid so maybe that will be taken care of soon! Kind of anxious to see my thyroid levels at my next blood work appt, which should be sometime this month. I’m also having my colonoscopy – the long awaited one that was postponed because I found out I was pregnant 3 days before my originally scheduled on- this Friday. So hopefully some answers at least will be given there.

Kind of went off on a tangent there. Anyway, point is…I think becoming a mom has made me more aware of the foods and drugs I or anyone for that matter ingest and more paranoid therefore I’ve taken these changes. I’m kind of glad Kassiyan has been purely breastfed up until recently,  but even that 90% of his nutrition is me so I don’t have to go crazy about what he eats just yet. But even when I did let him try a banana or avocado, I make sure it’s organic. These sneaky companies won’t list all the nasty things they add to your veggies, so better safe to go organic.

With that said, I have been very open to different recipes and health alternatives. So if anyone has any healthy, delicious or useful recommendations- please share! I am all open to try everything. I may or may not like everything I try, but willing to try an effort to create a healthier eating lifestyle for myself and my family!

And lastly, I just have to say I have not exercised one single day after giving birth and I am currently 5 pounds LESS than I was pre-pregnancy! Could it be the dairy-free diet? Or maybe the coconut oil that boosts metabolism and promotes weight loss? The world may never know I guess!