Down the Hatch!

So Saturday I took my final active birth control pill...

I'm excited... and scared.

I'm excited about the prospect of getting to know my body and discovering just where I'm at in terms of reproductive health.

I'm scared because I'm never held this power before.

Wanting to go about this the proper way, I met with my MD to discus FAM and getting off the Pill (or really to tell her that I had gotten off the Pill). Thankfully she is supportive. She agreed that it certainly can't hurt and she even seemed excited to see how my body would react to the Metformin without the Pill. I've been encouraged to take a multivitamin and she even said she wasn't concerned about my weight (score!). 

So more than anything, I'm excited... So excited that I woke up at 3:45 and, in a half stupor, started taking my temperature this morning. The hubs had to tell me to put it away and go back to sleep, ha. 

"My best birth control now is just to leave the lights on."  Joan Rivers

Taco Salad

The hubs loves this simple and super easy meal. It meets my random Mexican craving, without busting my caloric budget, which always goes out the window if chips and tortillas are involved.

• Package of Extra Firm tofu, drained and pressed
• Package Taco Seasoning (SafeWay brand is the only I've found without added sugar)
• Taco salad fixings 

1. Chop tofu into small pieces and saute over medium/high heat in a bit of oil until there's a bit of a crust on the sides.

2. Stir in taco seasoning packet and 1/4 cup of water. Simmer on medium heat until sauce is thick. 
3. Add tofu to a bed of lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, beans, and a bit of Greek yogurt. 

Enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Here's a fabulous (and simple) soup the hubs and I enjoyed this evening. The sweet potato is a excellent touch and makes it more than just your average starch chowder. I'm still attempting to drum up a way to add protein so suggestions are welcome.

Roasted Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

• 2 or 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces
• Olive oil (I prefer my rosemary infused)
• season salt and pepper to taste

• 1 can of corn kernels
• 1 cup water
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 russet potato, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the sweet potatoes into a 9x13 inch baking dish, drizzle with oil, and season with season salt and pepper. Stir to coat the sweet potatoes in oil.
2. Roast in the preheated oven until the sweet potatoes are golden and tender (20 to 30 minutes). Stir occasionally as they cook so the sweet potatoes cook evenly.
3. Meanwhile, puree corn kernels in a blender and set aside.
4. Heat the some oil (again, I use my rosemary infused) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and shallot. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and dried thyme leaves; cook 1 minute more. Pour in the vegetable broth, corn puree, bay leaf, salt, and cubed russet potato. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potato is tender, 20 ish minutes.
5. Once the potato is tender, remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the sweet potato. Return to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. 

 Thank you to Mellie for the recipe.

Just a spoon full of sugar...

I have PCOS. It started with my ability to grow a full beard at the age of 13, shortly followed by a period only every other month, and difficult periods at best. I finally got the official diagnosis around the age of 24.

One of the fun things about PCOS is being insulin resistant. As a result I started Metformin a few months back and shortly after starting the medication, I decided to eliminate refined sugar and carbohydrates from my diet.

One of the key catalyst leading to eliminating sugar wasn't actually being "diagnosed" insulin resistant though. GT sent me an article that was published in the New York Times, which pretty much changed the way I eat... most of the time at least, ha.

As a vegetarian, I'm accustom to reading labels (They like to sneak animal products in just about everything.) so it wasn't a change at all to start looking for sugar among the ingredients. The hubs and I began by eliminating straight up sugar from the diet (candy, syrups, table and brown sugar, etc) then sugars in the products we purchased and finally we made the big move and eliminated bread. The main change was the need for planning.

I now make a menu for the week and cook every evening. What we eat for dinner we have for lunch the next day (Eliminating bread did eliminate sandwiches which were a fairly constant in the lunch sack), which also helps our budget.

Its amazing what one ingredient can make!

I began this endeavor towards the end of July and to date I have lost 11 pounds. I feel better and have a bit more energy. It hasn't always been fun giving up foods that I enjoy (I mean, French bread?), but thus far I am pleased with the results.

Stay tuned for favorite brands and recipes that I find along the way in this journey towards simpler eating. 

"Slow down, Sugar, because I'm a diabetic!" - Nick Jonas

May the charge taking begin!

I was doing the math and realized that I have been on the Pill now for at least 4 maybe 5 years... too long. Its not that I'm necessarily against the Pill, it has worked for plenty of women, I've just had numerous problems with it. With that said, every MD I've talked to has only been willing to switch the brand as the only option to combat the various side effects and since the hubs and I aren't at a place where we want to introduce children into the mix, I've gone with it. Until recently.

ABD recently recommended the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility and thus far it has read well and gives a sense of empowerment and control.

Its also a bit daunting.

I appreciate the understanding and knowlegde of the inner workings or my body (too many women know too little, I believe) but to think that the consequences of missreading or being lazy may end up with an 18 year responsibility is sobering. I'm still reading and haven't commited yet, but it does offer hope to those, myself included, wanting to get off the Pill and a natural way of controling such things in life.

I'll keep you posted...

"We want far better reason for having children than not knowing how to prevent them" - Dora Russell