Have A Great Meal Without Wanting Your Stomach Pumped Afterwards. aka The Holiday Prep Post

Can you believe we are almost through November?
Almost through 2013?!
Oy vey!

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and while I don't support why we celebrate, it's an excuse to make lots of food and a chance to surround yourself with people you love. Two of my favorite things!

Being the only non meat eater (let alone vegan) in my family, food based gatherings came become a little frustrating. Though I have been veggie for 4 years now, my family still just doesn't get it.  I now acknowledge that they just don't want to. Every vegetable dish gets smothered in butter, that's just the kind of eaters they are. So, when I am heading to a family food gathering, I know it will solely be up to me to provide food I can eat.

Last year, I made a HUGE Thanksgiving meal. I may have gone overboard. I'm pretty sure at one point in the day, Martha Stewart was trying to contact me to make sure I wasn't going off the deep end. This year, because of budget, I have to reel it in quite a bit. This year, my menu consists of (so far…and is subject, and likely, to change…)
Potato, Spinach, Parsnip Casserole topped with roasted Mushrooms
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
a warm Quinoa Salad (a work in progress)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Baked Apples

 I usually prepare a faux meat dish, along with some sides. Over the past year, I've really been rethinking the whole faux meat thing. I think that it's great for someone who is transitioning, or for special occasions like holidays. I just ask that you make sure you know what is in your faux meat. Just because it isn't animal, doesn't mean that it's necessarily good for you. I recommend Googling some brands and figuring out what you feel comfortable with. Make sure you understand the ingredients!

Most people feel that since it is the holiday season, they get a free pass to eat whatever they want and however much they want. Then when the new year rolls around, they head to the gym because they've gained so much weight. Don't let yourself be one of those people. You can eat a variety, without eating large amounts! Try to focus on hearty, filling dishes.

EAT SLOWLY. Are you competing in an eating competition? Probably not. The more you focus on actually chewing your food, we're talking chewing until there is nothing left to chew, the more nutrients you will get from your food and the more full you will feel…faster. Ever wonder why you feel fine while downing your two or three plates of food…then suddenly you feel like Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? You're not giving your body enough time to recognize the mass amounts of food you're eating.

This doesn't mean, however, that you should make yourself miserable. If you want that extra slice of pie…have it. Just don't make the extra slice 3 times the size of an average slice. You'll be amazed at how these few simple tips can leave you feeling satisfied and not like you need to be rolled to the bathroom.

Be kind. Be curious. Be thankful.

Life Update

Oh, the changes that have occurred!

Greetings blog readers! It sure has been a crazy summer! It began in April with a mini breakdown of sorts, I started school in July and a new job at the beginning of this month!

WHOA!!!

It seems that after feeling that life had become pretty stagnant for a few years, it just took a little emotional/spiritual/mental breakthrough (or breakdown) to get the ball rolling. I am a firm believer that, no matter how hard you try, the right things will not come to you until you are ready for them. And no amount of my kicking and screaming was going to change that.

As I mentioned, I started school in July. I am taking a one year course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It's an online course that has a kind of go at your own pace way of teaching. Part of the stagnancy I experienced over the past few years was largely because I just didn't know what to do with my life. I have never really been one to go with what everyone else is doing, and I knew that going thousands of dollars in debt for a degree I likely wouldn't use just wasn't an option. Nor was it an option to get a full time job working in a warehouse (pretty much the only two options around here for a twenty-something year old). I want to help and educate people, save the planet, not neglect myself for my job (a BIG no no for an HSP).

One day I was browsing the discussion forums on TheKindLife.com and found a lot of people talking about IIN. I figured it sounded too good to be true and was probably a scam. So I Nancy Drew'd the hell out of it. While there are the occasional disgruntled students, it seemed like the perfect thing for me.  Within 2 weeks, I was signed up and within another two weeks classes began! Once again, thanks to Alicia and great, fellow Kind-Lifers, my life has changed!
IIN trains you to become a health coach so you can help yourself and others! And instead of it simply being about what you eat, it focuses on the health of mind, body AND spirit! Perfect! Though only a little over a month in, I can't wait until I start taking on clients! More to come on that as it unfolds...


Another big change is my new job. I worked in the coffee shop for 4 years.

 That's a long time to work in a coffee shop.

Let me rephrase. That's a long time to work in a coffee shop that does very little business and for a company that knows very little about coffee shops.

I needed out.
ASAP.

I am now working in a large bookstore. Is it an incredible job that makes me want to do a handstand and skip around all day? No. But it's a much needed change until I can start taking on clients and getting a little extra income.

For the first time in a pretty long time, I can say that I'm pretty content.

(Please note: I am a Gemini and being content is often a passing state of mind.)

Until next time, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later.

Be kind. Be curious. Be patient. 

Do Yourself A Favor...Watch.

Tofu Scramble By A Psycho

Greeting!

It has been an interesting few weeks! I have learned that I can not trust my doctor. Read my last post. I called him immediately and heard back from his receptionist two weeks later. He then claimed that I have completely made up High Sensitivity and wanted me to sign off on psychiatric treatment. 

SAY WHAT?! 

Yes, so I will no longer be going to that doctor.

I still plan on posting some videos about being an HSP, but I think I will go about it differently. I posted some links in a previous post that talk about what an HSP is and isn't. It really can't get any more direct. Well, it can, but I'll let you do your research if you're interested. So, if you have any questions, ask them and I will respond in a video! 

Now, onto what this post is really about. 

Food.

Yes, delicious, yummy, incredible food.

The other morning I made something that I would consider one of the easiest and tastiest things I have ever thrown together. 

Tofu Scramble.

I have made tofu scramble before. It just wasn't that great. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't something I'd make often. It's kind of the vegan equivalent of scrambled eggs. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with tofu. When it comes to me actually making something with tofu, it's usually a hate relationship. 

I mean, there's a reason the stuff gets made fun of a lot. It can be pretty gross. 

But not with this tofu scramble. I'm going to tell you how to make it, then you can thank me. After you eat the entire pan. 

Start off with a block of extra firm tofu. Drain all of the water from it (it's best to do this the night before, you'll see why). You will need to put all of your weight into pressing all of the water out. But it will still be a soaked block of tofu. So, put the block on a plate, put another plate on top of it and place in the fridge. Put something heavy on top of the plate, so that it puts weight on the tofu. I used a big ole bottle of wine. Don't judge. Leave it there over night. 

The next morning, chop up half of a yellow onion and saute it in about a tablespoon of olive oil until it's a nice golden color. Dice up half of a green bell pepper and throw it in as well. Using a fork, a masher of some sort, or your two clean hands....smash the hell out of the tofu until it's all crumbled. Throw it in the pan! Don't forget some mushrooms! If you're like me and love mushrooms, throw in crap load of mushrooms. 

Now for the seasonings. 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and a few splashed of soy sauce and a few sprinkles of turmeric.  Let them all get happy in the pan for a few minutes until the the tofu starts looking like scrambled eggs. You'll know when it's done. Pile a heaping mound on your plate and top it off with some Daiya shreds and there you go. A plate of heaven. 

You're welcome. 

Be kind. Be curious. Be hungry!

Oh, and be aware that your doctors may not have your best interest at heart.

HSP Diaries- Never Again.

I went to my family doctor on Wednesday to see what my options were for managing my sensitivity related stress.

He kind of knew what I was talking about

But he was running behind, so the appointment was rushed. 

He decided that I needed Paroxetine, a kind of Paxil, to take the edge off

I wasn't fond of that idea. But he assured me it was a low dose and that if I didn't take something, I could become severely depressed. 

He also prescribed me a very low dose of Xanax, which I told him I certainly wasn't comfortable taking

He said, "See you in two weeks."

Yesterday I took my first dose of Paroxetine in the morning. 

"One pill, every morning."

Two hours later, the door to Hell was opened

And I still haven't left.

Two hours after swallowing the tiny white oval, my world didn't matter. Nothing mattered. 

Time had no meaning.

There was no sadness.

Or anger.

Or happiness.

An intense feeling of "this is not right, something is definitely wrong", but feeling completely helpless about it.

And can we talk about how light headed I was? 

Grab onto something quick because you're going down! kind of light headed.

I had to work yesterday afternoon/evening and I couldn't even finish my shift. 

Actually, a lot of yesterday was a blur.

I was exhausted. SO exhausted.

But I haven't slept.

I tossed and turned all night. Only getting 3 hours of sleep. And I'm wide awake.

I have to be at work in 2.5 hours. I have absolutely no clue how I'm going to make it through my shift.

My head is pounding. I'm exhausted. Every time I yawn, my hands feel as though they are cramping up.

My doctor will be getting a call today.

I was told my body has to get used to the the drug.

I don't want to get used to this feeling!

I don't want to not feel anything!

It makes no sense really, why I was prescribed the drug.

It's used to treat sever depression and anxiety (among other things).

Not for mild depression caused by severe stress. 

Never again.

I went from being hyper aware, to completely unaware of everything around me.

I have never taken any kind of antidepressant before, and will never again.

I thought this was something that there would be no natural solution for. But there has to be one better than this.

Be kind. Know your body. Ask questions. Do your research.

A Return To Innocence

It has been nearly 7 months since I've blogged last.

Holy crap.

To be honest, I lost steam.
I began forcing myself to post things, just so I didn't feel like a failure at blogging.
I write. A lot.
But it was hard for me to write interesting things every day. I wanted to be entertaining and insightful and informative. I wanted to prove that veganism and being kind to the environment and people and animals was fun. Because it is! But I noticed that I was started to go about it in a way that wasn't very fun for me. I tried not to get too "deep" for fear of turning people off. I tried to be extra peppy sometimes, turning myself off.

So I stopped.

A few months ago, I began making random and odd YouTube videos. But again, I found that I was trying too hard to be constantly peppy and, well, trying to force a part of who I am to be the whole of who I am. Make sense?

So I stopped.
Well, stopped forcing it, anyway.

Why can't I be like this person or that person? Why does it feel like being me is so confusing and exhausting? Then I began to think. A lot. I always have. I over think things until I'm on the verge of losing my mind.
Why am I so conflicted with myself?
Why do things affect me more than they seem to affect others?
Ever since I was a little kid, I was always told to "let it go", but never could and still can't seem to.
Why have my relationships been so tumultuous?
The list could go on and on and on. And does.

Turns out, I make up small portion of people (20%) that is considered to be "highly sensitive".
No, that doesn't mean that I cry at the drop of a hat, or that I'm a "wimp".
In a nutshell ( a very condensed nutshell), my brain takes in WAY more than is necessary.

This new revelation is something I am trying very hard to understand completely. I am at a point in my life where intense stress is almost an every day thing. I have bad days. I have really bad days. And I have really good days.

I want to take you on this journey. You may very well find that you too are and HSP (highly sensitive person). We're not a very large group of people, but we are a very special group of people.

There are many characteristics that hold true primarily with HSP's, that I honestly didn't know were special to me...so to speak. I just thought I was weird. Well, more so than the average person.

This blog will continue to be about veganism and the environment and animals and kindness.
But it will also be about mental health, spirituality, the exploring of emotions and so much more.

Over the next few weeks or so, I will be uploading some videos of me talking about what it means to be an HSP. And what it doesn't mean. I'll end this post by providing links to some articles that are very helpful in understanding what high sensitivity is all about. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will answer them the best that I can.
I know that this will not be entirely accepted by some. I have already dealt with those who roll their eyes at the topic. But it IS real. It is very real. I hope that if anything, I can expand and open your mind.

Be kind. Be curious. Be accepting of your special self.

Characteristics of Highly Sensitive People
Being an HSP