Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving is here and I feel there is so much to be grateful for! But first, I'm going to take a moment for reflection.

In my journey to find good health and happiness, I've also learned that how I feel is just as important as anything else. PCOS will often cause or exacerbate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I've struggled with both conditions (and probably PCOS) throughout my late teens and my twenties. Getting my PCOS diagnosis and treatment from my endocrinologist was the best thing to ever happen to me - and now The No Fun Food Life and renewed fitness attempts have also made me feel better.

I started the day reading this article called "How to Become More Grateful in 5 Minutes or Less" by this website called Retrofit, and there are some helpful little tidbits in there that can help all of us keep the Thanksgiving spirit going year round. Even when life gets tough, I still try to focus on the positive and pay homage to all the things I can always be grateful for... positivity attracts positivity!

An unexpected surprise on this day of gratitude was waiting in my mailbox today: a super cute Manatee Tea Infuser (a manatea, how cute is that?!?) and a packet of chocolate "pop rocks" by Chuao!! This uplifting suprise was sent from the same friend who is doing the 30 Day Yoga Challenge with me - I am so happy and thankful!

Lately, I've been thinking of improving my morning routine. Instead of gulping down soy/almond milk and eating an apple on the hurried drive to work, I want to slow down and leisurely enjoy a nice cup of tea with actual breakfast. If such a cheerful & inviting manatee is waiting for me every morning, how can I say no? Perfect!!

Thanksgiving 2014... I have a beautiful roof over my head, delicious food on the table everyday, loving people to answer my phone calls & texts, meaningful work to do each day, the luxury of splurging on travels/meals/experiences with my fave peeps, and a lifetime of bright adventures ahead.

Thank you, everyone! Thank you, 2014!!!

30 Day Yoga Challenge

I helped out on a tech project at work and received a $100 Zappos gift card. Woohoo! I bought a new yoga mat that's 8mm thick - it's a little bit more plush and cushioned - a yoga mat sling to carry it in, a workout shirt, and a new pair of yoga pants. A little shopping spree felt so good!

When I was 23-24 years old, I used to live just a few blocks away from a great yoga studio that offered a fantastic student discount. I practiced yoga about 3-4 times a week. I felt so amazing. I think that was the most fit and flexible time of my life.

Fast forward to now, 30 years old, with a sedentary desk job... I feel so stiff and stagnant. And when we're in that state, it's hard to just jump back into a fitness routine and get going. So, I tried to find some support to get motivated.

I solicited one of my good friends to take on a You Do Yoga - 30 Day Challenge with me. We just completed Day 6, so almost a full week! The sessions are very attainable - they're anywhere from 15-30 minutes long. There are enough "easy" moves to make you feel great AND feel great about yourself. *yeah, I totally just twisted my spine hella far* But then she'll bust out these moves that pretty much require a fitness level way beyond mine. *omg, I'm so happy I'm doing this in the extreme privacy of my own home*

Once again, I'm not a perfect person, and everything always has a little kink in it. Sometimes, I just flop down and grunt - which causes my dogs to become very concerned about me. Or I just go into Child's Pose... I wish there was a Child's Pose equivalent for work or life in general. And, on Day 5, I came home with a migraine headache and just couldn't bring myself to do anything. I'm pretty sure my head would've exploded if I went into Downward Dog. So, I just doubled up today to catch up. No harm done.

It's a lot more fun having someone to text whenever I complete a session who knows how it feels... or holding me accountable so I don't just quit. I appreciate the support! I'm going to keep it up until I reach Day 30... that's my goal and I'm committed to it! :)

Mushroom Alfredo "Pasta"

I was super busy these past two weeks - going back to California twice, got really drunk at a friend's bday party, watched Wicked, watched the Britney show at the Planet Hollywood, and enjoyed the Caesar's Palace buffet with my college lil' sis from San Diego. I didn't go off the deep end or anything drastic, but I didn't stick to The No Fun Food Life during those two fun-filled weeks. But, hey, life goes on!

Anyway, I jumped back into the swing of things full force this week! One thing that really helps me get the carb-cravings under control are Miracle Noodles. I buy them at Whole Foods for about $2.50 a package. They are a brand of shirataki noodles - made of soluble fiber extracted from the root of a Japanese plant called Konnyaku Imo. The noodle shape is held together by adding food grade calcium. It has zero carbs, zero sugar, and zero calories.

That's crazy! It's technically not even food... and I usually don't eat weird stuff that's not food (say NO to margarine!)... but it is the only thing that gets me to stop hunting for more even after eating a meal. Sometimes, another meal of veggies with a side of protein... or, heaven help me, SALAD (so over it)... just doesn't sound appealing and does not hit the spot. You know what I"m talking about - I know you do.

The solution to my problem? ALFREDO SAUCE and... MUSHROOMS!

Mushroom Alfredo "Pasta"
Use a frying pan or skillet and brown however much of whatever mixture of mushrooms you love in some olive oil, salt, and pepper. I used oyster mushrooms and a pre-mixed wild medley.

Open one package of Miracle Noodles, rinse, squeeze dry, place on plate, use kitchen scissors to make like 4-5 cuts randomly in the noodle pile. Microwave for 30 seconds. *Note: if you don't cut the noodles, you'll end up with masses of reeeeally loooooong noodles*

Add 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup of Newman's Own Alfredo pasta sauce on top of the pile of noodles... depending on your desire... DO NOT MIX. Cover and microwave for 1 minute. The noodles will lose water as it heats. Carefully hold the noodles back with a fork or spatula or just poke holes in your plastic wrap at the edge of the plate... and drain the water. Stir the sauce and noodles.

Add the browned mushrooms on top and serve!

This meal feels seriously sinful! I'll add a side of protein (for an even heartier meal) or side of veggies. It tastes amazing and it really sticks to your ribs and makes you feel satiated. It should not invoke any guilt. The alfredo sauce has 3g of carbs and 1g of sugar for 1/4 cup... it's pretty high in fat (8g) and sodium (410mg) but that's how it tastes so good. In the grand scheme of things... that's not a big deal compared to the multitude of other bad choices one can potentially make when craving a "hearty" meal.

Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates². B vitamins also play an important role in the nervous system.

• Pantothenic acid helps with the production of hormones and also plays an important role in the nervous system².
• Riboflavin helps maintain healthy red blood cells².
• Niacin promotes healthy skin and makes sure the digestive and nervous systems function properly².

- See more at: http://mushroominfo.com/benefits/#sthash.b7gmP1fb.dpu

And if you're still feeling *meh* about this meal, then here are some great facts about mushrooms. They're full of B Vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, pantotheic acid) good for the nervous system, hormone production, red blood cells, skin, and digestive system. They're also a fantastic source of minerals & antioxiants such as selenium, copper, potassium, ergothioneine... all perfect for protection from cell damage, oxygen in red blood cells, bones, nerves, and heart function.

Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates². B vitamins also play an important role in the nervous system.

• Pantothenic acid helps with the production of hormones and also plays an important role in the nervous system².
• Riboflavin helps maintain healthy red blood cells².
• Niacin promotes healthy skin and makes sure the digestive and nervous systems function properly².

- See more at: http://mushroominfo.com/benefits/#sthash.b7gmP1fb.dpuf

Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates². B vitamins also play an important role in the nervous system.

• Pantothenic acid helps with the production of hormones and also plays an important role in the nervous system².
• Riboflavin helps maintain healthy red blood cells².
• Niacin promotes healthy skin and makes sure the digestive and nervous systems function properly².

- See more at: http://mushroominfo.com/benefits/#sthash.b7gmP1fb.dpuf

Past & Future

I've been irregular my whole life, and then I was placed on birth control (bc) pills by my college health center physician at the age of 18. Five years later, I got off the pill and discovered that I only had periods about 3 times per year. I was officially diagnosed with PCOS a short while later through blood tests and ultrasounds. I was then placed on and off bc pills, 6-12 months at a time, in multiple attempts to regulate my menstrual cycles.

You all know the last straw that prompted me to go to an endocrinologist last year - as listed in The Beginning. After 6 months of bc pills, spironolactone (to reduce testosterone levels), and metformin (to regulate insulin sensitivity)... my doc said it was time to get off the bc pills to see if I would start having cycles again. I also had to stop the spironolactone because that medication causes birth defects, so my endocrinologist does not prescribe it unless it's taken concurrently with bc pills. I totally agree with that, better to be safe!

My body's first attempt was pretty weak... a 96 day cycle. Hey, better than 8 months!

The second occurrence was an improvement... 43 days! Less than 2 months and like HALF of the previous one... ya! Once again - progress, not perfection. I'll take it.

This most recent cycle... 41 days! Oh, man. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

So, looking forward, what does this all mean? It means that I kind of do and kind of don't know how long my cycles will be or when I will ovulate. Historically, that's never really been a concern except for general charting purposes to let my ob/gyn know how things are going. However, I've turned the page to a new chapter in my life - we'll be trying to conceive! That's the official term - it's all over the internet... TTC. Seriously, google it.

During the past year & a half, my husband and I had some serious conversations about children, our marriage, and the future, when I went through the grittiest parts of the PCOS symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment plan. I think the conversations were also deeply impacted by the fact that he lost his own father last year, and it made him reflect about what fatherhood and family meant to him. We came to realizations and revelations together that we never imagined we would come to 7 years ago when we first met... 5 years ago when we got engaged... or even 2 years ago when we got married.

This feels strange even to myself. I'd never felt the calling for motherhood, even up until fairly recently. I really think it's because I've always been hormonally abnormal and maybe my testosterone/estrogen dysfunction affected me on physical, mental, and emotional levels. Who really knows... and who really cares.

I'm also lucky enough to have strong support from family and friends... who are all such great resources of experience, advice, and levity. In fact, my best friend made sure I bought pre-natal vitamins with DHA so that I can get all prepared to grow a baby with a big brain. I was just introduced to the "sperm meets egg" baby making plan for maximum chances of success. But... most important of all, stay relaxed, right? LOL

So, this really is the first big leap of faith we've ever taken together that neither one of us had ever planned for or know anything about! We're walking off our beaten path and leaving the map behind... eeek! I'm excited and giddy because it's a big adventure. But, of course, I'm worried and doubtful because I don't trust my own body's ability to have a baby. But, I'm ready to take it on.

Progress, Comfort, and Not Perfect

I have successfully lived The No Fun Food Life for one month now. While I have not been perfect, it had also never been my intention to be perfect. I make at least one solid exception a week, and look forward to it without guilt. I find that it helps me make all the correct small decisions everyday.

Fall weather is upon us and that introduces two new factors: Football Season and Comfort Food.

My husband asked me to go to Buffalo Wild Wings with him to watch football (he's a Buffalo Bills fan and I'm part of the Who Dat Nation... Geaux Saints!!)... and my first instinct was to turn it down and tell him to just watch TV at home. Then I decided to embrace the opportunity to hang out and have fun together. I ordered some salt & vinegar wings accompanied with carrots, celery, and bell peppers with spinach artichoke dip... washed down with iced tea. (Note: I didn't drink the entire giant iced tea. Too much caffeine can contribute to some of the metabolic issues that people with PCOS face, as well as exacerbate any depression or anxiety symptoms that usually accompany this syndrome.) I ordered water halfway through that tea. I felt those were pretty good choices.

As for comfort food, I wanted to eat a very filling and hearty meal with some hot bubbling broth. I love, love, love ramen - BUT! I obviously can't go running to those delicious noodles whenever I get the hankering. So, I looked up a Shabu  Shabu (Japanese hot pot) restaurant to try to satisfy the craving. I had 4oz. thinly sliced ribeye and a big bowl of veggies. The sauces looked super cute... but I skipped them due to their probable sugar content... opting for extra large heaps of minced garlic and green onions. Yes!

Most importantly in this whole process, I put a lot of attention and anticipation in the exceptions and I allow them to be amazing.

For example, I attend a weekly viewing of Downtown Abbey with a fabulous intimate group of ladies. Our host graciously provide a lovely meal for the event, and even tries to modify it for me! Last week, one of my friends knew it was pasta night so she brought a tupperware of roasted spaghetti squash for me... which freed me up to eat one slice of some very special garlic infused bread slathered with Irish block butter. *drool*

On top of that... earlier that day I went to a Korean bakery I found on Yelp and purchased a few treats for my ladies. I enjoyed a Chocolate Macaron that everyone agreed was amazing and a Pistachio Cookie (that felt more like a soft crumbly scone) that was, once again, seriously slathered in Irish block butter. Top it all off with some Lemon & Ginger Tea... watching TV doesn't get better than that!

Now, I know it may sound like I'm splurging an awful lot... I mean, before I embarked on this journey, Iwould've agreed with that. However, now I know exactly how much food I eat each day and how many opportunities I have to make good choices, the little splurges and treats are really like drops in a bucket. I definitely gained some valuable perspective from this experience.

I've lost 5 pounds this past month since beginning The No Fun Food Life. It's putting me on the right track towards the 10% body weight loss I'm aiming for... as recommended by my docs to put me on the right track for fighting PCOS. And the month before that I had lost a net weight of 5 pounds from a 5 day juice cleanse. So... I'm at a total of 10 pounds in just a few months, woot! Miraculous progress for someone with PCOS... seriously.

If I can keep this up and lose the last 5 pounds to reach my 10% goal, I'll be over half way to my original weight before the PCOS 25lb unstoppable freight train weight gain I experienced last year. After a long struggle of trying to understand what is wrong with me... I feel very positive about my journey right now. Yeah!! :)

Go Away, Mittelschmerz

A little bit of middle school reproductive health education. In the middle of the cycle, the follicles inside our ovaries will mature and one eventually ruptures as the little ovum, or egg, makes its way down the fallopian tube. Straightforward, simple... unless you have PCOS.

I am on day 19 of my cycle... and experienced what is commonly known as ovulation pains. You may also know it as mittelschmerz, which is German for "middle pain," referring to the mid-way point in a woman's cycle when ovulation takes place. You feel it in the way low abdominal and pelvic area. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) prompt those little follicles to grow and mature... and there are no openings in the ovary, so the little eggs literally erupt and break free. That's pretty violent and seems pretty inefficient.

A person with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, as the name implies, have multiple cysts on the ovaries because numerous follicles never mature all the way. What's left are the little bubbles of immature follicles, they collect fluids and sometimes have little blood vessels and keep growing. Anyway, as nothing is simple in the reproductive process for someone with PCOS, these cysts will also spontaneously burst sometimes. The first time one of these cysts exploded, I thought I had appendicitis and went to the hospital. I was told about the whole process described above in nutshell. The second time it happened... it was pretty mild. I took some ibuprofen and went about my business. Fast forward to late last night.

I went to the grocery store to get some items to prepare for my work week... and in the middle of the produce section, I felt the initial twinge. I wasn't sure... I thought I took a wrong step, maybe just an intestinal cramp? Then, I doubled over. I took a step, grabbed the cart handle, and crouched to the floor. It was awful for like 5 seconds... then it was over. I experimentally walked around gingerly... counted my good fortune that I wasn't incapacitated by pain and quickly grabbed the rest of my stuff and went home.

Later in the evening... the weird abdominal bloating and persistent achy pain set in on the right side (it's always the right side, can I just get one ovary removed?) - which turns into stabby pain whenever I took a step or twisted funny. I put my trusty heating pad on my tummy and sipped hot tea into the wee hours of morning. I woke up when my alarm went off, and drifted in and out of some strange lucid dreaming... I felt physically, mentally, and emotionally awful. I finally dragged my butt out of bed, emailed my work, and crawled back under the blankets with my heating pad.

These days, I try to to take too much ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or any other over-the-counter pain medications... not out of some crazy moral stance or funky science/non-science article... I just figured, if I can't feel progress, how will I know I'm making any? I've decided that my health is top priority in my life at this moment, and I am in a fortunate position where I can make that choice. So, if I'm not feeling well and I need the time and space for my body to heal, I'm going to let it do its thing and not mask the bad feelings and truck on with my day.

The pain was pretty manageable earlier today, I took the opportunity to go on a slow walk with the doggies... not sure that was a bright idea. I feel really exhausted, uncomfortable, and a little feverish. I took my temperature, I don't actually have a high temperature... I just feel that way. My husband brought home a can of chicken noodle soup out of love and concern. You bet I ate the soup... ate every carb-o-licious noodle. Today, I let myself indulge.

Just another fabulous day of living with PCOS. *sigh*

No More Hardboiled Eggs, Please

In a conversation with my cousin, I discovered that I was not alone in how tired I was getting of the good-for-you stuff. As documented in the photo, she is also going low carb, and that is a typical breakfast for her. She confided in me that she didn't know how much longer she could go on eating hardboiled eggs - to which I responded, "I know. I'm quite sick of them." In reality, I don't even want to look at them. Like, even in that picture. LOL

I am feeling that way about chicken and beef as well. So, I was trying to figure out other proteins I can eat. However, I don't think the problem lies in the eggs. The problem is that I'm not changing up the way I prepare them. Omelets and hardboiled are not the only way!

I decided to go with another oldie but goodie Chinese favorite... actually two of them! As a child, one of my favorite dishes had always been Shrimp & Scrambled Eggs. My mom also made Tomatoes & Scrambled Eggs at home... yummy. So, why not combine all that deliciousness!?

Shrimp & Scrambled Eggs w. Tomatoes
Heat 1 tbsp oil on medium-high in a wok/skillet, stir fry 4oz. peeled & deveined shrimp until they turn pink and opaque, add salt to taste, remove and drain.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok/skillet on high heat, add mixture of 6 lightly beaten eggs + 1/3 cup chicken broth + 1 tsp cooking sherry + 2 sliced green onions + salt & pepper to taste, lightly scramble for 1-2 minutes, add shrimp back in, scramble until eggs are cooked but still moist. Remove from heat.

You can END HERE or keep going for the zesty zingy tomato taste!

Add 2 tomatoes cut in thin wedges to the hot wok/skillet, stir and turn occasionally about 4 minutes until juices release and tomatoes wilt, add Shrimp & Scrambled Eggs back in, mix well and serve.

So, I used Heirloom Tomatoes for this recipe because they are more nutritious and delicious. Heirloom varieties have been grown without crossbreeding for 40 or more years. You are eating a TRUE TOMATO! Five Fun Facts: 1) They're a great for Vitamin C 2) They're good for the heart 3) Heirloom Organic tomatoes are higher in Lycopene 4) They're great for Vitamin K 5) They're bursting with flavor! Seriously, Heirloom Tomatoes are not genetically altered to be "sweet" and less acidic (aka. bland), and they're not pumped with weird growth stuff to grow large very quickly - a process that depletes them of their zing! and their vitamins/phytochemicals/minerals. Go Heirloom. You won't regret it!

The results were delicious and really hit the spot! The only thing that could've made it better was a big bowl of hot white rice... but since that is just a fantasy when living The No Fun Food Life... I made do with a side of turnips braised with shiitake mushrooms.

I also ventured into a new protein source: Shrimp! They're full of Vitamins A, D, E & B's, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Magnesium, Iodine, and Omega-3. This sudden inspiration to go back to my childhood faves was a real winner!!

:) Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Cousin!