I can still remember the day I found out about my diagnosis. I was overwhelmed and it felt like my world was spinning. It didn't feel real. In order to cope with some of the stress, I went dog shopping with my parents to some local places around the area. I knew what I wanted, a male German Shephard!
When we walked into the first store and I saw this adorable little black lab female with "Clearance" written on her crate, I knew that she was special. Little did I know just how much she I would come to love and need her. Thankfully, the housing company that I rented my house from at Michigan State allowed pets, and if you had a doctor sign off that it was needed for medical or emotional support reasons, the $500 fee was waived. This made it easy for me to decide that I had to have her. I know now that Luna knew what was going on with me during my treatment. She knew I was weak, and too tired to play. Despite being the active, hyper black lab puppy she is, she would calm down on those couple of days after treatment when I needed to rest. She would snuggle with me in my room for hours while I slept, sometimes sun up to sun down, without having accidents or asking me to play. There were days I cried. I hated my situation and the life I was living. Then I'd look over at Luna and she'd look at me with her eyes, and within seconds she was climbing all over me licking me everywhere. Bursts of laughter erupted out of me. There were days I relied on her to give me joy and hope, and she gave it to me. I never knew I could love a dog as much as I love her. Her loyalty and compassion surprises me every day. I know the situation to just go out and buy a dog may not always be ideal, but animals honestly bring a joy to life that is so amazing. If anyone is ever in a hard emotional or medical situation, I definitely suggest to consider buying or rescuing a dog, or to spend time with a friend or relative's dog. They are incredible, loving beings. Happy First Birthday Luna
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After I got sick, I started to take seriously what I was eating and how I prepared my food. This is something that many of us disregard and overlook, including myself before this experience. However, I quickly learned how important it is for me to respect my body and health and do everything in my power to protect it and prevent further illnesses from happening. The knowledge I've gained on healthy eating is too much to explain in one post. A lot of the knowledge I gained came from my holistic doctor. He focuses on natural remedies (diet, supplements, etc.) that prevents further illness. A lot of nutritional advice is specific to each person (based on blood levels, symptoms, etc.), but there are some things that are beneficial to us all. Of course, research each hack and make the decision for yourself. My doctor said, "Our bodies are Ferraris and we fuel them with crude oil," a vivid analogy that has stuck with me. 1. Celtic Sea Salt First of all, I learned that it is okay to use a lot of salt, but it should be Celtic Sea Salt. This salt is not completely white in color because it contains nutrients that are helpful to our bodies. I use salt in a lot of things I cook! Read more on Celtic Sea Salt here. 2. Coconut Oil Whenever I cook, I use unrefined coconut oil instead of PAM (which contains silicone, check the ingredients!!!) or other oils. This was a huge step for me because I HATE coconut and cannot even stand the smell! I quickly got used to it and use it all of the time now. Read more the benefits here. 3. Turmeric Turmeric is a great spice that you can find at any grocery store. It doesn't have a taste or smell, so it can be topped on anything. Read more about the benefits here. Below is a picture of it topped on avocado toast (a yummy, filling breakfast meal!) 4. Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream?! Something I learned recently was that unflavored greek yogurt tastes just like sour cream! I used this food hack last week when we made tacos for Taco Tuesday! Guilt free indulgence :) 5. Egg Whites One of the biggest health hacks for losing weight is to eat eggs for breakfast. Eggs are a great source of protein and nutrients. Many other breakfast options are high in sugar and carbs (bagels, cereal, syrup, etc.), so eating eggs prevents the intake of empty calories! Instead of eating two whole eggs, I use one whole egg with two egg whites. This takes out the calories and cholesterol, but keeps the protein and flavor! Top with celtic sea salt :) P.S. Adding apples and peanut butter is a great breakfast option especially if you are eating before a work out! The simple sugars in the apple will provide you with energy for you workout, and the peanut butter is an added bonus of protein. This was a very filling breakfast, and resulted in an awesome workout. 6. Protein shakes/bars
One of the hardest meals for me is lunch. It is at a time of day that is so inconvenient, especially if you are a working man or woman! I have found protein shakes and bars that are higher in calories (around 250-300 cal) to be an awesome meal replacement. They are filling, convenient, and good for you! One of my favorite shakes is Orgain. Created by a cancer survivor who is now a physician, this is a protein shake that comes in ready to go cartons. There are different flavors (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) and they are organic! There is also a vegan option. I have seen it at Whole Foods as well as on Amazon! Read more about the drink here. I will try to make more posts about food hacks as time goes on! I hope this was helpful :) |