A little obsessed with Fertility now!

It's amazing how I go from obsessing over my weekly workouts to obsessing about how to get SUPER FERTILE! As I said, I am mapping out the BEST FERTILITY meal plan I can! When I found this recipe, I got all sorts of EXCITED! I already use everything in here except for Royal Jelly and I DO occasionally have wheat grass shots, but only if we go to a super health food place..... Now I am on a mission to find wheat grass..

Fertility Smoothie Recipe

From Modernmom.com

Ingredients- I put some notes next to each ingredient of my own.

• Frozen mixed organic berries - GOT em!
• Almond or rice milk - I have COCONUT MILK
• Protein powder - Something natural and clean without a lot of additives or soy. Think whey. NO WHEY FOR ME, BUT VEGA WILL DO!
• 2 shots of wheat grass - You can use powder or fresh shots. I use a frozen one by Evergreen
• Maca Root Powder- GOT IT! I have been using it for a while now
• Acai berry- hmmmmmmm...
• Mixed powdered greens- I use Green Vibrance
• Royal Jelly *NOTE, if you are allergic to bees, do not use
• Bee pollen *Again don’t use is you have a bee allergy- I got it!
• Liquid omegas - Read dose instructions on back of product- Carlson's Fish oil!

-Mix all of this together in a blender. Depending on thickness, use as much milk as you want for the consistency you like.

Wondering what all the ingredients do for you?:

The powered greens, berries and Acai feed and promote healthy cell growth and help nourish the blood.

The wheat grass lowers FSH levels, helps restore hormone balance and helps alkaline your PH levels which makes it better for sperm to live in. Its also nourishes cells.

Maca root nourishes the entire endocrine system, enhances fertility, and brings hormones into balance. Also increases sex drive, vitality and gives you tons of energy.

Royal Jelly balances hormones, supports endocrine system , helps raise estrogen levels ( great for woman who have low estrogen ) , helps increase sperm quality and testosterone levels in men .

Bee Pollen has high levels of vitamins, natural aphrodisiac, Nourishes the ovaries, help produce healthy eggs, increases fertility, increases sperm count in men and balances menstrual cycle.

Protein powder repairs and builds healthy tissues

Fish oils help stabilize moods, lowers inflammation in the body, increases blood flow to uterus and promotes regular menstrual cycle, ovulation, and cervical mucus as well as increasing sperm mobility in men . 

BRING IT ON!!!

My food shopping FERTILITY list:

I don't think I have been THIS excited to get to Whole Foods! I have my Fertility food list and I am ready to knock some people OVER for the stuff I need to get me KNOCKED UP!

Here are the foods on my list today. 

Some of which I already eat use or take as a supplement.

• Berries pears peaches oranges kiwi
• kale  swiss chard spinach romaine
• quinoa whole oats - steel cut Ezekiel bread & wraps faro pasta & brown rice pasta (once a week for a carb boost)
• almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds
• black strap molasses (have to figure out what to do with it!)
• chick peas, black beans, kidney beans, cannellini  beans
• Ethical Eggs (SUPER EXPENSIVE- but worth it)
• Tofu, tempeh
• avocado
• coconut water, oil & milk
• flax oil, chia seed olives salba
• Frozen or powder wheat grass Maca Root powder Royal Jelly Bee Pollen

I made a list of supplements, however, I will talk to my Dr. before I start them...

• Vitamins C & E
• Folic Acid
• CoQ10
• Selenium
• B12
• Chlorella
• Omega's

Getting my ducks in a row!

Never think because you are super healthy, super fit and super strong that you can have a baby just like that! Prime example: I am 40 years old- I live one of the cleanest most boring lifestyles you can imagine. Boring meaning, we don't go out, we don't drink, we live at the  gym or at home, and we really don't even go out  to eat. I mean BORING! For Mario & I, it's our lifestyle and to us, it's sooo not boring! In order to get the tubal reversal, I had to go through some routine blood tests:

1. FSH Test- a test to asses my ovary function and reserve of eggs
2. Complete blood count (CBC)
3. HIV-1 antibody
4. Hepatitis B surface antigen
5. Hepatitis C antibody

No problem! I'm so healthy! Go ahead, take my blood! Yup! I was sitting here so happy and confident that everything would come back 100% a-ok! Within 24 hours, I called Chapel Hill to get some more info done over the phone. The nurse told me my FSH level was a little high. SO confused, I asked what that meant. My heart started to pound and I got nervous! She told me that the NORMAL range is 4.7-13 and mine was 14.8. Ok so it's NOT 25! Why is this nurse freaking me out right now? I haven't even had my surgery yet! Sheesh! 

Well, if you know me, You know as soon as I hung up with her in a panic, I researched over a thousand websites about FSH levels, fertility in my 40's, and anything I could find to enlighten myself. When Mario came home, I told him and the tears started to fall! I was so worried!! What if I go through this surgery and NOTHING happens! I will die! Mario calmed me down- and I listened to him (which is NOT something I usually do).


I came across so many helpful websites on how to get MORE fertile, and How to lower FSH levels... 


I realized I have SO many things GOING for me!


1. I'm in incredible shape!
2. I eat cleaner then EVERYONE I know.
3. I do not drink alcohol or do drugs
4. I do NOT eat processed foods or BAD fat
5. I am 90% Vegan, with the exception of Pole caught Tuna & Ethical eggs
6. I workout and run everyday
7. I am NOT underweight
8. I already have two children


I also realized I have something AGAINST me (MAYBE)
1. I am 40 years old! UGH!


I am not going to STRESS over it! I am going get the surgery, and have sex sex sex! LOL! I am kidding! I tease my husband all the time! No seriously, I am going to continue doing what I do everyday. I know with a positive mind, I will get pregnant sooner than later! 


Here are some things to help me with fertility....
Since I am 40 years old, and age IS in fact a factor in getting pregnant, I have to plan accordingly. 


* A fertility Monitor
* A basal thermometer
* A GREAT diet!


Today's Blog is about Nutrition, and foods to increase fertility.... SO you may think that your diet has NOTHING to do with how fertile you may or may not be, but you are wrong. SO many women who can not get pregnant have the wrong diets, whether they are UNDER WEIGHT or OVER WEIGHT. 


I'm not going to tell you there are some foods that are like MAGIC to get you knocked up- but eating a well balanced diet will improve your chances. As you know from my other blog fit green goddess, I eat clean, I mean really clean. NO red meat, no poultry no dairy (6 years). I do not eat processed foods and No JUNK, or sugar. SO this is a PLUS for me! I think, anyway.


As always, anyone looking to have a baby should IMMEDIATELY start with a pre-natal vitamin with folic acid. Folic acid will help to reduce the risks of birth defects. Pre-natal vitamins have a little MORE than regular multivitamins. Pre-Natals have MORE calcium, iron and folic acid.


SO here are the foods I found to be the BEST for you body when trying to get pregnant...


* Dairy: Great for reproductive health, however you must be careful...overdo the ice cream, yogurt and cheese- you will gain weight- gain weight and you lower your chances of getting pregnant. I am DAIRY FREE for 6 years due to being severely Lactose intolerant.... SO I have to get my calcium elsewhere.


*Protein sources: The IRON in Lean meats like chicken and turkey are screaming your name! Iron definitely helps to build up your fertility. Be warned though: STAY AWAY from HIGH FAT meats like bacon or pork tenderloin. You must also keep your protein servings to 3-4 oz per serving. For Vegans like myself, I have to eat MORE quinoa, tofu and beans. I also have IRON in my pre-natal. OCCASIONALLY (maybe even more so now) I will eat some ground Buffalo or Bison, which is REALLY lean and loaded with iron &  protein.


*Fish: Wild salmon and sardines are tops of the fish. They are loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. These fats will increase blood flow to your reproductive organs. If you are like me and don't eat fish, try CHIA SEEDS, try FLAX SEEDS, almonds, pumpkinseeds and eggs that have DHA. 


*Complex carbs: LOSE the white carbs! Trade them in for the brown carbs... No more white rice, have BLACK rice instead. No more White pasta, have Brown rice pasta instead. No more white potatoes, have YAMS instead. No more rice cakes, have BROWN rice rice cakes- Catch my drift? You want to keep your insulin down. You don't want ANYTHING to bother your reproductive hormones and your menstrual cycle. Want to promote regular ovulation??? Eat the brown and other colored carbs, and toss the whites!


*Berries: We already know HOW AMAZNIG blueberries are for you and HOW STRONG they are in fighting off free radicals in the body, right? Well guess what! Your eggs are cells too. Keep them strong! Choose Blueberries and raspberries Over the rest! Frozen or fresh are fine.


*Yams: An ovulating stimulating veggie that is so delish just baked in the oven. It doesn't have to be Thanksgiving to eat these orange beauties! We have them baking in the oven at least 2 times a week. Sprinkle some cinnamon and PRESTO!


Here are some other foods that I already eat but you may want to start eating if you aren't already...


These foods are loaded with Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12

• Brazil Nuts, dried figs, Mangosteen and egg yolks... 
• Avocado, dried apricots and mackerel..
• Tuna, dried dates and plums... 
• watermelon, avocado, salmon
• walnuts, bananas, apples
• strawberries, grapes oranges

These foods are load with Carotenes

• dried apricots, carrots, tomatoes, persimmon
• mango, watermelon
• Salmon, Tuna and egg yolks

These foods are loaded with Vitamin C

• guava, black currants, kiwi
• strawberries, lemon and oranges

These foods are loaded with Vitamin E

• Brazil nuts, hazel nuts 
• walnuts, salmon, egg yolks, blueberries
• avocado, mango, peach, plums, grapes

These foods are loaded with vitamin K1

• avocado, kiwi, egg yolks
• plums, hazelnuts, grapes

These foods are loaded with Vitamin D:

• SUN! Fish, egg yolks

These foods are loaded with Calcium

•  Hazelnuts, dried currants, figs, egg yolk, 
• Brazil nuts, and olives 
• walnuts, raisins, oranges, kiwis and mandarins 

These foods are loaded with Magnesium:

• Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, 
• papaya, coconut and banana

These foods are loaded with 

Zinc: 

• Brazil nuts, egg yolk 
• Oysters, Walnuts, hazelnuts, currants, figs, salmon, coconut 

These foods are loaded with 

Selenium: 

• Coconuts 
• Brazil nuts 
• tuna, mackerel, salmon and egg yolk 

These foods are loaded with 

Phosphorus and Sulfur: 

• egg yolk and fish

These foods are loaded with 

Chloride: 

• MOST fruits, egg yolk, mackerel, coconut, 
• dried dates, bananas and kiwis contain chloride.

These foods are loaded with 

Potassium: 

• All foods (including fruits) contain plenty of potassium.

These foods are loaded with Sodium:

• Especially fish, egg yolk, kumquat, 
• dried figs, dried dates, coconut 

These foods are loaded with 

Iodine: 

• Egg yolk, bananas, mango
• Seafish & seaweed

These foods are loaded with 

Fluoride: 

• Egg yolk, raisins, dried apricots

These foods are loaded with 

Iron: 

• Fish, egg yolk, dried fruits, hazelnuts, 
• Brazil nuts, coconut, olives

These foods are loaded with 

Chromium: 

• Brazil nuts, dates and hazelnuts

SO! What am I going to do with this enormous list of INCREDIBLE foods? I'm going to put together an incredible meal plan, eat and be as healthy as I can so I can be FERTILE MYRTLE!

XOXO

Am I Crazy??

Sometimes I tell myself that I am crazy for doing this AGAIN! Doing what again? Well, let me explain. Way back in 1990, I made a decision that would change the rest of my life. I was 18 years old when I found out I was pregnant. Boy oh boy was THAT the scariest thing for me! Forget about knowing I was pregnant, I was MORE afraid of telling my mother. I was a young girl, a wee bit on the wild side, and still trying to figure out who I was. Does anyone KNOW who they are at 18?

All I knew at that VERY moment I took a pregnancy test, was that NO MATTER WHAT the outcome, I am KEEPING this baby. I won't get into details and to be quite honest, It's been 20 years, so I really don't remember every second of THAT part of my life.  I didn't care that I was pregnant at all, meaning the belly, the weight gain, etc. I was in my glory, and to be honest, I think that me getting pregnant at that exact time in my life was a BLESSING from God.  By the time I was 7 months pregnant I only gained about 16 pounds- All I could eat was watermelon, berries and any other fruit that was in my face. I was nauseous the whole time. I remember thinking that I was happy I was carrying my baby all summer, because my feet were so bloated, I couldn't wear sneakers! Looking back, I was calm, happy and just excited to have something- someone I could LOVE- REALLY LOVE.

By the time Heather Lynne was born, I was about to turn 19. I don't remember being scared of being a mom, and I don't remember EVER looking back and wishing I did something different. I would just look at her, smell her, play with her, love her and just BE. I do think back to when I was in the hospital with her and my mom was there with us (Lucky me), she stayed with me for a week THANK GOD! In the hospital, I was holding Heather when she started to cry, I couldn't understand why she was crying. I was holding her as she was wrapped all tight in her little blanket- What did I do wrong? I started to cry! Every time she cried I would cry because I felt like I didn't know what to do.... My mom would say " Teen, did you change her? Did you feed her?" OH! That's what you do with a new born! Now I get it!

So, I have  Heather Lynne who is 20 and  is SOOO beautiful, and Tyler is my handsome 18 year old dude! I divorced Heather and Tyler's father about 16 years ago. At the end of my marriage, I KNEW in my heart I wasn't with the right person. We were two babies who had babies together- that's it. Although we both did try, I had my visions of what my future would look like and he had his own views. I decided to get a Tubaligation after Tyler was born,because I was so fertile that While on birth control, I conceived Tyler, and after Tyler was born, I had the IUD inserted in my cervix and I ended up pregnant only to misscarriage. I couldn't handle it anymore. I was accused of being selfish, but my view was that I was so young, with two babies and marriage that should have never been.

Was I thinking THEN that some day I would get remarried and want to have more children? Nope, not for a split second. In my mind, I was done for GOOD having babies. I have a boy & a Girl, what more could I want?

Fast forward to 2003- When I saw a guy from high school one day. I said hello, he said hello, and I never thought anything of him. We went to high school together, so I knew of him, and he would occasionally come into one of the gyms I worked at, but never a second thought of him. I switched gyms and one day came into work to hear a voice call message form HIM. I scratched my head in confussion wondering why on earth he would be calling ME. We went on a date after 2 weeks of chatting it up on the phone, and POOF!!!!! 9 years later, we are married, so in love and READY to HAVE A BABY!!!!!


So now I ask YOU- AM I CRAZY to want to start over? Well, regardless of what YOU or anyone THINKS, I am so ready to give my husband a baby, and sacrifice my life yet once again. I think since we first started dating, I wanted another baby- FOR NOT only Mario but for ME.

Mario & I can't do things like normal people would- Ya know, roll around in the sheets, get crazy, and BAM, I am pregnant- NOPE, It's a process for us- It's BEEN a process for us!

Let me back track to 2010. I went for an OBGYN check up and talked to my Doc about getting pregnant. He suggested I go to Columbia University Of Obstetrics and Gynecology and talk to Melvin Thornton. Well, I did JUST that! I made the appointment to go meet with him and get things going. Upon meeting with Dr. Thornton, we discussed my age (38 at the time), My tubes being tied and IVF. He told me to forget the Reversal tubaligation, because it may or may not work. IVF has a higher chance for pregnancy. I became so excited by the end of our conversation, I couldn't wait to tell Mario! Long story short, I did ALL THE TESTS required, went to all my appointments and the only thing left to do before we start the process was for Mario to get the semen annalysis done.

Let's just say that NEVER happened, and so many other things distracted us from Mario doing this test, that here we are in 2012 now, where I had to REVISIT Dr. Thornton, and go through all the tests again.... (SUDDEN STOP!) That is until Mario & I stumbled upon Chapel Hill Reversal Center in North Carolina. We researched the site, read the testimonials, and even spoke with some of the nurses. This to US seemed like such a better idea, by FAR! I would only be covered for one cycle of IVF and in MOST cases in 40 year old women, It doesn't happen right away. Well while we have a GREAT business, we aren't WEALTHY. A cycle of IVF could run you $15,000! We don't have that to just "CHANCE IT" and we don't have time!

 I am 40 years old and YES, MY TIME BOMB IS TICKING AWAY!!! We decided just a few days ago to book our flights to NC, and get the tubal reversal, so we can try naturally.  There I said it! It's out there! AHHH, I feel so much better!!!! Just today, I filled out the papers, going to fax them tomorrow and I will be all scheduled for April 9th to get my surgery!

What's really amazing is how God works! I have such a great feeling about this process Mario & I chose together! I get baptized on Saturday April 7th, which is the  Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday I am considered a Catholic, a Whole new person! Monday I get my surgery and hopefully soon thereafter, I will be carrying Mario's baby! This will all be God's will. I am praying he blesses us with a healthy baby very soon!

Keep reading my blog for updates! It's so exciting for us!.
XO Tina.