Sleep!

TODAY'S MOTIVATION

Sleep. It does a body good. The more I read about eating healthy the more I hear about sleep and how both impact one another. It's no major revelation that sleep, diet, and exercise are the three main pillars to good health, and of course all need to be in good balance in order to feel good. I know right now I am kinda screwed in the sleep department having an infant and all, but I would have to say that I can already see the benefits of eating healthy on my sleep as well as my overall health. For example, I can pretty much get up twice a night with Maya or be up for the day at 4am and not go back to sleep and still function the rest of the day. Yes I always feel tired, but not the kind where you feel like you are going to die if you don't have a nap. There have been periods where it felt like torture when Maya would get up every hour due to gas or ear infection. But for the most part, on a day to day basis, I can honestly say that when I get up with Maya I can cope rather well. I strongly feel that this is in large part due to the fact that I am eating better and exercising. If I was not taking care of myself, it would be a much bumpier ride.

I also have seen benefits when I was pregnant. During my pregnancy I was taking vitamins and getting my servings of fruits and vegetables in, etc.  I also wasn't "over doing it" with other things like work and projects at home, etc. As a result I was way less sick when I was pregnant than before. I know that the hormones alone  change so much of the make up in your body, but I only ever got one chest cold the whole nine months. Other than the crazy morning sickness, I was pretty healthy. Prior to my pregnancy I had multiple sinus infections, allergies, the flu, chest congestion. Since having Maya and taking care of myself I have not gotten sick once!  Coincidence? I think not! I know there are actual studies to prove or disprove my ideas but this is my theory and I'm sticking to it! So today I am going to think about this if I feel the urge to sway from my eating plan. I am going to think about how eating healthy and taking care of yourself really does have a huge impact in your overall day to day functioning. And eventually when Maya is 18 years old maybe I will sleep again :)

RANT OR RAVE

Remember me talking about how frozen bananas become the texture of ice cream when blended?  Well, did you also know that blending regular bananas also gives the texture of a milk shake! I blended half a cup of blueberries, one banana, and one cup of milk and voila, I instantly had a milkshake. You have to make sure to put it on the "whip" setting on your blender (you have to experiment to get the right texture - too little blending is too thin, too much blending is too thick).  I like to put mine in the fridge to chill and then drink with a straw for the full effect. I may even experiment with using ice next time to see if that does anything for it. 

Anyhow, give it a try. It's a creative way to get some of your fruits in and it is more fun than a smoothie (although very similar in taste, but different in texture). 

NOTE TO SELF