Yoga with Adriene

Photo: iTunes

Working from home allows me to carve time for fitness. After doing Blogilates for a year, I decided to change my routine and switched to yoga.

My Pet Bit Me!

Image credit: Pixabay

One Sunday, after hearing Mass and sharing a hearty breakfast with the family, I went home to have a relaxing day. No work, no house chores. Finally, a time for myself. While I was fixing Bruno's leash, another dog came running outside our gate, causing a ruckus among my dogs.

Human Heart Nature Membership

I'm an avid consumer of products from Human Heart Nature and after months of contemplation, I've decided to finally apply to become a Member. An HHN Member is the lowest in terms of membership ranking and cheapest membership available (P799). 

I went to the nearest HHN store and I informed them that I would like to become a Member. A friendly staff accommodated me. She let me fill out a form and she photocopied my ID as proof. She gave a small orientation for me, explaining the history of HHN and the vision of the company. She also informed me of the harmful chemicals such as SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), mineral oil, and petroleum by-products, commonly used in toiletries, cosmetics, and household cleaning supplies. Petroleum-based ingredients (found in petroleum jelly, isopropyl alcohol, etc.) pose risks of infertility. Oh my! 

Our skin is the largest organ of the body and it absorbs most of the chemicals in whatever we applied onto our skin. That's why we must be conscious and we must read the labels of what we use and apply on our skin on a daily basis. When I went home, I immediately checked the label of a baby oil I'm using and its ingredient is Mineral Oil, the #2 cause of skin-ageing (#1 is the sun).

The Starter Kit of an HHN Member includes the following:

Image here

As an HHN Member, I need to have a minimum monthly purchase of P800. With my personal purchases, I can probably reach that amount for the first 2 months, but I asked my sister to order HHN products from me, if I'm not able to reach P800/month.

Human Heart Nature

www.humanheartnature.com

A Nice Fertility Article

I was browsing through daily tweets when I saw Mind Body Green's tweet about natural fertility. I read the article "Why I'm Choosing To Treat My Fertility Problems Naturally" and I'm so happy the author's experience and decision resonate mine. 

Before I was diagnosed with PCOS, I rarely take medicines. I believed that if I'm sick, my body was telling me that something was wrong and I have to take a rest and be mindful of what I intake. Taking drugs was my last resort. But after the diagnosis, I had no choice but to follow the doctors' prescriptions of fertility drugs and more to ensure that my body is doing what it's supposed to do. At times, I don't like it since I feel that the drugs were not fixing the problem in a holistic way. And the risk of having ovarian cancer because of the drugs looms in my mind every now and then. Read our TTC journey here.

The author is brave in telling the world of her decision which is uncommon in the TTC world. I do similar things she's doing to help nurture the body and be ready for conception. I eat healthy, use organic products, have no vice, and I try to become active. I have yet to become a vegetarian, though I think it would become unlikely since I love eating meat products.

No Excuses

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It's July 1st, the first day when I must start on my Fertility Plan. Maybe it sounds absurd to have such a plan but I'm a worrier type of person and unless I have a plan which I can follow, it's hard for me to remain calm. My mind races on things to do, things to avoid, etc. I'm planning for things which I have control over -- such as diet and exercise. This plan may work (hopefully!) this time.

Now is the time to get serious. I've given myself several months binging on junk food and preserved goods, staying up and waking up late, and being sedentary. I told myself July 1 is the day when these unhealthy habits have to end. It's now time to get moving, keep fit and healthy, stay sane in preparing myself for conception. No more excuses. No more bargaining.

For women with PCOS, doing exercise such as walking for 30 minutes a day is ideal in preparing the body for conception. I planned on waking up early and start on my morning walk today. I envisioned myself having walking as a daily exercise wherein I cannot begin the day without walking first. I wanted it to become a daily habit. But, I wasn't able to get out of bed on my target waking time today. Boo. Not to start the first day of my Plan with an epic fail, I turned on the TV and watched an exercise program. I followed the woman's cardio exercises for 30 minutes before preparing for work. Yes!

The day has not yet ended and I was able to do 6 out of the 10 items in my Plan. I hope I can have the determination and discipline to keep this up.

Using Natural Products

As part of my Fertility Plan, I'm now switching to natural cosmetics. I use many products on my body. I think I have an elaborate ritual of cleaning and moisturizing my skin, especially at night. Whenever I think about all the chemicals in those beauty products that I slather on my skin, I can't help but shudder. The pains of beauty. 

One shop that sells natural products is Human Heart Nature. Human Heart Nature is a company in the Philippines that produces and sells products which are pro-Philippines, pro-poor, and pro-environment. I've used its products years ago and I believe in using natural products and supporting Pinoy companies. When I was still working in the city, I've been ordering online for HHN products since I didn't know any dealers and there was no shop near my place or office. 

Image from the HHN Facebook Page

After procrastinating for several months, I finally went  to the HHN shop to buy my first batch of products. The shop was a 15-minute jeepney ride away from home. The shop was quaint and all of their products were neatly displayed on the shelves with their prices written on a small slip of paper. Most products have their testers so I was able to smell them. Since their products were pricey compared to commercial ones, I decided to first buy products which stay longer on my body. I bought the Natural Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner (Lush Vanilla), 100% Natural Healthy Lotion (Vanilla Delight), and the Day & Night Moisturizer Bundle. 

The HHN staff encouraged me to become a dealer so I could get great discounts and have extra income. Since I'm a user of their products, I could save a lot if I become a dealer. I'm thinking about it but if I become a dealer, it would be just for my benefit. I work from home so it limits my capacity to sell their products to other people.

My Plan to Help My Fertility

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In just a few months, Hubby will be arriving to the country. Yes! After nine months, we'll be finally together again. In this contract, we're only able to text frequently, sometimes on a daily basis, call and Skype for a couple of hours twice a month. Imagine not seeing your spouse daily and communicating only at limited times? It's tough but it will be over soon. Wee!

I promised myself that three months before his arrival, I will prepare myself physically. I want to have my body at its optimum health and to be fertile, hopefully, by the time Hubby comes home.

Here's the plan I've devised:

• Be active. I can do walking early in the morning before I go to work or yoga after work. Most probably I'll do yoga since I can't seem to get out of bed early in the morning now that I'm working from home. But, I'll try walking to get fresh, probinsya air.
• Eat healthy foods, especially those which are called fertility foods.
• Drink green tea daily. Green tea is said to be an antioxidant and helps get rid of free radicals in the body.
• Take supplements that promote fertility (Royal Jelly and Usana Essentials).
• Ban these foods from my diet: canned goods, junk foods, soft drinks, sweet juice, candies, and chocolates (*fingers-crossed*). This one, I may have to be firm and determined to see this through. When Hubby arrives, he brings lots of chocolates since they're my favorite. How can I not eat something I love when it's just there within my reach? Can I have a cheat day? Haha.
• Use natural, organic toiletries.
• Buy organic food whenever possible, even if its more expensive.
• Do a self-fertility massage.
• Meditate before going to bed.
• Sleep early and wake up early.

I really hope that this plan would be successful in helping me conceive. For all those trying to conceive, you can also create a plan which suits your situation. Whatever you think will help you increase your fertility, do it.

Royal Jelly from Manuka Health

Part of my Fertility Plan this year is taking fertility supplements. Since I've done Clomid, acupuncture, Chinese herbal tea, eating brown rice and muesli, and using organic toiletries, I think it's time I try these supplements. Trying to conceive seems like a trial and error project for me. I can't do the same thing and expect a different result.

First on my fertility supplement list is Royal Jelly. It is said that royal jelly is the superfood for fertility. Many women claimed its effectiveness in getting pregnant so I have to try it. Royal Jelly is available in different forms: fresh, capsules/tablets, or powdered. They say fresh royal jelly is the best form. The nearest seller of fresh royal jelly to my home is Ilog Maria in Tagaytay. I may have to visit the honeybee farm and buy some.

I searched online and ordered a bottle of Royal Jelly Capsules at Manuka Health. A bottle has 180 capsules, good for 6 months, and costs P1,700. A cap costs about P9.44. My order arrived after three days.

The cap is a bit large but good thing I can easily ingest medicines. I have no difficulty swallowing the capsule. Hope this royal jelly improves my health and hormonal balance in the near future.

Maxicare

I've been browsing the Internet for a good HMO. I was comparing two prominent HMO providers and to test them in the customer service area, I sent an inquiry to both their email addresses to see which would reply to me immediately.

Obviously, Maxicare noticed my inquiry and sent me a reply. So long, other HMO provider! The reply to my inquiry said that I should wait for their call to initiate my application. After a few weeks of no call, I sent Maxicare a message via Skype. Their customer support immediately emailed me the application form, list of accredited hospitals and dental clinics, and brochure.

I sent my application form via email (since I'm in the province, going to the city is limited nowadays). After a week, my application was approved and I got my billing statement. That fast!

The due date was 15 days after the release of the billing statement. According to their email, if I paid within day 1-10 of the month, my coverage will start on the 15th of the month. Since I wanted to activate my membership and have my health card ASAP, I paid the next day after receiving the billing statement.

Now, I'm waiting for my Maxicare health card.

Commitments

I plan to make a list of commitments and I hope I can do them.

For February, I commit to the following:

1. Meditate for 11 minutes every morning. I want to destress after the infertility treatments I went through last year.
2. Be active -- may it be walking or aero/cardio exercises in the morning. I found a fitness program on cable. Free fitness for me. Wee!
3. Read a book at night. I waste my time watching TV after work and I plan to lessen the time I spend time on the TV.

Okay, just three commitments. Short and sweet. I don't want to list tons of commitments and not be able to do any of them.

What commitments do you have for yourself?

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is the way to go to optimize fertility. Include more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, folic acid, and vitamin supplement in your diet. To know more, check out the website of The National Infertility Association.

Clomid and Vitamin C

I read that the effect of Clomid, the ovulation inducing drug, is increased when taken with Vitamin C. You can take the supplement or you can eat fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C.

Here is a list of produce rich in Vitamin C which we can include in our meals.

1. Guava
2. Red sweet pepper
3. Kiwi
4. Orange
5. Green sweet pepper
6. Grapefruit juice
7. Vegetable juice cocktail
8. Strawberries
9. Brussels sprouts
10. Cantaloupe

Source: She Yahoo!

No Junk June a SUCCESS!

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Yes!


Congratulations are in order. I survived the month of June without eating any junk food. I tamed my salty cravings with popcorn and unsalted nuts. I feel happy, proud and healthy.


Yey for challenges which make life a little bit interesting!

Hips don't lie

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An article at Yoga Journal says that our hips serve as our bodies' junk drawer. All the stress and negative emotions are stored in our pelvic area.


To clean our "junk" drawer, there are yoga poses (asanas) which we can do. These poses can help us release stress and remove negative energy from our pelvic area.


I tried doing these poses at home. I like the Warrior Pose II and Frog Pose. I'm having a hard time doing the Cow Face and Lizard Poses so I just skip them. :)

No Junk June

I'm starting a new challenge for myself this June. For the whole month, I will not eat junk food (e.g. chips, chicharon, cheese curls, salty nuts, fish crackers, etc.). Junk food is part of my diet, sad to say. I want something salty after meals, while watching TV, while reading. When I can't pinpoint what I want to eat, by default, it's junk food.


This challenge is inspired by an article in Get Rich Slowly. For a month, you will refrain yourself from doing one thing with expense such as buying from the coffee shop, eating out, etc. It may look like you are depriving yourself but think of it as being a one month deal for the year. You have the rest of 11 months to do things as usual.


The money that you will save from this "challenge" can be saved or invested. Spending it might not be good since it defeats the purpose of the challenge.


Now, I'm starting my self-imposed challenge. Hopefully, I can NOT eat junk this month and be a bit healthier by the end of it.

5K Run

One of my goals for 2012 is to be able to join a 5K fun run, if possible during my birthday week in August. I joined a 3K run last 2009 and I want to do it again but I have to level up.

I'm not an avid runner. I have a sort-of love-hate relationship with running. Having a goal like joining a fun run will prompt me to actually start running again. 

At first I thought running might further jeopardize the position of my cervix ("mababa ang matris" ko, I don't know if there's an English term for that.) but I've been putting off running for a few years now because of that. Right now, I don't want to be a person who puts her life on hold.

I've searched for a training plan to use and found this perfect plan for me at The Running Bug. The pace is just right for me, being a sedentary person for years. I don't want to rush into running, afraid of injuring myself in the process.

Wish me luck!

Change of Habit

I've successfully done my Habit #1: Morning Power Drink. Since February, I've been drinking pure calamansi juice every morning, one hour before breakfast. Calamansi is always in my grocery list. I buy 1-2 kilos of this local lemon weekly.

Now, I think I may have to find another source to get pure Vitamin C in my body. The reason? Price increase! The price of calamansi jumped from P57/kg to P93/kg in just three weeks! That's higher than the oil price hikes. I'm not sure why this drastic price increase. Calamansi harvest is going low nowadays? I don't know.

I'm sad that I'm discarding my Power Drink. I know I can still find another alternative source of Vit. C that is not in pill form.

No Meat Please

Dinners on Mondays look like this plate.I'm trying to live up to the Meatless Monday campaign. I want to live and eat healthier. Don't get me wrong. I lurve my meats but I have to consciously make the decision to skip eating them on Mondays. Even for one day a week, I can curb my carnivorous side.

New Habit #1 - Morning Power Drink

According to Bo Sanchez, a widely known preacher, speaker and author in the country, he has 52 Healing Habits to transform our health, in Body and Soul one habit at a time. The first of these habits is taking the Morning Power Drink.

What is the Morning Power Drink?
The Morning Power drink is just a drink consisting the freshly-squeezed juice of 28 pcs. of calamansi. This should be taken first thing in the morning. Any drink or food should be taken one hour after drinking this power drink. To know more about it, click here.

In one of Bo's newsletter, he said it takes 28 days to take on a new habit. A new habit should be done everyday, no skipping a day for any reason. Should you skip, you start counting again the days.

One of the habits that I want to acquire is drinking the Morning Power Drink.  As February 2012 began, I also started drinking the juice of 5 pcs. calamansi. I will increase the number everyday till I get to the recommended 28 pcs. calamansi. True to Bo's words, I didn't become acidic. My tummy's just fine.

Calamansi for good health! 

Water

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Tip for those taking Clomiphene Citrate, commonly known as Clomid: drink tons of water!

One of Clomid's side effect is drying your cervical mucus. Sperms thrive on cervical mucus and it helps them "swim". To counter this drying side effect of Clomid, keep your water bottle or your glasses filled and drink up.