The Outspoken Mom Blog

Our government that is killing us is now supposedly healing us?

Where to begin, where even to begin!

So tonight, I was watching that TV show with Jamie Oliver about his food revolution.  UGH!!!!  I was getting so stressed out and so upset during that show!  I could honestly feel my blood starting to boil and I could feel my heart racing and many times I had to change the channel because I couldn't handle what I was seeing on TV.

Many of you who read my blogs understand how I feel about food, the struggles our family has had with food and how frustrating it has been to watch children be fed crap, day after day in not only our own homes but, at schools, restaurants and wherever else we eat.  I have always struggled with restaurants not having healthy food options on children's menus, I struggle with fast food places and their options, I struggle with grocery stores and food companies that market this crap to our children!  To see it all flat out right in front of me in High Definition...it was honestly too much to take.

I sat there and watched as someone who isn't from our country tried and changed our schools and tried to change a towns minds and he was put up against our own government!  Our own government was telling him that his chicken, rice, and veggies wasn't following standards but, the reheated pizza the lunch ladies were serving was!  Turns out their guidelines said there must be 2 breads in their lunch and he didn't have a bread but, their crappy, unhealthy pizza constituted 2 bread servings..how you ask?  By the portion size...yep, they just gave them bigger pieces of crappy pizza to make sure they were following the guidelines set forth by the USDA, our own government!

To top that off, just as my blood is really starting to boil, the show gets interrupted and I find out from a gleeful Diane Sawyer that our own government...the VERY government that is telling us pizza is better for you than brown rice has voted to take over our health care system.  If ever I needed a push to be against something it was that....not only hearing my government is telling people what is healthy and what isn't and being SO very wrong but, also having a show about our health and food issues interrupted to find out our government will now be making our health decisions for us now too.

I am sure I am going to piss a lot of you off with this blog and so be it.  Listen, I am so anti-government right now it is sad to me.  I have never been so afraid, so ashamed, and so scared of my country's leaders before.  After seeing many sick things our government can do and is doing to people in the  business world, my husband included, and then seeing what they are doing to our children, how on earth can I trust them with my health too?

I flat out don't trust the government anymore, I don't trust them, I am afraid for my country but, most importantly, I am afraid for my children and what will happen to them.  I am watching a country I have believed in, trusted and loved become something I am growing to despise and flat out don't trust. 

First of all, let me tell you something about food, the way we eat, what we are feeding ourselves and our children, will kill all of us!  Our government is creating a food pyramid that doesn't work and can't possibly be full-filled in our society.  Our children don't know what vegetables are, they don't know how they grow or where they grow and we are feeding our children things that come from a box. 

Our produce sections are getting smaller and smaller because our grocery sections of pre-packaged, processed foods is getting larger and larger.  Nothing that comes from a box can possibly be healthy!  I don't care if you make $20,000 a year or $200,000 a year, you can still feed your children healthy food!  Our bodies are our temples we need to treat them as such!  We workout and diet and then go home and have frozen pizza for dinner! 

The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States!  We have diet sodas, diet candy bars, diet shakes, diet pills, diet, diet, diet, diet!  If we would just go back to eating the basic, WHOLE FOODS, we wouldn't need so many diets!  Examples?  OK, I just lost 20 pounds in less than 2 months by doing a simple thing..I ate 2 fruits or veggies (raw/uncooked) before every meal!  Then, my meal would consist of something like baked chicken, salad, frozen peas(obviously heated up), and a bowl of cut up fruit...NOT from a can!  I would have water with my meal, every meal.

I actually found myself never hungry, never craving sugar or other unhealthy foods, always satisfied with my meals and never the over-stuffed feeling I would have when I didn't eat raw fruits or veggies.  I was a good example to my children, especially my son who also eats a lot of raw fruits and veggies and lean meats.  I showed him joyfully that the food was good and healthy and made me feel good.  Soon, my son who often craved sweets and junk food stopped all together craving those things and stopped feeling like he was missing out on the 'good foods' his friends all got to eat.  Why?  Because he was feeling better, he was happier, he wasn't as agitated and he had more energy than before.  He was happy and it was noticeable not only to me his mom but, to him!

Ever hear the old saying, "You are what you eat"?  Well, what are we if we eat chicken nuggets, hot dogs, french fries, boxed macaroni and cheese, and pizza?  We are junk, we are unhealthy, we are created in a laboratory!  However, if we fill ourselves with fresh strawberries, bananas, lettuce, chicken, brown rice, carrots, lean meats, and green peppers what are we?  We are whole, we are healthy, we are filled with life created from the earth!

If you don't know what healthy foods are, think of this, if you can't grow it, you shouldn't eat it!  Try that for a few weeks and see how you feel!  I promise you, if you stop following our government and their misleading guidelines, you truly will feel a lot better and you will be healthier and you won't need to rely on the government , that is helping to make us sick in the first place, to take care of you when you get sick.

I could write on this for hours!

Blessings to you all!

-Liza

How many snacks do we really need to feel left out?

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I had no intention of writing a blog today but, apparently, God had other plans!  Ok Lord, I am listening and following.

I wish I could tell you all how much God is pushing my husband and I right now, in a good push of course.  It is amazing how much he is talking to us and the people he is bringing into our lives right now.  You CAN NOT tell me this is all just a coincidence.  Just too many factors coming into play here.  Anyway, on to the blog.

Food, yes food again.  Food is an issue in our house.  Actually, I take offense to that!  Food isn't an issue in OUR house because we don't find issue with it, the world, our family and our friends have issue with our food 'issues'.  How we eat has become the norm in our family and many families like us so much that very rarely do our children even complain or talk about it until it is pointed out to them by someone else.

Today is that day when someone pointed it out to my son.  My son who hasn't complained about his food choices or what others may call limitations in weeks did this afternoon.  I got a phone call from his school about 15 minutes ago telling me it was someone's last day at that school today and they brought in ice cream for a treat.  OK, first of all, ice cream for a treat, for what?  A celebration that you are leaving that school, a birthday that coincides with you leaving that school, are you graduating early (they are in 3rd Grade so THAT probably isn't it) but, why a 'treat'? 

Our society focuses so much on food that it is no wonder we have children that are obese, children with eating disorders earlier and earlier in life, a multi-billion dollar a year diet industry and in general, millions of people obsessed with food or staying away from food!  Add to that children with food allergies or sensitivities and it is crazy! 

So, I answer the phone and my son's special ed teacher tells me that the class is eating ice cream and my son would like to eat some and wondering if it is OK.  First of all, is it NOT in his IEP that he can not eat ANYTHING unless it comes from home?  Also, it is in his files and on his medical forms in many different places that he is not allowed to eat wheat or dairy...hello?!  So, after all of those thoughts go through my head, I calmly and kindly say, "Oh, bummer, no he can't have any ice cream".  She then tells me why the class is eating ice cream and that my son feels left out..."of course he does, wouldn't you?" is what I want to say but, instead I calmly and kindly say, "Well, he can't have any."  She then asks me if I would be willing to tell him that.  Sure(chicken sh**, is what I think but, do not say).  So, my son gets on the phone and I am super excited to hear his sweet voice come on the phone and hear, "Hi Momma!"  OH, my heart melts every time I hear that from him!  So I excitedly say hello to him and ask him about his day and chit chat with him.  Then, I say to him, "So, I hear someone is leaving and they brought ice cream for a treat."  His voice instantly changes into a hint of sadness when he says, "yea". 
I then let him know I just found out about it and that his baby sister is still sleeping and school gets out in 15 minutes so, there is no way I would be able to bring him a snack to school but, I promise him he can have a snack when he gets home.  He protests.  I then remind him that ice cream has not only dairy but, often wheat, corn syrup and sugar in it too, all things he can't eat.

He gets bummed out a bit more but, understands.  It is hard to hear an 8 year old have to make such grown up decisions!  You know, he has to be so grown up so often in life being the oldest and only boy in the family but, then you add his food choices, his Asperger's, the huge amount of supplements/vitamins he needs to take, and no wonder he sometimes lashes out in school!  He is so grown up in so many other areas when is he allowed to just be an 8 year old boy?!

We end our conversation on a good note and we hang up.  Then, the blogging comes in.  I have had many conversations with other parents about food.  See, in Minnesota it is a State Law that you cannot have any food brought in to share unless it is store purchased and in many cases has the ingredients label on it.   That is also why there is no sharing of school lunches anymore or trading of snacks.  I get it because of food allergies the no trading of school lunches and such however, when you put a law in there to 'protect' children with food allergies by telling us everything needs to be store bought, you are actually excluding many of those same children from classroom activities and parties.

There are VERY few choices for school treats to bring that are wheat/gluten free, dairy/casein free, and then you add in corn syrup, sugar, and egg free and you have pretty much eliminated my son and sometimes my daughter's from participating with their classmates.  Now, for my son, who is already dis-engaged often and pulled out frequently and misses a lot of 'normal' class time and class participation, you further alienate him by bringing in treats such as ice cream, cupcakes, candy, etc. for parties.  The hardest pill to swallow with all of this is, NOT once has any parent ever asked the teacher if there are any food allergies in the classroom they should be aware of.  Something I never forget NOT to do.  I always ask about food allergies when I bring in treats.  But, more often than not, I try to bring in 100% juice boxes or fruit snacks that are 100% fruit.  I wish I could bring in cupcakes and cookies but, I have to make those things for my children and I can't share them with the rest of the class.  Very often, I ask the teachers to let me know in advance so that I can either make something just for my children or I can go to one of our local gluten free/dairy free bakeries and pick something up for my children.

Very often though, I get a call just minutes before the treats are served with the teacher telling me they didn't know the parents were bringing anything in, the parents just surprised the teacher and class with treats.  Again, first of all, we all love surprises but, you need to tell teachers in advance and two, hello...once again did you ever think someone in the class might not be able to eat what you bring and you might be leaving someone out?

Same goes for all those sporting events that all of us parents bring treats to, whatever happened to a parent bringing a gigantic bag of cut up oranges and some water in a thermos with cups?  Since when do 6 year olds need to drink Gatorade and Goldfish to replenish themselves after a soccer game?  We don't need to celebrate every single occasion in life with food and drink especially sugary snacks and high fat, high calorie things do we?

I am afraid that we all are a bit guilty in this epidemic we call obesity.  Everything is usually OK in moderation (unless you have a food allergy) but, how much is moderation when weekly if not more our children are having parties in school, playing how many sports a week with how many snacks after wards and then you add drive-thru dinners, take-outs and pizza delivery and before you know it your children's diets consist of mostly saturated fats, various corn syrups, food coloring, and preservatives than fruits and veggies.

Hey, I am in no way saying our treats need to disappear from schools or from sporting events but, how about a treat at the END of the soccer season instead of every game?  Or how about we only celebrate birthdays or holidays and instead of only bringing in cupcakes and ice cream we once in a while include something fun like a grab bag of non-edible treats to students or little wrapped gifts for everyone in the class of some 'goodies' to make them all feel special? 

I need to stop here, 2 of my 3 are home from school and the baby is now awake too and we have dance pictures tonight that I need to somehow get hair done for and make sure the costume is primped and ready to go so my daughter looks her 'best' for pictures. 

Thanks for reading and be on the look out for some hopefully big changes coming to this site soon! :-)  I am hoping to do an 'official' launch of my blog soon!

Blessings to you all and welcome all of my new readers! 

-Liza

Dangers today

Good Morning Everyone!

So, I was just sitting here...yep, just sitting instead of doing something and wondering to myself...why all of a sudden does it seem we are FINALLY addressing our sick and disgusting eating habits in America?

There is a new show coming on TV that will be addressing what our schools feed our children, what we are feeding our children and how it is killing us.  Their opening tag line on their commercials shows a bunch of children running and says, "This is the first generation in history that has a shorter life expectancy than their parents". 

We are just starting to figure this out now?!!  It is gross how we feed our children, I am a firm believer that our bad eating/feeding habits are a major contributor to our children having higher and higher rates of not only the obvious things like high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease but, also things like food allergies, ADD/ADHD and Autism.  We are constantly shoving chemicals into these teeny bodies without thinking twice about it and we are slowly killing our children!

Have you ever tried to read the side of a macaroni and cheese box?  Have you read the ingredients in a can of pop, any pop?!  Have you read what is in your salad dressing, your ketchup?  Now, check out supposedly 'healthy' foods...check out your label on your dry roasted peanuts, peanut butter, even your rice mix box.....NOW...check your label on your baby formula...prepared to be sick.

You will find things like MSG, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, etc...all are so unhealthy for adults let alone children! 

Just a couple reasons why you don't want to eat some of those foods.....

Corn Syrup/High-Fructose Corn Syrup:  corn syrup stops the body from absorbing copper..which is essential in production elastin and collagen.  The main source of copper?  Liver and we don't feed our children THAT anymore for sure due to chemical issues of it's own!  Corn syrup also acts more like a fat to our body than sugar and it decreases our body's ability to recognize when we are full.

I could go on and on and on about corn syrup but, you can do some research yourself, just do a search and read just a couple items about it.  I will tell you we have had 2 different doctors who are helping us treat our son for Autism say and I quote both of them: "If you don't pull anything out of your son's diet, just pull corn syrup."..the other, "Get him and keep him off corn syrup, it WILL kill him, especially in large amounts."

MSG, also known as Mono sodium Glutamate has been a danger for years however, I have noticed it creeping back into many foods lately....What is wrong with MSG?  Well, here goes:  it can cause cardiac issues from palpation to arrhythmia's to extreme drops in blood pressure.  It can cause digestive problems, depression, dizziness, loss of balance, mood swings, headaches, migraines, ADD, behavior issues in children especially, and eye problems just to name a few of the problems.  Our Federal Government has repeatedly refused to recognize years of research dating all the way back to the 60's and continues to allow food companies to NOT put MSG on their labels including in ORGANIC foods!

I would love to touch on the oils issue here too but, the children are awake and I need to get them ready for school.

Here are just a sample of websites that can help you learn more about these foods, I just gave you a taste of some of the issues with them....

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/index.html

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/adversereactions.html

http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/highfructose.html

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/dec2008_Metabolic-Dangers-of-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup_01.htm (by the way...this particular doctor is one of the ones working with us on our son, I had no clue she had an article out about corn syrup...I just happened to find this in my search!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0nc4kY-tc

http://www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/PartiallyHydrogenatedOils.html

Blessings to you all and keep those babies healthy! 

-Liza

Diet? or Lifestyle change?

Good Evening Everyone!

Oh wow, it has been so long since I have written and I truly missed it!  Life just isn't getting any easier with 4 children!  Hahahahahahahahaha.  Yes, our lives are crazy however, I wouldn't change it, any of it for the world.
I love my children, I love being a stay at home mom and I love being a wife. 

My husband is busier than he has ever been at work, apparently when you own your own business, you are not only the owner but the secretary, the computer geek, the phone tech, and the delivery boy.  All of those roles my husband has been playing lately, in addition to his executive/trader role.  Sorry honey but, at least you are working for you and not someone else.  I promise it will pay off someday.

So, I need to give you all an update on our son.  I can't remember if I wrote about this or not but, he saw a DAN doctor a few weeks ago.  A DAN doctor is a Defeat Autism Now doctor.  They specialize in treating people on the Autism Spectrum.  As you all know our son has Asperger's Syndrome which is considered a high functioning form of Autism.

Well, after seeing the doctor we have radically changed his diet and wow, the results have been so amazing.  It has been almost 2 weeks since the diet change and everyone is noticing including our son and his classmates.  For the first time all school year he is sitting in class, listening and not bothering the other students.  I am so pleased with how well he is taking this new diet.  It isn't easy for him, it isn't easy for any of us but, it is worth it to see my son finally happy at school and actively participating in his class.

It is amazing how dependant our family had become on 'processed' foods over the years.  Now that I have to feed my son ONLY Organic, whole foods..nothing processed, nothing conventionally grown, no GMO's, no wheat, no dairy, no gluten, no casein, no sugar, no soy, no eggs and minimal amounts of meat.
So, pretty much he is to eat mostly vegetables and fruit with a small amount of meat and even smaller amounts of grains or simple carbs.

It is really eating a diet of the foods God created.  Nothing processed, nothing 'man-made' or machine made.  Just whole, organic foods.  Seems easy enough but, wow, it is really, really difficult but so worth it for my guy.  He is happier, he listens better, he is calmer, he flat out enjoys life so much more.  It is nice to see the my true son coming out again.

I want to challenge all of you to try cutting back or even cutting out some of the processed foods.  Even if they seem healthy.  Try only shopping the outside of the grocery store.  Try only buying organic, foods and only grass-fed beef and free range chicken.  Limit your proteins, they aren't as good as you might think.  Keep your diet simple yet, colorful.  Eat more legumes, beans, and such.  It is fun experimenting and trying new foods that we would have never tried without this diet.  I am trying new recipes and frankly, even though my son may not like some of the new foods, with 6 people in the family, I have yet to make a recipe that at least one person didn't like!  So, I take that as a mark in the win column.

Try it, just for a week.  We are doing our diet for our son for 6 months but, try eating a diet for one week without all the processed stuff and I promise, you will see a change not only in your children but, in yourself too.

Blessings to all of you and if you do try it for a week, or even a day...please let me know how it went for you, I would love to hear!

-Liza

My perfect and unique Snowflake

Good Morning Everyone!

Wow, I have to say our fall is so much nicer than our summer was here in Minnesota!  I can't believe how utterly perfect the weather has been lately.  I think it is supposed to take a turn for the worse but, these past few weeks have been wonderful.

As many of you know, my son has Asperger's (on Autism Spectrum).  We have done most things by trial and error with him and by me doing lots of research, talking to parents, educators, etc.  We have done very little with our pediatrician because frankly, they just don't know much about it.  Our chiropractor knows a little but, again not too much.
We felt our 'window' had closed in really doing much more with him and that who he is, is who he is.  However, on our date night Monday night at a vitamin store, another couple overheard Steve and I talking and told us about some new vitamins, creams and such I had never tried and a new DAN (Defeat Autism Now) doctor/clinic that had just opened up and how growth spurts and especially puberty can really affect our son and his behavior.  Wow, I never knew!  So, we think our son might be in a growth spurt as he hasn't really had one in a while and is definitely due for one and with that and the stress of starting a new school, with new friends, new teachers, it is all just too much for him.

So, I started him on liquid vitamin B12 and vitamin D and even my husband has noticed a difference in our son since Tuesday when he started them both.  He is much calmer.  He still wanders a bit but, when we tell him he can't do something, he doesn't fly off the handle and I guess last night at his soccer game, he didn't get frustrated and had a great time and even passed the ball!  What?! 
Now, by no means do we think adding those two vitamins are the miracle cure for our son but, it is hopeful.  It might also be because this is the 3rd week of school and he is starting to settle into the new routines and starting to relax a bit.

It is so hard to know because there are so many variances and factors in raising a child with Asperger's.  It is so true that no two children with Asperger's are the same, they truly are like snowflakes all different and beautiful in their own way.  I love our son, I love how quirky he is and how smart that little guy is.  I am excited to see how he grows in life and to see what kind of a man he will be. 
With all of that though, it is hard to see my soft-hearted boy being a fist flailing, screaming, running away, disobedient, almost crazy boy.  That isn't my guy and that is when I know we are missing something or something is really stressing him out.

Now with him being on these new vitamins, which by the way, he is a champ at taking vitamins!  Some days he takes up to 15 and never once complains!  What a guy, he knows that he feels so much better on his vitamins and supplements than without them and he asks for them if I forget them.  So, we have new vitamins and yesterday I finally got him an appointment to see a DAN doctor!  I am very excited, I have no clue if she will be able to help our son but, I am hopeful.  Seth is so close to being 'normal' and I know we are just hovering near finding that key that will put him back together and back to a calm, loving, soft-hearted little guy that truly is fun to be around and has a heart of gold. 

The DAN doctor I talked to yesterday for almost 2 hours seems to be very optimistic about our guy because of how pro-active we have been in his treatments and she gave me the best compliment a mother of a child on the spectrum could ever here; she feels like us being so observant of his food issues when he was an infant, and choosing not to put him on any gas meds and instead work with my diet(since I was nursing) and with his diet once he started eating, she thinks we saved him from being full blown Autistic or being lower functioning.  Wow, I feel like I finally did something right. 

So, for those of you with children/infants, here is my advice to you, try to feed your children a diet of the least amount of processed foods as you can.  NEVER feed your infant or child Sodium Nitrate (found in bacon, luncheon meats, and other processed foods), if your infant has colic or spits up a lot pull ALL dairy out of their diet and if you are nursing, pull it out of your diet too.  Don't give your infant gas medications, they were created and designed for adults, NOT infants.  Try to do as much organic fruits and vegetables as you possibly can find and afford.

I am very nervous/excited to see the DAN doctor next month!  I don't know what she will find, if anything.  But, as I have discovered with our son and from other parents with children on the Spectrum, sometimes it is the littlest change that makes the biggest difference.  I don't know how much it will cost, I don't know if our insurance will pay for any of it even though they do accept insurance.  But, this is my boy, how can I let something as truly meaningless as money stand in the way of my son being the best he can be and achieving his highest potential in life?!  Granted, we do have our limit of how much we truly can spend since we will have to find the money and cut back in other places in our life to pay for it but, still, I think/hope it will be worth it all in the end.

Then, we have a call into a behavior specialist that works with only Autistic children and I am hoping getting him into behavior therapy will finally help him understand why he can't just take off for a 3 hour long bike ride without telling anyone.  Or why while his thinking was so nice, it just isn't right to bring all your money in a shoebox and walk 8 blocks to a pet shop to buy your little sister a bunny without telling anyone you left or asking if mom and dad would let your sister have a bunny.  Or when you are mad at mom because she won't let you eat cream cheese puffs, you can't just leave the restaurant and walk home by yourself even though you know the way home and we have often Roller-bladed back and forth from home to that restaurant. 

These are some of the things we have been dealing with lately with our son and while none of his actions are truly 'dangerous', he needs to understand he needs to tell mom and dad where is going and ask for permission.  He isn't understanding that right now and although when you ask him the rules, he will recite to you, "I have to ask permission to leave the yard", "I can't ride my bike without a helmet", "I can't buy anything without asking mom or dad first", you can look at his face and see he is only reciting the rules but, he isn't connecting with the rules and doesn't truly understand the rules.

It is hard to be a parent of a special needs child that 'looks' and 'acts' normal for the most part but, struggles with some basic parts of life.  He isn't like the little guy in a wheelchair, or who has down syndrome, or anything that people can see because it is physical.  Children on the Spectrum, look and act mostly normal unless they are truly Autistic and low functioning.  For the high functioning children, I think life is almost harder because we expect them to be able to fit in with the mainstream of life, school, etc.

I know my son can fit in, he actually does a really good job, we just need to constantly tweak him and keep working with him on the social basics and behavior basics.

Our guy is awesome and he is exactly the way God wanted him to be and I know he is the son God sent to me for a reason and I am thrilled and honored to raise this little guy.  So, I ask that you cover our son and our family in prayers and I also ask you pray for our DAN doctor and that we might find another piece of our son's Autism puzzle to put into place to make him more, 'whole'.

For those of you with a child on the Spectrum, don't EVER give up on your child or yourself!  Don't quit trying to find those missing puzzle pieces, they are out there somewhere and you will find them, I know you will!  Remember, your son or daughter is a snowflake, no two are alike and that is what makes them so special and perfect!

Blessings to you all!!!

-Liza

Igniting the firestorm of Healthcare

Good Morning Everyone!

I have a lot to say and not much time so, I am digging right in.  I am frustrated and frankly confused about all the talk of health care reform and what it really will mean for our country but, really, what it will mean for me and my family.

I don't get why we need it, our state of Minnesota has a terrific health care system and we also offer our own state run insurance for lower income families and people.  In fact, really, you don't even have to be low income as with our sized family, we can make upwards of $67,xxx + a year and still qualify for our state health care.  Which my family and I have been on now for almost 4 years.  It saved us when Steve didn't have a job and when we couldn't get our own health care.  We still pay premiums based on our family size and our income.  Premiums can range anywhere from $4 (per person) up to over $200 (a family). 

We have no co-pays for the children or pregnant women and adults are $3.  That is for doctors visits, prescriptions, and eye appts and dental.  It will also cover things like mental health, drug/alcohol treatment, and cancer treatments.  We are free to visit our regular doctors and dentists and we have a very large number of doctors and others to choose from.  We can even see specialists when needed.

I like MN Care, I like it alot, and I am bummed that we will no longer qualify after November 1st of this year and we will need to find our own insurance.  I don't get the whole deal with not being able to find good quality insurance.  I have always had insurance, yes, it is expensive sometimes but, at least here in Minnesota, I think we have such a high quality and quantity of doctors to choose from, it is worth it.  Can you really put a price on your health?  Plus, how much worse would it be if you didn't have any health insurance?

I understand that most of peoples bills are from medical and it is the number one reason people claim bankruptcy.  However, I don't believe that is because of doctors or lack of health care and I don't believe a nationalized health care system will fix that.  Yes, it might lower the cost some but, really, we will pay for it in other ways such as higher taxes, lower standards, and fewer choices.

I used to work for a medical insurance company and I can tell you a few things that make our costs for insurance and doctor visits so expensive....US!  We are a sue happy nation and we like to blame others for everything.  We tend to not take responsibility and we want others to take care of us and we don't want to have to think for ourselves.

The claims that used to come across my desk were sick and unbelievable!  People suing their doctors for malpractice because their baby died at birth yet, they had NEVER had ONE prenatal visit or check up and the baby had issues that could have been solved or taken care of prior to the birth but, by the birth it was too late...believe it or not, many of those cases the women won and won a lot of money.  I even saw a woman who had 2 different babies die at two different births and BOTH she was a drug user and never saw a doctor for any prenatal visits and she won both times.  Sick.

Granted those are extreme cases but, I also saw people who sued the doctor because they claimed things like, they didn't know they could be allergic to the latex in their breast implants(even though they knew they were allergic to latex and neglected to mention it to the plastic surgeon), or someone who sued because they didn't tell their doctor about the 2 other doctors they were seeing and the 3 other prescriptions they were taking and had a huge reaction to the new presciption and almost died.  Those are all cases where the patient was clearly in the wrong yet, they sued...and won.

It is getting harder and harder to find doctors who specialize in just birthing babies because the cost of malpractice insurance is so high, it isn't worth it to them to practice.  I knew a doctor who refused to take patients that were over the age of 35 and having their first child because of the known complications and he just didn't want to take on the risk of liability.

Then, you add in the insurance companies.  Wow, they are in the business of making money and they will sell, sell, sell their clients(doctors and clinics) on why they should only prescribe their meds for patients.  There are many clinics that won't even offer generics or cheaper meds. 

Or what about people that refuse to go to the doctor until they are on their deathbed and they could have been saved had they just gone in earlier?  These are all cases that drive up our costs of insurance and of health care.  The government has so many other issues they need to fix before you can try and fix this!  It is like this...a car gets into an accident and instead of repairing the engine damage and the flat tires and broken windshield, they first paint the the car to make it look better and prettier because that is what is most appealing to the eye.  It still doesn't work and won't work until you fix all the broken parts but, it sure is pretty!

I hear everyone talking about insuring the uninsured...well, has anyone taken into account the people that choose not to have insurance?  Yes, there are people out there that just don't feel like they need health or dental insurance!  I knew many single people that were in their 20's that saw no use for having insurance and didn't want to waste their money on it...not because they felt it was too expensive but, frankly, they wanted the extra money for going out on the weekends or vacations or clothes.  In fact, looking back, I had health insurance my entire life and in my 20's, I think I can count on 1 hand how many times I went to the doctor (until I got pregnant) and I could have saved myself or my parents a heck of a lot of money by NOT having insurance.  Yes, it is important to have health insurance like you have car or home owners insurance just in case of an emergency but, then get emergency only insurance or something..way cheaper!

Now, in an effort to do some research for this blog, I did try to find some information about the Nationalized health care plan on the web...frankly, it was very hard to find any specifics on the plan(which is a bit un-nerving to me, personally) but, what information I did find says they are hoping to 'Improve Preventable Care'.  Ok, so does that finally mean our government will recognize alternative care and homeopathic?  Does that mean that I will finally be able to visit my chiropractor more than 12 times a year?  Does that mean the my son who is on the Autism Spectrum and takes hundreds of dollars of supplements and vitamins a year that those will finally be covered?  So that means vitamins will finally be covered right?  If what I read is right and they are hoping to stop people from getting sick with nutrition information and education and exercise and teaching America to be healthy again then one could assume that means us taking vitamins will be able to add those to our medical spending accounts or deduct them on our taxes as a health care cost correct?

Or what about those of us who not only choose but, those of us who also don't choose to eat healthier.  Do people who eat organic, whole foods, workout and in general take care of themselves inside and out do we get the opportunity to have cheaper health care?  Do we get discounts on our foods and stuff?

Or what about families with children with food allergies and sensitivities, will our nationalized health care help us offset the cost of buying wheat-free/gluten-free or dairy-free/casein-free foods so our children can be healthy and not be in the doctors offices as much?

Will we stop medicating children in the classrooms and teach parents, educators and others about the benefits of nutrition and how certain foods can affect certain children?  Is that part of the nutrition package in this health care reform?

Now here are my questions and concerns and please, I welcome all feedback and answers as I really don't know much about the nationalized health care plan.

-Will they tell me which doctors to see?
-Will my children be 'tagged' throughout their lives by the system because of their health care issues
-Are you going to force me and my family to have health care?
-What if we choose to not have national care?
-Can doctors opt to not take patients on national care? (they can on MN Care, and I believe it should be a choice for doctors/clinics)
-If there is a malpractice suit..who are we suing, ourselves?
-If we are unhappy with our national insurance (company) can we complain to them and then again, are we complaining against ourselves?

I know how inefficient the government is with spending, can I really trust you to spend wisely with my health care dollars?  How can you assure me that there won't be any 'gifting' or under the table deals with certain doctors/clinics like there is now with certain politicians and governments?

Social Security is a joke, the IRS is a bigger joke, how are you going to make sure this is a strong and well run system?  Why can't the states decide what is best for their people and be allowed to create their own health care systems based on the needs of people in their state instead of the 'general population'?

Is Minnesota the only state that has health care?  How many states have their own state run health care option?

Frankly, one more thing...sorry but, as we in Minnesota await the President to visit here and talk about national health care, one Minnesotan has a lot of questions and wants a lot more answers first.  Why is no one else in Minnesota standing up and talking about our own health care and how wonderful our system is here in Minnesota?  If it isn't broke...don't fix it!

Oh...and I am sorry, but, I understand the frustration of that S.C. Republican who shouted out last night.  Yes, it was very wrong that he did that and that he called our President a liar but, I do understand the frustration...here is why.

The President was speaking about health care and illegal immigrants at the time, by the way, as many of you probably don't know...I believe we will give the illegal immigrants access to free health care as we already do in Minnesota.  Yep, EVERY immigrant whether legal or illegal gets FREE health care in Minnesota.  Why?  Because they are afraid they won't get immunized so, they just give them all free health care so they will go to the doctors and such.  Don't believe me?  Heard it straight from a good source....one of our local hospitals that has an ER filled with immigrants daily/nightly because they use it as a doctors office instead of an emergency room.  We were told(after asking) flat out that the State of Minnesota with NO Questions asked, hands out immigrants free MN Care to assure they get immunized and go to doctors. 

So, there is your answer as to why that Republican blurted out last night.  Frustrating yes, I don't agree with him but, do understand.  Now, please help me understand the health care bill/reform so I can make an informed, educated decision about it for myself and my family.

Blessings to you all and DO YOUR RESEARCH!

-Liza

UPDATE:  I just read a slideshow about the reform and I think it is very similar to what I have said, it will cost us more, it will drive out jobs in the private insurance sector(of which Minnesota has a LOT of jobs) and we will be at the mercy of a government run agency that really, in my mind, isn't very good at running companies!

Plus, everything I have read says it will FORCE people to carry health insurance, why?  If they don't want it, that is their issue please don't make it mine.  I will say I agree with the President on one part of the reform....NO pre-existing conditions. 

Just remember everyone, once this is voted in and put into place, it is there forever.  There is no going back so, make sure you know what you are getting into, don't just listen to the speeches, read the papers, or blogs.  Do research, know what your Senator is voting for and know what the President is pushing.  I don't know if it is right or wrong for our country, I really don't know but, I want to make sure I know as much as possible before it is all too late...either way.

Living with food allergies Part One

Good Morning Everyone!

Wow, what a rainy Friday here for us in Minnesota but, summer is finally going to make its come back as we are supposed to be back in the 90's by tomorrow.  It has been a cold summer for us.  Today my cousin is also getting married and I am thrilled for her.  The weather is supposed to clear by the afternoon but, it is already past 10 and the radar is a big ole mess of rain.

Boy, not writing for a couple of weeks has left me with a mind full of ideas and not really sure where to begin.  Ok, here is one...

As many of you know our family is wheat free/gluten free and dairy free/casein free.  I am also the lucky one who has to be sugar free too.  Makes life a little more interesting and a lot more expensive but, worth it.  My husband and I have both noticed something after I quit nursing a month ago how when we eat regular bread or pasta, we feel horrible.  We are dragging, we are tired and often irritable.  We are starting to believe that wheat is something too heavily processed to be good for people.

My husband says it is usually when he has a sandwich or pasta or something that he craves caffeine because he is so wiped out.  I think our society is on the caffeine cycle because of many of the horrible food choices we make.

So, this blog and the next few are all about challenging yourself, trying to change how you eat, and see if you notice a difference in your energy level and how you feel overall.  In our family, we went dairy free/wheat free because our children had sensitivities to them.  Now, only one of our children's allergy tests actually shows her being allergic to wheat however, ALL of our children exhibit symptoms when we put them back on wheat and dairy.

For example, our son is on the Autism Spectrum, he as a baby had horrible gas, screamed and cried and writhed in pain every night.  The doctor told us he was 'colicky' and to put him on gas drops or Zanax.  We decided to try everything else first before we put drugs into that little body.  Since I was nursing, I had to cut things out of my diet.  So, I started with milk and dairy, things got much better and his crying was only occasionally.  So, I figured there was something else I was missing.  So, I kept track of what I ate and how he behaved after wards and discovered for him, he couldn't handle me eating onions, garlic, and any dark green(usually full of iron) vegetable.  So, no broccoli, spinach, and even cauliflower was tough for him, no green beans, and nothing too naturally 'gassy'. 

It worked!  Our son was instantly happy and no longer had 'colic' (which by the way, I don't believe in.) and started sleeping through the night and became a happy little guy.  So, we knew when we had to introduce cereal and formula, it needed to be soy. 

For our 2nd child her issues were constant colds.  She always had a runny nose that eventually turned into a sinus infection.  She was getting, or so we thought, pink eye all the time and was getting a lot of ear infections because of her sinus issues.   The doctor again said she was just 'catching a lot of colds' from her big brother, who by the way wasn't nearly as sick anymore.  Finally when she was almost 2, we brought her to a chiropractor and he said, pull her off milk and all dairy, just see what it does.  So, we did.  It was easy because her brother already was dairy free and I was nursing again(our 3rd) so, I was dairy free too.  Instantly her runny noses cleared up, she never had a sinus infection again and her eyes never goo'd over again.  We found out later that, all of those antibiotics we were putting in her eyes that made her scream because they burned, were useless because she didn't have pink eye, her sinuses were so backed up that they were coming out her eye ducts!  Poor thing!

Then, baby number 3.  She was our tiny baby, left the hospital at under 6 pounds and was so small we thought she might actually break.  As a reference, our older 2 we 8lbs 11 oz and 8lbs 9oz.  So, she was a bit more fragile to begin with.  She again was nursed just like the other two.  She was growing in the beginning but, she was still pretty small.  In fact, she still wore size 1 shoes when she was 7 months old, that is how small she was!  My other two children NEVER fit into anything smaller than a size 3.  She had teeny legs, teeny arms and a gigantic belly.  I still wasn't eating any dairy, I didn't eat onions or garlic or green veggies.  But, she was very little still.

She was growing but, slowly.  The doctors weren't concerned they just said we had a little baby.  Well, the big belly had me concerned so, I told the doctors I think she might have Celiac Disease.  They didn't think so but, tested her anyway, well tried too, she was so small, they couldn't get any veins to get blood out of!  Finally when she was about 1 they tested her and tested her 3 times for Celiac, nothing.  She didn't have it.  I knew something was still wrong, she was happy, she was meeting her milestones but, was still little and had such skinny arms and legs and such a big belly. 

Finally, I told them to have her allergies tested to see if we were missing any foods.  Finally!  We had our answer, she didn't have Celiac but, she was allergic to wheat.  She was malnourished because of her wheat allergy!  So, we quickly pulled her off of wheat and within in 36 hours, her belly was completely flat and within in a couple months, her arms and legs started to thicken up a bit and she was starting to gain weight at a faster pace than before.

So, when it came to our 4th child, we thought we were pros.  All of us were dairy free and mostly wheat free too.  I had been eating dairy and wheat during my pregnancy to 'nourish' the baby.  She came out like the other two, big 8lbs 10 oz and was very healthy.  But, by the time we were released from the hospital, she wasn't peeing, her belly was huge, and by the time she was 1 week old, she would scream and cry after eating and then throw up EVERYTHING that was in her stomach and be fine.  I cut out dairy instantly.  She was diagnosed with 'colic' again...again, I knew it had to be something else.  By the time she was 5 weeks old, she was throwing up every meal, screaming for about 20 minutes before finally throwing up and had blood in her stool.

After seeing a gastro. doctor (sorry, spell check couldn't help me with real spelling), we pulled not only wheat but, all casein and gluten out of my diet too.  By the time we went to Colorado, our 'colic' baby was happy and content and had no blood in her stools anymore and never spit up again, never.

So, as you can see, even though I have no formal education on nutrition, I feel like I have a lot of experience and training in nutrition.

So over the next few blogs, I hope to give you all some 'education' on food allergies, what to look for and how I really don't believe in colic and such.  I am starting to also believe those stars that eat macro-biotic diets and such are not so crazy. 

I have a dear friend who's parents haven't eaten cooked veggies, flour, wheat, or anything else processed in YEARS, and I thought they were crazy when I first heard about their diet (now lifestyle) 15 years ago, now I believe they were ahead of the game and really knew what they were doing.

We often tell our children that if God didn't make it, it is junk food.  It is very difficult for us as parents to not eat processed foods and to feed them to our children, hey, we do it and we like all American's love our fast food.  But, you can make better, healthier choices for yourself and your children.

I will try and help you along the way.  I need to go as the baby is up from her nap and I am losing focus and her patience quickly!

Blessings to you all!

-Liza

Weekly recipe and dress codes for the office

Good Morning Everyone!

I haven't written in a while, we had a very busy week last week and then with the 4th of July weekend, life just got away from me.

I am starting something new, each week I will be posting a Schwab Family favorite recipe or one of our recipes that has been requested a lot by others.  I know that sometimes I get in a recipe rut or find myself making the same things week after week for dinner.  Hopefully this will help you out of those ruts.  I will also try and rotate between dinners, apps, and desserts plus some entertaining recipes.

Ok, this first recipe has been requested by many and is so easy to double or even triple to make for dinner party's and our children love it and it is one of my husband's favorites!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas:

2 cups cooked chicken breast -cut(I slice into 1/2 x 2 strips)

1 cup sour cream (even works with fake sour cream!)

salt and pepper to taste

12 tortillas (flour are best but, we have used corn and still good)

10oz can of green enchiladas sauce (or 4oz can of chopped grn. chilies)

2 cups shredded white mexican cheese

Serve with:  shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, black olives, guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips

Combine: chicken, sour cream and s/p.  Scoop mixture onto tortillas, spread down the center and roll.  Place seam side down in a 13x9 baking dish with some sauce on the bottom.  When tortillas are all in pan, spoon over either chilies or sauce and top with cheese.

Bake: at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes until hot. 

Hope you all enjoy that recipe!

Ok, I have a subject that has been bugging me for a while and they were just discussing this on the radio this morning because some court somewhere is talking about appropriate attire for the courtroom.

So, I haven't worked in corporate America in a long time, however, when I did, I was always very aware of what was appropriate for work and what was not.  I actually, have never worked somewhere that didn't have a dress code in writing that was given to me the first day of employment.

Company dress code.  I think 'casual Friday' has gotten way out of control and I believe we are getting very sloppy in our dress at work.  I am shocked when I go into some businesses how their employees dress and thought I would give my two cents worth on the subject.

Uniforms:  Ok, there are obviously jobs where a uniform is required...however, people are trying to add their own 'flare' or stand out in their uniform and in some places, it is too much.  They are called 'uniforms' for a reason and that is because the company wants everyone to look the same or uniform!  An example I just saw the other day was at Target.  For as long as I can remember employees had to wear the trademark red shirt and khaki bottoms, usually pants.  However, lately, I have been seeing very slopping dressing done by Target employees and frankly, a lot of ethnic dressing that doesn't fit in to the Target uniform. 

A black skirt all the way to the floor or even a khaki skirt or greenish khaki skirt all the way to the floor is NOT appropriate attire for Target.  Neither is a tight bust showing tank top underneath an unbuttoned red shirt.  I also think it is very inappropriate to wear sandals in Target.

Or our local McDonald's where it seems every employee is dressed differently and it is very difficult to tell the managers from the employees.  They all wear different colors, different styles and pull up your pants!  I don't want to see your nasty underwear when I am eating!  Plus, tuck in your shirt, have a little bit of pride in yourself and your work.

Then, office attire.  Oh man, that has really gotten bad.  If you are the receptionist, like it or not, you are the first impression of the company.  There should be no cleavage showing, no sleeveless shirts, no mini-skirts and no sandals.  I believe closed toed shoes should be the norm in the office.  Skirts should be no higher than just above the knee, no sleeveless shirts EVER, no tank tops, they are never dressy no matter what.  Your pants should fit appropriately too.  I have seen so many girls wearing super tight pants, I don't need to know if you have cellulite or not.  Plus, hem them!  What is with women now wearing such long pants that they drag on the ground and are actually fraying on the bottom or dirty?!

My biggest pet peeve is if you are wearing pants with belt loops, they are meant to have a belt there so, please wear one at the office.  What you do out of the office, I don't care but, in the office or at an office gathering, there is a certain level of professionalism that is required.

I have been to many company gatherings over the years with my husband where it was very obvious who the lawyers or executives where and who the receptionists and office staff were.  You shouldn't be able to tell according to how professional or unprofessional someone is dressed.

The following is what I feel is appropriate wear for the office:

WOMEN

closed toed shoes NO sandals

dress pants that are tailored or fit well (no khakis, jeans(even on casual Fridays), shorts, or capris)

skirts or dresses (no mini skirts, tight skirts, body baring dresses, NO cleavage! no strapless or spaghetti straps)

button down shirts (pressed, and NOT see-through even if wearing a tank top underneath)

jacket or sweater (NOT some huge cardigan, Ecuador sweater, nothing frayed or with holes, nothing cropped)

tights or hosiery..nothing patterned, nothing crazy colored, simple and tasteful.  In the summer....if you shave!  you can go without hosiery however, keep in mind no heels or toes should for sure show then.

MEN:

button down shirt (nice pressed polo shirt on casual Fridays)

tie (not without jacket please, you are not in high school anymore)

jacket or suit

dress pants (NOT khakis, not dockers, (only casual Fridays) no jeans...EVER!)

socks, yes make sure you wear socks

belt (always a belt, no matter what for men)

dress shoes (NOT Dr. Martins, NOT clogs(sorry honey) good dress shoes in black and brown)

NEVER a t-shirt, shorts(unless a golf outing), anything ripped and again, no jeans.

We are very visual people and if you look the part, often times, you will play the part much better and I believe if you look professional, often times you will act more professional too.  People like to see a professional person and besides, don't you want people to remember you because of the work you do and not because of how sloppy or sleazy you dress?

Blessings to you all today and enjoy the summer!

-Liza

Final Day of the Master Cleanse

Good Morning Everyone!

Well, well, well, today is the final day of the cleanse, I have made it, I am here, I am done...almost.  I am finishing today sometime, I don't know when but, I am finishing today.

I did my final weigh in this morning and I am very happy.....ok, here is where my blog died.  I had a whole huge blog all written and for some reason this is all my blog decided to keep!  AHHHHH!!!

So, here is the quick run down....I lost about 14 pounds, 4 inches from my waist, 2 from my hips, and 2 from my legs during this cleanse.

I did NOT go down a size in clothes but, my clothes fit so much better and way more comfortable!

I did the cleanse for most of the day today and ate my first bite of food tonight at dinner with my family.  We had Mexican Meatloaf, corn bread, and green beans.  I had ONE slice of meatloaf, and ONE small piece of corn bread.  I ate some sliced apples and drank 4 glasses of water at dinner. 

We then went to a graduation party and I had 4 mini carrots and that is it.  Steve and I went out for date night after wards.  We got to a restaurant at 8pm and I ordered a side salad with balsamic vinaigrette, blue cheese, and apple slices on romaine lettuce.  It was the perfect size, perfect clean taste and I am very satisfied with the way I feel.

For breakfast tomorrow, I am thinking 1 egg and 1 slice of bacon or something similar and that is it.  I will take a day off of the lemonade tomorrow as my throat really hurts from the acid and the cayenne pepper so, my goal is to eat a small salad or something, drink a ton of water and for dinner our family is having country style BBQ ribs in the slow cooker.  I will have one instead of my normal 3 or 4!  Maybe 1/2 a potato and maybe some fruit.  Again, a ton of water.

It is all about making healthy choices and retraining my mind to eat smaller portions and getting over the mindset that I am STARVING all the time.  No, I am not starving and nor will I starve.  It is all in my head.

So, all in all, I think the cleanse went great and I would highly recommend this to any of you!

Blessings to you all and thank you so much for covering me in prayer these past 10 days, it was really felt.

-Liza

Master Cleanse Day 9!!!! *UPDATE*

Good Morning Everyone!

Holy cow!  Can you believe it?  It is Day 9, I am home free now.  Plus, yesterday my girl friend lent me her electric juicer so, wow making my juice this morning took a few moments and was painless.  I am so thrilled!!  I did my detox tea last night, sort of fasted a bit yesterday as I only drank 1/2 of my normal amount of lemonade to sort of start weening myself from it. 

I was a bit worried that because of that I might have retained a bit of water so, I was worried about this mornings weigh in but, YAHOO I lost almost 2 more pounds since yesterday.  So, I am now just over 2 pounds to my cleanse goal weight.  Once I hit that goal, I am off the cleanse and back to doing it on my own.

I will also be within 15-20 pounds of my overall goal weight so, I am thrilled!  If I lose all my cleanse weight....that will mean I have lost a total of just over 15 pounds on this 10 day cleanse.  Obviously, I know I might gain a few of it back but, at least I am closer to my overall goal and I feel not so far away and hopeless about getting there anymore.

Again, I can't really tell a difference in the way my clothes fit yet.  I still can't fit into a smaller size but, I feel more comfortable overall.  Also, my face and skin is so soft and my skin glows again and isn't so dull and lifeless.  My hair is so soft and bouncy it is like a hairdresser does it every morning!  Really, it is weird how good I look and how good I feel on this cleanse.

I am hoping to become a water crazy lady like I used to be and never be without a water bottle and drink a ton of water.  I think that will be the key to keeping the weight not only off but, to keep losing the weight and to keep my skin, face, and hair looking clear, smooth, and healthy.

I strongly encourage you to try this cleanse, I have felt amazing the whole time, just a few moments here and there about the monotony of it all but, that is it.  Physically, I have always felt great on the cleanse and if you workout, I would say you won't have to pull back on your workouts, I did because I was nervous about energy but, after looking back, it wasn't necessary.

I am also thrilled to write about other subjects other than just the master cleanse!  lol.

So, tomorrow is my last day...I am planning on only doing a 1/2 day tomorrow so, really, I will have done a 9 1/2 day cleanse.  That was my goal the whole time, so don't think I am quitting!  We have a grad party tomorrow and it is date night with hubby so, I was hoping to celebrate my cleansing over a healthy, small dinner.  But, we will see...all depends on the weigh in tomorrow.

Because tomorrow is the last day, I will be drinking a ton of water today again and drinking my full amount of lemonade and doing the detox tea tonight too.

Yeah!  I am almost done, the light is shining bright at the end of the tunnel!!!!

Oh also, today is our 6 year olds judging day ALL DAY long for Jr. Ambassador to Richfield.  Please pray for patience and calm body...not for her but, my husband who will be with her from 9am-8pm today!  Yes, her judging day is 11 hours long...anyone else think that is CRAZY for a 6 year old?  It isn't actually horrible as she does get an hour and a half lunch break and an hour dinner break and the morning is breakfast with the other candidates and the evening is dessert with them all so, hopefully it won't be too bad.

Is it sad that I am more worried about my husband than my 6 year old? lol.

Blessings to you all!

-Liza

Quick Update:  I measured myself on Day 3 of the cleanse (wasn't going to at all but, figured I should) so, not sure exactly how many inches I have lost during the whole cleanse since I had already lost 6 pounds by then but, since Day 3 of the cleanse:

I have lost 2 inches on my waist, 2 inches from my hips, and 1 inch from my thighs. (My arms stayed the same)

So....wow, I am impressed.  Just a little more incentive for you still trying to decide if this cleanse is for you.