Vitamins, Supplements & My Thoughts, Friend Meetup Pictures, Computer Recommendations Recap

Hi Friends!   How’s your Monday?  I am not a big Monday fan, but I did get to spend some time with my friend Jenny!  I had just met up with her last week but we both have busy schedules and realized that if we didn’t carve out a few hours today, it was going to be quite awhile before our schedules were going to sync up again.  And you never have to twist my arm for some great girl talk!  

It was awesome seeing Jenny today and here’s a few pictures of Skylar and I from today. 

Thanks, Jenny for the chat sesh, and I can’t wait to see you soon!  For Girls Night Out.  Kids and Husbands at home..WooHoo two blonds on the loose…haha!

Last week in the mail, I received a package from Kroeger Herb

The package contained 3 Bottles of Supplements:

400 mg whole Pomegranate fruit extract (standardized to 10% ellagic acid) in an active base of 400 mg Pomegranate fruit and flower.  Other Ingredients: Vegetarian source capsules and water.

From Yesterday’s Post…
I loved hearing everyone’s fun facts that I asked you to share as part of my Versatile Blogger Award.

I heard everything from blood pressure so low you scare nurses (Melissa) to many others of you who cook in the nude.  I have to say, I never expected so many of you to even pick up on that little random fact of mine, or tell me that you do the same.  What can I say, I’d rather strip off my dirty sweaty clothes the minute I walk in the door and if I end up cooking something or sorting the mail or whatever in the buff, so be it.  haha!

And thanks for the compliments on my recycled sweater find.

About laptop recommendations, many of you mentioned Net Books.  (Aimee and reader Katie and many more of you)  

Maggie mentioned that there may be an update the Macbook Air line.  That would be great, more than I probably “need” as far as machines or budget goes, but definitely worth waiting a couple weeks and seeing that pans out.  Probably more than I want to spend, but hey, it’s an option.

Bria mentioned: “I have an ACER laptop that serves me quite well. In fact, it’s my primary computer (couldn’t afford a Mac. The Acer was $450 about 15 months ago). Picks up Wi-Fi (as long as signal’s avail, of course.) For you, it sounds like a simple netbook at around $250 (or less!), would do. In fact, Target had ACER netbooks on sale a couple of weeks ago for $199. It was quite tempting.”

Christine mentioned looking into Toshibas as they get consistently ratings and she knows her computers and all things tech for her job.

A few of you told me about the HP Mini and loving it, too. 

I need to look into everything you all recommended!  Lots of great options and suggestions, thank you all so much!!!

And finally, blogging software for those of us who use Blogger + Macs = Not many options other than Ecto or Qumana.  Sigh.  I thought maybe those of you who went to the HLS may have seen or heard about something new and great but no such luck it seems.  Darn.  Well keep me posted if anyone tries something they love!

I am scared to write a post, have it get munched, or worse, try to learn a new system and not have it be what I bargained for.  Basically as my mother used to say, “a make-work project”. 

However, my favorite Twins did say there is software that you can run on a Mac that makes it run Windows programs.  So, in that case, I am wondering if I can run Windows Live Writer on my Mac if I get some sort of software patch.  Christine, do you know? Or anyone know?

Ok, enough tech talk.  See, for those of you who don’t have a blog and are just readers, there is so much that goes into blogging besides just the food.  All this tech stuff will drive you nuts!

Moving On..
Green Food: Sweet-n-Nutty Un-Chicky Salad on top of a bed of greens and fresh veggies

The thing I love about nut pates is that they are hearty because of the fat and protein in the nuts so they are great to feed to meat eaters or newer vegetarians/vegans who are in need of something more substantial than “just rabbit food”.  I actually just prefer the rabbit food..haha.. but nut pates are fun every now and then. 

Dessert: High Raw Vegan Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies 

 

Tip of the Day: My Tempt Hemp Products Give Away!

 Have fun everyone!  Thanks Living Harvest and Tempt

Questions
1. Best Thing You Ate or Did over the weekend?
Me = My sweater find, and I went shopping for 90 minute alone to Fashion Valley Mall.  Oh it was great.  I’ll post about it within the next day or two.

2. Have you ever made nut pates?  Do you like them? 
Pretty much with raw un-cooking, throw some nuts, random veggies, a little oil if desired, a few seasonings in a blender or food processor and go to town.  Nut pates are hard to truly ruin.  I’ve had some wacky combos, trust me, but I’ve never had to pitch one…haha!

If you’ve never made one, I highly recommend my Raw Taco Salad with Raw Taco Nut “Meat”  

3. Fill in the Blank:
“I think Mondays ___________”
Me = “I think Mondays produce too much email.”

4. Do you take any vitamins or supplements?  Why or Why Not?
I don’t believe that any of us “need” vitamins.  I believe that a balanced (plant-based) diet gives us everything we need, by and large, from food.  Which is the best way to get our micronutrients, through food and not pills. 

However, many people do not eat real food.  They eat processed “food-stuffs” (aka Michal Pollan) that appear to be food but really is so highly processed that it does not contain the nutrients their body needs.  Would those people benefit from supplements?  Yes, I’m sure.   Would those people benefit from a dietary and lifestyle overhaul even more? Yes, no doubt.

In the meantime, I think supplements and vitamins are good “insurance” if you feel you diet is lacking in certain areas.  I have gone for years and years at a time without taking vitamins and supplements and then I will go through a period of time where I’m feeling experimental to see if they help me feel better in some capacity.  By and large, I don’t notice much change when I take things and when I don’t.  Now, maybe internally there is lots happening that I am not sensing or feeling.  Who knows.  Just talking out loud and sharing what I experience.

Some things that I feel are important to be mindful of and possibly supplement with as it can be hard from diet alone: (and this is by no means a comprehensive list AND these are my opinions only.  If you think I’m full of sh*t, that’s fine.  Likewise, don’t take what I am saying as gospel either.  You always need to do your own research!) 
Vitamin D, specifically D3 – yes, supplement

Probiotics -yes supplement or consume Fermented Foods in your diet

Folic Acid for women of childbearing years.  Yes, Supplement.   You never know when you may get pregnant and it’s “too late” to take it once you’re already pregnant. You need adequate stores in your body before conception for the best possibly chance of preventing neural tube defects which are most likely to occur in the very early stages of pregnancy, i.e. before 9 weeks or so, before you even know you’re pregnant for many women.

Calcium Supplementation deserves its own caveat.  See my Dairy FAQ’s, Calcium, Myths, Recipes post for why taking calcium or drinking milk actually leaches calcium from the bones.  A paradoxical effect, but true thereby having the opposite effect that most intend for.  If you plan to take calcium, take one that’s more readily assimilated by the body such as the one I mentioned in This Post.   Really, I don’t think it’s necessary to take added calcium if you’re eating plenty of dark green leafy veggies but of course, my opinion only.

Iron Supplementation.   No, Eat beets.  The King Queen among plant-based iron sources.

Pre-natal Vitamins – To each her own but I never took them because I was so horrifically sick with “morning”, i.e. 24 hours a day, sickness for about 6 months that I couldn’t keep water down, let alone horse pills prenatals.   I did take my folic acid and I did take these Vitamins

They are not specifically prenatals, but they didn’t make me throw up and my doctor said whatever I could keep down, just do that.  I know some women take Flinstone’s Vitamins as I guess the theory is some “insurance” is better than none. 

Omega 3’s & 6’s – I don’t supplement usually, but have at times, on and off.  I focus on eating flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

Again, these are purely my non-professional opinions and is not a comprehensive list; rather just what I can rattle off fairly quickly.  Please don’t write to me and ask me to critque your diet and ask me what YOU should be taking.  I have no idea.  Only you do.  Do you Own Research.  Use Google.  Trial and error.  We all must find our own path.  None of it happens overnight, but just educate yourself on all sides of all issues and don’t stress out in the meantime, that’s the worst thing for our health: stress!

What supplements do you take?  What’s your thoughts on if we “need” them or not?  Do you feel differently when you take them or not?  What changes do you notice, if any?

Stay Tuned For Shopping Finds…