Sews2Reap

disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am sharing personal experiences that have helped my family and I hope will help others.  Autoimmunity is becoming nearly epidemic.  Our own bodies are declaring civil war. It can be genetics, lifestyle, or a complete mystery as to why someone ends up with an autoimmune diagnosis.  At our house, I and my son both have an autoimmune disorder. Mine is inherited, it is Hoshimotos Thyroiditis. It is treatable and not too hard to live with for me. Click here to read my post on how I help my own body find balance again with natural supplements.  My son's is not inherited. It is a rare condition called Parry Romberg Syndrome (PRS). From the outside, he looks like any other teen boy. On the inside, he has scarring, leaking vessels, nerves that have been attacked and never stop sending pain signals (Trigeminal Neuralgia, or TN).   His condition is harder to treat. We see many specialists...

This fresh light spring roll helps me stay on track and in my daily points. The recipe is super easy! I make a bunch and pack them with parchment paper between so I can snack for days or take them for lunch.  Spring Roll Recipe (1-2 points each) Spring Roll Wrappers (1 point each) Broccoli Slaw (0 points) Cole Slaw salad mix (0 points) Grilled or boiled chicken (0 points) R ice vermicelli (optional, 1 point for about .5 oz) Cilantro (this can be left out for those who don't like it) Here you can see my set up at my parent's house. I always roll on a wooden cutting board. If you look closely, you can see I bought pre-cooked chicken strips, and bagged salad. Saved loads of time chopping and cooking. I keep a skillet with hot water to soften the wrappers and set up my ingredients to make it convenient. Working quickly, first precooked vermicelli noodles, then the slaw mixes, and a strip of chicken and one or two cilantro leaves. Try to keep...

I am loving the new FreeStyle options at Weight Watchers!  Poached eggs (0 points) are my new best friend. Especially when they sit on top of a low point English muffin (2 points), avocado (2 points), and tomato (0 points)! For 4 points this is my favorite breakfast when I need something hearty. Vegan Taco Soup (fast method) ZERO points 48 oz Vegetable Broth 1 medium onion diced 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic  1 can black beans (rinse until water runs clear 1 can pinto beans 1 can petite diced tomatoes 1 can Rotel tomatoes 1 can corn 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin salt and pepper to taste Warm the onion on medium-low heat in the bottom of your soup pot with a few tablespoons of broth. Mix in the garlic. Then add all other ingredients until warmed through. That's it! SO EASY! Jiffy Cornbread (no egg or oil) 4 points for 1/9th of a pan 1 box Jiffy mix 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce Mix together and bake according to the directi...

I know it has been a while since I have been on here. February has been a full month with visits to my son's specialists in Dallas, two birthdays and lots of pain for my sweet boy.  Some good things are happening along the way. For some time now our family has been trying to clean up out eating. We are eating less and less processed food and heavy meats, while we increased seafood, and fresh fruits and vegetables. You can read about the beginning of this journey here  Simple Does Not Mean Easy I know it's basic stuff and we are still striving. Some family members struggle more than others. If you were to look in on us you would see the lines are drawn boys vs. girls. My oldest has been doing the best, as she cut out all meat, sodas, and most processed foods. She loves seafood and vegetables. My other daughter is also a very healthy and wise eater, and more disciplined about exercise.  The whole family has been trying to get this one area right be...

All the holiday decorations are stashed back in the attic. The cupboards have been purged (mostly) of the junkie treats we indulged in for the last 6 weeks. The fridge is stocked with veggies and fruit.  Now what?  Small bites. Most of my to do list is elephant sized projects.  "How do you eat and elephant? One bite at a time." It is overwhelming. I have loads of purging to do in closets. There are some big health issues to get under control. Add in the everyday schooling, chores, parenting, financial stresses and life surprises - it's time to go back to bed!  Here is where I started. With me. I know selfish right? I really couldn't see me moving forward at any pace while my ongoing battle with Hashimotos wasn't in check.  Low thyroid affects every part of your body. It can wreak havoc with emotions, energy levels, and health. I noticed my thyroid swelling again, joint pain on the increase, sleep issues creeping in. One big sign fo...

It has been over two months since we went from healthy eaters to that fanatical family.  My son had a bad reaction to the one medication that had really helped with his pain. We had to stop it cold and the pain came rushing in.  As usually happens, desperation helped us make a decision we had been putting off. For us it was the gluten/grain free diet. So in one weekend we dropped all sugar, and most grains including corn.  The one we kept was rice. I know. You're thinking why? Well, it is one of the only foods my son had complete tolerance for.  I told him I would do it with him. It was only fair. I used to be such a slave to bread. We have been cutting it back for years so it was pretty painless to just cut the cord. Sort of. Not everyone in our house was willing to keep the diet with us. So meal times could be more stressful. It seemed to reinforce the few foods he couldn't have instead of the all the great choices he could have....