Thank you

First of all, I want to say thank you all for your sweet and supportive comments about blogging shorter posts or less often in order to live life to the fullest. :) With working full-time, trying to work out every day, meditating for an hour per day, eating healthy and cooking for myself, and maintaining a happy and clean household, it gets really tough to fit in posting every night. I love blogging, the photography that comes with it, the community itself, and reading other blogs. I just had to step back on Sunday and tell myself that blogging every day wasn't always going to happen. So, thank you for being wonderful readers and supporting my decision! It means a lot to me.

Yesterday, I went to see a new gastroenterologist and had a wonderful experience. After years of feeling rushed in and out of examinations in a hospital gastro dept., I wanted to see a doctor who actually listened to me and tried new things in order to get me onto a healthier path. I have said this before, but for all of you new readers, I have ulcerative colitis and the new doctor thinks I may have IBS as well. My next steps involve going lactose free for 5-7 days and taking notes on how I feel during that time and then incorporating the lactose back into my diet in the following 5-7 days. I also have to take extensive notes on how I feel on my bad and good days and on other things, like my sleep habits, exercising, what I am eating, how stressed I am, how many hours I am working, and any other factors that may have affected my stomach poorly or for the better. I am really hopeful that after two procedures at the beginning of November, my new doc will help me gain some control over my health problems.

After the doc last night, I raced home and ate some dinner. Then I met Karis to go to the Urban Ecology Center for their Eat Local Challenge book club on Farm City by Novella Carptenter, which I finally finished reading on Sunday evening.





We had a fun time and the discussion was led by Daniel from Boswell Books. It was nice to hear about everyone's Eat Local Challenge progress and their disclosures on what they had trouble giving up, such as coffee and chocolate. It made me wish I had known about the eat local challenge sooner and would have tried to do it.

The funniest part for me was when I nonchalantly asked when Novella Carpenter started her blog and Daniel asked the group, "is anyone here a blogger?" Karis and I kind of smiled simultaneously and I couldn't hold it in, so I burst out, "we are!"

For lunch today, I tried the Dannon Oikos greek blueberry yogurt. It was ok. Didn't knock my socks off. I am still going to be a Chobani girl. I am not sure I will try the Activia brand of greek yogurt either because my mom tried it and declared it to be pretty horrible. Have you tried any of these newer greek yogurts and if so, what did you think?





I am eating lots of dairy because with the upcoming week of going lactose free, I know I am going to miss my dairy! I am a Wisconsin girl after all. :)

Anyone out there lactose intolerant and have any tips for me or any favorite lactose free products they can recommend?