Mini PSA: Vitamin D Deficiency and the Problems It Caused Me

I didn't plan on blogging about this, but last week I wrote a post called Putting my Angsty, Panicked 2015 Into Perspective, and I mentioned that, among other things going on at the end of last year, I discovered I had a Vitamin D deficiency that was causing me some problems. A few people private messaged me about that, asking questions. And since I found about my deficiency, I've had friends and neighbors get tested and found out they were deficient too. It's exceedingly common to be deficient, but it isn't routinely tested and it can cause a hell of a lot of problems. So I figured, I'd do a brief little post in case you're wondering if you might need to be tested.

Disclaimer: This is my own personal experience. I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice. There is some debate about what a deficiency can cause and not cause. I'm just talking about how things went for me. So take that for what it's worth. 

I think most of us know Vitamin D is the vitamin you get from sunlight. If you live up north, you may already routinely take supplements in the winter. Here in Texas, I never thought to worry about it, especially in summer. But I didn't think about the fact that most of the time, I'm in my writer cave. I work from home in an office. In summer months, it's blazing hot here and avoid the sun because a) 100+ temperatures b) sunburn. But still, it would've never crossed my mind that I was deficient. I'm outside daily for at least 20 minutes picking up my son, I was taking a multi vitamin on occasion (but not as regularly as I was supposed to), and I use vitamin D milk in my coffee.

But by last fall, I was feeling really bad. Body aches, losing hair, couldn't lose weight even though I was eating healthy and exercising, and was SO TIRED all the time. I'd figured it was stress related at first because I was struggling with the book I was writing, but after it went on for a while (and the hair thing freaked me out), I knew something was up. After some research, I assumed I had a thyroid problem because those symptoms fit with that and my mom's had issues with that, so I went to my doc for blood tests.

He talked with me about my symptoms and initially said--probably stress (the hair loss, body aches, and tiredness) and getting older (can't lose weight). Don't you love when doctors point out the getting older part? o_o  So he diagnosed me with chronic fatigue but said he'd run some tests, including check my iron and vitamin levels. 

Well, thank goodness he did because my vitamin D came back low enough that I needed to go on prescription strength levels of D (50,000 IU a week for two months.) Thyroid and everything else was fine.

So, I went on the D, not expecting it to do much honestly. But after a few weeks, the difference was noticeable. My hair loss slowed, that tired feeling went away, and weight started coming off (I've lost 11 lbs since August). Body aches have improved. Overall, I've just felt better. All because of one simple, cheap vitamin. 

I'm now off the prescription strength (and have confirmed my levels are back up) and take 2000 IU daily along with a multi-vitamin. And now I'm religious about taking my vitamins every day--like put a daily reminder on my phone obsessive.

So here's my PSA: If you feel like something's wrong or just not right, go to your doctor. Yes, sometimes it's just stress, but sometimes there are other things going on. And if you want to get your vitamin levels tested, ask. It's usually not a routine test that they do without you requesting it or specific symptoms triggering them. I'm really thankful my doctor thought to look at those things because it wouldn't have crossed my mind.

So get some sun. Talk to you doc if you need to. And take your vitamins. ;)

Why Not Today? Chasing Your Creative Urge Despite a Busy Life

On my vacation, I was able to read a few books, one of which was Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I'll be talking more in depth about the book for my Friday Reads post, but it got me to thinking about creativity and the pursuit of it. 

When people find out I'm a writer I often get the response of, "Oh, I've always wanted to write a book (or insert other creative pursuit) but I just (insert reason: never had the time, wouldn't know where to start, am busy with my kids, etc.)." They say it as if all the other creatives out there had more time, knew what they were doing from the start, aren't parents, don't have day jobs... Like somehow life gave them extra space to do it.

It didn't. Life doesn't. Yes, some people have more advantages. No question. But there are a lot more people out there who forced space into their life for creativity (getting up early, staying up late, giving up TV time or other leisure activities to create, writing/painting/crafting while the kids are napping) because they feel driven by this creative urge to make something. And no one knows what they're doing at the start of anything. Or in the middle of it for that matter, lol. It takes time to learn, to read, to practice, to fail and fail and fail. 

And I'm not talking about creative pursuits that you necessarily want to do as your full time job. It could be. Mine turned out to be. Though, when I started writing my first book I wasn't thinking, This is going to be my career! I was thinking, I've always loved to write and I have a story idea. I'd had many story ideas through the years. I wrote a (fantastically awful) book in high school. So what was different this time? I finally had the thought, Why not start today?

So I did. And that book didn't get published. And the next one didn't. I got a nice pile of rejections. But by then I was hooked. And the third book was Crash Into You and did sell. Seven years and over ten books later, I have the career I had secretly wished for since I was a teen but never believed I could actually have.

It scares me to think of the opportunity I would've missed if I had said, I can't today. Because I can't today becomes I can't tomorrow or the next day or the next. I remember being completely overwhelmed at the time. I was home with a new baby, who turned out to have some special needs. I was trying to figure out motherhood. I was alone often because my husband traveled with his job and I hadn't made friends here in Dallas yet. But the writing turned out to be my respite and escape, something just for me. It was never supposed to be anything more than that. Now I can't imagine not being a writer.  

That's the beauty of those things we "wish we could do one day." Often, they're more necessary to our happiness and well-being than we thought. For instance, my parents retired a few years ago after working hard in office/business jobs for decades. They should be ready to kick back. And they are, but what else are they doing? My mom, who used to be an aerobics teacher as her night job when I was little, decided that she missed dancing and creating routines. So in her late fifties, she got certified to be a Zumba teacher, teaches three times a week, and choreographs her own routines. My dad, who's always loved movies, decided to sign up for a service to be an extra in TV and movies. They live in New Orleans, which has a booming film industry, so he's now been an extra in everything from Jurassic World and The Big Short to TV shows like American Horror Story and NCIS. Their creative sides are coming out. Because even after full careers in something else, they decided, Why not today?

So I'm putting out the challenge to you. What is it you've always wanted to do? What do you daydream about or have the urge to create? Love pictures and want to take a photography class? Want to make some craft and have your own Etsy shop? Write a story? Start a YouTube channel? Cook? Dance? Whatever it is, why not start today? 

Figure out the smallest first step and do it. (A lesson I read in Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin). Once you start, no matter how small, it's easier to keep going. Buy that book about writing or research if there's a dance class or buy some things at the craft store. And then plan the next step. Soon, you'll get caught up in the process (or you'll find out that--whelp, this particular pursuit isn't for me and I can scratch it off my bucket list.) Both outcomes are useful.

So I want to hear from you. Tell me what you'd love to do or what creative pursuit you're already doing. Have you found yourself overwhelmed at the thought of starting? Have you surprised yourself with an interest or talent you never realized you had?

What I'm Watching: Something Funny, Something Scary, & Something Sentimental

One of the things that has gotten pushed to the back burner since I began a serious writing career (and had a child) is TV watching. A lot of people assume that since I work from home, I must get the chance to watch a lot of TV. But truth is, when I'm home during the day, I'm in my office, working. I can't remember the last time I watched TV during the day on a weekday. And in the evening, it's family time and dinner time and dishes time. So when I get that hour or so with the hubs after kidlet goes to bed, I have to choose shows wisely. And lately, I've gotten pretty lucky. Here's what I'm watching:

Something Funny:

Jane the Virgin (The CW)- Okay, so I'm not up to date (so don't tell me any spoilers) but I started a Netflix binge of this at Christmastime and am a good way into the first season. It's funny and silly and over the top. All the characters are interesting and the structure (kind of tongue and cheek about telenovelas) is fresh and entertaining. If you're not watching this one yet and like a show that will make you laugh (and has some romance and hot guys), then check this one out. 

Something Scary:

Killing Fields (Discovery Channel) - This is a true crime show about a cold case from 1997 in Louisiana that happened near LSU. The show itself is creepy because of what it's about, but it's particularly chilling for me because I was at LSU during the time of that murder and the serial killer that was murdering students. One of my grad school classmates was a victim (though her case also remains unsolved, most assume she was part of the serial killings). So this whole story hits very close to home for me and brings me back to a very scary time. However, the show is well done and compelling. I don't know how it will end (and they apparently taped it in real time), but I'm really hoping they solve the case. 

Something Sentimental:

American Idol (Fox) - I have watched every season of American Idol from the beginning, which was when I married hubs. So it's been an annual part of our routine from the start. I'm sad that this is the last season because I've never really taken to the other singing shows like I have this one, but I get that everything comes to an end. Hopefully, it will be a good one.

So that's what I'm watching? What's on your TV lately? Any recommendations?

My Favorite Non-Intimidating Cookbooks & the Recipe App I Love

Monday I talked about meal planning and how it keeps me on track. I promised y'all I'd share some of my favorite cookbooks and an app that helps me with the whole meal planning process.

First, the cookbooks. I have a lot of them and cull them yearly to make room for the news ones I pick up each year. I have some with super complicated recipes. I have some that are vegetarian and vegan, even though I'm an omnivore. I have some that focus on international cuisines--which I'll probably feature in a future post because there are some great ones. But today, I wanted to highlight the non-intimidating ones. The ones that are the workhorse cookbooks that provide doable, healthy recipes that don't take too much time and don't require hard-to-find ingredients.

Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix: More Than 700 Simple Recipes and Techniques to Mix and Match for Endless Possibilities

By Mark Bittman

Two words: Mark Bittman. Of all the cookbooks I have, I find Mark's to be some of the most comprehensive and foolproof. And they aren't "diet" cookbooks, but it's healthy whole foods using real ingredients--which is how I try to eat. He's also great at the recipe "riff", meaning he lists the main recipe and then he'll give you three or four variations using different meats or vegetable or spices. He teaches you not to be afraid to spin a recipe for what you happen to have on hand. He even recently released a cookbook that's all about spinning one core recipe into many variations called Kitchen Matrix. I, of course, had to buy that one, too. 

But the main ones of his I reach for over and over are the ones in the "everything" series. How to Cook Everything, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (because veggie cookbooks really know how to elevate vegetables), and How to Cook Everything Fast. The last one is my jam. And I can't tell you how helpful it is that when I get a big pile of fruits and veggies from the produce co-op that I'm in, that I can just pick up one of these tomes, flip to the index and find multiple yummy recipes for the produce I've got on hand. 

How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition): 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food

By Mark Bittman

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food

By Mark Bittman

How to Cook Everything Fast: A Better Way to Cook Great Food

By Mark Bittman

And though there are some recipes that are more complicated than others, in general, you're going to find easy to follow recipes with no intimidation factor. Plus, I have yet to try a recipe from these books that flopped. He even has a recipe that got me eating grapefruit--a feat. (Spoiler, you broil the grapefruit with a brown sugar almond topping. Yum.)

Cooking Light

The Time Inc. Magazine Company

So, you can't go wrong with those three. I'll also give an honorable mention to the magazine Cooking Light. I've been a subscriber for at least a decade and I still look forward to every issue. They consistently have great recipes and fresh takes on things. Now, be warned, they vary in complexity. But each issue usually has a good mix of quick and easy stuff along with some "challenge yourself" stuff. And they don't do fad diets. All the recipes focus on healthy, fresh ingredients prepared in a way that isn't too calorically dense.

Lastly, the app I use for recipes. There are a ton of recipe apps out there, but I needed something to organize my online recipes from Pinterest and from Cooking Light (all their recipes are also available online, so I look up my favorite to save instead of keeping a million magazines). Because if you've tried to cook from Pinterest, you know that if the screen goes dark on your phone, Pinterest often resets WHICH IS NOT AWESOME WHEN YOU'RE MID-RECIPE. Enter the Paprika App. This app easily stores all your online recipes (you can easily "clip" recipes from anywhere) and you can organize them into categories, pop them into meal plans, all kinds of cool things. But for me, the most important feature is that when you open a recipe, it keeps your screen on. No touching your phone or tablet with flour-covered fingers. Hallelujah. Plus, it syncs across my devices, so if I find a recipe on my desktop and send it to Paprika, it will be on my phone as well. Perfect.

So those are my picks. Do you have a favorite cookbook or recipe app? I'd love to hear about it. :)

Eating Healthy At Home: How I Meal Plan and a Free Weekly Menu Printable

If you follow me at all online, you know I love to cook (and eat!), but I'm not one of those cooks who just comes up with inventive meals on the fly. I've spent hours writing fiction most days, so my creativity is drained by the time I get to dinnertime. I don't want to think about what to cook or how I'm going to make it tasty, which is why for years I've sworn by weekly meal planning. Without my weekly meal planning, I'd end up going out for fast food or ordering pizza every night. Meal planning keeps me (and the fam) on track with healthy eating.

Here's my general routine. On the weekend, I set aside some time to grab a few of my cookbooks off the shelf (or to go to my saved recipes online) and I sit down and choose what I'm cooking for each night of the coming week. This is even easier if you have few main go-to recipes that you use each week. I'm weird in that I like to cook different stuff pretty much non-stop. I have very few go-to meals and those are usually brought out when hubs is out of town and I'm just cooking for me and the kidlet. My theory on why I like novel cooking is that I like to eat in restaurants. But restaurants are expensive and somehow they manage to pack twice as many calories into things--even things that seem healthy. So what keeps me from eating out too much is creating new stuff for me to try to each week, so it feels like I'm going to a new restaurant. (See, told you, I'm weird.)

And luckily, I have a family with an open-minded palate, so they're pretty go with the flow on whatever I decide to cook. (I set up the expectation early with kidlet--you eat what I cook. I may alter his slightly, like not make his serving as spicy or keeping onions out of his or something, but he's expected to eat what we're having for dinner and to try things he may not be sure of. And he does.)

But anyway, I think through my week--which nights are going to be more hectic than others, what nights I'll have more time, etc. Then I lay out the menu on this sheet I designed (see the free printable below if you'd like to download it) and make my grocery list as I go. Then I post the menu on the refrigerator so everyone knows what's coming. Sometimes I'll switch days around during the week--much to the distress of my order-loving kidlet--but otherwise, I stick to the plan. And usually we save eating out for once or twice on the weekend.

The Quick and Dirty Tips on Meal Planning:

1. Gather your supplies: cookbooks/magazines/internet/whatever, a notebook or meal planning worksheet, and a little bit of time.

2. Think through what supplies you have or what you need to use up. (This is where cookbook indexes and internet search comes in handy. Have a cabbage and some chicken to use up, look up the more specific ingredient and work backward from there.)

2. Figure out which days you need to have quick meals and which you can spend more time on so you can plug in meals accordingly.

3. Fill in your go-to meals if you have them. Bonus tip: Pick theme nights like Taco Night, Sandwich Night, Slow Cooker Night, Stir-Fry Night, etc. and then your meal planning will go even quicker.

4. Write down the name of the recipe and where you found it (don't forget page numbers) then plug it into your menu sheet on the appropriate day.

5. Make your grocery list as you go. Bonus tip: There are lots of printables online for grocery lists. If you find one divided by section of the store, you can already have your list done and  sorted by the time you're done meal-planning. 

6. Put the menu on the fridge for you and your family to see, and then stick to it. 

7. After the week is done, mark down the new recipes that went well to save them for the future. 

It sounds like a lot, but really, it's not. Plus, there are so many benefits.

Benefits of Meal Planning:

1. Eat healthier.

2. Less waste because I know what I need to buy for the week.

3. No thinking involved when I'm brain-drained at dinner time.

4. Saves money.

5. No, "What are we having for dinner?" questions from the family.

5. Yummy, delicious meals every night.

So it's a no brainer for me. I've done it this way for almost a decade, and it becomes like clockwork. Plus, it gives me a good reason to feed my cookbook addiction. :)  Which reminds me, stay tuned for Wednesday when I tell you about my favorite cookbooks, recipe resources, and apps I love for meal planning and cooking. 

In the mealtime, here's your free Weekly Menu printable download if you'd like to give meal planning a shot. Let me know if you do! :)

Click to download

So do you do any kind of meal planning? What's your process? Any tips to add?