Is The Fear Of Money Preventing Us From Making Good Food Choices

"I can't afford to eat healthy."
One of the quotes that I hear repetitively in life.
Fact is, if food prices were to drastically soar tomorrow we'd be saying the same thing when in actuality, we would've been able to afford to make healthy choices all along.
What is the price of diet when compared to hospital bills or sick days?

After becoming pregnant, I took on a drastically different look of what I was putting into my body. I wasn't eating for myself anymore, I was "Eating for two."
Pesticides have been found in cord blood.
http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/pesticides/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1388888/GM-food-toxins-blood-93-unborn-babies.html

80% of blood from umbilical cords tested positive for these toxins.

Truth is that every day that we make a decision on what we feed our families now directly impacts the future of our children and so on.

And it's not just directly what we're eating, it's the company's that we are choosing to buy from. Do we make sure to check the policies of the companies we buy from? How they dispose of waste? The treatment of their animals?
More than likely, if you're an average American these things never even cross your mind.
We rely completely on these companies  to tell us if their food is safe for us or not. (As well as the FDA)
Companies with interests and billions of dollars to spend making sure that you are ignorant to what it is that they are doing.

Is Low Amniotic Fluid The New 'Big Baby'?

I'm reading an article on the science of induction due to 'low amniotic fluid levels' because at my prenatal visit yesterday they said I was measuring small and I ended up with a second ultrasound for them to measure my fluid level. The lady that did it seemed a lot more inexperienced than who did it for my 37th week. First off, they were having trouble reading the chart. (Very professional.)
So after coming in, not being able to read the chart, leaving to talk to the sonographer (who also had problems reading the chart... that she wrote up), coming back, it was decided that I was measuring low and I was told that I would be induced.

Wait, what?

What they told me was that because I started prenatals so late in my pregnancy that they didn't know exactly  what they were dealing with and it would be best to just go ahead and do it.
An induction; that would put me at imminent risk for a Cesarean.
I was told to take it easy and scheduled for another ultrasound Monday and if my fluid levels weren't any better I would probably be induced that day.
Can I call bullshit?
Have we forgotten that amniotic fluid starts to naturally decrease starting between weeks 36 to 38?
Let me just quote the site real quick "There is no evidence that isolated Oligohydramnios at term is a risk factor for poor outcomes."
Saying that the above is true, why put me and my baby at unnecessary risk due to an undermined factor?
Now I could understand if when they had measured me at 37 weeks and I was low why there might be cause for concern but being so close to my due date now it's a little hard not to think there might be some other vested interest other than the well-being of my baby.
Let me just remind you that they only said I was measuring low and had not diagnosed me with Oligohydramnios! Oligohydramnios is when your levels are at a 4-5 or lower.
I could even understand if I had somehow acquired a leak in my amniotic sac, but this is just a little confusing. Maybe if there was a problem with baby's inability to move and thrive in the womb? That's not true though because I've noticed no decrease in activity.

It's really upsetting to me that they would take a young mother with an otherwise perfectly normal, healthy pregnancy and try to scare her into doing something that for one, it unethical in normal medical standards.

I would just like to say to all mothers, please don't take what your doctor says at face value.
Do your own research!
We spend so much more time looking into the new phone we want or computer, camera, car, etc.
But what about our own health?

If you want to read the article yourself the link is: http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/?p=5294

So as of yesterday, it seems that I am 32 weeks along now.
My baby newsletter tells me that he weighs about 3.75 pounds, not a surprise, I feel his movements growing stronger everyday. For the most part he enjoys staying under my ribcage, sometimes he'll move down though and kick at my bladder, fun.
Still nauseous. And nearly everything gives me heartburn.
I went to the medicaid office last week to apply but I didn't have the 'proof of pregnancy' with me so they told me that I needed to come back and they will me a list of what I need in the mail. I got the letter the day before yesterday, I need to go back in before the 15th. That same day I also obtained a driving permit, though I don't have anyone to drive with me anyway.

I'm not going to lie though, I'm struggling. It feels like every emotion I've ever repressed comes out every day. I'm so vulnerable and I can't stand it.
I've never felt so alone in my entire life.

Chickpea and Kale Indian Curry

This recipe is nutritious and loaded with protein, fiber and calcium. :3

• 1 pack (16 ounces) Dried Garbanzo Beans
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Can Coconut Milk
• 1 Small Can Tomato Paste
• 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 Bushel of Fresh Parsley
• 4-6 Cups Chopped Kale
• 3 Cups Rice (brown or basmati is optimal) 
• 1-2 Tbsp Oil (I used grapeseed but any oil will do)

Seasonings I used were Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Turmeric, Paprika, Cheyenne, Ginger and Bay Leaves.

 This dish is best started a day in advance by letting the chickpeas soak at least overnight. After that, empty out the water and cover the chickpeas in a pot of water and boil them until soft (approximately 1 hour) salt and season the water as desired. Once the chickpeas have finished, dump most of the water. Leave about 1/4 of the water in the pot, just enough to cover the bottom, and put them on a low heat. Meanwhile, you can start on the Kale. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the Kale for 10 minutes or until tender, season with salt. Empty the can of coconut milk, can of tomato paste and yogurt in the pot of chickpeas, raise heat, and stir. Sauté the onions and garlic in a pan of oil before adding to the pot. Chop up the parsley and add it in as well. Drain the Kale water into a pot and cook the rice in that. Stir Kale into pot of Chickpeas. Add seasonings, put the heat back on low and cover. Stir occasionally.

Now you just wait for the rice to finish and voilà! You're done!

Soooo, I got a job!
I'm working part-time as a 'mothers helper' to help a friend take care of her 3 month old girl.
I definitely enjoy it, childcare has always been in my repertoire, and it's good experience for when my own child decides to enter the world. :3
I'm at 25 weeks since yesterday!

I don't understand...

So many words that flow through me, so many things I want to say but can't ever get out when the time comes.
Why do I always have to doubt myself? When will I be good enough.
Don't feel bad when you can't live up to my standards because so far, no one has.
Especially not myself.
They say true artists are never satisfied with their work. I can relate.
Why am I so afraid of failure that may never come?
I have so many things that I want to accomplish that will never be good enough to see the light of day.
The truth is; I'm tired of not being good enough.
And still the only person stopping me is myself.

So there was this girl....

This, is the story of my life;

I had a humble beginning as we all do.

I became self-conscious at a young age because soon after my baby teeth came in, the enamel eroded causing my top front teeth to turn black.

My mother tried for years to homeschool me but gave up and left me to learn on my own.

Having no choice but to go with them to work, I spent a good portion of my childhood in a van.

There I picked up odd habits such as eating cardboard.

I would then go home to my imaginary girlfriend. Mimi.

I grew into a pessimistic young lady.

I grew out my hair and started trying to smile more.
I also became addicted to various internet sites such as Neopets and GaiaOnline.
Maplestory came later.

I went through a bad phase.

I cut off all my hair and obtained a boyfriend.

                                                     (Long-distance, of course.)

Eventually, I was single again. 

I won tickets to a Lady Gaga concert.

Obtained a best friend.

Started being kawaii.

I cosplayed.

Second boyfriend obtained.

Dyed my hair several colors. Moved. Broke up with my boyfriend. Went through heartaches.

Fell in love.

Boyfriend went away to bootcamp. I had awesome hair.

He put a ring on it.

Got hitched.

                                                                 (D'awwwwe.)

Well, that's pretty much all the interesting things of my life up until now in a nutshell.

I might eventually get around to adding more, relevant photos, but I've been working on this for long enough now. x.x

Until next time~

Arielle