Iron Woman

No, I will not be partaking in the Iron Woman.  My chubbily physique isn't exactly conducive to anything triathlon related. 

I mentioned in a previous post I recently learned I am iron deficient.  Upon learning this I swung into some online searches surrounding this, as I was sure there was more to it than just simply eating more iron-rich foods, or popping an iron supplement.

Symptoms of iron deficiency (among others):
fatigue/feeling rundown
headache
poor concentration
poor immune system function (making your more susceptible to colds and flu)

Check. Check. Check. and Check.  Though the concentration thing is new, the others have been on going.

I've never tested low on iron before.  It has been over a year since I've had any sort of blood anything done, so I was a bit surprised when I came back as low as I did.

I've learned that once iron stores are depleted it can take a few weeks or up to a year for them to be restored, if not longer.  To help absorb iron better I apparently should consume more Vit-C rich foods with the iron rich foods.

I've already begun consuming more iron-rich foods:  oatmeal for breakfast, spinach salad with dinner, beans....tea and coffee apparently decrease iron absorption.  Oh, how I do love my tea and coffee.  Animal sources of iron are more easily absorbed.  When I think back it has been awhile since I've eaten any of the classic iron rich animal sources:  red meat.  I can't even remember the last time I had beef.  While spinach has more iron than a steak, the steak iron is more easily absorbed by the body.

So this iron deficiency of mine explains so much.  The headaches.  The constant fatigue.  My inability lately to focus on anything.  Sure there could be other explanations for these things, but it does seem to make sense.

Anyone else out there had to deal with low iron?  What did you find worked the best for you?

Review

Environmental

• take reusable bags shopping with me 100% of the time - haven't really done much shopping as of late, but have managed to remember to take my bags with me when I did go
• do not drive to the corner store.  Walk. - so far this one is n/a
• coordinate grocery shopping trips with the roommate, to kill two birds with one stone - doing well on this one
• be more conscious of how many lights are on in the house.  I'm pretty good at this already but could pay a bit more attention - well, I'm doing better with this, I spend half my time following roomie around shutting off lights
• take travel mug with me when going out for coffee - no so well on this one.  I remember to take it to work with me just about all the time, but when I'm out and about I tend to forget

Personal/Health

• drink more water (from a reusable container - good for me and the environment) - getting better
• eliminate pop - also getting better
• research and try natural methods to reduce/eliminate headaches (so I can quit popping Advil like its candy) - have yet to attempt this one
• walk with the dog 3 times a week for min 30mins (pup will have to wait a few weeks until she puts some chub on her) - ha.
• research and begin a cleanse/detox - haven't even thought of it yet.
• get back on track with saving money (I had to drain my savings account awhile back....gotta get back on track) - nope, I'm still poor.
• learn to drink my coffee without sweetener and/or buckets of flavored creamer (though delicious as it is) - this is a work in progress

In other news....

The niece's birthday party was on Sunday.  Miss M is 1 already.  ONE!  She's walking on her own, has 6 teeth, is eating big people food like a champ. She's getting too big too quickly.

Miss A is 5 and started school this year.  My goodness!  They're both growing up too quickly.  They should come with pause buttons.

Got my hair did yesterday.  Had several inches chopped off and some highlights put in.  I quite like it.  Though now that it is shorter it is much curlier since its not so weighed down.

Though sitting there in the chair getting my hair done I couldn't help but feel slightly disgusted by what I saw in the mirror.  The mirrors at this place gave you a view of yourself from your lap up, where other places I've been have just been the chest up.  Ugh.  Gross.  I felt/feel like a heifer.

Attempted to donate blood today.  Fail.  My iron was way low.  WAY low.  I wasn't even close to the minimum number you need to be able to donate.  I left armed with instructions to eat tons of raisins and drink OJ.  I hate raisins. Ick.

Goooooaaaaalllllll!!!!

Ok, pluralize that to goals.

Over the next few months....

Environmental

• take reusable bags shopping with me 100% of the time
• do not drive to the corner store.  Walk. 
• coordinate grocery shopping trips with the roommate, to kill two birds with one stone
• be more conscious of how many lights are on in the house.  I'm pretty good at this already but could pay a bit more attention
• take travel mug with me when going out for coffee

Personal/Health

• drink more water (from a reusable container - good for me and the environment)
• eliminate pop
• research and try natural methods to reduce/eliminate headaches (so I can quit popping Advil like its candy)
• walk with the dog 3 times a week for min 30mins (pup will have to wait a few weeks until she puts some chub on her)
• research and begin a cleanse/detox
• get back on track with saving money (I had to drain my savings account awhile back....gotta get back on track)
• learn to drink my coffee without sweetener and/or buckets of flavored creamer (though delicious as it is)

The Perfect Coffee Mug

I love coffee.  Light roasts and dark roasts alike.  Every morning starts with a cuppa java.  I don't need it to get going (caffeine at this point does little to jazz me up) but I do enjoy having a cup of good coffee.

Because of this love of coffee I am forever on a mission for the perfect coffee mug.  In fact I have a few pretty close to perfect mugs.  These little gems have been found in a variety of places and have as such found a home in my cupboard.  I've stumbled upon them in the Dollar Store, Walmart, and have had some of them given to me.  You see, to me a prefect coffee mug is less about where it came from and more about how it feels in my hands.  It gets bonus points if its pretty too!

I'm always eying up mugs where ever I go. Most times my friend has to pull me away scolding me.  Its not like I'm in need of them, I just have a thing for fun coffee mugs.  I  also highly enjoy travel mugs.  Again, its a thing.  

One of my favorite mugs was given to me after a conference at work.  Its an Imperial Oil mug. Pretty, no, but it is heavy, and big and feels great in my hands (yup, I realize how that just sounded....minds out of gutter people...).

I found one a few years ago at the dollar store.  Again its heavy and I like the shape:  its narrower at the bottom and gets bigger at the top.  It gets minor marks for cuteness, but its not my perfect mug. 

I found one at Walmart about a month ago:  its white with multicolored polka dots all over it.  Not as big as I would like though.  It hits on the cute factor but it is only a small mug.

I have two tea cups that are super adorable (at least I think they are) but let's be honest here, a tea cup is meant for tea, not for the heavy, industrial strength coffee I enjoy.


What would my perfect mug be?  Well, it would be big, and heavy, and a nice shape, durable (because I'm a putz), dishwasher safe (because I'm lazy) and super bonus points if its pretty.

I enjoy these mugs

Pretty, no but they hit just about everything else.  Well, the shape is a bit of a miss.  I prefer something I can cradle in my hands. 

Now this one is closer:  its 14oz so it is plenty big, it looks sturdy, and it hits on the pretty factor!   Yes, I think this one would do just fine.

And before you all go thinking I'm crazy and wondering what difference it makes, trust me it does make a difference.  It could be a great coffee but if its in a mediocre mug, it just isn't the same.  Its all part of the experience.  Trust me.  (its OK, I know you already think I'm a little nutty)  I challenge you to go brew a cup of your favorite coffee and put it in a not-so-fun mug and tell me its not the same as if it were in your favorite mug. 


And just a disclaimer:  I'm really tired right now so this seems like a worthy topic to blog about!  Tomorrow, I may change my  mind about that! 

You wanna know what else makes my morning jo that much better?  White Chocolate Mocha coffee creamer from International Delight.  This stuff is heaven in a bottle.  I have Nancy to thank for bringing this gold into my life!  I'm well aware its not the best stuff for me, but I care not...its tasty and I like it, so there!

Things I Like

After my post the other day about things I dislike I figured I'd do one about the things I do like...ya know, in effort of keeping things positive!

And in just about this quantity too!

I heart cozy kitted mittens!

Grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte with soy, no whip please!

I have a major weakness for fun, pretty stationary.

 

 I likewise also have a weakness for fun, pretty, perfect coffee mugs.  I also have a soft spot for travel mugs.  Don't ask.  Its a thing.

So. Tired.

I'm just exhausted this week for some reason.   I couldn't figure it out, but then I realized its the dog.  There have been a few night she wouldn't settle, or needed a 1am pee break, or wanted 4am play time.  And because she sleeps with me when all this takes  place I get woken up.  I'm this tired keeping up with a dog, I should probably never have kids.

Here's a recap of the last couple of days:

-Sunday: spent a few hours at the emergency vet clinic with the dog.  She presented with a ridiculous amount of swelling on one side of her face.  Vet diagnoses an infection of some sort.  We're given antibiotics and an antinflmatory and sent home. She's doing much better.
-Monday: said goodbye to a friend who was moving back out west as job opportunities here for her are limited.  She was pretty great (I only met her a year ago) and I'll miss her.
-Tuesday: don't think anything terribly exciting or noteworthy happened
-Wednesday: took the dog for her first walk since we went to the vet.  Exciting stuff, I know.
-Thursday: I had a chiropractor appointment and I went on the hunt for a good food for the dog so she can beef up a bit.  Found a good food for her which she likes, and I had an OK appointment at the chiro.
-Friday: worked and got yelled at all day by guests.  Everyone, do me a favor:  if you're ever unhappy about something with a hotel stay please, by all means, go talk to the desk staff about it, but raving like a lunatic isn't going to get you anywhere.  If you play nicely so will we.
-Saturday: another busy day at work.  Less yelling than yesterday though.  Came home from work, exhausted, and had a 2hr nap.

And that is all.

Hi, I'm Nika...

I am an almost 1 year old Valley Bulldog - Husky mix and I came home to live with Erin and her roommates just a few days ago.  Though right now it is just Erin and I - she tells me they will be home soon, and that I will like them too.

Erin tells me she found me after seeing an ad posted for me on something called Kijiji.  What a Kijiji is I'll never know.  She also tells me she got lost trying to find me.  When I first met Erin I knew something was going on.  My old mom was there, but no one else was. I knew they were talking about me because I kept hearing my name.  I knew I liked Erin right from the beginning, she gave me lots of cuddles. 

I had to say goodbye to my old mom.  I didn't really want to go in that strange car with the strange person.  But, like the good girl I am I got comfy on the back seat.  I've been on car rides before but never one as long as this one was.  I think I did pretty well, and slept most of the way.

We made a stop at a place Erin calls work to see some people.  I was quite scared of this place.  But the people I saw were very nice.

I used to live in a place that had lots of trees and it was pretty quiet.  Now I live in a place with not many trees and there are so many things to see and smell, and so much noise all the time.  Erin keeps telling me I'll get used to it eventually, but I'm not so sure.

Erin also tells me I will never have to worry about not being fed ever again.  I'm glad she tells me that, but I don't quite believe it yet.  When she feeds me I gobble it down as fast as I can, just in case there isn't any more later.  She tells me I'm too skinny and that she is soon going to get me some good food to help me gain some weight and to help my coat get healthy again too.  I loved my old family but they didn't feed me very much.  I'm a growing girl, I need to have food in my tummy.

The first day in my new house I was left all by myself.  Well, you see, I was scared and nervous being alone in this strange place.  I couldn't help it but I made a mess all over the floor.  I was worried she would get mad at me, but she didn't.  We just went outside for a walk, then we cleaned up the mess (I'm a good helper, you know).

The next day when she left to go to that work place she put me in a big box.  I don't really like going in there, I'd much rather stay and sleep on her bed all day.  But she tells me I have to learn to like the box.  And it really isn't so bad.  I'd just rather not be in it thats all.

Yesterday when Erin came home I could tell by the look on her face something was wrong.  After a quick walk outside to pee we went in the car to a place called the emergency vet clinic.  I was scared.  There were so many people and other animals and strange smells.  Erin tells me I was a very good girl though. 

You see when  she came home yesterday and took me out of my kennel she saw my face was very swollen. One of my eyes was even almost swollen shut.  But these people at the vet are helping me feel better.

I sat like a good girl while the doctors examined me.  After a few hours we were able to go home.  My doctor gave us some medicine for me to take.  One will help fight the infection, the other will help with the hurting.   I don't mind taking the medicine, it means I get it wrapped up in a piece of cheese!  I do like cheese!  The doctor also said I'm too skinny.   My furmom assured her that we were working on it and hopefully in a couple of months I'll be good and healthy. 

When we got home I could tell she was upset.  She told me she was sad I wasn't feeling well and that she was sad my old people didn't take very good care of me.  She promised me I'll never have to worry about anything ever again.

Today mom tells me I'm looking better already.  I'm glad she isn't so worried any more.  I am feeling better but I still feel pretty icky.  At least my eye isn't almost swollen shut anymore.

Ever since I've been here it has been pretty great.  I don't like all the noise that much, but at least I'm not left tied up outside all day long anymore.  I follow Erin around where ever she goes, though I prefer it downstairs in the house than upstairs.  I also like sleeping on her bed.  I am happy she lets me sleep here, it is so much more comfortable than the floor or the ground.  I have also been getting lots of cuddles, rubs and scratches.  She also talks to me alot and tells me I'm a good girl and that I'm beautiful. 

I do miss my old family, but things here aren't so bad.  I get to eat twice a day instead of just once like before, and I get to spend all kinda of time with her.  She doesn't mind me being close to her all the time and this makes me happy.

I think I'm going to love it here.  She tells me I now have a forever home with people who will love me and play with me, and give me all the things I'll ever need or want.  Ok, I should go back to napping.  A girl needs her beauty rest you know!
xoxo

Erin in....

I want to take anyone who mistreats and animal, give them a pair of cement shoes and send them sailing off the nearest, highest bridge.  Cowards.  I don't care if its physical or not.  How could anyone look at this dog and not tell she's horribly skinny?  You can clearly see ribs and her hip bones!  C'mon! No animal deserves to go hungry or be mistreated in anyway.

She is such a sweet, sweet girl.  She is truly something special.  I've never met a dog quite like her before.  When she looks at me the look on her face just says "all I want is for you to love me".  Well, puppy, you're in the right place.  There will be no shortage of that, or food, around here!