CocoFlax Banana Cookies

It’s August already!? Where has the time gone… I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I have been focused on frivolously documenting my cycles. If you can recall, I talked about ditching the pill a few posts back. It has been two months since coming off the pill and I have been on one heck of an emotional roller coaster (a complete understatement)!

So far, my cycles have returned to a “normal” 28- to 29-day cycle, which has completely surprised me considering I was on the pill for over a decade. I wholeheartedly attribute this to eating clean. 100%

Although my cycles have returned to a somewhat normal state and my diet has been pretty clean, I have still experienced and continue to experience many, many mood swings (my boyfriend can attest to this) and physical changes to my body. My hormones are trying to balance itself out and until my hormones are in a happy equilibrium, I will keep reminding myself to “trust the process.”

I’m learning more and more about my body and how it should function naturally, which is amazing in itself. There are times that I am completely frustrated with this process, but I know that coming off the pill has been one of the best decisions I could make for my body.

I have been incorporating foods and supplements (like flax, chia seeds, chlorella, chasteberry, evening primrose oil, castor oil packs, etc.) into my daily routine to help with my road to hormonal recovery — thanks to the guidance and support of my trainer, Liz.

Here is a quick recipe for a yummy treat which includes flax. Paleo-friendly. Vegan-friendly. Even 21 day sugar detox friendly, if you use green-tipped bananas! Give these a try and let me know how they go! 🙂

Soft and Chewy CocoFlax Banana Cookies

Yields: 12 cookies

Ingredients
– 2 bananas (use green-tipped if doing a 21 day sugar detox)
– 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut
– 2 tbsp ground flax (optional)

You can also mix in nuts, chocolate chips, etc.

Instructions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Using a hand blender/blender/food processor blend banana and shredded coconut
3. If using mix-ins, add them now, but use a spatula and gently mix
4. Using a tablespoon, roll cookie mixture into a ball, then flatten into a disc
5. Bake for 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking tray
6. Enjoy! 🙂

If anyone is curious to know what is in my green smoothie today, I blended:
– 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
– 1/2 an avocado
– generous handful of spinach
– 3/4 cup of coconut milk
– 1 tsp chlorella
– 1 tbsp of ground flax

Ditching the Pill

I’m starting another personal Whole 30 Challenge today and although my diet is mostly “paleo” anyway, I find that the introduction of natural forms of sweeteners into my diet (ie. maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar) makes a huge difference in the way my body functions and how I feel.

My most recent challenge (May 2014) lasted 37 days. I broke it while on vacation in the Bahamas and like I mentioned in my last post, I developed a rash on my face and became extremely bloated. The rash and the bloating went away 4 days after coming back from vacation and eating real food again.

Today is yet another Day 1 for me and for the next 30 days, I will be focusing on incorporating foods that will help detoxify my liver and promote hormonal health. But why? Long story short: I’ve recently decided to Ditch the Pill (birth control). Yep. I am finally saying goodbye to that jagged little pill.

In my attempts to live a “cleaner life,” it only made sense to stop taking the pill after being on it for more than a decade. NOW… before the rumour mill gets started, the answer is NO. I am not planning on popping babies in the near future! 😉

It has officially been 3 weeks since I have been off the pill and boy has it been a ride! I feel like I am living in somone else’s body. My hormones are completely out of whack and I have experienced some less-than-desirable symptoms which include (but are not limited to): headaches/migraines during the first week, bloating, erratic emotions/endless crying, changes in body odour (I know, gross), cramping, breast tenderness & back pain. Short term pain, long term gain? Here’s to hoping so! I am so very thankful that my significant other has been very supportive and patient with me during this process — Hi Andrew!

Through research, I found that one of the best ways to nurse myself back to hormonal health after coming off the Pill is to detoxify the liver through diet & nutrition. So, in addition to following a Whole 30 regimen and  in order to acheive hormonal and liver health, my 30-day plan will include the following (oh by the way, Day 1 breakfast is above — Fried Eggs & Greens!):

– No grains/dairy/legumes/sweeteners/alcohol (Whole 30 principle)
– Daily dry brushing and oil pulling (I do this first thing in the morning before my shower)
– Eliminating all fruits except for lemons + an occasional green apple (oh boy…)
– Eliminating all night shade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc)
– Eliminating coffee/caffeine (substituting with Roasted Dandelion Tea which is surprisingly delicious!)

It’s going to be a challenge alright! If I knew all of the negative effects the Pill had on my body, I would have never considered it as an option. But it’s too late.

So with coming off the Pill I have decided to follow the Fertility Awareness Method as my choice of non-hormonal birth control. I am in the middle of learning about it, so I don’t have too, too much to say right now.

However,  if you are considering coming off the Pill and are looking for a non-hormonal and eco-friendly form of contraception, these are the following resources I recommend:

– Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler

– Justisse Method: Fertility Awareness and Body Literacy A User’s Guide by Geraldine Matus

Wish me luck!

🙂