The Good, The Bad, and The Undetermined.

Yesterday saw mixed results on the shopping front.

On the good side, I was able to make a trip to Deerfield Farm.  While they haven't yet replied to my email, I figured that I could get the answers in person.
It wasn't a terribly far drive so we got there in a fairly short amount of time.  Granted, it will be a bit inconvenient to make the trip on a weekly basis but I hope to be able to work it in.  What I found when I got there was better than I had anticipated.  I was, in fact, able to confirm that their cows are primarily grass-fed.  While they do feed a little grain (no corn), the cows are primarily pastured or fed hay that is grown and bailed on the farm.  The milk produced is neither pasteurized nor homogenized and they offer it in quart, half-gallon, and gallon sizes.  Prices are not ridiculously out of reach, either.  Sure, they are a bit more expensive than your average grocery store options, but compared to The Farmer's Cow milk that I had been using it is actually cheaper.
In addition to the raw milk they sell, I found that they sell eggs that they get from another local farmer.  The eggs are from free-range chickens.  I am really happy with this added bonus - it makes the trip that much more worth it.  Again, these are a bit more expensive than the average grocery store options.
While we were there, we were able to go into the barn and see the cows.  We all enjoyed that.  The cows are very friendly and seemed to love the attention.  We also talked to Melynda about their 4H club, The Jolly Ranchers.  While our girls are already members of the Cromwell Clovers club, there is no reason why they cannot participate in an additional club.  The Jolly Ranchers meet on the first Sunday of every month from 1-3 PM.

After leaving the farm, we had a couple of errands to run.  We found ourselves out in Newington near the Stew Leonard's grocery store.  I had fairly high hopes for what I would find there.  Unfortunately, most of those hopes were a little too high.  I was mostly interested in their meat selection hoping to find some grass-fed options.  This was not to be.  In fact, one section of their meat department - their best-selling meat selection - had a large sign proudly proclaiming the beef's corn-fed status!  In addition, there was a looping video featuring Stew Leonard talking about their 'naked' beef.  He proudly exclaims that the cows used for this line of meat are 100% grain-fed.
In order to salvage this trip to the store, we decided to shop around a bit and see what else might suit my needs.  Sadly, I found very little that would make it worth the added drive on a regular basis.  Perhaps making an added stop on our quasi-monthly trip to Sam's Club to pick up some things that are better than other local options might be in order.  I just don't see us shopping there on a weekly basis.

In the undetermined category...  We went to rent a movie to watch as a family.  While at the store, I decided to also rent The Biggest Loser for the Wii.  I wanted to see what it had to offer over the Wii Fit Plus that we already own.  Due to other events of the day (as described above), I have not yet had the opportunity to evaluate it.  Hopefully today I will be able to pop it in and give it a try and see if it is worth the $40.00 price tag.  While I enjoy the Wii Fit Plus, a little variety would be nice once in a while.  Besides, if it proves to be better, I am open to making a switch.  I would also like to try out the Nintendo DS version of The Biggest Loser to see what it offers.

Week 3 coming to a close.

Thus begins the last day of week 3 - halfway through phase 2.  As I suspected, it is a whole lot easier to prepare meals as the allowed foods have increased.  I still don't have a good source of grass-fed meats and eggs, though.  As well, I have yet to get a response from Deerfield Farm regarding their milk and, due to other constraints, I have not yet been able to visit them in person.  I am not discouraged, though.  Overall, I am pretty pleased with my ability to comply with the guidelines of The Maker's Diet.

A change for the better (though, still not optimal):  On my last trip to the grocery store, I was not too surprised when they did not have the yogurt I originally purchased.  As such, I looked at a different brand - Stonyfield Farm - both as a result of personal experience and a friend's recommendation (thanks again, Josh).  Their yogurt is made from pasteurized milk which makes it less than an optimal choice.  The plain yogurt has added pectin and Vitamin D3.  Given that Stonyfield Farm is 'organic,' I am not worried about these additives being synthetic.  This brand is a bit more palatable than the other one, though it still needs some help.  After blending the 'cream top' into the rest of the tub, scooped out a serving.  To it, I added a little honey (allowed in phase 2 - though it is supposed to be raw unlike what I have at home), some flax seeds, and some cinnamon.  I was amazed at what a little bit of doctoring could do to this otherwise very bland yogurt!  While I am still hoping for a yogurt that is made from raw milk, this will suit me nicely until I find one.

My exercise continues to be fairly regular.  I still have some days where any activity at all just seems to be out of the question.  I had started off the year with the hope of learning T'ai Chi as well as doing other activities in order to work towards being symptom-free.  Well, it seems that my balance is a little too shaky for T'ai Chi.  Though I still hope to learn this art, I will need to put it off until I can manage the stability it requires.  Granted, practicing it will also help to improve that stability but it is just a little bit beyond my reach at the moment.  As such, I have really dug into the Wii Fit Plus as a major source of my exercise.  I like the fact that it tracks your activity and progress and even allows you to input your non-Wii activity - any physical activity you do that does not involve the Wii Fit Plus.  The improvements they made - the 'Plus' - add quite a lot to the experience. Some critics claim that the Wii Fit Plus does not provide a true workout.  That may be true if you are a trained athlete.  However, for the average person, the workout that you are able to do with it is quite comprehensive and can be very effective.  With the addition of the estimated calorie burn counter, it also provides an idea of how effective the various activities are.

Well, it wasn't too long ago that I was saying that there were really no measurable results to report, and that still remains to be true except for one category.  As of yesterday, I am 20 lbs. lighter than I was on January 1st!  Again, The Maker's Diet is not primarily intended for weight loss though it is not contrary to it either.  I am definitely encouraged by this progress.  I have no doubt that losing all (or at least most) of the weight that I gained - thanks to the corticosteroids I was prescribed to initially combat the symptoms and the almost completely sedentary lifestyle that was thrust upon me - will result in a positive change in my symptoms.  Of course, losing weight is reward enough on its own.

'New' Discovery!

Yesterday, my girls spent a good portion of the day at the UConn Extension Center in Haddam for a 4H Skill-a-thon event.  This center is pretty much used as the headquarters for the Middlesex/New Haven counties' 4H clubs.  While there, Rae found a brochure for Deerfield Farm in Durham, CT and brought it home to me as it advertised raw milk!  Raw milk from grass-fed cows is one of the staples of The Maker's Diet.  I immediately clicked on to their website to learn more about Deerfield Farm.  Though their website mentions that they "let the cows eat the grass = less tractor usage on some fields = less emissions into the air & less manure to spread," it does not say that their cows are 100% grass fed.  As such, I contacted them to inquire about their cows' diet and I am awaiting a response.  I am hoping that they will be able to tell me that their cows are indeed grass fed - at least primarily.  While they have been in business for quite some time, this is a new discovery for me - and I am VERY excited about it!


Additionally, on our grocery shopping trip, I picked up a package of ground bison.  While I haven't been able to verify if it is grass fed or not, bison is raised differently than cattle - primarily allowed to graze on open fields rather than in smaller, fenced in pastures.  It is generally more environmentally friendly as they will not over-graze.  One thing that I was able to find out is that no hormones are used on bison.  They are raised naturally.  At $4.99 per pound, it is a little bit more expensive than the ground beef that you would normally buy, but not too much more.  I am still hoping to find a reasonably priced source of grass fed meats.  I am encouraged that a friend of mine will likely be starting on The Maker's Diet as well.  I am hoping that we can plan our purchases so that we can get bulk discounts and split shipping costs, though I would much prefer to buy locally.