There is no D in Insomnia

If you have been following my blog for any amount of time, you know I struggle with insomnia. Sometimes it "onset insomnia" and sometimes it is "middle-of-the-night insomnia". It comes typically once a month and can last for several nights or longer. I've attributed this to anxiety and hormonal causes, but have recently been wondering if it was also a nutrition problem.

Yesterday I got my yearly lab results in the mail. All looked good except for my vitamin D levels. Optimum levels according to the Vitamin D Council are around 50 nM/L, and mine were 22 nM/L and outside of the normal range. The doctor left me a note saying to take 2000 IU supplement daily. I was genuinely surprised to be low on vitamin D considering I spend time in the sun on a near daily basis, have been taking prenatal vitamins for over two years, drink two glasses of milk a day and usually have yogurt.

I hopped online to read more about vitamin D deficiency. Here's a couple facts I came across:

• Deficiency can be attributed to lack of nutritional intake (from milk allergies, lactose intolerance, strict vegetarian diets, etc), lack of sun UVB exposure (sunscreen blocks this), and various health disorders.
• If you did not go into the sun, you would need to drink 40 glasses of milk a day to get the needed amount of vitamin D.
• Deficiency can lead to bone softening diseases, and is thought to be linked to stroke, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, cognitive impairment (memory loss and foggy brain), PMS, and depression (common cause of insomnia).
  
• There is current research exploring the connection of vitamin D to insomnia.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (from lack of sunlight in the winter), which is a mood disorder, is often effectively treated with high doses of vitamin D supplements.
• Vitamin D levels can take time to build back up.
• Getting enough vitamin D through food (oily fish, spinach, broccoli, fruits fortified milk and yogurt) is unlikely.
  

There were several sites claiming that Vitamin D3 is the solution for insomnia problems. I will keep you updated on this. The past two nights I have been completely off Ambien and was awake around 12:30 and 2 am for extended periods of time, but I was very proud that I fell asleep initially and was able to go back to sleep on my own.

Some links for your curiosity:

http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/vitamind.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_d
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp#h5
http://www.fightingfatigue.org/?p=1220
http://www.usdoctor.com/insomnia.htm (I don't know the credibility of this site, but he claims D3 cures insomnia.)
http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/vitamin_d_deficiency_and_insomnia

Baked Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Bell Pepper Sauce

Sorry, I have no picture this time around, but imagine a casserole dish of cheesy goodness with fresh veggies incognito and you will get the idea. Joe and I have a lot of work to do in regards to eating more vegetables. Often the problem is just a texture thing. Sometimes, one of us (and we alternate on this) will leave a small stash of veggies on one side of the plate while scarfing down everything else. Personally, I love bell peppers and can't get enough in my dishes, but that is one vegetable (or is it a fruit?) that Joe isn't very fond of. The other night I decided to work it into a dish in a way that it couldn't be avoided, and as it turns out, Joe loved it. This dish can be prepared in the morning and popped in the over just before dinner time. I tend to play with the ratios of noodles to sauce and cheese. Sometimes I cut the noodles in half for a saucier dish.

Serves 6

1 (8 ounce) package spaghetti, cooked
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup low fat sour cream
1 cup spaghetti sauce with ground beef and mushrooms (see recipe below)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 tbs crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

To make the bell pepper sauce, saute a sliced, seeded bell pepper and the chopped garlic over medium heat in 1 tbs olive oil, crushed pepper, and salt to taste. When the bell pepper is no longer crunchy, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Put everything in the pan into a small food processor. Puree until smooth, adding olive oil as desired. Set aside.

Soften the cream cheese and blend well with the sour cream.

In a deep, medium casserole dish, mix the spaghetti, cream cheese and sour cream. The noodles should be creamy but not soupy. If they are too dry, add more sour cream.

Layer with your favorite meat sauce and mushrooms. See my recipe below.

Top with 3/4 the mozzarella and drizzle the bell pepper sauce before adding the remaining cheese.

Cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 375 F or until the cheese begins to crisp.

Meat Sauce with Mushrooms:

Personally, I like to make a huge batch of sauce and freeze whatever I don't intend to use in 1-cup containers.

1/2 onion diced
2-3 cloves garlic crushed
2.5 lbs ground beef
1 32 oz jar Ragu Old World Style Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb fresh sliced mushrooms

In a 12" saute pan (or an equally large lidded pot) brown the meat with the onion, garlic and mushrooms, then add the jar of sauce and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. This makes about 8 cups of sauce.

First Pick

This morning I picked my first broccoli. One of the broccoli's flowers had begun to open and I knew the others would be close behind so I cut the center stalk from most the plants. It would appear that someone(s) else thought the broccoli was ripe for picking too as there were score of small green worms working their way up the heads. I'm really hoping I picked them all off! I guess a little extra protein wouldn't hurt and it beats pesticides. There was enough broccoli for maybe 2 meals, but barely that. I could have let some grow bigger, but the thought of these worms munching away while I was waiting wasn't appetizing. It must take a lot of broccoli plants to get a decent harvest.

In Honor of Earth Day

Gardening has been such a joy this year, especially as Daniel is able to walk and play with garden tools. He has fallen in two holes and dug several of his own, landed in two piles of dirt, broken a clay pot with a shovel, found and chewed up several sticks, acquired a litany of tiny scratches, and twice now he has thoroughly soaked his clothes with the hose. I wouldn't have it any other way. As he is exploring under my careful watch, Daniel is developing his own love for the outdoors and learning how to cultivate the God's creation. Now when I ask him if he wants to go outside, he runs excitedly to the backdoor. I look forward to seeing him learn new ways to contribute to gardening and have fun getting a little dirty as he continues to grow.


This little squash plant is being encouraged to grow vertically.

Happy

She said what?

Me: Did that lady say her babies were reading by 19 months?

Walmart cashier: That's what she said.

Me: Well my baby knows how to make bubbles in the bathtub...

Rat-a-tat-tat

Did you know that "Rat-a-tat-tat" is in the dictionary? Seriously, go look it up. I absolutely love watching Joe and Daniel play together, especially when they beat on the drums. Daniel usually gives his best behavior and is very observant while Joe demonstrates. When it's his turn, Daniel starts out tapping tentatively and gains his confidence as he switches it up between snare, tom, crash, ride, and high hat. He waffles between his serious, focused face and his amused proud face. In this clip they make music together and Daniel is pleased with the setup.

A Little Pillow Talk

I have been back on Ambien for three weeks now. Last month, for three nights straight I had no trouble falling asleep but woke up between 2 and 3 am either unable to fall back asleep or not until around 6 am for a brief 45 minutes. Last night I decided to venture off the meds again and tried to go to bed at 11 pm with Tylenol and Diphenhydramine HCl (it's a weaker over the counter "non habit forming" sleep aid), but was still awake after 1 am. I didn't help that I have read that going off Ambien can lead to temporary "rebound insomnia", which was making me nervous about whether or not I would get any sleep at all.

My mind would start to drift off, then these little flashes of lightening would make my heart jump and my head clear and realize I wasn't asleep yet. Meanwhile, my skin and legs and arms would tingle as they desperately tried to fall asleep. This of course would be followed by the anxiety of knowing morning was only getting closer. I ended up taking half an Ambien which put me to sleep soon after and I woke up sometime before 7 am. I am pretty sure sleep aids should not be mixed, but I really just needed some rest. Having debated whether or not to take the Ambien for an entire hour, I determined the other had lost its chance anyhow. Tonight I will try just half the pill and then ween myself off it altogether over the course of the week.

I saw my doctor last week who claimed this insomnia was most likely hormonal and would clear up during/after the next pregnancy. I don't remember sleeping very well during my last pregnancy or after it, so I don't know that I agree with his conclusion or want to take something to level me out. While I really like getting sleep, I have this fear of contributing to the growing population of over medicated Americans who take drugs to wake them up in the morning, to fall asleep at night, and a little dose of something to keep them happy in between - not to downplay the essential roles these play in some people's lives.

There are several lifestyle changes that could certainly help: more exercise (squatting in the garden isn't enough?), better diet (Carnation Instant Breakfast, I love you, but you can't sustain me), and more socializing with adults ("BA BA BA BA" isn't the most intellectually stimulating). So maybe I will pull out the "Dance off the Inches Hip Hop Party" dvd and start bustin' some moves. The nutrition thing will be tricky. I am averaging 1500 calories a day, which isn't quite enough for a breastfeeding mom. Based on height, weight, age and activity level, I should get around 1900 cal before breastfeeding, and breastfeeding probably adds another 300 cal to maintain my weight. This means I need to take in another 700 cal a day. Bring on the pizza, baby! Just kidding. Would someone please pass the veggies?

First Blossom of the Season

Yesterday, on the day we celebrated Life and the Resurrection, I went outside to enjoy the greenery. I was completely surprised to find one of my pea plants had dared to send out a blossom. I planted the peas with beans and spinach in the middle of February. While the beans rotted in the soil because it was still too cold, the peas have been doing well and are looking for things to climb on, including each other. When I realized my beans had not survived, I began starting batches both indoors and outdoors trying to catch the opportune panting window, and there is a fairly nice batch growing now - a bean plant per pole. The broccoli I purchased from Logan's is thriving, but there are still only leaves. I love the green of the broccoli. It has a great blueish tint and I wish I had a t-shirt to match.

Stay Away from my Eggs!

I do have cuter pictures of my child, but these make me laugh.

What's a Car Say?

Two cars drove by while we were taking Easter pics and Daniel practiced his car noises. He was pretty serious about this. I don't think his interest in vehicles is a boy thing as much as it runs in the family. According to mom, my first words (I am guessing second to mama and deeda) were BIG TRUCK.

Peppers Planted

I found an interesting method of growing peppers called "Pillar of Peppers". To construct this, Joe lined a tomato cage with chicken wire and landscaping cloth, pushed the cage into the ground and filled it with a vegetable potting soil. Today, I cut slits in the cloth, dug out small recesses for my plants and tucked them in. I thoroughly watered pillar and will wait two days to see which peppers survive and replace those which don't. The peppers are a mix of Jalapeño, Anaheim, and Red, Orange and Yellow Bell.

Tips on Saving Money in the Perennial Garden

I am not a very experienced or skilled gardener. However, there are a couple things I have found to save money while building up a perennial garden.

1) Buy plants on clearance after their peak. Last year I bought (at 50% off) several containers of Easter Lilies that had lost most of their flowers. I planted them, let them die back and they have multiplied this spring.

2) Cut and root clippings and replant. I have a huge Black and Blue Salvia plant I got from Whole Foods two springs ago. Last summer I attempted to take a couple clippings and replant them. It looks like one or two might have taken even though they quickly wilted and died last year. Also, I was told in order to get a bushier plant with more flowers to trim these back to about one foot tall once they get several feet tall.

3) Divide 'em! Last summer I bought three containers of Daylilies from the Farmer's Market and divided them upon planting and the divided the fuller ones again at the end of the summer. I now have many more plants, some of which are even bushier. However, don't over-divide and clip. I killed all my Purple Heart in a feat of ambitious multiplication.

4) Take care of your plants. I didn't take care of my azaleas after I planted them last year, and one died and the other two look pretty terrible. Buy plants that you know you have the time and touch to handle.

5) Harvest the seeds and plant them. I have been harvesting my Columbine seeds each year, and while many of my plants didn't come back, I have started some seeds indoors. I have also done this with garlic chives, and they have done really well.

Cheese Dance!

I didn't teach him this, but I might have encouraged it. He only does this dance for cheese.

Garden Campout

Depending on where you get your weather, tonight's temperature is predicted to get down to freezing in Raleigh. I've put up a tent for the beans and covered my tomatoes, squash and pumpkins.

I still have a tray of squash seedlings indoors, which I will wait and plant this weekend or next. There are several other things still inside that I may wait longer on.

The potatoes are growing tall very quickly, and I am having trouble keeping up with the mounding process. I planted most of these a month ago and did two more tubs of yukon gold last weekend.

Sanity Saved?

Not really. So as posted Friday night, I was in Chattanooga for my 10 year reunion. Originally, Joe was not going to go with me due to work and the premarriage class, so I booked flights on Delta for Wednesday through Monday because I figured that flying would be a little easier than driving with just one parent. Later Joe booked his own flight for Thursday through Sunday.

On the way down, I changed planes in Atlanta. I had booked my flight online at least a month out, but when I initially checked in, they could not assign me the seat I had booked for the ATL - CHA flight because there was something about there not being enough oxygen masks for a baby on that side of the plane and the flight was overbooked. When I got to the desk in Atlanta, they were attempting to coerce people into taking a later flight, meanwhile there was a small posse of us wanting our seats that we had paid for. They loaded the entire plane and there were several people missing. I sat Daniel on the desk, let him do his 14 month old thing - babbling loudly and grabbing at the computer monitor, and when there was exactly one seat left and they were closing the gate, I got the "You with the baby, get on."

You would think that would be the end of the drama. However, I have learned I am an extremely unlucky person in flights and Backgammon (I only roll 1's). Leaving Chattanooga, I was told there was wire showing in the tires of my flight that was grounded in Atlanta and the entire flight was being rerouted through various carriers. I got moved to North West, which is merging with Delta, on a flight to Memphis where I would connect to Raleigh. They sent me back down to ticketing where they charged me AGAIN for my bag... no refund for the first time (aren't you people the same company now?), and I had to go through security AGAIN, shoeless, laptopless, pocket-emptying (no smiles left in them), juice-testing, balancing on one foot with a baby in the front-pack carrier wondering why he keeps getting clocked in the head with my arms as I am shuffing our stuff around. What should have been a 5 hour trip home turned into 7.5 hour trip home. FYI - it takes me 8 to drive from Chattanooga to Raleigh.

The one saving grace of the whole day was that there were extra seats on the plane from Memphis to Chattanooga, and the attendant allowed me to take Daniel's car seat on the plane - so basically I got a free seat. Daniel goes to bed normally between 7 and 8pm, so you would think a 7:45 flight (6:54 Memphis time) would be perfect. Not so. Maybe it was because I was pumping him with juice and cookies to keep his ears from hurting, or maybe it was because he thought it would be funny, but he didn't fall asleep until 9pm, with 20 minutes left in the flight. And yes, he yelled often. Very shrilly. He is learning to use his hands in the "Itsy Bitsy Spider." We sang a lot.

Also, a flight attendant on my Chattanooga to Memphis flight seriously gave me the stink-eye. She came for trash collection and I couldn't find my cup, which Daniel had smooshed and tossed on the floor. I wanted to ask her if she saw that I was covered by a baby, cookies, monkey, blanket, wooden spoon, and sticky from apple juice, couldn't even bend over to reach the floor if I wanted and that maybe finding a small plastic cup was not top priority, but I just took it.

Ten Years Ago

Tomorrow evening I am going to my 10-yr high school reunion. Hmmm... what was I like 10 years ago? I would guess not much different in personality (still quite goofy, introspective, too easily entertained by my own jokes and stories, shy, moody/brooding, etc), but here are a few tidbits.

I ate a fudge bar and drank chocolate milk at lunch every day, loved Waffle House, had never smoked a pipe or cigar or tried alcohol, listened to a lot of country and christian music and had not yet discovered Victoria Secret underwear.

I had never been on a real date (where I was asked out), never kissed a boy... a theater production does NOT count, still had braces in my senior picture (they were off by the picture on the left), tended towards crushes of guys at least 3 years my senior, was seriously worried I would never get married, and went to prom STAG.

I drove a Ford Taurus wagon, carpooled with my sister, drove away from a gas station with the gas nozzle hanging from the tank, learned how to change a tire in Physics class, and I always kept a sleeping bag and change of clothes in the car in case I had to run away - which I never would have actually done or wanted to do.

I was really into painting/drawing/and charcoal-pastels, causing mischief during free periods at school, went to the Mountain Opry local pickin' concert most Friday nights, played guitar and wrote songs... not well, was really good on the blob, went backpacking with church friends whenever I got the chance, and wanted to eventually live in Montana.

I woke up in the middle of the night worried about homework and tests or to write poetry, stayed at school from about 6 am till later than 8 pm pretty often doing waaaay too many activities such as staying after school to rehearse my role as a village person in "Fiddler on the Roof".

I wanted to be a doctor, no wait.. architect... no biological engineer, toured and applied to an excessive number of colleges, and, although I had not toured it before applying, was extremely proud on graduation day to be heading towards NC State.