Awake at 4 am?

Why am I up?

No, seriously. It's almost 6 am now and I've been up writing since sometime after four am since I can't sleep...likely due to heartburn and upset stomach from trying out a new menu for dinner (curry chicken that was a bit more spicy than I'm used to), eating too late, or topping dinner off with five Oreos and a glass of milk. Hmmm... all good culprits.

My Doctoress wants me to gain more weight since pregnant people should also be fat people, I guess. I'm eating, just not like I did before I had the flu. And I'm trying to eat healthier since it makes me feel better...and my cooking lessons' friend Sarah told me to try a more Alkaline diet to reduce the acid in my system so I'm giving it a shot. Or I'm trying it until the Oreos I urged Rick to make a special trip to the store for call out my name and force themselves down my throat with a glass of milk -- turns out sugar and dairy products are acidic once processed and top the list of diet "no nos". I try to justify them by telling myself they will fatten me up and make my Doctoress happy, but that backfires when I feel sick and yo-yo back to not eating anything but bananas and carrots for a few meals to get back to a happy place in my tummy.

Which brings me to a mini soapbox... upon which I must stand to say... to everyone out there who is treating their ailments with all of these fancy-named pharmaceuticals instead of altering their diets... tisk, tisk. Sure it might be tough to follow a more strict diet and forgo things you love or reduce them, and I know it is just so easy to fork over some cash for a cute little magic pill that makes it all better... but seriously. Do some research to see if food could be the source of your issues (high cholesterol, blood pressure or heartburn--hint hint) on what slight adjustments you can make to your diet to make your body a little more happy. And consider going to see a dietitian or a natural healer for recommendations. I'm not suggesting you cleanse or give up all things that make you happy, but instead fill your diet with things that will make you feel good and accentuate them with things that make you happy. Life needs balance to be happy and little magic pills don't count on my "happiness scale" in this case.

That said, no more Oreos and/or milk/ice cream for at least two weeks, and then only in moderation. (Can someone please come eat the last row in the bag?) No more eating after 9 pm. No more burgers and fries -- 20% burger and fries + 80% alkaline foods(fruits/veggies). Yes to feeling better and hopefully, gaining weight from healthy food sources. Wish me luck!

Moral of the story: Everything in moderation, unless "everything" just happens to be bad for you. Think 80% good stuff, 20% bad stuff, and do your best to stick to it.