Sorry, I just had to share what I made this morning. A Green Smoothie that tastes like a chocolate milk shake. Maybe it will help someone :) I made home made almond milk- soaked a cup of almonds over night, blended with 3 cups of water, put in a nutmilk bag and squeezed out the almond milk. Blend almond milk, raw cacao powder, frozen banana, and kale, some honey. I added frozen blueberries and a spoonful of maca but they are optional. Chocolate milkshake only healthy :) The green is hidden by the chocolate and kale is virtually tasteless. There must be a zillion variations on this. My family will drink vivid green smoothies nowadays but as winter is coming on here, this might be a nourishing alternative.

Yes, I would learn to tell him its Mothers Day or whatever, and ask him if he is planning anything. That way you are taking responsibility for diffusing the surprise(or disappointment) factor a little anyway, for yourself, without completely spoiling it for him. You are lucky to have a man who remembers at all...really. Mine didn't. I think often men need specific instructions- telling him you dont like surprises is too general....asking him if he is planning anything for Mother's Day, is more doable for most men- something they can work with.

I guess World Music would be my genre, but that is pretty broad.

Time of year- probably spring or autumn. Summer is very hot most places- although the beaches here are great. Winter can get cold except in the north. Remember our seasons are opposite to the northern hemisphere. Places to visit- hard to say since Australia is a big place, like the U.S. I live on the west coast- you could easily spend time just here and see everything from tall forests and whales in the south west, to the pretty city of Perth, to the inland wheat belt for a feel of that, up to Coral Bay for an amazing treat of coral reef coming right up to the beach where you can snorkel, up to Broome and the Kimberleys in the far north. If you got to the west coast in autumn here (say July through October) you would see the wildflowers- the most unique and vast display of widlflowers in the world, everywhere- truly. On the highways, in the pockets of bush and out in the wheatbelt- everywhere. I love them. But, Australia is BIG. There is Ulururu in the centre- pretty stunning. The east coast is of course more densely populated right up to the coast and has some incredibly beautiful scenery. Hard to say! As for cost- it is a western culture and costs are probably pretty similar to the U.S- in fact our $ is above yours right now. If you wanted to do it cheap, as many young people do, you can do the Youth Hostels or Backpackers for accomodation- its a nice way to get to know people. Or you can camp, or hire a campervan.

I just phoned my Mother and we spoke for about an hour. That's a lot for us, and we email regularly but rarely talk on the phone- we live on opposite sides of Australia. So, that felt like enough- I was going to make up an excuse why I hadn't sent her a present (I was away for several days in reality) but in the end I just said to her "I just didn't get it together this year, mum" and left it at that, and that felt fine. I have sent an ecard and short note to my step mother- dad's wife, and I may get around to phoning my MIL since dh is away, or I may not.

Theoretically I wash daily but in reality its more like a few times a week, often 2 washes on days I get around to it. The trick for me is to wash by the person. Everyone has a wash basket in their bedroom and when they bring it to the laundry, it gets washed. Delicates and whites may be separated and combined with others- but its usually only dh that has whites. I wash with cold water, and I always wash on a delicate cycle because it's enough, and I rarely get colour bleeding. So it all goes in the washer and then hung on a rack to dry- we don't own a dryer. Because it is one person's clothes, when they are dry, they go back in the basket and put back into their bedroom- there is no need for sorting, or a sorting pile. It makes all the difference here. Mt Washmore exists no more, here.

We bought a motorhome a year ago, but we both have cars already- all 2nd hand. We use the motorhome regularly for short trips where we want to stay over, for camping etc- not so much with the kids though since they are older now. But we do use it a lot and find it is worth it for our lifestyle. Petrol is probably only going up. Right now, we find it useful and affordable to use the motorhome but who knows in the future. A diesel one would have been nice- wouldn't a truck be diesel run anyway? If its diesel run it would be equivalent to a car most likely i running cost- depending on its size. When I was last in the U.S. age 13 in 1984, I was amazed at the huge cars every drove over there- part of the culture I guess. Parking lots fascinated me. Maybe it has changed....but then, petrol is still cheaper there too. Its really a personal thing- whether you can afford it, whether its practical for your family.

Bali. It's awesome. I havent been to Thailand- Phuket- but that is a common destination from Australia too. I keep hearing how wonderful and beautiful Vietnam is. Or, you could just pop over to Australia :)

I am not sure what you mean. I use the search function on the bar above and it works well for me. I regularly put "Peela" into it and search for any posts where people have used my name, so I don't miss them.

Unfortunately the average age here is getting lower and lower also so I don't know about that. Dd's 2 best friends were 11 and 12 and that is normal. They thought she was so lucky starting 3 years later than them! What about....a psychological component. We know that children are being sexualised in the media from a very young age- and that many take that on. I can't see how that would affect them physically but it seems strangely coincidental.

I am in. Man, that is one heck of a good photo.

I really suspect dairy. We have abundant access to and consumption of dairy- whether or not it is pasteurized etc- dairy is from cows. Unless you lived on or next to a dairy farm, before refrigeration, especially if you were in a city, access to milk was limited. We take it for granted that dairy is ok for us but cow's milk is designed for baby cows, and produces rapid growth in a calf. Our increase in height and weight can be associated to introducing milk in schools in the early 20th century in many places (read something about it recently). It did overcome a lot of health issues and created larger body structure- not surprising again because milk is designed for rapid growth in calves. But its also not surprising that there are other issues associated with the widespread consumption of cows milk, especially as it became more processed although I am not even sure how relevant that is. Milk has growth hormones naturally in it. Not even counting the ones added nowadays. Early puberty could easily be associated with drinking milk alone, statistically, I bet (not in every case but generally). Add that to increased consumption of meat, a high density food- and while we can boast increased nutrition in a certain way- because meat and dairy are high density foods- the ramifications might be what we are seeing. Early puberty is not the only problem facing our western societies- a whole generation is about to die earlier than its parents because of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. Increased nutrition is not necessarily a good thing- it may well have associated consequences if the nutrition is animal based or if the calories are consistently high . In fact, sugar consumption in all its forms of simple carbohydrates consumed so freely nowadays, may affect all the hormonal systems, including reproductory, since all the endocrine systems are related. They are not all isolated systems in the body although our medical model treats them as such. Since sugar consumption has increased many, many times in the last 100 years, there may be a hormonal consequence to that, too, beyond diabetes. I know there is a relationship between sugar and menstruation but I don't understand it- simply because my dd gets intense flooding and cramps when she eats sugar while menstruating. I do find it a very interesting topic, though. My periods started just before I turned 14. My daughter's- just before she turned 15. Her half sister- when she was 15. We realise that is unusually late and they were later than all their friends- by years. We have a low dairy and low meat, high plant based diet. But any single family is not really evidence for anything.

Nothing bad happened to me. A neighbours boy, same age as my brother, was hit by a car once. Happened exactly the same time I fell off my roller skates and broke my arm, so we all drove with my mum into the ER together. He had a broken arm too I think. I remember his parents panicking because he was badly bruised and shaken. Had to leave home at 6.45am to get to school. Walk to the bus stop, catch a bus for half an hour, then catch a train for 20 minutes, then a 15 minute walk to school, and 3 days a week, choir practice (I loved choir) before school. I did that from age 9. Made me very independent. I remember getting up and being the only one up in the mornings and I would make mum her first cup of coffee and take it to her in bed before I left. My son complains about the 15-20 minute bike ride to school.

I have always been fairly free range but my son is telling me that he feels we were ridiculously over protective of his sister (older by 17 months) around the issue of going to parties and he is surprised we are not so over protective over him regarding them. All I can see is...she is a girl, she is our first born, and she is very peer influenced. But we are letting go in that area too. But in regards to riding around, exploring the neighbourhood, and then catching public transport with friends and then alone....lots of freedom. Strange thing is, it still ended up being less than when I was a kid- catching a bus and train to school, leaving home at 6.45am, disappearing into the bush for half a day alone or with my brother, going for long walks alone...my kids have not been as free range as I was just by circumstance, and also by interest. They love Scouts, camping with friends, jumping off the cliff into the river with friends, but are not nature people in the sense their dad and i were. They wouldnt think to go for a bush walk on their own.

I didn't see it as I was writing the above post- but it doesn't really change anything I would say. It still doesn't sound like a candida issue primarily. At least, thats not where I would focus, even if there is candida. As for knowing what to eat- he needs to trust that himself and eat what makes him feel good, and what doesn't exacerbate his symptoms- within reason. He can educate himself about foods good for vata, foods for anti candida, high fibre foods etc- but they are all external authorities and generalisations- maybe good guidelines, maybe not. Theres a balance there between reading, studying, learning...and just trusting ones own instincts and experience.

THe world as we know it is ending pretty rapidly anyway- it is unsustainable and we have done so, so much damage. I do not think 2012 is the end of the world, but many different cultures have prophesied a time of great change and upheaval- the times we are in now and in the near future. But I think its a good thing, not a bad thing- its birthing pangs. I do not get all doom and gloom about it- I am happy about it.

Charlotte Genevieve. I could be biased. My dd is called Genevieve.

I think it would be healthier for your kids to see you being real- and telling them that you do love your mum but because she treats you badly, you are respecting yourself in staying distant from her. I think theres a difference between closing your heart in bitterness towards a mother who treats you badly, and staying openhearted but distancing yourself and not playing into her games. Its healthier to take care of yourself than be nice to prove a point.

That is fantastic, Amber. I have been wondering about him.

Hi Negin, I am really wondering why you are trying to treat candida- it seems not the same as what he has, to me. Obviously his digestive system is a mess- but you have tried a candida diet before and while some symptoms got better, some got worse- or at least, overall, he didn't get healthier- so it seems to be, its not candida, or if it is, candida is a side symptom and not what you need to focus on at all. When the body goes out of balance, candida can occur, but its not necessarily the cause of the going out of balance at all. Its just a secondary symptom. Ayurveda very much focuses on the digestive system as the basis of good health. It is the "fire" and that fire should be neither too hot nor too cold. But this is where I lack expertise because I have only dealt with minor issues and there are probably great treatments for situations such as your dh's, but I am unaware of them. However, ayurveda is focusing on bringing his whole body back into balance, so I dont think you can go wrong. Be guided by how he feels- if he reacts strongly to something, either back right off or stop. However, I did want to suggest something I have just been talking to someone about and which I am going to try and get my dh- who has intestinal issues- onto. I have made up a batch already. Its basically a combination of LSA (linseeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, equal quantities, in powder form), chia seeds, plus some sort of green superfood mixture, mixed with yoghurt, for breakfast. Stewed apples would be good too. This mixture is very soothing and healing to the whole digestive tract- and what you are looking for is soothing, healing, not anything harsh. I have made up a batch this morning that tastes delicious- you may not have all the ingredients, but I have put the most important ones above, and if you only had linseeds or chia, either would do. They form a gelatinous substance when mixed with moisture. Here is my recipe, which has extra "superfoods" in it, including raw cacao powder. Not necessary for you- just sharing my own recipe. 2 parts chia seeds 1 part each almonds, pepitas (I didnt have sunflower seeds), linseeds, cacao powder, superfood blend, bee pollen. 1/2 parts each coconut, goji berries 1/4 part camu camu powder Blend together. Mix a few tbs with yoghurt for breakfast- with bananas, or stewed apple. Really...I wouldn't focus on the candida form what you have said, I would focus on what he can eat happily (rice? steamed vegies? steamed leafy greens?), getting plenty of ghee and coconut oil into him for nourishment and calories- and a diet for his vata constitution. Any herbs you have ordered- try them but if they make it worse, stop them. Also, if he cant manage oils- back off to his tolerance level. The oleation should be good for him but if he can't handle it- dont push it past that point. In other words- listen to his body! Just because something is good for one person, or most people, doesnt mean its good for everyone. His GERD will have specific requirements and he will have to learn them if he hasnt already. As for ghee- just mix it in the water or drink the water afterwards- I like to take it straight without water, myself. Sipping hot water (not scalding!) is an important part of ayurvedic medicine. Gosh- you know, these are all just suggestions. My dh has sometimes severe digestive issues and he has learned what he can eat, what he cant eat- and I give him various things for when he eats badly, eats chilli which just about kills him, eats wheat which is very bad for him- he comes and asks for stuff to soothe his inflamed intestines. But he has to learn how to manage his condition- and he will probably have it for the rest of his life. Especially because he isn't so great at self discipline when it comes to food- but he is good at the things that trigger major attacks. Your dh might need to look at this as a very long term thing rather than something you are going to be able to "kill" with a treatment protocol. BTW staying away from sugar is always good. Bananas and apples seem good for GERD so maybe leave them in, especially stewed apples. Bread- the yeast might not be good. But he needs to learn to listen to his body and notice symptoms according to what he eats, and find the foods he can eat freely. WHen dh had hep B before I met him, he said he lived on basically white rice for months, because it was all he could tolerate. The body heals itself when given a chance, time, and nothing that keeps aggravating the condition.

It would never be a problem for me- I would be far more concerned about whether I felt they had the right energy for the kind of birth I wanted.

I dont think prayers and kindness is every wasted, and we have all learned and become more discriminating. We are a new generation really and just becoming savvy about internet communities. I was around for the JGEM fiasco but never got caught up particularly. I remember telling my IRL friends about the unfolding drama though so I definitely believed it at the time- it never occurred to me not to. I remember people here learned a way to check if people were genuine- I cant remember it and never understood it but after that for a while, people were being checked on and accused regularly. Part of the whole healing and discriminating process. While I can be stung by online comments and also feel compassion for people, so far I haven't become as emotionally involved as some people are, with their online friends and communities. Its good to keep things in perspective and recognise the benefits and limitations of online relating- this is a message board, we dont really know each other, we could be anyone, we might not spend time together in real life even if we lived next door to each other, but we can still have an enlivened and active, healthy community online and bounce off each other, learn from each other. I enjoy to learn how others see the world even if I don't agree with it- it is mind expanding. Its good not to take anything personally, though, and to take responsibility for ourselves, 100%.

I grew up with 2 parents who smoked and I was very anti smoking. My mother used to smoke in the car with the windows wound up- and if it was winter, would complain if we wanted them down. She would get very annoyed with us. But I consider her a basically loving person and in those days, she didnt know any better. I would say the same for those people with their kids running around. Even though the info is out there, they just don;t know any better, for whatever reason. I know a woman who smoked during her pregnancy even though she knew the risks. People do what they do. Its often not till you stop smoking that you sensitise enough to realise how harmful it owuld be for kids. I used to smoke, even though I grew up hating my parents' smoking. I enjoyed it. Then when I stopped, I couldnt believe I had enjoyed it. Now I cant stand anyone smoking near me. But, times change.

I think that was a perfect response. Sometimes I think mums need an advocate if they have a very strong kid- a kid whose personality or behaviour overwhelms their ability to deal with it effectively. I don't know what i would have done without dh there as back up on bad days- and plenty of women don't have that back up.

Fairly hippie and colourful, though not always- often I feel to wear more subdued earth colours, too, as a balance. I am a Spring and look best in clear, bright colours like peach, apricot, coral, a mid blue, sunshine yellow also white and beige. In summer I wear lots of floral prints, and bright colours, peasant tops, bohemian type clothes. In winter I wear different coloured jeans and coloured long sleeved tshirts and then a jacket or sweater. I have a beautiful collection of both. I am getting a nice collection of hats. I wear natural fabrics only (cotton and wool, sometimes silk) and love ethnic, hand made clothes like south american sweaters, brightly coloured jackets from Nepal etc. I mostly wear birk clogs in winter, with socks, and slip on earth shoes in summer. The more I clean out my wardrobe, the more I am encouraged to learn what my style is. The less clothes I have, the more i enjoy what I have and the less I struggle with what to wear. I did some research with my dd last year on what our bodytype is- it helped me refine what clothes to keep, and what to give away. Now I like fitted waist and bell sleeves, in particular. Between bodytype and season type, I have a good idea of what looks good- its a long way from the frumpy, baggy clothes I wore in my youth- when I was slimmer! We mostly shop 2nd hand and treat it as an adventure.