The start of something

I don't know about you but whenever I want something and can't have it I seem to see people with whatever it is everywhere, at this moment in time it happens to be babies/children......

Spring is starting to show, the almond blossoms and daises are out and I just imagined that I would be enjoying the spring of my 26th birthday with a new baby or at least pregnant but alas I am not.
I went back to my transplant pregnancy specialist 2 weeks ago, I was hoping that she would change over my transplant medication as one of the anti-rejection medications I am on causes fetal abnormalities and needs to be stopped around 3 to 6 months before you start trying for children as it takes a while for the medication to completely metabalise out of your body.
I was all full of hope and excitement as my regular renal specialist is pretty happy with how my transplant is traveling, it has now been 4 years, has had no real issues what so ever and my creatine (the junk in your blood that kidneys filter out) is currently sitting at 73 which is a normal level!!!!! 
The only real issue at this point in time is my weight, I really need to lose some kgs which slowly but surely I have been recently which is promising I just need to keep losing more weight which I am sure will continue to happen as I live a new plant based lifestyle (I say vegan and then a little voice in my head starts screaming ohhhhh Oreo's, hot chips, pringles and dark chocolate so I really need to start using the term plant based.)
Well my pregnancy specialist took one look at me as I walked through the door and proceeded to make hmmmmm sounds, I could tell straight away that I was not going to hear what I wanted too. Throughout the appointment she seemed to skate around the idea of changing my tablets over and then continued to hound the fact that Dylan should go get tested to see if he has the same genetic gene mutation that caused my kidney failure as if we both have the gene (which is highly unlikely) then there is a one in four chance that our child could also have the same illness. Therefore if we do test Dylan then we can find out for sure and if he does have it they would like us to look at embryonic testing and embryonic selection.
Now I dont want to down play my disease as it was extremely trying at times and there are things I went through that I dont wish on any one but I feel as if I have lived a pretty amazing and wonderful life, I feel that my disease has only made me a better person and I don't feel that having kidney failure has held me back from doing anything. If my parents had known that they had the gene and gone through embryonic testing then I most likely wouldn't have been born and they certainly wouldn't have had 4 children so I feel that the idea of embryonic testing makes me a hypocrite. I don't think that I would choose not to have a child with the disease (granted this is only my personal opinion, I am pro choice when it comes to anything like this) so why even bother testing Dylan, its just a bunch of money wasted.
I left the appointment feeling pretty deflated as we didn't make any changes and just re-booked another appointment with her at the end of November. It just made me feel like a failure, people I know that cant hold down jobs, still live with their parents and continue to bounce from drugged up loser to drugged up loser are having babies and here I am happily married for almost 3 years, successfully paying off our mortgage as quick as possible and working in a stable and wonderful job still not able to even think of trying. 

I felt very alone and isolated even around my family, it felt like there would be no end to this waiting.
Well after 2 days of non stop crying, moaning about the hospital taking away the joy of starting a family and generally being a depressed messed, Dylan decided that was enough and called my specialist asking him to change the tablets over that day so he could scoot down and pick them up. Of course its not that simple and I had to wait till the next Wednesday to meet with my specialist so he could tell me what side effects to look for and gave me a couple extra blood tests but then he gave me the script to change over.
I cannot believe it, I officially changed my transplant tablets over on Wednesday 3rd September! It is the first time I have actually entertained the thought of being able to really have my own babies, before it was just a far off dream that I truly believed was un-achievable. I still have to wait 3 to 6 months for the mycophenelate to leave my system but at least I have a possible time frame, I am so incredibly over the moon I hope to be posting a pregnancy announcement next year.

I am sure to post about baby stuff more, sorry in advance.

I AM VEGAN.

"The world owes you nothing. 

It was here first"

- Mark Twain

I have been willing myself to write this blog post for the last few months but just seem to have enough courage to put the words down and push publish. A lot of things have changed for me in the past few months.....
.......my manager just up and quit leaving me in the deep end. .......I found out a family friend's son who had a kidney transplant died recently after rejection which scared everyone. .......I also found out trying for children could put my kidney transplant in jeopardy which has been messing with my head.  .......I decided to become a vegan and spent the June living off hot chips and oreo's before getting organised and making the transition to plant based veganism.
So that brings you up to speed pretty quickly, I have spent the last few months really contemplating my life, who I wish to be and where I want to go from here which has meant that I have spent the last few months emotionally raw and not able to place my emotions onto my blog. It may have taken a couple of months but I am finally ready.....

Why Vegan I hear you ask....
//KIDNEY HEALTH// As someone living with a kidney transplant it is obvious that I want to ensure that I eat foods that will prolong my transplant. Animal products are tuff work for our kidneys to remove from our blood into our urine and when you only have one, that wasn't originally yours it has to work overtime to prevent build ups in your blood. Since removing animal products from my life I have had my levels checked and the creatine (junk in your blood) has decreased dramatically, I can't be happier.
//WEIGHT LOSS// Lets face it, shoveling mounds of processed foods into my body verses shoveling mounds of plant based foods will show a decrease in my weight which can only be looked at as a happy side effect of eating a plant based lifestyle so I will happily reap those benefits.
//ETHICAL// The average America (I am sure this is true for the average Australian too) consumes over 130 shellfish, 40 fish, 26 chickens, 1 turkey, 1/2 pig and 1/10th of a cow. If you think about that number it really is quite shocking number of creatures that have to die because meat supposedly tastes better or is more filling. I think that everyone has the right to their own opinion but personally I can't wrap my head around a animal dying so I can eat when they don't have too.
//ENVIRONMENTAL// It requires at least 7kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef, raising animals for food uses 30% of the earth's mass, more than 2/3rds of the land is used for growing fodder for livestock's, 18% of the greenhouse gases are caused by livestock, it requires 249 gallons of water for 4.15 pounds of potatoes versus 12,009 gallons for a pound of beef and finally if everyone in america went vegan we could feed 800 million people just with the grain that is currently fed to livestock.
//COOKING// I never really enjoyed cooking but since becoming vegan I have found a new love for cooking, a new love for vegetables, herbs and spices. I love creating amazing meals that even my still meat eating husband can't say no too. 

Those are just a few of the reason's I have become a plant based vegan, I don't expect to change someone's opinion on what to eat as it is a extremely personal, my husband still eats meat and that is his choice. I have struggled writing this post as I was concerned that people would be rude and expect that I am a judgmental-hate-spouting-negative-superiority-vegan that seems to be popular these days but I promise I am not, I am here to post what I think are delicious and fun recipes that just happen not to contain any animal products.
If you would like to look into veganism a little more I suggest the following links:
//YOUTUBE// Earthlings 101 Reasons To Go Vegan Gary Yourofsky's Best Speech You'll Ever Hear
If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls

//BLOGGERS// Oh She Glows Minimalist Baker Healthy Happy Life Connoisseurus Veg Running on Real food This Rawsome Vegan Life Hell Yeah It's Vegan MORE.
//BOOKS// Skinny Bitch Vegan with a Vengeance How It All Vegan 1000 Vegan Recipes
Of course there are thousands of youtube channels, bloggers and books dedicated to veganism, those are just a few of my favourites. 
Have you ever entertained the idea of going vegan or vegetarian? Do you have any suggestions on recipes?

7 days of Detox Drinks

A healthy outside starts from the inside. - Robert Urich
I like many others am health conscious, I want to live my life to the fullest and that includes living my life in the healthiest way possible. Water is everything to our bodies, if I start feeling groggy and unwell its normally because I have not consumed enough water for the day. To help combat this I like to start everyday with a "Detox".
I like to start my morning off with warm lemon water which aids in speeding up the metabolism but also wakes me up and removes the need to head straight to the coffee machine.

Below are a list of detox drinks that I regularly take to work with me, I have also listed the ways in which the ingredients added will benefit you body. 
The Green Tea Mojito

- 1 Handful of Mint Leaves - 1/2 Lime Sliced - 1 Green Tea Bag
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the Green Tea Bag and allow to steep for a few minutes. Remove the green tea bag and add the mint leaves and sliced lime. Enjoy!
Health Benefits: Lime will help to ease digestion and constipation as well as aid in weight loss, citric acid is a great fat burner. Mint will help to aid in digestion as well as stimulate weight loss and relive nausea and headaches. Green Tea will aid in weight loss, keep you feeling awake and help to boost your immune system.
The Citrus Circuit

- 1/2 Lime Sliced - 1/2 Lemon Sliced - 1/2 Orange Sliced
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced lime, sliced lemon and sliced orange. Leave to refrigerate for a few hours.

Health Benefits:

Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body.

Lime will help to ease digestion and constipation as well as aid in weight loss, citric acid is a great fat burner. Oranges are a good source of minerals and vitamin C, will aid in constipation, bowel disorders, coughs, colds and flu as well as pimples and acne.
The Cucumber Cooler

- 1/2 Cucumber Sliced - 1/2 Lemon Sliced - 1/2 Lime Sliced - 1 cm Knob of Ginger  - 1 Handful of Mint Leaves
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced lime, sliced lemon, sliced cucumber, ginger and mint leaves. Leave to refrigerate for a few hours.
Health Benefits: Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body. Lime will help to ease digestion and constipation as well as aid in weight loss, citric acid is a great fat burner. Mint will help to aid in digestion as well as stimulate weight loss and relive nausea and headaches. Cucumber is a great source of minerals and vitamins, helps to reduce the risk of kidney stones, lower blood pressure, aid in constipation and helps aid in managing diabetes. Ginger will help to cure diarrhea, aids in promoting the removal of excess gas, aids in digestion, detoxifies and disinfects by promoting sweating.
The Cranberry Cleanser

- 1 Cup of Sugar Free Cranberry Juice - 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/2 Lemon Sliced - 1 cm Knob of Ginger 
Pour the cranberry juice and apple cider vinegar into a 1 Litre bottle, fill the rest of the bottle up with filtered water, add the sliced lemon and ginger. Leave to refrigerate over night.
Health Benefits: Cranberry juice is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, will help provide relief in UTI's and Kidney Stones, help prevent tooth decay, strengthens bones and teeth and will help with weight loss by emulsifying fat deposits. Apple Cider Vinegar helps to provide relief from arthritis, aid in weight loss, help lower cholesterol levels, speed up metabolism, helps treat diarrhea, helps maintain proper glucose levels and cleanses the entire digestive system. Ginger will help to cure diarrhea, aids in promoting the removal of excess gas, aids in digestion, detoxifies and disinfects by promoting sweating. Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body.
The Berry Blush

- 3 Strawberries sliced - 1 handful of Raspberries - 1 handful of Blueberries - 1 handful of Mint
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and mint. Enjoy!
Health Benefits: Strawberries help to prevent heart disease and reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of gout and arthritis, help maintain a healthy blood pressure, reduce eye issues and boost the immune system. Mint will help to aid in digestion as well as stimulate weight loss and relive nausea and headaches. Raspberries will help to regulate menstrual cycles, reduce risk of macular degeneration, strengthen the immune system and assist in weight loss. Blueberries will help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, aid in strengthening cardiac muscles, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, aids in preventing UTI's and improves digestion.
The Apple Pie

- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/2 Apple sliced - 1 Cinnamon stick - 1 Tsp Raw Honey - 1 cm Knob of Ginger 
Pour the apple cider vinegar into a 1 Litre bottle, fill the rest of the bottle up with filtered water, add the sliced apple, honey, cinnamon stick and ginger. Leave to refrigerate for a few hours.
Health Benefits: Apple Cider Vinegar helps to provide relief from arthritis, aid in weight loss, help lower cholesterol levels, speed up metabolism, helps treat diarrhea, helps maintain proper glucose levels and cleanses the entire digestive system. Ginger will help to cure diarrhea, aids in promoting the removal of excess gas, aids in digestion, detoxifies and disinfects by promoting sweating. Cinnamon is full of vitamin A, C and E it helps to cure coughs and congested lungs, toothaches, bad breath, and can help calm digestion troubles and diarrhea. Apple will help in treating anemia, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, they help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, ease digestion and promote weight loss. Raw Honey helps maintain blood sugar levels, regulates insulin in the body and when used with cinnamon and or lemon juice help in digesting fat stored in the body.
The Kiwi Kiss

- 3 Strawberries sliced - 1/2 Lemon sliced - 1 Kiwi sliced - 1 handful of Ice
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced strawberries, sliced lemon, sliced kiwi and ice. Enjoy!
Health Benefits: Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body. Strawberries help to prevent heart disease and reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of gout and arthritis, help maintain a healthy blood pressure, reduce eye issues and boost the immune system. Kiwi helps to promote sleep, boost the immune system, reduce the risk of diabetes, helps the body absorb iron and aids in maintaining a healthy digestive system.

Did you try any of my Detox Drinks? Which one was your favourite? Do you have any idea's I should try?