Recovering

P!NK wrote "Recovering" for Celine Dion, which is on her new album VEVO!

Recovering

Besides being a beautiful song, the words speak volumes. I hope you enjoy it.

Beware The Long, Bold Word In Capitals: PHENYLALANINE

We have been label reading for a while now. Mostly, we are checking labels for limited sugar, salt and fats. My daughter has been having an allergic reaction for a few weeks which has included a rash all over her face, dizziness, headaches, and feeling anxious. So we have gone back to the label reading, this time looking at the ingredients in the products she eats.

After quite a lengthy elimination process, some research and weeks of comforting the girl and administering anti-histamines and anti-itch cream I have solved the mystery.

Ironically, in an effort to limit sugar in the kids diets, we occasionally bought some Diet Lemonade as a treat. Unbeknownst to us, the artificial sweeteners are just as toxic as sugar, and in many cases highly allergenic, causing severe ongoing problems if ignored.

This artificial sweetener, in this case, is Aspartame and is also know as 951. It contains PHENYLALANINE, which often appears on the product label in big, bold, capitals.

Up to now, I have never noticed it on a label.... maybe it should be printed in red?? In fact, when I went to this site to research the different additives, 951 also known as Aspartame, IS in red!

PHENYLALANINE is an amino-acid and appears as one of the building blocks of protein foods like fish, meat, cheese, eggs and milk, but when it is added to other foods the body can become overloaded, and this brings on the reaction.

Ski Soleil Yoghurt

Once I started looking, I found it in too many of our foods. Firstly, was the diet Lemonade, and any other diet drinks, then we found the Sugarfree Chewing Gum, my instant hot chocolate, cereals, sauces, potato chips ..... no wonder she was getting such a build up in her system.

I apoligise for the quality of the photos, but  I wanted to show the products and where the ingredients were listed. The Ski Soleil Yoghurt lists 951 as one of the added sweeteners, while Pepsi Max displays "CONTAINS PHENYLALINE" in bold, enlarged print, as does the Jarrah Choc o'lait.

Pepsi Max 

Jarrah Choc o'lait

Now, that we have eliminated these products from her diet, the rash is receding, and Miss 9 is feeling better.

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An Entertainer, I Am Not

I love a good party. I love the atmosphere, the socialising, the chance to let down my hair, the chance to enjoy a bevy and a nibble. I am not a natural entertainer though. I stress too much and worry about the really little details. I don't enjoy all of the preparation and am not a natural cook.

It is amazing what you do, though, when it is for a loved one, and you stepping up to the plate is the difference in the likelihood of there being a party for that loved one, or not. Thus, I have just been involved in organising and throwing my 2nd 60th Birthday bash.

Luckily for my dear Mum, and also my mother-in-law, they both fall into the category of special people in my life.  Otherwise, you would NEVER have seen me organising either of their 60th Birthday celebrations. 

I can't take all of the credit though. Hubby is always there to do what he can in organising and pitching in on the day. We also have some pretty special relatives who are more party savvy than I, when it comes to feeding a large group of festive friends and relatives.

Despite my lack of experience, and my dislikes, my mother-in-law's recent birthday party went really well. 

The cake was great, there was WAY too much food, the kids had a great time, many people were chatting and laughing, and some choose to bust a move to the music. Amazingly, there were no disasters!

A successful event!

Grateful for ... end of day exhaustion

image source

What a strange thing to be grateful for ... end of day exhaustion. It may be strange, but I welcome it.
Why?

Exhaustion at the end of the day means I have been busy.

Exhaustion at the end of the day is so much more preferable to exhaustion through the day from anxiety.

Exhaustion at the end of the day means I have expended all of my energy and will sleep well.

Exhaustion at the end of the day I feel I have given it my all

What are you grateful for? I would love to know.

Join in being Grateful with Maxabella loves and also a favourite website of mine Kidspot