SALUTATIONS!

[mauritiusdodo]

SALUTATIONS!

Hi there blondie, loved reading your story and especially your idea for a sober scent - what did you choose? I would love to know about the roasted milk thistle - where on earth do you get it? I love trying new things I can relate to your experience of starting out drinking with your Mum, my Mum loved to drink (doesn't that much any more since she had a viral liver attack - not drink related) when I was young and thought nothing of downing a bottle of sherry in one sitting and when my sis and I were teenagers the three of us used to have drunken nights out together (sounds awful now but we thought it was great at the time!!!)

Wishing you lots and lots of success on your AF journey, I look forward to chatting to you on the boards !

[BlondeAFAmbition]

SALUTATIONS!

Hi Mauri,

Thanks for reading my story! For my sober scent, I chose a new perfume with kind of a hokey name, "Honey Bling"...it's by Mariah Carey, made by Elizabeth Arden. I am not into the whole celebrity perfume thing, but I tried a squirt in the drugstore the first day I was sober and it brought the image of a bright, sunny day to my mind and I found it very cheerful, which is what I needed at the time. Especially in early January here in New England! And I remember how scents bring back memories, so I thought if I marked my early days of sobriety with a new fragrance, it would be very rewarding in the long term. I still spray it on every day. It has a cute bottle with a butterfly on it. Very pretty and you would never know it had Mariah Carey's name attached to it once you get it on your dresser and it becomes uniquely yours...lol. It has kind of a sunflower and fruity scent to it, with the sweetness of honey. I also broke down a few weeks later and bought Green Tea perfume, also by Elizabeth Arden...just because I plain like Green Tea scents...lol. But Honey is the one I consider my sober scent.

Yes, my mother and I did get drunk together, more often than I care to think about. And it typically would end up with us getting in an argument. What a shame. She still drinks heavily. I am about to take care of her cat for a week as she is leaving for Florida next week and she always leaves me a bottle of red wine as a thank you for taking care of the kitty. So, I emailed her to please not leave me a bottle as it is not agreeing with me anymore. I told her I would rather have something nice from Florida, not the booze!

Ok, Milk Thistle...do you have a health food store, vitamin shop, something like that in your area? Over here, we call them natural food stores, and I actually work for one as their manager. We have a bulk herb and spice section where you can buy things like cinnamon or cloves by the scoop and it is weighed and you pay for it by the pound. In that section, we sell all sorts of bulk teas and healing herbs as well. And that is where you can find the milk thistle seed (whole seed, not the capsules to take internally). Buy yourself a few handfuls and put them in a roasting pan with a little olive oil. You can add some other seeds like raw sunflower or shelled pumpkin seeds are good (the green ones). Sprinkle a little sea salt on the seeds. I also throw in a handful of nutritional yeast (also purchased from a health food store) and then mix it all up in the pan so the seeds are all coated. Adjust salt to taste. Roast on a low temperature for about 30-45 minutes. You will smell them getting "toasty". During their roasting, stir a few times for even roasting. That's it! Let them cool and store in a plastic bag or glass jar. I eat them by the spoonful as the seeds are a bit small to eat by the handful. You can also sprinkle the seed mix on green salads, yummy! They are also very chewy and crunchy so even a little bit is satisfying for a snack. And milk thistle is so good for your liver. I actually got a retest on my liver enzymes last week since my liver was slightly swollen from a test months ago (I attribute that to AL, of course) and so I finally stopped drinking and was able to retake the test...it came back completely normal! I give credit to my daily Milk Thistle supplements, this seed mix that I eat regularly and also a detox tea that I drink daily called AM Detox by Celestial Seasonings. The nutritional yeast is excellent for you as well and lends kind of a cheesy flavor to them. It's really good, trust me! If you can't find milk thistle seeds, you can prolly order them online. Over here, we get them in 5 lb bags at a site called frontierherbs.com. Good luck!

[Doggygirl]

SALUTATIONS!

Late to the party, but just wanted to say :welcome: and congratulations on your progress. Your choice to find your way out is one you will not regret. Yes. Wine in boxes. Oy. Mother/daughter issues made worse with AL in the middle. Oy.

The sober life is so much better. It's worth doing whatever it takes to get here.

DG

[BlondeAFAmbition]

SALUTATIONS!

Thanks for reading and posting on my thread, Doggy Girl! I agree with you whole heartedly...the sober life is so much better! Wow, I was just reading your signature...almost 1,000 days sober...that is wonderful! I am at 27 days today and am already starting to loose count. But I won't!

[Doggygirl]

SALUTATIONS!

Congratulations on 27 days!!! I try to never forget I am one drink away from disaster. (drinking is disasterous for me!) No matter how long I'm sober, I'm still one drink away. I can never afford to forget what it was like. AL will still try to get in my head and give me reasons to drink. I always need to remember exactly why I don't.

You are going to love your new freedom. It just keeps getting better. Life is still life and it has ups and downs. But it's great to be DEALING with it instead of trying to hide from it in a bottle. (or box)

DG

[meggie]

SALUTATIONS!

I quit 3 years ago, did a year af. Then thought wow, I can drink and go Af whenever. I am not a drunk. Well, the wine moved on to gin. Gin and everything, love it. Now, mom might go to rehab. and a friend may lose a job. Then I started getting sick. Did you know that drinking shrinks your brain. I had half a shot on Sat, Sun. I have been Free, 6 days. I also exercise 4 to 5 times a week and haven't seen any advantage. I have tried to weight watchers because it is so much healthier than Atkins. But I am always sooo hungry. I did have liver checked but am a big supplement person and have been on milk thistle for awhile. Also, thiamine for brain and campral for cravings. Good luck to you, I enjoyed your post.I have been here since I quit in 2007, check out the chat in the evening. Nice people.

[BlondeAFAmbition]

SALUTATIONS!

I re-read my introduction post that I wrote in January 2011. Took me a while to find it but I'm glad I did. I remember how pumped I was in the very beginning and I am inspired by my own self that I made it so far at the beginning of the year. It only proves that I can do it. I am at 8 days as of today and never want to drink again. I realize that modding (for me) only keeps the AL trap in my life. It's a vicious cycle. After being AF for over 2 months in Jan Feb and part of March, I thought I could go on that tropical vacation and have a few drinks, then come back home and pick up my sober life. Didn't happen. I just went back to the old daily drinking me. Even brought some duty free booze back with me from Jamaica. Oy! This year, hubby and I aren't sure on where to vacation, but I will not be in favor of the all-inclusive booze fest where folks line up at the bars at 10AM! It's like a kid in a candy store. But we live and learn and become the better for it, that's how I look at it.

Here's to finishing off the year AF and moving into 2012 with the goal of one whole year from start to finish, sober! I'm tired of giving AL my energy...the tought of modding or not, or deciding which days to drink or not or how much to drink or not...it's driving me insane. It's much easier to just not drink and get on with life. Thanks to all those who have read my story and who responded with support. It is so reassuring to know that I am not alone in this world with this, that there are others who are reading this post and "get it". MWO is a blessing and thank each and everyone of you for being here!

[meggie]

SALUTATIONS!

Are you taking any medication to help with the cravings. I was so good for a year, then thought I could have one. We can't have one, I need to get back on the wagon but I am not ready. I hate the way my clothes fit and my workouts are horrid. (If I do them) I would like the supplements to help with the liver.

[BlondeAFAmbition]

SALUTATIONS!

Hi Meggie,

I do not take medication, I really don't believe in prescription drugs. I do take a good array of high quality nutritional supplements, including milk thistle, which is great for repairing the liver. To help with any cravings, I try to keep myself from getting too hungry. Hunger seems to trigger AL cravings for me.

Good for you for getting 1 year af...that is my plan for next year and also to finish the rest of what's left to this year AF. Day 9 of no drinking and I feel really good about my decision. Best of luck to you too when and if you decide to go AF. For me, I don't see that I can have it any other way.

[meggie]

SALUTATIONS!

I also need to make the decision. How is your memory? I have found that mine has gotten much worse and recently had it tested. Also, I am not happy about my weight. Funny when I quit I didn't lose and I went to the gym. I need to make the decision to do it and get back to the gym. I know I am killing myself. I try to fool myself by saying I don't start until 7:30 pm and I am not hurting anyone. I need to get back on this site and use the hypno tapes. They all helped. Keep in touch, you may help in making my decision.

[BlondeAFAmbition]

SALUTATIONS!

Hi Meggie,

My memory is pretty good thus far. I take fish oil supps and those are good for brain function and memory as well as your heart. I'm sure I've done my share of damage to my brain after years of drinking so we'll see what happens to that later in life.

It sounds like you have a little voice inside you that is telling you what is right. I, too, had a little voice inside me, usually making itself loud and clear at 3AM telling me that I can't go on like this, that I had to stop drinking. Some days, I would listen to that little voice for most of the morning and to about noontime...then I would switch over and my AL voice, the demon, would resurface and I would be getting a bottle on my way home from work and drinking most if not all of it by the time I went to bed. And the vicious cycle continued. I needed to stop that cycle and came here for help. And I got it.

I hope you do what is right for you, we all want you to succeed here. Why not join in on the newbies nest thread when you are ready, there are lots of new folks there who are beginning their AF journey. We are all here for each other. Best of luck and health to you, Meggie!

[meggie]

SALUTATIONS!

You now have 10 days under your belt, good for you. The holidays may be hard. I wish all the luck. I will get back to you when I am ready. Thanks for the advice. I also take lots of supps. Now I am reading that all the supps I take are not good for me.????