Be Wellthy

Choosing to Dance

2011-09-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

One crisp fall morning, admittedly it was only last fall, my husband said something to me that I allowed to affect me in the depths of my soul. I didn't want the kids to see me cry...again, so I disappeared into my bedroom, stood by the bed and buried my face in the unmade mess of covers that lay there. I sobbed like a baby, an occurrence that had become commonplace for me. It was my convenient, habitual way of dealing with all the seeming hurts life brought me. Actually, the sobbing normally happened in the corner of my dark closet where I could cry in solitude, lamenting the fact that I had not been born a princess.

I felt that familiar feeling of helpless despair that I had so desperately been attempting to part with. This feeling was not a welcome visitor, but it seemed unwilling to leave me alone. I had even read about the negative health affects of this unwanted guest. In my learning, I had found that this particular 'friend of mine' was the most disease-causing feeling in existence. That knowledge alone made me want to flee from it's presence, but how? I really didn't know how to live life without its companionship. I knew I wanted to part with it, I knew it was devastating to me (and those around me) in so many ways, but I didn't quite get how to escape its company.

It was at this moment, in the deep longing for something different, for a joy-filled, abundant life, that I lifted my head and realized that the words spoken to me by the man I said "I do" to seventeen years prior, did not have to have this sort of power over me. Words, in and of themselves, do not have this sort of power, and yet, at the same time, they do have great power. They might illicit strong feelings, but it is my choice to do with those feelings as I see fit. There was no need to allow mere words to bring my face to this buried state amongst the mess of blankets on my bed. I had chosen to react this way and I could un-choose this reaction at any moment.

The next moment was when the magic occurred. In a split second, my life was changed forever. Say it was the Holy Spirit. I cannot say for sure what it was, but I closed my eyes, and saw Jesus standing there asking me into His arms for a dance. It was the most peaceful feeling I had yet experienced in my short 41 years on this planet. As I stepped into His arms, we began to dance the most joyful dance, He holding me so close and secure in His arms. It was at this moment that I realized that this journey of life is a dance.

He has already written my story. What is, is. I can fight what is, or I can dance. I had lived the first 41 years making an enemy of His story for my life. I wanted to be a princess after all. I wanted it all and I wanted it to be easy and He showed me in that moment that easy is dancing with Him, allowing Him to play out the unique, amazing, special story He had written for my life and that joy comes in the knowing how to dance. He's leading me and I am a princess in His amazing Kingdom that is nothing like the 'happily ever after' fairy tales that were ingrained into my young mind as a tot. No, it is much more exciting than that.

Soon after this first dance, I met a beautifully jolly man who loves to dance. He and his partner dance competitively and he told me the most beautiful truth - that a man's job when dancing is to make his partner queen of the dance floor and that the only way he can do that is if she fully surrenders to his every move. If she is willing, she will be queen.

God revealed to me in that moment of dancing, that He is my perfect partner, my perfect husband, my perfect friend. I have gone through life expecting my husband to be my god. Can you imagine the burden of being expected to be God, and yet, I had spent 17 years wanting him, expecting him, burdening him with the responsibility of saving me from this terrible beast called life. I wanted him to be my perfect knight in glimmering, shiny armour, saving me from that nasty old beast, making my life perfect, on my terms. But Jesus showed me otherwise. He had given me this husband so that I might learn to love my 'imperfect' neighbor as myself. In all His Almighty wisdom, He had lovingly given me this man so that I might learn the most sacred lessons of all, to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to love my neighbor as myself.

I had gotten it all wrong. I had chosen to love God on this one condition, that my neighbor serve me, and serve me on my terms, in all my princessly glory. I wanted it my way and if it weren't that way, boy, I was gonna fight. Well, I can assure you that fighting what is, is no way to joy. Dancing is so much more fun!

It has now been a short year since that desperate morning, and I can gladly say that I have never once found myself buried in hopelessness and despair again. He gave me new lenses to see on that cold, fall morning. I'm not saying that I have not cried. No, sadness is part of this human existence and it is normal and important because it too is a gift. It is all a gift. It is all promised, promised to be for our good, every single moment of it. It is all a gift. It is all here to teach us and stretch us and give us new lenses with which to see, and... to teach us to dance through this glorious ugly, beautiful mess called life. It all happens 'for' us and not to us. All of it. And the best part about dancing is that we can only dance right now in this present moment which is exactly where we always need to be, right here and right now. The past is gone and the future is yet to come. The secret mystery is found in staying right here in this very moment... and choosing to dance, fully believing that every part of my story is exactly as it is supposed to be, all for good!

copyright 2011, Be Wellthy, Inc.
http://www.bewellthy.blogspot.com/
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The Secret of Healthy Communication

2010-04-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have received counseling from our very wise and patient Pastor over the last year. I share this not to shock you but because I feel that through sharing my experiences, my real life experiences, the victories and the trials, that I am better able to help another that may be having similar experiences. It is so easy and so common to feel that we are the only ones with "issues" and I am here to tell you that this is just not true.

I used to think that counseling was only for people who had major problems and I used to think I didn't have major problems. What I have come to realize is that it is only by admitting to myself that I have areas of my life that are less than pretty, that I can work to heal and move forward in my life. The reason I knew we needed counseling was that a friend that I have a lot of respect for, related to me how she and her husband had been through a lot of counseling and that it had saved their marriage. When she admitted that to me, it freed me up to admit that we needed to do the same.

Boy has this changed things for us. It's been a longer road than I actually thought necessary, but we are now having our one year anniversary of being counseled. I have learned that neither of us learned to communicate in a healthy way growing up. We tend to want to be understood and we do not tend to seek to understand.

Well, magic happened in the Rippo home today after having been told about a month or two ago that our biggest issue is that we need to learn to seek to understand the other before seeking to be understood by the other. WHEW, I really just want to be heard:) So today we were in the kitchen, the place we seem to argue a lot:) and we started arguing. I've continually thought about what our Pastor told us. I have focused a lot on being able to see my husband with love and through the eyes of Christ and to understand him, but I have not been able to actually do this when we are arguing. I haven't given up though:)

Today my hubby told me that I really interupt all the time. I could have gotten offended easily by that. I decided to listen and actually believe that he is probably right. So... I just shut up and let him talk and then I remembered that effective communication involves seeking to understand before being understood. I have focused on this a lot even though I have not done it successfully, it turns out that simply having focused on it made a world of difference! I really, truly saught to HEAR him. He's never talked so much. I feel like our relationship had a MAJOR breakthrough today:)!! It is so simple, but not always easy to just shut up and listen. I'm Italian afterall. We like to talk...A LOT, and on top of that, I'm female and well...we like to talk...a LOT!!

It turns out that counseling is not for those that have major problems, but for those seeking to have a different and hopefully better way of living this life! I now can hear, when my hubby says I am interupting that he really is saying, "You're not hearing me." No need to be offended:)

Freedom for Organic Farming

2010-02-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

A MESSAGE FROM DR. GABRIEL COUSENS!

Dear Friends,

I am writing to tell you about an opportunity to turn the tide in the battle to secure authentic freedom for organic farming and non-Generically Modified Organisms (GMO) foods.

For some time now, we have been aware of an impending threat to the foundations of our health. Having stopped a mandated swine flu vaccine, and having addressed, to the best of our ability, the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010, it is time for us to nip Bill S 510, or the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, in the proverbial bud. Bill S 510 is currently stalled in Congress. If we act now, we can ameliorate its potentially deadly implications, or even end it altogether.

Bill S 510 amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) and expands the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to regulate food. It also authorizes the Secretary to suspend the registration of a food facility. Given the fact that Bill S 510 “considers” harmonization with Codex Alimentarius, this appears to be a strategic maneuver, in a long line of attacks, on our health and rights. While its alleged intention is to protect the consumer, this legislature sets up the preconditions that will eventually grant the CAC (Codex Alimentarius Committee) power to shut down organic farming operations and eliminate food facilities not “in line” with the Codex agenda. It could also grant monopolization of the food market by large agri-business corporations seeking to spread GMO foods and eliminate industrial and private organic farming. Codex supporters have already tried this once in Canada and in the U.S.; this is their second attempt, and we must defeat their efforts! Bill S 510 gives one man, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, complete power over inspection and recalls, potentially enabling market manipulation in favor of pesticide, herbicide, and GMO producing agri-businesses. Keep in mind that this Secretary is appointed by the President – he is not elected by popular vote. Who is appointed could be largely determined by campaign contributions, or worse, by ideological agenda.

Bill S 510 requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to enhance foodborne illness surveillance systems. It authorizes the Secretary to order an immediate cessation of distribution, or a recall of food. This is another potential manipulation point. The Secretary has the power to halt food shipments, deemed a “health risk” to anywhere in the United States. This is perhaps the most disturbing provision in the bill. Given the fact that food production has been largely segregated to the west coast, over the last fifty years, and the scarcity of local farms producing organic crops, it would be precariously easy for the federal government to starve any given locality across the country. Organic foods, again, could be arbitrarily targeted here.

Bill S 510 allows the Secretary greater power to regulate importation of food, which could include superfoods and herbs from outside of the United States. Cacao beans, goji berries, Incan berries, coconut products, and exotic fruit would all be subject to further government regulation through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under this provision the government would have the power to ban importation of these foods into the United States to the benefit of the pharmaceutical industry.

Summarily speaking, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, on a superficial level, is not explicitly antagonistic towards organic agriculture, nor is it explicitly supportive of conventional agriculture and GMO foods. However, given the government’s track record in subsidizing conventional farming, and given the conflict of interests ever present within the FDA and other government agencies, centralization of power into the office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services over food facilities seems like a serious disaster for the health oriented American population. Bill S 510 is an insidious threat to our health freedoms. While improvements in the bill’s languaging have been made, Bill S 510 is still, as we say in chess, “five moves away” from agricultural tyranny.

Thank you for receiving and spreading this message.
Blessings,
Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD, MD(H), DD

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Letter to Congress
You may use this template to contact your senators and voice your concern over Bill S 510:
Dear Senator;

I am writing to express my concern over Senate Bill 510 – the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. While inspection of food production facilities may be necessary to ensure cleanliness, this bill dangerously centralizes power over food production into the hands of a single appointed official. Bill S 510 also “considers” harmonization with Codex Alimentarius, which I do not believe has America’s best interest at heart. We should never even “consider” giving up our sovereignty to the recommendations of the CAC, which has already begun limiting and manipulating the European supplement market. The answer to our environmental and food safety issues lies clearly in the de-centralization of food production and the re-institution of local family farms, communal gardens, and community supported agriculture.

I urge you as my elected official to include explicit provisions in Senate Bill 510 for the protection of organic and local farms from this type of heavy-handed regulation, and for the explicit rejection of Codex Alimentarius, which stands blatantly against the organic food and health supplements I consider invaluable to my health. Without health, we cannot have life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness.

Sincerely,
(Your Signature)
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Action Steps:

To combat this threat, and others like it, Hippocrates Health Institute has initiated the POP (Preserve Organic Power) Campaign. The POP Campaign seeks to preserve long range organic power by keeping our voices and choices alive; keeping organic standards pure; keeping people informed and educated; and by taking action to make a difference. As part of this campaign, POP will hire a lobbyist to work on our behalf in Washington, D.C. The Tree of Life Foundation has already made a contribution to this effort. We encourage you to do the same and that you for any contribution that you can make.

To donate to the Hippocrates Codex Donation Fund please send a check or money order to:

Hippocrates Codex Donation Fund

Attn. Carol Bianco

1443 Palmdale Court

West Palm Beach, FL 33411

You may learn more about the POP Campaign by visiting: http://www.popcampaign.org/

Buyer Beware of Maltodextrin!

2010-02-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

I was recently at a training for an awesome product called Ultima Replenisher. If you are looking for an electrolyte drink that is actually good for you, look no further. You can find Ultima at Super Supplements and most other health food stores in the US. As I was trained about this product I learned that there is an ingredient we might all want to know more about. It's maltodextrin. I love ingredient labels that do not contain these types of ingredients b/c I can't keep them all straight!! Well, if you see this one just know that 99% of it comes from GMO corn. I wish they had to reveal this to us, but the only way we would know that it is not from GMO corn is if the label actually states this. GMO foods are some that I steer clear of but I did not realize that this ingredient comes from corn. I thought I'd share this with you in case you were unaware as well. It turns out that Ultima is GMO, gluten and sugar FREE!!

It's an awesome drink to give to your kids instead of a juice box! It will give them their electrolytes and it tastes great too:)

http://www.ultimareplenisher.com/

Green Smoothies for Kids

2010-02-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

I taught a green smoothie class for kids today. They were very skeptical at first. I made the class very interactive and fun and by the end they were begging me to "make it greener." I thought I'd share these two short videos of thier chanting! Most of them came begging for more smoothie at the end!!

Elana's Raw Food Pantry

2010-02-02T20:59:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for some amazing raw food recipes? Well, look no further, this Web site is full of delicious and simple raw-food indulgences!

Check out Elana's Pantry here.

Start With a Win

2010-02-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

I recently heard a success speaker say that the number one thing you can do ensure that you will be more successful at whatever you are attempting to accomplish is to begin each day with a win. What does this mean? It can mean many different things to many different people. For instance, if you are a person that doesn't make your bed regularly, it could simply mean that you make your bed as soon as you get out of it.

If you are trying to lose weight, it can mean that the first thing that enters your mouth in the morning is what you planned to eat for breakfast the night before. It can mean drinking your green smoothie first thing in the morning. It can mean running a mile or ten miles before doing anything else.

Just set out to start your day with a win. The thing I like to use as my win is getting up early, reading and praying and making my to-do list for the day. I also like to get my exercising done before I do much else. Speaking of that...I better go for my run before the clock strikes 9 am!

If you think about it, let's say you have a habit of saying you'll do something "tomorrow" and then not following through. Well, stop that!:) You begin each day failing this way. That will not accomplish much or serve you in any positive way, so really, just stop that. Only agree to do things you know you WILL do. So, when you go to bed, tell yourself what you will do first thing when you wake up. Make sure it's something you really will do and then wake up and do it!

I have a friend who likes to pray before her feet hit the floor. So, she does that each day. You can even find three things you are grateful for before your feet hit the floor. Then, make your bed and before you know it you are winning before your day starts! It is so simple. Go for it!

Maria's Almond Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

2 cups almond or nut meal (left over from making nut milk)
1 TBS coconut oil
1 TBS organic butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 organic free range egg
4 dates, pitted
10 scoops stevia
1/4 cup agave nectar
natural chocolate chips

Place first 10 ingredients in food processor and mix. Add choc. chips. Drop onto cookie sheet and bake on 375 for about 10 minutes.

The next day, these truly taste just like the real thing!

Why are Christians Depressed?

2010-01-21T20:16:00.000-08:00

Oh, how often to do we feel down in the dumps, like we've failed again and there is no hope? Well, I have been there many times too and I hope that some of what God has graciously taught me and continually teaches me will be an encouragement to you.

First, nothing surprises God! There is no sin you can commit that will WOW God. He has seen it all and He is a God of compassion and mercy and nothing is too terrible for you to talk to Him about. He is ready and willing to forgive you immeasurably and over and over again. Sometimes we go through life feeling that we are the only ones that yell and scream at the kids or feel hate towards our spouse or would rather be 6 feet under. Maybe our sin is much worse than that. Don't worry, God is not surprised or befuddled. He is willing and faithful to forgive us of all unrighteousness. All we must do is TELL Him and ask for His forgiveness and it is ours. Satan would LOVE for us to wallow and feel that we are unforgivable and if you are believing that then you are NORMAL. We all do it. It is the enemy's favorite lie to tell us. He loves that we feel we are the ONLY ones to commit a certain sin. He loves us to be down in the dumps. Well, don't stay there, my friend. It is completely unecessary. Whether it is something you did in the past, something you are afraid of in the future or simply that you are just not happy with the cards God has dealt you, just remember that you are not alone, you are totally normal and we all struggle in these areas. So, when you wonder why Christians are depressed, know that is mostly because we are believing a lie and not trusting that God REALLY does love and forgive us and has a plan all worked out for us. He wrote the story of our lives a long time ago and we can fully trust HIM!!!

Sometimes I freak out at my kids and feel like such a BIG loser of a mom. I feel unforgiveable. Then I remember that being faithful means regularly seeking forgiveness, it does not mean being perfect. That is just a silly lie we tend to beleive, all of us!

I also can easily find myself feeling sorry that I don't have more. I really have to work on realizing how much God has blessed me. I like to be grateful first thing EVERY day because I have a roof over my head, food in the fridge, especially green smoothie food:) and a heater to keep my family warm! I have a husband who LOVES his wife and children and works hard, I have a supportive group of friends and family. Yes, maybe I can't even shop at Nordstrom Rack anymore, but really, God must laugh about that one. It is soooooooooooooo SILLY to feel I have to be perfectly in style or have new clothes all the time. It's my princess mentality that makes me feel I am so deserving of new things.

God is so kind b/c I am actually finding joy in looking for things on Craig's List, but mostly, life is much more simple when spending money is not really an option at all. Less decisions to make for sure! So, now I work on planning my garden, encouraging a friend or reading to my kids. It's really when life is simple that true joy can be saught. All that STUFF is just distracting. I love that God has brought me to the point where reading His Word and teaching it through circumstances to my kids has become a much higher priority than the latest pair of jeans!! He's so kind to teach us patiently. And what is so beautiful is that if He has given you the ability to shop, that is the gift He has for you right now and you do not have to feel a bit bad about it! He has us all exactly where He wants each of us so we can each learn the lessons we need to learn. I used to wonder why others had it "better" than me. Well, God's version of "better" is different than mine. He just has different lessons to teach each of us, so He has different gifts for each of us. I tell this to my kids all the time when they feel less smart or less fast or...? I tell them how boring life would be if we were all good at the same one thing. God has a different job for each of us and so He has given different gifts to each of us. One gift is never better than the other, it is just different and serves a different purpose.

I'll have to share my amazing list of all the free things God has provided us with. The latest being a laptop which I have prayed for for a year!

Finding a Holistic Health Practioner

2009-12-26T22:14:00.000-08:00

Are you wondering where in the world to find a doctor that uses a holistic approach to medicine? Visit www.functionalmedicine.org to find a holistic health practitioner in your area. What is a holistic health practitioner? Functional medicine practitioners bring together conventional medicine with natural health to give you a complete picture of your health through conventional testing methods and natural healing techniques.

The Green Smoothie Challenge!

2009-12-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

I have created a cleanse to help you kick start your new year with a fresh lifestyle change! The Green Smoothie Challenge is a time of refreshment where you will drink only green smoothies and munch on fresh fruits and veggies for 1,3,5, or 10 days. I have launched a campaign for the first annual world-wide Green Smoothie Challenge. Join people from around the world who desire to improve their health and lose weight, set new goals and be rejuvenated. The Official Green Smoothie Challenge contest begins on January 5, 2010, the same day as the world-wide event. Find all the details and grab my book, The Green Smoothie Challenge Companion on the new Web site at www.thegreensmoothiechallenge.com. Hope to see you there.

Study of Energy Level of Mice on Live Foods

2009-11-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Energy of Live Foods by Dr Sir Gabriel Cousens M.D., M.D. (H) D.D.

There is a tremendous amount of extra levels of energy in live foods. One of the studies that most demonstrates this was done in Russia by Dr. Israel Breckman. The experiment was simple. He fed the same mice cooked food and live-food at different times. This was the exact same food and the exact same mice, the only difference was, the food was either cooked or uncooked. He measured the amount of energy and endurance the mice had when they were eating only live foods, and when eating the exact same amounts of food in its cooked state. The mice had three times more energy and endurance on the live-food than when they were eating cooked food. If nutrition were a simple matter of calories, there should not be any difference in endurance and power between eating the live and the cooked food. However, there clearly was a difference in the effect. This is because foods are not simply calories. This calorie paradigm, developed in 1789, is completely out of date, even though it is still being used by people in the nutritional sciences. What is the difference?

Food has subtle nutrients, general nutrients, electrical energies, phytonutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. The electrical potential for our tissues and cells is a direct result of the liveliness of our cells. Live foods enhance the electrical potential in our cells, between the cells, at the interface of the cell membranes, and at the interface of the cells with the microcapulary electrical charges. When cells have the proper microelectrical potential, they have the power to rid themselves of toxins and maintain their selective capacity to bring appropriate nutrients, oxygen, and hydrogen into the cell, into the nucleus of the cell, as well as to feed the mitochondria. This helps to maintain, repair, and activate the DNA. Professor Hans Eppinger, who was the chief medical director of the first medical clinic at the University of Vienna, found that a live-food diet specifically raised the microelectrical potential throughout the body. He discovered that a live-food diet increases selective capacity of the cells by increasing their electrical potential between the tissue cells and the capillary cells. He saw that live-food significantly improves the intra and extracellular excretion of toxins, as well as absorption of nutrients. He and his co-workers concluded that live foods were the only type of food that could restore microelectrical potential to the tissues. In essence we can say that by restoring electrical potential to cells, live-food rejuvenates the life force and health of the organism.

(I must say that after seeing my husband on only green smoothies and green juices for 6 days I believe that live foods has a greater impact on health than any other category of foods. It changes a person's appearance!) - Maria's Commentary

How to Make a Healthy Salad

2009-09-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

There are salads and then there are healthy salads and then there are SUPER healthy salads. I like to make the third type myself and I thought I'd share with you how to make a super healthy salad!

First of all, you need some dark greens. An organic baby lettuce mix usually has a lot of great dark greens in it. Kale is the healthiest dark green so add some of that too. Next chop up a bunch of veggies such as jicama, carrots, celery, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, green onion, etc... then add some sprouts such as broccoli, alfalfa, mung bean, etc.. and some sunflower sprouts. You can add some hemp seed too for a great protein source.

Next, for a super healthy salad dressing, pour some unrefined hemp or olive on, then add some raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, Himalayan salt, cayenne pepper, dulse and chopped up garlic.

Now that you know how to make a super healthy salad you can add this to your daily fare to make a big difference in your health!!

Organic Red Wine

2009-09-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that I love red wine!! Since I have been on my healing journey, this is something I have not consumed much of. I was visiting a friend yesterday and she told me about some great organic, biodymically farmed red wines that are available at Trader Joe's for a very smart price!! Biodynamic wine differs from organic wine in that not only does the farmer stay away from pesticides, chemicals and added sulfites, they also pay much attention to amending the soil, only planting at very specific times and harvesting only when the fruit is at its optimal level of high nutritional availability. I have tried one variety of the organic red wine at Trader Joe's and it wasn't that great. My friend told me about three types that are really good and very good for you!! Now that is my kind of combination:)

The three brands of biodynamic red wines that she suggested are Bonterra merlot, Dynamic red table wine which is a cab/merlot combo and Well Red. I'm so excited to try these!! Let me know what you think by commenting below!!

Trusting God When Life is Painful

2009-09-02T08:17:00.001-07:00

In the story that God has written for my life I have been encouraged by all that He has chosen to teach me through the trials He gives to me. The main thing I have realized is what an important part trials have in the story of our lives. Trusting God when life is painful is an important lesson that God desires all of us to learn. My pastor often reminds us that our lives are like a mystery novel that God has already written. He is not just trying to figure it out as He goes, but He wrote the special story of each of our lives with a very specific purpose. He loves to give us 11th hour surprises, comedy and trials in our story. The purpose of it all is to remind us that He is in control, it is already written and we can trust Him fully as our story unfolds!!! He will make good of our story. It is a comedy and will have a good ending! He lifts up His people and shows them that ALL things work together for the good of those who love HIM. Just like we don't read the end of a good book until we get to the end because it ruins the suspense and the enjoyment, so also God does not reveal to us His purposes for us or the details of our future. It would spoil the surprise! He truly wants us to learn to rest in Him and enjoy the ride. He enjoys taking us on the journey and having us turn to Him in the midst of it all.

In the end, our suffering will bring forth glory just as Christ's suffering brought forth glory. God simply wants us to learn to trust Him through it all. The true purpose of our trials is learning to trust God even when life is painful. He wants us to learn to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We will understand, in the end, why we had to go through all that we did. Press on. Heaven awaits us, eternal joy is the end of the story for those who believe!!

This life is truly about learning to endure trials. It is our preparation for eternity. In comparison to eternity, this life is but the blink of an eye. Love God and love your neighbor. Trust, persevere and seek Him in all things!!!

Boost Your Sex Drive Naturally

2009-09-01T13:14:00.001-07:00

Is your sex drive diminished and leaving you feeling confused? It is very normal for people over 40 to experience a decrease in their sex drive. Things like financial stress, mulitple children, diets high in processed foods, hormonal imbalances and the like are big contributors to this issue. There are ways to boost your sex drive naturally and Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, MS, DC, CCN, DACBN is an expert in this area. If you are looking to boost your sex drive naturally, you may want to check out this article. Dr. Ritamarie has overcome some major health challenges naturally and is more than qualified to give you some great tips for getting back into tip top health in all areas! Click on the title of this article to view her informative article on boosting your sex drive!

Maria Rippo's Interview for Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle InnerCircle

2009-08-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by best selling author Tom Venuto who wrote Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. He wanted to know some of my secrets for staying slim, healthy and young as a busy mom of four! Click here to listen to the audio MP3. Enjoy:)

Fresh Green Juice Recipes

2009-08-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Fresh V8 Juice
4 tomatoes
2 green onions
1/2 green pepper
1 carrot
2 stalks celery
1/4 bunch of spinach
1/4 bunch of parsley
1 lemon
Cayenne pepper to taste
Himalayan salt to taste

Run all ingredients through your juicer and add cayenne pepper and Himalayan or Celtic salt to taste if desired! Enjoy daily.

Simple Green Juice Recipe
1 cucumber
6 leaves of kale or romaine lettuce
3 stalks celery

Green Juice with Ginger
6 leaves kale
1 cucumber
6 leaves romaine lettuce
1 lemon
1 finger of ginger root
3 stalks celery

Green Juice with Sprouts
1 cucumber
3 stalks celery
6 leaves kale
1 bunch dandelion greens
sprouts of choice
parsley

David Wolfe and Jason Rabel Make Superfood Treats!

2009-08-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

OH MY, these look good. One of my favorite nutritionists, raw food expert and superfood guru, David Wolfe watches as chef Jason Rabel makes almond milk, chocolate maca milk and a vanilla shilajit latte. A must watch video. Click on the title above to watch this short video. To order the superfoods mentioned you can try going to Raw Vegan Source or Ultimate Superfood

Spring Water on 164th in Lynnwood, WA

2009-08-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

I am so excited because I found that there is an Artesian spring close to me!! You can fill your water bottles for free from a spout at this spring. I knew about it but it wasn't until I kept hearing that I should be drinking fresh spring water that I decided to check it out. If you click on the title above it will link you to a site where you can find out if there is a spring in your area too!!

So, I went to the spring with my three 5 gallon water bottles and there was a line of people getting water from it. I began to ask if they had been getting water from the spring for a long time and there were three older people there who had been getting water from this spring for 20 - 25 years. They looked healthy and all had great skin. Since our skin is made of minerals, it makes sense that drinking mineral rich water would make the skin beautiful. So, I'm a believer now!! I will no longer pay my 45 cents a gallon for water at PCC!!! I am so excited to get to drink mineral rich water fresh out of the ground for free.

Maria's Refreshing Cocktail for Moms AND Kids!

2009-08-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Drink My Kids Call Sprite

1 bottle mineral water
2 limes
6 scoops of stevia

Pour the mineral water into a pitcher and add the juice from your limes and the stevia. Most stevia comes with a small scooper. If your does not have the scooper, then just add enough to make it sweet enough for your liking! Stir and serve. Pour over ice into pretty stemware. I have found that people of all ages find this drink very refreshing and it's a great alternative for alcoholic drinks!!

Good Mommy Tips

2009-08-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

I'm out on the lake for the weekend with some wonderful friends who are all called "mommy" by some amazing littler people. We have had some really great conversations and I thought I'd share some of the wisdom that has been passed around. One thing that we have talked a lot about are emotions. So many of us were raised with the idea that emotions are bad and are not to be felt.

Emotions in fact are neutral. They are not bad or good or right or wrong in and of themselves. They are actually a very real, God given part of who we are and how we interpret the world. Emotions are a thing to be very aware of and to feel. What we do with our emotions is the part that we must be very careful about. We can easily act in a very destructive manner as a result of our emotions, especially when we attempt not to feel them. It is so important when we are acting out or when our children are doing that, to sit down and decide what is causing that behavior. Am I sad, worried, angry, stressed, tired, hungry, frustrated or...?? It is so important to validate that feeling. Often times just validating our own or our children's emotions is enough to get relief from it. Trying not to feel it is where we often err. This does not help and usually ends up in an explosion of emotion at a later time. A better way to deal with it is to realize that it is our choice as to how we handle and think about whatever is bothering us.

I have written an article about changing your thinking that you may find helpful and that you can link to right here. So, realize that what you experienced was in fact scary, stressful, frustrating, sad, etc... and next, think about it in a way that will help the situation. You must not despair. You alone can control how you think and behave about your circumstances. You may not be able to change them, but figure out what you can do to make the situation better and focus on that instead of on what you cannot change or do anything about. This is so important to grasp as a "mommy" because it makes a difference in how we talk to our children when they are upset. Validate their feelings and then, right away, get them thinking about what they can do about the situation. Very often the simple concept of returning evil with love will solve their situation. When they did not return evil with love, teach them to seek forgiveness for their part in the situation. Teach them practical ways of returning evil with love while still maintaining healthy boundaries so they see when others do actually treat them wrongly. Acknowledge that what the other person did was rude, mean, hurtful, etc... but that if we love them back even after they treated us wrongly, we will do more to help them than anything else we could do.

Maria Rippo's Lemon Cream Cookies

2009-08-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

This morning we had fun in the kitchen just putting ingredients together and I made some very yummy cookies that taste just like lemon cream pie. I had made some almond milk for the kids and had some leftover pulp. I used to throw the pulp away, but now I just mix it up with other ingredients and make something out of it. The other day I made chocolate chip cookies and today I made lemon cream cookies. Of course, they are raw, I just dehydrate them. They are dairy, gluten, egg and flour free so anyone can really eat them. I always test these recipes on my kids and so far the girls have begged for more of both.

Raw, Lemon Cream Cookies
(All of these ingredients are estimations as I always just throw stuff in and then taste it!!)
1/2 cup almond meal or however much you have left after making almond milk
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
3/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup xylitol
1/2 cup coconut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBS hemp seeds
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1/2 cup or more water

Mix all ingredients together and add enough water to make a cookie like dough. Form into cookies and place on dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 145 degrees for 2 -3 hours and then turn it down to 118 degrees and dehydrate for 8 hours or until done. I store these in the freezer.

For raw chocolate chip cookies just replace the lemon juice and coconut with some chocolate chips. I use the healthy chocolate chips, but they did have a little evaporated cane juice. I figure that is a big step up from the alternative of white flour cookies!!

Maria Rippo's Green Smoothies for kids

2009-08-08T09:56:00.001-07:00

Maria Rippo's Raw Green Smoothie Recipe That Kids LOVE!

I just made a green smoothie for my kids and they all went nuts for it. If you have not heard about raw green smoothies, you can click here for my article about green smoothies.

1/2 cup frozen organic pineapple
6 or 7 strawberries
1 cup fresh spinach
water
vanilla
Himalayan or Celtic salt to taste

Blend well in blender and serve immediately.

High Raw

2009-08-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of listening to Kevin Gianni at the local raw food festival. He is a high energy, very knowledgable and realistic raw foodie, author and successful personal trainer! He believes in a high raw lifestyle which is very in line with my own convictions about eating. He is very understanding about the busy lifestyle which most of us live. He has a book called "High Raw" which is a free downloadable book you can get here. He also wrote a book called "The Busy Person's Fitness Guide" which is availalbe for purchase on his website. His program only involves a medicine ball and an exercise ball and all of the exercises can be performed in a room as small as your bathroom....so anyone can do it:)

Quotes That Motivate

2009-08-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

"The dictionary is the only place success comes before hard work. Hard work is the price we must all pay for success." Vince Lombardi

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that is is too low and we reach it." Michelangelo

"The strangest secret in the world is that we become what we think about." Earl Nightengale

"Focus your thoughts on what you want to acheive, not on what you want to avoid."

"Our doubts are our traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." Shakespeare

"If you send a rocket toward the moon, about 90% of the time it's off course- it "fails" it's way to the moon by continually mkaing mistakes and correcting them." Price Pritchett

"Mistakes are natural. Mistakes are how we learn. When we stop making mistakes we stop learning and growing." Wally "Famous" Amos

Update on Maria Rippo's Candida/Eczema

2009-08-05T12:23:00.001-07:00

As of today, August 5, 2009, my life on a 98% raw, sprouted diet has literally transformed every aspect of me in just 4 short months. I can't believe the impact this new way of eating has had on me. Just the other day as I was commenting on my new skin that is so hydrated, soft and beautiful, I said to my hubby that I just am so happy about the impact this lifestyle change has had on me. His comment back to me was that he's amazed that it is transforming not only my physical health, but my mental health as well. It's amazing what happens when you get some energy and vitality back and you can actually think clearly. I am a much more calm and nice person right now than I was 4 months ago. I have worked hard in this area for sure. I have really been focusing on my thought life and self talk. I have been practicing gratitude and thinking in positive terms about my circumstances instead of the constant negative/complaining ones I was practicing. I have truly come to realize that God has me right where He wants me right now and I am content to know that. I wake up and think about the things I am grateful for. I have helped my kids do the same and what a difference that makes in a person's perspective!!!

I have had an interesting experience getting to the point of being as raw as I am with my eating. I have been gentle on myself and here and there when I have needed some fish or chicken, I have allowed myself to eat it. I have allowed myself to drink wine here and there and even have dessert on occassion. I do eat fruit from time to time as well and if I totally blow the whole raw thing, I don't worry about it. I just get right back on track and enjoy the process. The amazing thing has been that I get full so incredibly fast on flesh foods and wine makes me very tired quickly. Another interesting experience has been the cravings I have for salad. I try to switch up my eating here and there, but truly, I mostly only want green smoothies and salads right now with some raw nuts(especially walnuts), olives and lemon tahini dressing. I think that because it is summer my body just wants food that has a lot of water in it. Since I am not eating fruit right now, the next best thing is fresh veggies. I eat a very colorful salad full of greens, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, red peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, parsley, basil, jicama, , radishes, etc...

One amazing side affect of eating like this is that I am rarely hungry anymore unless it has been 4 hours or so since I last ate. I get full very quickly too. I believe this is happening because the food I eat is so nutrient dense that my body simply does not need a lot. My weight is very stable even though I eat less, which is good. My body is just where it wants to be!

As far as my Candida goes, I just had a check up and it looks like I am getting to the end of the Candida challenge. My eczema still finds my eyelids to be good company and has chosen to stay with me for now. I am patient with it though and know that it will eventually go away!! My eczema is a blessing in disguise for sure because it is the one thing that made me take a good hard look at my life and the amount of stress I was choosing to allow myself to experience. Granted, our life experiences have been less than dull in the last few years, but I allowed it all to really eat at me and I became bitter and negative through it. Had the eczema not shown up, I am not sure I would have seen how truly devastating my negative attitude was on my health. I can happily report that I really am learning to see things differently and it is changing my life for the good (as well as my family's life!!) And when that anxiety or negativity pops up I forgive myself and ask for forgiveness and move forward.

As far as the differences in my health go, here is a list of all the positive changes I have experienced in the last four months ( it took 6 weeks on this diet along with very strong probiotics and lots of dark greens to begin to see any changes!!):

- My hormonal imbalance is regulated!! Thank God, no more dual personality for two weeks out of the month!!!
- My dry, scaly skin is gone and has been replaced with soft, hydrated, shiny new skin!
- I am no longer constantly hungry which I attribute to the fact that I am now fully nutrified by my diet as well as the fact that I am no longer using food to self medicate, calm and numb my emotions. Instead I am learning to deal with my emotions in a healthy manner... fewwhhhh!!
- The toenail fungus under one of my toes is totally gone, one more to go!!
- My energy level is amazing! I am clear headed and have a happy disposition rather than an exhausted, negative one.
- I don't need as much sleep.
- I am beginning to be able to run again and can take power walks daily!
- My weight is very stable. I no longer have a crazy cycle of gaining and losing and being mad at myself when I really get off track.
- My food cravings are totally gone. I only crave what is good for me! This is a hugely freeing feeling for me b/c I used to obsess about eating things that were less than optimal for my health.
- I am off of caffeine and feel very energetic. This took a good week of napping daily and feeling wiped out. My adrenals finally kicked in:)
- No more puffy eyelids
- No need to constantly use chapstick b/c my lips are no longer dried out
- Icky film on my tongue is gone
- No need for breath mints anymore
- I almost always have plenty of energy to read to my kids and be read to by my kids at bedtime and even fold laundry and work a little or read before going to bed!! This is another hugely satisfying part of eating so well. In the past I was absolutely exhausted by 8 o'clock at night and yelled often at my kids at that time of day.
- I get many more hugs from my children and husband now. I think it's because I am just much more calm and approachable:)
- I can accomplish much more in a day b/c I feel good and I sleep less
- My breathing much deeper now. It used to be very short and quick and uncomfortable because of my anxiety.
- Ok, this one is a little gross to admit but I used to get BO quite easily. I never could wear a shirt twice and now my BO is gone!! I don't use deoderant so this is a very handy detox side effect!!
- My foot cramps have disappeared. This is a really exciting occurence for me b/c my foot cramps were the reason I had to stop triathlon training b/c I could not longer swim without getting major cramps.

As you can see, the more I eat healthy and cleanse my body, the more I want to eat healthy and cleanse my body because it literally makes a difference in the person that I am. I hope my Candida recovery story and journey onto a raw food diet is inspiring to you. Please let me know!! I'd love to hear from you below:)

Could MSM Be a Miracle Mineral?

2009-07-31T12:41:00.001-07:00

MSM is most commonly known for its affect on the health of our joints, but there are so many other health benefits of MSM that it is well worth learning more about this all important mineral. From treating arthritis to growing more hair, the health benefits of MSM are far reaching. It is even helps you get more benefit from all of the other nutrients you take in! Read my latest article called MSM: The Health Miracle

Free, All Natural Anti-Aging Technology!

2009-07-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

We would all love to look younger and be healthier. New, ground breaking research shows us how to do this for free right in our own backyard! Learn why being grounded will not only improve your health, but literally will make you younger and live longer! The importance of being grounded is proven by peer reviewed medical research. Read my article about how you can get grounded and why you might like to add this simple, free habit to your daily routine.

How to Change Your Thinking

2009-07-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Have you realized that your thinking is other than positive a lot of the time? It is very common for people to think in terms of the negative side of things rather than the positive. Changing how you think might seem to be a daunting task, but if you put a little effort in and simply grasp the concept of how to change your thinking, you will be amazed at how differently you begin to operate. As Earl Nightengale so famously said, "You become what you think about," learning what you think about and changing it if necessary can be a very positive step in the right direction. Read my latest article about how to change your thinking here.

Kefir, Can You Live Without It?

2009-06-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Kefir, a yogurt-like drink meaning "feel good" in Turkish, can give your immune system the boost it needs in order to protect against infectious disease and even to fight cancer! Learn about the health benefits of kefir in my latest article.

How to Be Healthy

2009-06-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of information out there claiming to help you be healthy. I sort through it on a regular basis and I have found a few golden nuggets of information over the years that I feel truly will help you learn how to be healthy. Click here to see my top 10 (actually 12) tips for getting healthy and staying healthy.

Enduring Trials and Tribulation

2009-06-06T11:59:00.000-07:00

If you keep up on my blog you are well aware that God has chosen to place some great trials in the life of my family over that last few years. I will not go into detail about them here, but rather, I'd like to share what God has been teaching us through the gift of tribulation! I cannot claim that we never feel great sadness or loss. We do. We have even hit the point of despair at times when we have taken our focus off of God and have thought for a moment that we deserve better. I think we all struggle in this way. We see trials as bad things, but we need to see them as gifts. They are God's way of stretching and growing us. I really don't think it's possible to learn and to grow when everything is just fine all the time. I don't know if that is even something that anyone experiences. Trials are just part of life. We have no control over them, but boy, if we let them, they can sure gain control over us.

Recently our Pastor reminded us that God has us right where He wants us right now! That is an all important truth to understand and believe wholeheartedly. God is training us for glory, to bear the weight of glory and the only way we will be able to bear that weight is if we now learn to bear the weight of tribulation by trusting that God has us EXACTLY where He wants us to be right now. We do not need to try to understand why, we just need to trust that truth!!

Romans 5:1 - 5 says "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produced perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

You can see very simply that tribulation has a big place in our lives for teaching us perseverance, hope, character and the ability to experience the love of God.

It gets even more interesting than this though. As Christians, our hope is to live in glory eternally. Well I never knew this before, but glory is weighty and we will not be able to bear the weight of glory without first learning to bear the weight of tribulation.

II Corinthians 4:16 - 18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Looking for Money Saving Tips for Heathly Eating on a Tight Budget?

2009-06-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

If you are finding it difficult to keep up that healthy eating on a budget, don't worry, you are not alone! Eating organic on a budget can prove to be challenging, but there are many things you can do to keep the costs down and the nutrition up!!
Check out my newest tips and tricks for healthy, organic eating on budget.

Are You Tired of Being Tired?

2009-06-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

Are you feeling tired, depressed, PMS, irritable, have eczema or psoriasis, indigestion, food cravings, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, dehydration, white tongue, toenail fungus, puffy eyes, decreased sex drive, food cravings (especially for sweets), acne, gas, bloating, low blood sugar, vaginal yeast infections, weight gain? If you experience a lot of these symptoms, you may want to learn more about Candida Albicans. It is estimated that over 90% of our population has this condition. It is simply an overgrowth of yeast in your intestines caused by overuse of antibiotics and lack of good bacteria in the intestines. Stress is also a major contributor to this imbalance. Read my Candida Albicans article series to find out more about what Candida is, what causes Candida overgrowth, eating on the Candida diet and the natural way to kill Candida.

It always amazes me to look around a room and see that some people are so peppy, full of life and energy and seem mostly happy. Then I look at others and they just look tired and worn out, all the time. I am one of those people that tends to be on the tired side unless I keep my Candida under control which is hard even when you eat healthy. You have to manage your stress level so that your immune system keeps up it's end of the bargain. You have to limit alcohol, which I love wine:) You can't eat much sugar in any form including fruit and you need lots of healthy bacteria. Exercise is important too. Well, I have 4 kids and a hubby and taking too much time to take care of myself is hard. But, if I don't, I can really suffer. Treating Candida to get rid of it if that is what is causing your symptoms will literally change your life. You will go from being one of those tired, never feeling well people to the peppy, full of life person you ought to be. It is certainly worth a try!! You will be healthier by going off of most grains and all sugar. It takes about six weeks to notice the change, but boy, when you do, you will not believe it!!

Swine Flu Prevention and Treatment

2009-06-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Has the possibility of getting the swine flu got you worried? Right now is a great time to strengthen your immune system so that if you do get exposed to it, your body will be ready for combat!! Read my Natural Swine Flu Prevention article and if you already have the swine flu and are looking for natural ways to treat it, read my Natural Swine Flu Treatments article.

The most important treatment for this flu is not to worry about it. Do your best to strengthen your immunity, but don't stress out about it. Stress causes more harm to our immune system than anything else!!

Maria Rippo's Sprouted Buckwheat Brownies!!

2009-05-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you probably know that I love to play in the kitchen making up recipes. In fact, actually following a recipe to a t is almost impossible for me:) I always change something. My kitchen is like a laboratory. This is one reason that I really enjoy making raw food recipes. You can't really mess them up and nothing has to be perfect. Things don't rise (or fall) and you just get a sense for what goes well together and what does not. So, today, I had a bunch of sprouted buckwheat that I had been sprouting for a few days. I knew I wanted to make some yummy cracker bread and boy did I get it right this time! I even wrote it down as I went, which I am becoming better at so that I can recreate my creations and share them. Well, THEN, I had a chocolate craving and was out of all of my raw sweets. So, I decided to try something a little new and use my buckwheat sprouts to make raw brownies. OK, let me just say, "to die for"!! Even my girls licked the spatula, the bowl, and begged for more brownies. They are a hit!! Here is the recipe. It's so easy. I know sprouting seems like a big pain, but once you get into the groove of it, you just get used to rinsing sprouts every time you do the dishes. For more info. on sprouting grains, seeds, etc.. visit www.sproutpeople.com or check out my article on Brighthub.

Sprouted Buckwheat Brownie Recipe

3 – 4 cups sprouted buckwheat (sprouted for about 3 days after soaking)
1 cup raw almond butter
1 cup flax seed meal
1 ½ cups raw cocao powder
½ cup coconut butter, melted over low heat
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
(1 cup agave nectar, or ½ cup agave, ½ cup pure maple syrup)
OR
1 cup pure birch xylitol if diabetic or on Candida cleanse
1 cup water if you used xylitol, only add as much water as needed if using agave nectar. The batter should be nice and thick, just enough liquid for the food processor to mix it up.

Place sprouts, almond butter and melted coconut butter into food processor and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with coconut butter or olive oil and pour batter into dish. Place in freezer. Once fully frozen, remove brownie from pan and cut into small, bite sized pieces. Store in ziplock bag in freezer and eat whenever you need a chocolate fix!! Freezing will not destroy the live enzymes and nutrients in the sprouts! You may also wish to dehydrate the brownies which is fine too! You can dehydrate them at 118 degrees overnight. This is great to do if you want to serve the brownies warm with some raw ice cream!

Review: Sprout People

2009-05-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

As you know, I am a sprouter extraordinaire! I LOVE sprouting. It is the most economical and easy way to add an enormous amount of nutrition to your life. It is so exciting to soak 3 TBS of broccoli seeds and then yield 4 or 5 cups of sprouts! Nothing, well almost, pleases me more than to hear my kids asking for more broccoli sprouts. I just always have them going and I have found a very simple way to sprout them. Enter, Sprout People . These people know their stuff and what they say about their seeds is true!! I have tried many sprouting seeds and I have never been happier with the simplicity of sprouting until I found Sprout People!! They even have a sprouting kit for kids so they can experiment and be successful! No better way to get your kids excited about eating sprouts than when they grow them themselves!!! This is a good place for any beginning sprouter to start. Happy sprouting:)

Yesterday I made my hubby a sandwich on Ezekiel 4:9 bread with wild turkey that he had brought home, tomato, broccoli sprouts, mayo and mustard. He came home from a day of shrimping and said, "Babe, were those the sprouts YOU made? They were so good. I could eat those every day!" Music to my ears:)

Are Your Cosmetics Safe?

2009-05-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Are you aware that even cosmetics and skin care sold in health food stores can contain toxic ingredients? You can check the safety of your cosmetics, shampoo, lotions, etc... at www.safecosmetics.org and you can also find out what brands are safe to use!!!

My Daily Lemonade

2009-05-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Every day I fill my 2.2 liter jug with water, a few pinches of Himalayan or Celtic salt, a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some stevia. I send the kids to school with this refreshing drink as well. If you do not eat processed foods, adding the salt is very healthy as it allows your cells to soak up the hydration from the water more easily. This is not a good idea for people whose diets consist of processed foods!! The salt and lemon also add good minerals to the water. The lemon is a great source of daily vitamin C as well. Here's to your wellth!!

Changes

2009-04-13T14:10:00.001-07:00

In the last few months I developed some sort of eczema or psoriasis on my eyelids of all places! I am trying to see this as a blessing because because maybe I would not take such serious steps to cure it if it were in a less obvious place. I believe that all disease is the same. In short disease = dis ease within the body or imbalance. I have always struggled with things like my energy level and moods but I have never really experienced a visible symptom of dis ease. It has been humbling for me much like the entire last three years of my life. I believe stress has a LOT to do with this. It has forced me to take my stress level very seriously. I am the type that can tend to take on way too much and then not have time to nourish my spirit. In the last few months I have experienced very shallow breathing which is a huge sign to me of uneasiness. I realized that I have been using food to comfort myself. At the same time I have not been good about reading my Bible and praying and meditating. I am going to make these, as well as deep breathing a big priority. I also plan to tackle the things that are causing me stress.

We need to listen to our bodies before big problems arise. I could do all sorts of things to take away the symptoms of this problem, but if I do not take it out by it's roots, like anything, it will get worse. So, I have gone on a very extreme diet and am taking a product called Zeolite. I am following Gabriel Cousens, MD Phase 1 diet which is basically comprised of no sugar, even fruit sugar, no grains, no dairy, no meat. What is left you ask? I am eating fish, but mainly I am eating green smoothies, salad, sprouted buckwheat and nuts and seeds. He gives many recipes so I do not get sick of eating this way. It does take a lot of focus to do this but now that I am two weeks into it I am a different person. It absolutely amazes me and my husband and those who are very close to me to see the difference. I am taking in a LOT of greens and chlorella, spirulina and blue-green algae. My mood is amazing. My energy is great. My eyes are bigger. My skin is clear. I am thriving. In order to stay on the diet, I wrote myself a note about my motivations for doing it. I really had not been feeling well. My moods swings were really bad. My feet were killing me which is changing so much. My feet are feeling better. I am hydrated, which is very amazing to me. I am usually dehydrated. I feel warmer. I just stand amazed at the affect food can have on a person!!

The most amazing thing that happened at the beginning is that the minute I quit eating grains and sugar, I dropped 5 pounds. Then I went to a health seminar and they said that the two most damaging foods are processed carbohydrates and refined sugar. Those things were making me retain water and it just went out of me the minute I stopped eating them. My skin cleared up in those three days too. My eyes don't feel heavy either. I am still amazed at what it does to take just those two food groups out of my life.

I will continue to give updates on this process. I am planning to be on Phase I for three months. I will do a green juice fast in there too. I am also planning to do at least one colonic as I have heard that this is the first step one should take when trying to rid oneself of dis ease. Colon cleansing is the first step to good health. I hear that the gravity method is the way to go.

Never Try to Lose Weight!!!

2009-04-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been on a diet? How many have you tried? Have you learned that for the most part, diets for the sole purpose of weight loss don't work? I have never in my life been able to lose weight simply to be more thin. Some people can and it always amazes me because trying to lose weight has usually ended up in gaining weight for me. Does this sound familiar to you? The funniest statement people make to me is, "you are so lucky to be thin." WOW, they think it's luck. No, it's actually hard work and hard work alone, but the hard work is not about being thin. Yes, I want to be thin like anyone else, but not just for thin's sake. It is proven that excess weight causes disease. Excess weight causes frustration, depression, worry, guilt, fatigue, etc... and it's these reasons that motivate me to eat well and the end result is being thin, but it is not the motivation. Having discipline in the area of eating well carries over into every other area of my life. It is that simple, the other areas are motivation enough for me to keep on keeping on. I don't want to be sluggish. I don't want cancer, heart disease, etc... and I will work to do what I can to prevent it based on the knowledge that I have.

How do you stay on a good eating plan?
1. If you fail to plan, then plan to fail. Sit down on Saturday and make your meal plan. Go to the store and buy all that you need for the week. I make it pretty simple. I keep a list of healthy snacks. I keep a couple of treat foods made. I drink my green smoothie, I eat a salad for lunch with dressing that I make once a week. I usually have an avocado and some soaked nuts on my salad and I dress it with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, Himalayan salt and cracked pepper. The only meal I spend much time on is dinner which I plan out so that I am not stuck at the last minute having to order pizza!!

2. Don't fall pray to the temptation of thinking constantly about all the foods you can't eat. Instead, get creative with what you CAN eat. Focus on all the things you CAN choose from and make up your own recipes!! The other day my kids and my husband were eating chips and guacamole. The guacamole had some things in it I couldn't eat and I am not eating corn or cooked foods right now, so I couldn't have any. I wanted it so much so I got to thinking about what flavors were there that I COULD eat. I made the yummiest salad with romaine lettuce, avocado, yellow pepper, tomato, celery, cucumber, parsley, basil, and I dressed it liberally with fresh lemon juice, lots of Himalayan salt, fresh ground pepper, and olive oil. It completely hit the spot. I made it again the next night and my whole family loved it.

3. Make a list of all the ailments you might like to get rid of and how you would feel if you could feel any way you'd like to get the most out of life and be able to serve your family, neighbors, community and all those around you. I want energy and vitality so much that it is not worth it for me to sacrifice those things by eating something that will give me a few moments of gratification and maybe days of feeling bad. It's simply not worth it. It is truly amazing to me what happens when I am true to myself with my eating. I get organized. I am a better mom and wife. I am a better friend. I think less about me and more about others. I prioritize. I can think clearly. I set goals. I pray and read my Bible more often. In fact, I can't think of one negative thing that happens when I am disciplined in this area. TRY IT!!!

4. Get some good books on health and read a little often. Whenever I feel unmotivated, I start reading about how food affects my health. A couple of books I really enjoy are "The Fast Track Detox Diet", "The Raw Food Detox Diet", "Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine" and "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy". Find the type of eating that works best for you and read a lot about it. Let your health be your motivation and the weight will fall off.

The Addictiveness of Processed Food

2009-04-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

I have often awoke in the morning feeling physically horrible after a night of having "fun" by drinking wine and eating french bread, processed carbs, cheese and desserts. I am tired, bloated, and unable to function at my peak. I have so often thought of not eating these types of foods and really limiting my wine intake in order to feel better. But then, I struggle with the fact that I want to live a life of moderation and not extremism. I tend to think back to biblical times and what they ate in order to keep myself in check with my own eating. They feasted at appropriate times, they fasted at appropriate times and they ate their daily fare well, daily. What did feasting look like back then? Was the food actually harmful to their health or were they celebrating the bounty that God had given them in it's natural form? It had to be the latter because they did not have foods that were processed and refined and irradiated and treated with formaldehyde, pesticides, and other toxic, disease causing chemicals. Feasts were not held daily either.

When I eat food in its natural form and that is what makes me thrive. When I put processed foods in my body they act like poison and make me miserable. It's that simple. I believe that the tastes that God gave to food and spices are sufficient most of the time and that everything does not need to taste like it is the most amazing thing I ever ate. Sometimes my kids don't absolutely LOVE the taste of something. I often tell them that eating is about nourishing our bodies, it is not always about gratifying our flesh. This is where I imagine that I differ from many people. When I eat only to gratify my flesh, eating only what I LIKE, then I feel that I become addicted to those kinds of foods. This is absolutely unhealthy. I have given this a lot of thought lately. Why is it so difficult for people to give up sugar and white flour and refined, processed, harmful foods? Why do people ingest things that are harmful to themselves, that are disease causing? Why do we, as a society refuse to believe that what we put into our bodies is affecting our health? Why is it easier to believe that putting the wrong oil in our cars is bad for our cars? Well, I guess it's because our cars will break down faster than our bodies will.

In the last few months I have tried to do the "moderation" thing meaning that I have allowed myself to eat more refined foods than I normally would. I think partly I don't always want to be the "different" one. So, guess what happened? I found myself depressed, always thinking about the next yummy thing I want to eat but shouldn't. I have been exhausted, unable to wake up early to get to the gym, I gained 5 pounds, my back has been killing me, etc..... This has lead me to really try to figure out what is going on. What I have found is that food, refined, processed foods that have been stripped of essential nutrients and have had synthetic additives put into them are addicting. Stop and ask yourself. Can you stop eating those things right now? Ask yourself if you knowingly ingest things on a regular basis that are not good for your health. Have you tried to give these things up and go on a diet? Were you successful? Do these foods give you energy and vitality or do they make you gain weight and risk your health?

Are the foods you eat regularly known to cause heart disease and cancer? If you know that what you eat causes weight gain and being overweight can lead to disease and death, should you continue to eat these things? Do you sneak food or eat things that you committed not to eat? Is a few moments of pleasure more important to you than your health and your life? Do processed and refined foods have a hold on you? It's important to ask ourselves these questions. Maybe you just enjoy processed foods and don't overeat them. I cannot do that. For me, moderation of things that are harmful to my health does not really work. Maybe if it's only every very little once in a while, but moderation on a regular basis absolutely messes me up completely.

Our culture has made it so normal to eat these damaging foods that obesity is now one of the top health concerns in our country. People can't lose weight. It is just so sad. Once we understand that those foods are actually addictive, then we can begin to move on and realize that it is not so much our lack of self control, it is much more a lack of knowledge. We are living on food that has little to no nutritional value and then after we eat, we are hungry because our bodies are trying to ask us for nutrients that we are not ever going to get from a compormised diet. Our bodies are crying out for nutrition which is disguised as hunger. We end up craving more of the bad food and so the viscous cycle goes. It is a lack of nutrition much more than it is a lack of self control in my opinion.

One way to combat these unhealthy cravings is to eat nutrient dense foods. The most nutrition filled foods are those that are deep green or sprouted. These are the biggest cancer fighters! One of the easiest ways to add a lot of these nutrients to our bodies is by drinking green smoothies. My favorite green smoothie is a mixture of organic blueberries, strawberries and greens such as kale, spinach, baby lettuce mix, or romaine lettuce and water. I add "Power Organics" Klamath Power 3 which is a mixture of blue green algae, spirulina and chlorella. Nothing will help remove cravings more than deep greens. I buy mine through www.rawvegansource.com I also add a tablespoon of raw, organic sprouted chia seed powder and a scoop of brown rice protein powder. That is my breakfast right now. You can change up the green smoothie and there are all sorts of recipes out there. 'Green for Life' is a book specifically about green smoothies.

Constantly feeling guilty about what we eat is unhealthy. Instead we must become proactive about dealing with the addictiveness of processed foods. Food addictions are commonplace today and it's no wonder. I was watching basketball the other day and I was AMAZED at the constant bombarding of commercials about unhealthy foods. It practically makes you not be able to withstand the temptation. They throw it at us just like they do sex, violence, etc... We have to wake up to this type of brainwashing. If you are realizing that food has a hold on you, do not feel like an alien from another planet. It is commonplace now.

My next blog entry will be about ways to combat these addictions with a good diet. I will give you tips on how to change your lifestyle to one of health and wellness.

Raw, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe

2009-03-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have learned how to make a super healthy treat called "raw" ice cream. The "raw" way of eating is becoming more and more popular though many people have not heard of it. I do not eat a 100% raw diet, but I do recommend adding lots of raw foods into your diet. Raw foods are foods that basically have not been heated above 118 degrees and have not been processed. This does not include meat. Raw foodists have diets made up mostly of fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, and sprouted grains. There is a myriad of possibilities when you combine all of these to make deliciously nutritious foods. When you heat food above 118 degrees, the enzymes and many nutrients are destroyed. The idea is to eat food in it's natural form.

I have been experimenting with many yummy raw treats for my family and I have learned to make ice cream with no dairy or sugar, all raw and very outstanding. Check out this video to see how it's done!

Raw Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Part 1
Raw Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Part 2

This video is a little longer than some of my others b/c I have included a lot of simple health advice along with the recipe. Enjoy!

This ice cream has raw chocolate brownie chunks in it... recipe to come soon!

Environmental Toxins That You Should Avoid

2009-03-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

Everyday we are unnecessarily exposing ourselves to toxins that are avoidable. Usually people are just unaware that these toxins cause disease. Following is a list of toxins to avoid according to David Servan-Schreiber, MD, author of the book Anti-Caner: A New Way of Life:

Traditional methods of dry-cleaning which leave a residue on the garments. The toxic residue is called perchloroethylene/terachloroethylene. Air out your garments for at least 24 hours before bringing them inside. Remember to remove the plastic before airing them out.

Ingredients in cosmetics, shampoos, lotions, etc... to avoid are parabens or phthalates. The specific names for some of these are BBP and DEHP and methylparaben, polyparaben, isoparaben, butylparaben.

For a complete list of suspect pesticides to avoid visit www.panna.org

Do not heat plastics containing PVCs as these are transfered into food when the food is heated in plastic. Heat food in glass or ceramic containers or better yet, in stainless pots on the stove and not in the microwave!

Use stainless steel pans instead of tephlon b/c the tephlon becomes scratched and toxic.

Ingredients in cleaning supplies to avoid are alkylphenols, nonoxynol, octoxynol, nonylphenol, octylphenol, etc..

Visit your local health food store for great alternative products that do not contain these harmful ingredients.

Wrinkle Remover

2009-02-25T09:31:00.000-08:00

Have you tried a zillion different creams that have claimed to remove your wrinkles? Let's face it, we all want to look younger, but is there really a safe and effective wrinkle remover on the market? Many people turn to unhealthy and downright harmful sources like botox and face-lifts in order to remove wrinkles and look younger. My neighbor who is a nutritionist from Bastyr University introduced me to a new, safe wrinkle remover that I would like to share with you. Click here to see what the media is saying about it and to watch the science behind it! If you are interested in trying this out, you can e-mail me at wrinkleremover@nsedreams.com for a complimentary treatment or to order your wrinkle removal "miracle machine"!!

Meet my friend Diana. Diana used this product for 90 days in the clinical trial.

Cover up one side of her face, now the other. Can you see the amazing difference? I know this woman and I have seen what these wrinkle removal products have accomplished on her face in a short time and an affordable way!! It is truly amazing!

You can also tighten loose skin with this product very effectively.

And... many people have been searching for a safe way to reduce cellulite. Look at this.

For more information on how you can look younger and remove your wrinkles, loose skin and cellulite, visit my anti-aging website.

Raw Kale Chips Recipe Demonstration

2009-02-25T09:08:00.000-08:00

It's finally here! My new cooking show domonstrations have begun. After having had many people ask to come and have raw food preparation lessons in my home, I decided to begin filming my demonstrations so that many people can learn how easy it is to make healthy, yummy and easy living foods at home!!!

Click here too view

Get Healthy Boot Camp

2009-02-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for some extra guidance on your journey towards health? Well, here is the answer you have been looking for. It's the "Get Healthy Boot Camp" with Dr. Donato. He is the man that coached Clent Mannich, the once 400lb. diabetic, back to health. Clent now weighs 170 lb. and no longer has any symptoms of diabetes.

Course Description:

This intensive 12-hr live webinar uses advanced cyber technology so that it simulates a regular class room lecture with instructor's PowerPoint slides viewed from each registrant's personal computer screen. A live discussion and question and answer session is also part of the webinar experience. Whether using a telephone or headset to listen and talk to the speaker while viewing the slide presentation on the computer screen, this advanced technology allows anyone around the world to take this course without leaving the home or office.

The Get Healthy Web Camp is patterned after Dolphin's flagship Get Healthy Boot Camp.

Topics covered in this webinar include:

1. Raw food nutrition

2. Calcium/Protein Paradigm

3. Detoxification/Cleansing

4. Acid/Alkaline pH Balance

5. Dolphin's Phase 1-3 Exercise Program

6. Lifestyle education including water, sunshine, fresh air, stress, rest, emotions and spiritual foundations.

The Web Camp will include course notes, assignments for food preps and practical applications. Health screens (done at home or at a health professional's clinic) for the pre-web camp and post-web camp data is kept by registrant for personal record keeping. Dolphin will not keep registrant web camp data.

Health screens should include the following data: weight, height, fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), abdominal girth (level of navel). Before and after photos are highly recommended but not required.

For individuals under medical care or prescription medications, please get clearance from your primary care physician before registering for the course.

Recommended Reading (not included in the registration fee):

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, PhD
Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD
God's Way to Ultimate Health by George Malkmus
Recipes for Life by Rhonda Malkmus
Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko
12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko
Healing Cancer from Inside Out DVD by Mike Anderson
Dolphin Health & Education will not be held responsible for any unfavorable outcomes from this web camp.

This course has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. You are fully responsible and are taking the course at your own risk.

A signed waiver is required at registration time.

For more information, contact info@dolphindoctor.org or call the office at 541-857-2678.

To register go to www.dolphindoctor.org

The Green Smoothie Revolution!

2009-01-30T10:11:00.000-08:00

I want to share with you a major health secret. Greens are the most important, nutrient dense food you can eat. Green smoothies were developed by raw food pioneer, chef, author and educator Victoria Boutenko. It was her solution to the problem of not getting enough greens into her diet. Green smoothies are very simple to make and the healthiest thing you can eat. I am including an excerpt from her latest newsletter below about a man who has lost 220 lbs. in one year on green smoothies. He had been given 2 to 4 years to live because he was 400 lbs. and diabetic with high blood pressure. He no longer takes medications and has no symptoms of diabetes anymore. Here is his amazing story.

"Clent has lost 220 pounds to date, became free of diabetes symptoms, returned to normal blood pressure, naturally shrunk the hanging skin without surgery, and climbed to the top of Mount Whitney – the tallest mountain in the U.S. at 14,497 feet - all in only 51 weeks!

Clent’s success is largely due to the consumption of Green Smoothies on a daily basis. Green Smoothies are prepared in minutes by blending 60% fruit (such as apples, bananas and mangoes), 40% green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, romaine lettuce, etc…) and water. Clent’s magical transformation naturally attracted attention from his fellow employees and customers alike. (Read Clent's six month update) After being interviewed, Clent now receives hundreds of emails and phone calls a day asking him how he did it." Read Clent's 51 week update http://www.greensmoothierevolution.com/update.htm

Read some of the most Frequetly Asked Questions Clent has Received
http://www.greensmoothierevolution.com/clent_faq.htm

Here is a link to Sergei Boutenko, Victoria's son, demonstrating how to make a green smoothie. Scroll down the page a little and you will see the u-tube video window. Just click on the arrow on the screen.
http://www.rawfamily.com/products.htm

You can also Google "green smoothies" for recipe ideas. Read Victoria's book Green For Life if you really want the full benefits of green smoothies.

My husband is going on a green smoothie diet after the Super Bowl. Comment below if you would like to join him. We do not have a blender yet, so as soon as we get that worked out, we are going start. More to come on that!

Read my latest article on the health benefits of green smoothies here

http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/24795.aspx

Maria's Sprouted Wheat Salad Recipe

2009-01-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

3 c. sprouted red winter wheat
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/4 c. chopped parsley
3/8 tsp. dry mustard2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. raw apple cider vinegar
1/8 c. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
½ tsp. agave nectar
½ red bell pepper, chopped1/2 c. olive oil

Mix all ingredients together and let stand for 1 hour before serving. Serve as a side dish with dinner or on top of a green salad for a nutrition packed lunch. For instructions on growing your own sprouts, visit my article "How To Grow Sprouts and Why You Should Eat Them" at

http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/14262.aspx

Eating a Healthy Diet on a Tight Budget

2009-01-29T10:24:00.000-08:00

There is one question I am asked very often. "Isn't it expensive to eat healthy?" Well, for many reasons, I believe it is expensive to eat unhealthy. Think of how much it costs to go to the doctor, to buy medications, to have no energy. My energy is abounding these days! I can go on so much less sleep than I used to. My family never has to go to a doctor or take any medications. I have also learned a few tricks for healthy eating on a tight budget. I will share all of these tips with you in my new article "Feeding Your Family Organic Food on a Budget."

http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/24125.aspx

Glory for Girls

2008-12-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

My good friend, Brittany Clotfelter launched Glory for Girls this fall. It is a great product as it is all natural and very hip. Introduce your tweens and teens to it for healthy skin and lots of fun. Use the above coupon for 20% off your purchase. Go to http://www.gloryforgirls.com/ and use the code BFF to receive your discount.

Emotional Eating

2008-12-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

Is it really dieting that is difficult or is it maybe that you are eating out of emotional needs that are not being addressed? I used to think I ate out of boredom and I do think I did sometimes. But then, my pastor started working on helping me to overcome bitterness and lack of forgiveness. This has been hard work. It is difficult to come to the realization that I really do hold onto bitterness and I really do have a hard time forgiving people. We can be bitter with our spouses, our parents, with life itself, with God. Life is not easy. We have so many things to work through and many times, instead of working through them, we eat or drink or do drugs or whatever we can do to help ourselves avoid dealing with our real issues. Once I realized that I was avoiding the hard work of forgiving and seeking forgiveness and instead holding onto things and acting as an addictive person instead of one who deals with her "things", I had an unexpected side effect. Firts of all, a huge weight has been lifted from me. Second of all, those things that I wish not to eat have ceased calling my name at all hours of the day. I don't have this anxiousness about me that I have carried with me forever, I presume. I am a happier person. I can see that when I give in to the temptation to eat things I know I ought not to eat or to drink more wine than I should instead of dealing with things that need to be dealt with, I become stronger. I do not wish to continue in the viscious cycle of having those things call my name, saying no, then giving in and then being mad at myself. Instead, I sit and think, am I hungry and if so, how can I best nourish myself. If I am not hungry...then why do I want to eat? What do I want to keep hidden down inside of me? Am I mad at myself, am I mad at my husband. Have I been forgiven, have a sought forgiveness, am I bitter? When we give in to the viscuous cycle, we make ourselves weaker and more vulnerable each time. It is just the same as letting in a little sin. Then we become desensitized to the little sin and we let a little more in until it is full blown, out of control sin. Little by little it takes a big toll on ourselves and those around us. I have been working really hard in this area of having an addictive personality. I have realized that when I am giving in to the temptations that damage me, I have nothing to give to anyone else. Now that I am dealing with my issues when they arise, my focus goes from being inward to being outward. I have much more concern for the needs of those around me instead of having a preocupation with how I am going to fullfill my immedeate needs of covering up those emotional hurts. I have so much more energy. Maybe before I was afraid to feel good. There are many reasons a person may be afraid to feel well. A good question to ask yourself is, "What you are gaining from your constant ailments and "inability" to lose weight." Start thinking about what you CAN eat to be healthy and not so much what you can't eat. Eating healthy gives you youthfulness, vitality, energy, inner strength, happiness, etc... It is amazing what self control can do for a person. It is also amazing what can happen to you if you begin to deal with your emotions that you have been stuffing for years. We all have them. Stop trying to lose weight and start trying to be a healthy person. The weight will fall off. I have never been able to stick to a diet to save my life, but when I focus on being a healthy person in all areas... physically, emotionally, and spiritually, weight is a non issue. I am not at all saying that all non skinny people are emotional eaters, but if you have the viscious cycle thing going on, you may want to look at why you eat more than you want to be eating. If you are always on a diet, that is a good sign that there are some deeper things you may want to look at. Sometimes it is necessary to get help in this area. Our pastor has been an amazing help to my husband and me. A good friend may be able to help or even a counselor. It's amazing what can happen when you become honest with others and yourself.

Giving Advice

2008-12-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

We have had a trying last 3 years, very trying, and b/c of that we have received a lot of advice, some solicited and some not. I have learned a lot about giving advice through receiving advice and thought I'd share some of what I've learned. Many times when a person tells you about their situation, they are not looking for you to solve their problem. They are much more looking for a listening ear and most likely some empathy. In our latest trial, one person, namely my sister-in-law, Lisa, listened to me at one of my worst points during that trial and simply said sincerely, "I'm so sorry you are going through all of this, I had no idea." It had such a profound impact on me. Empathy goes a long way when you are struggling. It taught me a lot b/c many times when I have a friend who is hurting I might turn the conversation to myself and how I have somehow endured much of the same trials. That is not what a person needs to hear in the moment of discouragement.

Another good friend of mine, Crystal, had a great way of helping me to decide whether or not to take on a new business. I am currently looking into becoming a rep for CAbi, a clothing line that has a very personal approach and awesome clothing. This opportunity really excites me and what I have found is that most well meaning people tell me I should or should not do this. I know they are just trying to help and I do value their opinions immensely which is why I ask their opinion:) My freind Crystal had a different approach that was so helpful to me. She simply asked me some questions. For example, "What does Tobin think about you starting this business?" "Do you have friends that would do shows for you?" "Is the money you have to put into it something that you could lose if it didn't work out?" She even offered her support in saying she'd host a show for me. She asked if I had thought about waiting a little longer to make the decision. She did not ever say, yes you should do this or no, definitely don't do it. Her approach is the one that has really made me weigh the pros and cons and has been very effective in helping ME decide if this is right for me and my family. In turn it has taught me a ton about giving a friend advice:)

Top Fruits and Veggies to ALWAYS Buy Organic

2008-12-01T13:26:00.000-08:00

These are the top fruits that are the most heavily sprayed with pesticides...strawberries, cherries, apples, Mexican cantaloupe, apricots, blackberries, pears, nectarines, raspberries, artichokes, grapes and fresh peaches. You should only purchase these when you can buy organic. The non organic vegetables to stay away from are spinach, hot and sweet peppers, cucumbers, squash, lettuce, green beans, celery and potatoes. Blueberries, chard and bananas are better choices when you cannot buy organic.

The vegetables that are less toxic from pesticides are: eggplant, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, cabbage, onions, radishes and avocados. Of course, organic is always better as there are many studies proving that they have much higher nutrient levels as well as being less toxic.

Some more fruits that are safer when non organic are oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, pineapple, melons, watermelons, papaya, mangoes, kiwi and plums.

Trying to Stay Healthy for the Holidays?

2008-11-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

So many extra to-do's this month. So many extra germs flying around. Looking for ways to keep yourself healthy so you can enjoy getting ready for Christmas? There are definitely some things you can do to ward off all of the bacteria and viruses that are lurking around every corner just waiting to make you sick. Click the link below to to read my newest (short) article series on boosting your immune system, immune building foods, exercise, juice fasting and immune building supplements. Find out some simple changes you can make to give your body that extra edge it needs to combat the sicknesses of the season.
http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/17203.aspx

Body Fat/Bone Density Testing

2008-11-19T16:35:00.001-08:00

In case you have ever been interested in knowing what percentage of fat you have on your body or would like to have your bone density tested, I have a great resource for you. You can go to http://www.bodyfattest.com/ or http://www.bonehealthtest.com/ . You can find out where Brian, the owner of the fat/bone density testing "mobile", is going to be on a given day and you can go get tested. He uses hydrostatic testing which is the MOST accurate way to be tested. This is a very good thing to do because it will tell you if your fat percentage is putting you at risk. He also consults on ways to change your percentage. He does bone density testing as well which is a helpful thing to track over time. I also have some great bone increasing information if you are interested. Contact me for the information at ilucia@verizon.net

Is There Really a Fountain of Youth?

2008-11-14T13:44:00.000-08:00

The thought of being able to go down to the nearest hot spring, jump in and become young and healthy is obviously far fetched, but if I told you that there is a change you could make in your diet that really would keep you younger longer and also help you fight off cancer, would you do it? Well, there is!!!

Enter, enzymes. Studies show that adding enzymes to the diet will ward off cancer and keep you younger longer. Find out what foods contain enzymes and start adding them to your diet. See what happens. You have nothing to lose!!

Follow this link to read the full article and learn what research has found.

http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/15097.aspx

Just to tempt your palate a bit, the above photos are recent pictures I took of a couple of enzyme rich, raw meals I have made and thoroughly enjoyed:)

Diabetes: Is There Really A Cure?

2008-11-14T13:23:00.000-08:00

I have been amazed over the years to meet many, many people who really do not feel that what they eat makes a difference in their health. Does what you put in your car make a difference in how it runs? Is your own body not extraordinarily more complicated than your car? Of course it is!

You may have heard about people eating a raw food diet. I just came across a trailer for a new documentary film that just came out. It is called "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days". If you are a person that does not believe that what you put in your body affects your health, you may want to view this film. Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD and some of his colleagues found a good amount of people suffering with Type II Diabetes and put them on raw food for 30 days. They did not eat meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol or caffeine. They ate nothing cooked or processed. Every one of them was off of their medication in two weeks. Every one of them!!!! They could not understand why their doctors did not know about this. Hmmmm, I wonder if it could have anything to do with those drug companies that would not profit from people going off of their medications!

Not only did they cure their diabetes, but they felt better, lost weight and were happier.

Here is the link: http://www.rawfor30days.com/ReversingDiabetes2.html

Sprouts

2008-11-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the hype about the research that has been done on broccoli sprouts? Are you wondering whether you should add sprouts to your diet? Are they really the nutritional powerhouses they are cracked up to be? Sprouts really can add a large amount of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, complete proteins and cancer fighting substances to your diet.
Read my newest article about sprouts, why you should eat them and how to grow them yourself.
http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/14262.aspx

The Cory Holly Institute

2008-10-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

Cory and Tracy Holly are two people that I am incredibly fond of!! They work with Dr. Michael Colgan of the Colgan Institute in Canada and are mentors for me in that I subscribe to their Sports Nutrition Update and listen to their health teachings often.

http://www.coryholly.com/about/index.cfm

The Cory Holly Institute (CHI) is the premiere online Sports Nutrition Education Center. CHI publishes and distributes distance learning sports nutrition certification programs worldwide including courses, consultation, seminars, trade shows, audio, text and video education.

They have a new line of premiere nutritional products. The new product line (Cory Holly Signature Series) is manufactured and distributed from within the US (Alabama). It is available to anyone anywhere in the world.

From the homepage of www.CoryHolly.com the link "Supplements" will take you to the following link with all the product details and order info.

www.claytonnaturals.com

Clayton Naturals is a division of Clayton College. This is the institute that Cory was trained by and that I hope to someday be trained by as well.

Cory also does health consultations that I would highly recommend you do yourself as well as for your family. It will take all the guesswork out of your health concerns and challenges.

Personal Consultation
On a one to one basis, Cory can determine your functional health status, athletic condition, ideal body composition and predetermined genetic disposition.Talk to Cory about your health or athletic performance concerns and he will help you organize your diet, supplement and training regime so you can achieve your goals.Please email the Institute to book a personal telephone consultation. Rate is $150.00 USD per hour - one hour minimum. Payment in advance required. Special Rate: Five hours/ $500.00 USD

Resources You Want to Know About!

2008-10-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

There are a few resources that I have found to be incredibly useful that I thought I'd share with you. Two are newsletters that I subscribe to and one is the American College For Advancement In Medicine http://www.acam.com/ . Below is the description from their website about who they are and how you can find a doctor in your area that is a member.

"The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to educating physicians and other health care professionals on the latest findings and emerging procedures in complementary, alternative and integrative (CAIM) medicine. ACAM is the voice of integrative medicine; our goals are to improve physician skills, knowledge and diagnostic procedures as they relate to complementary and alternative medicine; to support integrative medicine research; and to develop awareness of alternative methods of medical treatment. ACAM enables members of the public to connect with physicians who take an integrative approach to patient care and empowers people with information about integrative medicine treatment options. Celebrating more than a quarter century of service, ACAM represents more than 1,000 physicians in 30 countries. ACAM is the largest and oldest organization of its kind in the world dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of the integrative medicine industry. "

The next resources are e-newsletters that are jam packed with amazing, helpful, well researched and scientifically factual information that you will want to know about.

http://www.wrightnewsletter.com/

Below is the description of Dr. Wright from his homepage. He practices right here in Renton, WA.
"Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has degrees from both Harvard University (cum laude) and the University of Michigan. More than any other doctor, he practically invented the modern science of applied nutritional biochemistry and he has advanced nutritional medicine for nearly three decades. Thousands of doctors respect Dr. Wright as the author of the best-selling Book of Nutritional Therapy and Guide to Healing with Nutrition, as well as other classics in the field. "

http://www.colganinstitute.com/pages/newsletter.html

Here is what the Colgan Institute has to say about Dr. Colgan:

"Dr. Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN, is one of the world's most popular scientific experts in nutrition. He is a best selling author and travels the world lecturing on anti-aging, sports nutrition and hormonal health."

I use Dr. Colgan's Power Program for my strength training. It is a very comprehensive program that not only gets in great shape, but it strengthens every area of your body and teaches how to properly stretch as well. I have never felt stronger. You can check out my bookshelf for information on his Power Program book.

Treating a Cold and the Flu Naturally

2008-09-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Here we are again, in the middle of cold and flu season. Do you want to know how to treat these pesky viruses naturally? If you are like me, you do not want to just suppress the symptoms that these sometimes debilitating viruses give you, but you want to avoid getting the cold in the first place or if you already have it, you want to get over it as fast as possible. I have written two articles about what I do at the first sign of sickness in my family at http://www.brighthub.com/. I am now the Managing Editor of the Alternative Medicine Channel on that site!!! Thank you to my friend Paul Pardi for recommending me for the position!!! If my articles are helpful to you, please tell your friends about them because the more people that view them, the more money I make!!!:)

I wrote one article on The Top Ten Natural Cures for the Common Cold and Flu. You can view it at http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/8525.aspx

I wrote another one on Holistic Remedies for Cough and Sinus Problems which you can view at http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/8516.aspx

I hope this information is helpful to you. I have already had a chance to try my theories out this year and they have worked perfectly both times I needed them!! I have perfected this medicine cabinet over the last 15 years and these are the products that really do work!!!

Also, if you have any quesitons about the products I mention or where to purchase them, comment below at the end of this article and I will answer your questions. I'd love to hear from you even if you don't have any questions.!!!

An Answer to Cancer

2008-08-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you know about an interesting article that my sister pointed me to. It is in the Costco Connection Magazine this month. It is called, "An Answer to Cancer." It is written by a neuro psychiatrist who has fought cancer twice. He talks about how we are all born with cancer cells and that it is our job to make sure those cells do not become cancerous tumors. He says our bodies have a natural capacity to protect against cancer. He says it is possible to keep the cancer cells from becoming life threatening tumors with some simple changes. I wholeheartedly agree with all of these statements. It is simple to be healthy, but may not seem easy to make the necessary changes. One question I am asked a lot is, "Isn't it expensive to eat healthy?" Well, let me ask you this, would you rather spend the money now to stay healthy or would you like to get a disease and pay the medical expenses and experience the disabilities of the disease? In my opinion, you WILL pay one way or another. I am a big believer in having a garden, which will really cut down on costs.
Here is the link to the article...
http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/200809/?u1=texterity
You have to click on "contents" at the top of the page and the article is called "Anti-Cancer" on page 37.
Thank you, Gina, for telling me about it!!

Go Easy on Yourself

2008-08-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

It has been said that eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. I believe that to be true. I think that is why we all struggle with eating well, because eating not so well is just so much fun!! One thing I have struggled with and I hear so many people struggle with is being mad at myself when I "pig out" or just go a week of eating a lot of junk. I have really had to work on not beating myself up over my lack of discipline. I thought I would share some of what I have learned.

According to Steven R. Covey in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, "Good families, even great families, are off track 90% of the time! The key is that they have a sense of destination. They know what the "track" looks like. And they keep coming back to it time and time again."

He says that when a plane is flying, they have a flight plan, but due to bad weather, turbulence, etc... the plane is not even on the prescribed flight path most of the time!! The key is that the pilot knows exactly where he is going, and in the end, he arrives at the proper destination.

It was so freeing for me to hear that it is NORMAL to be off track and trying to get back on track 90% of the time. I thought it was just me that was not 100% organized, disciplined, nice, etc... on a regular basis! Once I found out I was normal:) I was so much more free to mess up and then say, OK, so what, I messed up or I cheated or I just simply had a little more fun than I would like to have had. I'm normal (whatever that means), now I am going to get back on track. At that point I usually have to force myself to go to the gym and eat really well for 1 or 2 days and then I experience the postive impact of feeling so good that I am right back on that track to health.

I also have taught myself to step on the scale after a big weekend or week of not eating as well as I'd like so that I have some feedback about what the "damages" were. I used to just get mad and eat more because I had already ruined it anyway. I learned the "feedback technique" from an e-book called, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. It was brilliant. Messing up just gives you feedback and then you are free to decide if you want more of the same feedback or not and you can make any necessary adjustments as needed. A big part of eating healthy for me is that it makes such an enormous difference in my overall feeling of well being. I actually need more sleep when I don't eat well. I am less motivated. It can make me moody and those things all affect not just me, but my entire family. I think if you are only eating healthy to lose weight or look good, it is a lot more difficult to stay on track. Sheer will power usually fails. There really needs to be a greater motivation than weight loss, unless you are really motivated by that.

Set goals. Set weekly goals and monthly goals and a long term goal and tell yourself, when you fail the first time to achieve that goal, "OK, this is feedback." How can I change some things to do better next time? Don't beat yourself up. It only makes the attaining of a goal that much more difficult!! You cannot change the past, you can only make changes to make the future better.

21 Day Challenge

2008-08-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

Would you like to join in the 21 day challenge? If so, comment below to join and I will add you to my list. I am thinking of beginning Monday, August 25 or Monday, September 8th. It will be a challenge to give up what tempts you and holds you back the most from experiencing health and wellness. For me, that means, coffee, sugar and wine. Those are my three downfalls and I would love to know what might happen if I gave them up for 21 days. I have heard that it takes three weeks to form a habit, so I am hoping to form a habit away from those three things so that I can have an easier time with moderation of them at the end of 21 days. I also want to know what the discipline of doing that will do to me mentally. I am going to add daily chlorophyll, enzymes and sprouts as well as a fresh juice daily to my regimen and just see what happens. Let me know if you would like to join me.

Keeping it Simple, the KISS principle

2008-08-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid. We like to complicatet things sometimes, but eating well and taking care of ourselves does not have to be so difficult. So, all you busy people who want to eat healthy and be wellthy, but don't have a lot of time or don't want to put a lot of time into it...how can you eat healthy? Here is my simple plan for eating well. I start my day with a workout. You can check out the book called The New Power Program to see what I do. I stick to the first cycle so far b/c it is only 4 days a week for an hour plus some stretching. You can move to different cycles and take time off too during the year. I kind of customized to fit my life. I also do about 40 minutes of some sort of cardio about 5 times a week. I like to power walk after dinner if I can fit it in. I really try not to ever feel bad when I miss a work out or can't fit in everything. I am a mom and wife first and the exercising is a big priority, but especially in the summer, I just have to do my best.

Anyway, after I wake up I usually eat a few soaked nuts (soaked in pure water overnight, explaination to come later) and some prunes or a few bites of yogurt. Then I work out for about 2 hours, very early:) , drinking A LOT of pure water and then I come home and have a good strong cup of coffee and a protein smoothie. See my daily smoothie recipe in previous blog. A couple hours later I eat a piece of sprouted grain toast such as Ezekiel 4:9 brand from Trader Joe's with some raw almond butter and a bit of fruit only jelly. You could also do a hard boiled egg with some fresh sliced veggies or toast with half an avocado and some tomato and sprouts with a little sea salt and pepper or some hot sauce on it. Then about 2 or 3 hours later I may have a peice of fruit and some soaked nuts, a salad with 4 oz. of lean protein or even another protein shake or just some protein powder in rice milk or nut milk which is made of 1 cup soaked nuts, 2 cups water and some pure maple syrup, blended very well in blender and run through a cheese cloth to remove the pulp from the nuts. For dinner I will have steamed veggies or a salad with 4 oz. of lean protein and possibly a couple glasses of wine, followed by a power walk if I feel like it. Another favorite snack of mine is some hummus with sliced veggies. I make some sprouted crackers in my dehydrator that are a great snack as well. I try to have things I can grab or make easily. I usually make a HUGE salad for lunch or dinner and do not put dressing on it and then I can save it and use it for lunches the next day, dinner etc.. and I don't have to spend so much time chopping veggies for every meal. My normal eating is really that simple. I do like a couple squares of sugar free dark, dark chocolate in the afternoon too. I get it at Trader Joe's. It's the low carb one, but I am not sure of the brand. It is sweetened with Maltotol.

If I gain 5 pounds because I have been doing a lot of "fun" eating, I do a fast. That way I can have fun when I want and know that I can get rid of unwanted toxins and weight very easily and quickly and make my body very happy and able to keep doing it's job of regeneration.

Too Busy to Eat Healthy?

2008-08-12T09:11:00.001-07:00

If you answered "yes" to this question, maybe the better question is...Are you just too busy? The Pew Research Center did a survey about junk food and why people eat it and 73% of the respondents said that it is because of convenience. 44% said it's because it's yummy and 37% said it's because of heavy advertising. 24% say it's a matter of affordability and 14% say it's because of ignorance on eating healthy. I was surprised that only 14% answered that it was because they simply did not know how to eat healthy.

I think a lot of people would eat healthier if they realized what junk food was doing to their body. Look around you at how many people you know that have cancer, stroke, heart disease. It does not have to be this way. We cannot prevent everything, but we can sure make a big difference if we take care of ourselves. Think of how much more complex we are than a car, and if you put the wrong stuff in a car, it will not run. Why do we take better care of our cars than we do our bodies?

It is an obligation of parents to instill healthy eating habits into their children, but that is difficult if you were not raised that way and do not really know how to do it. It does take a lot of effort to sort through all of those books and figure out what healthy eating really means. I like the KISS principle...Keep It Simple Stupid!!! If eating healthy means living in the kitchen, then most people will not be able to do it. It is my goal to make this a simple thing. It may not be easy, but it is pretty simple to eat foods in the form that God gave them to us. When you eat, stop and think...is this God made or man made? Chances are that if it is man made, comes in a box, can or bag, it is not the best choice. It may not be easy to stop eating processed foods and refined sugar, but it is simple!!

Once you start putting a lot of sprouted and green food into your body, you will not crave the other things as much. I never make my kids finish all of their food on their plate because I want them to realize when they are full. What I DO make them finish is anything green or grown in the ground on their plate because I think the broccoli, the lettuce, the sprouts, the salad veggies, etc... are very important to their health. I often talk to them about having self control about what they put into their bodies because our bodies can only get rid of so much junk. Once that junk begins to pile up inside of us, disease WILL take over in one form or another.

As far as affordability, it does not cost a whole lot to plant some fresh lettuces and vegetables and sprouting things is very simple and economical, so these are two ways to keep healthy eating costs to a minimum. Also, CSA (community supported agriculture) is a way to support local farms and eat organically grown fruits, veggies and meats at a much lower cost. http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Azure Standard is another great resource for whole foods at a discount www.azurestandard.com/ as well as Trader Joe's.

Another thought is that if you eat less, you will save on your food bill. The more nutritious your food, the less of it you will need. You will save at the doctor as well!!

Again, if you answered "yes" to being too busy to eat healthy, maybe you are just too busy in general and can simplify in other areas of your life in order to have the time to feed yourself and your family healthfully.

Soak Your Nuts!!!

2008-08-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

Do you love to eat nuts as much as I do? Maybe you have heard that they are good for you. Yes, they are fattening, so too many nuts is not necessarily good. They also contain protein, but in order to access the protein you actually need to soak the nuts. This only works with raw nuts. I do not recommend eating roasted nuts for health. I like to put a handful or two of nuts in purified water overnight and then I have soaked nuts for the next day. You can soak more and just pour off the soaking water and rinse them and then add more water and refrigerate them for up to three days. I like to put these on my salad for lunch instead of meat. I make a yummy viniagrette from olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar and sea salt and pepper. I use half an avocado, and some sprouts and you can't get much healthier than for lunch.

Anyway, back to why you need to soak your nuts for maximum nutrition...seeds, beans, grains and nuts contain something called enzyme inhibitors. Enzyme inhibitors block the body's absorption of the enzymes/proteins. The purpose of these inhibitors is to prevent premature germination. When you plant a seed, it needs water to germinate. Once the seed germinates, all of the nutrients in the seed become available for the plant that begins to grow. It is the same with nuts and seeds that we eat, the nutrients are not actually available to the body unless the nuts and seeds have begun to germinate. Enzymes are one of the most important foods for us to eat. I will do a blog entry on them a little later. For now, soak your nuts! Make sure you use good water, not tap water. If your water has chemicals such as chlorine, your nuts will become toxic!! Always pour your soaking water off the nuts and rinse them. I believe the enzyme inhibitors are in the soaking water, anyway, don't use the water!! I would avoid peanuts, but almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts are all great!

Daily Smoothie

2008-08-11T13:49:00.001-07:00

I like to start my day with a smoothie. It's a great way to get lots of low glycemic berries into your diet and a great way to feed those muscles. Here's what I put in mine...
1 cup of purified water
A few TBS. of cranberry juice (not concentrate, Trader Joe's makes 100% cranberry juice)
1 cup of berries, like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc...
1 TBS. ground flax seeds, cold milled, not toasted, just raw
1 TBS. lecithin granules
1 TBS. Nutritional Yeast
2 scoops KAL stevia
1 scoop Bioplex 100% Whey Protein Isolate, unsweetened
A big helping of spinach
6 Spirulina tablets (I just drink these, I don't put them in the smoothie)!!

Blend and enjoy!!

Eat More, Lose Weight! Your Metabolism

2008-08-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Your metabolism is made up of a complex network of enzymes and hormones that not only convert food into fuel but also affect how efficiently you burn that fuel. The work of the metablolism determines how quickly, or slowly, we burn our calories. The rate of metabolism varies from person to person.

The best analogy that I have heard about the metabolism is that it is like a burning fire inside of us. Our food fuels our metabolism and our metabolism converts food to fuel for our body. It is like a fire because when we give it food, like wood for a fire, it burns and when we do not give it food it's flame begins to die and it barely burns. In order to keep a fire going, we keep putting wood on the fire. In order to keep our metabolism going strong, we must feed ourselves often. Some people go without breakfast, then eat a little snack at some point and are "starving" by dinner and pig out and then eat dessert.

Well, because they have not kept the flame going, the fire is not burning effeciently and then a lot of calories are put into the body and they are not burned off very quickly. It's like putting wet wood on a barely burning fire. On the other hand, if you eat a small breakfast, say a whole fruit, non sugar smoothie with protein, then a small snack a couple of hours later, like a hard boiled egg with some fresh veggies, then a nice big green salad with fresh veggies and 4 oz. of lean protein, then a couple of hours later, you eat an apple and some raw nuts or seeds and then for dinner you eat a big helping of lightly steamed veggies and some lean protein, you have kept the fire burning all day and besides that, since you have put such good fuel into your body, you will be lean and full of energy. Imagine if you put lard into your car instead of oil and diesel instead of regular. How long would it be before your car told you you were using the wrong kind of fuel? Our bodies will take a much longer time to peter out, but eventually, if you do not put the right kinds of food in, and often enough, you willl suffer the consequences.

Some people really try to lose weight by eating less, but because by doing this they are slowing their rate of metabolism, it will not work. It is not just eating often that will do the trick either, it is eating the right kinds of foods often that make it all work properly.

Another thing to take into consideration is that the leaner you are and the higher your muscle mass, the higher your rate of metabolism will be. Just having muscle burns calories. So many people just do their cardio, which is very important, but that mostly burns calories just while you are doing it. If you build muscle, you burn while you lift weights and you burn all day long. So, doing both is so important. Two books I recommend to learn more about how to do this are The New Power Program, by Dr. Michael Colgan. I am using his approach and I have never felt stronger and been more toned in my life. I have only done his first cycle, of which there are three. The first cycle requires 4 days a week for one hour. He also teaches you how to stretch properly. Then I do 30 to 40 minutes on the elyptical, treadmill or I run outside or do some cycling. I really enjoy power walking as well, so I just do whatever I am in the mood for! Paul Chek has a great book called Eat, Move and Be Healthy. I have not read the whole thing, but Michael Colgan really likes his work, so I am trying to read that one now.

Oh, and one more thing...if you want to get very lean, add a 30 min. to 1 hour power walk in after dinner. I like to put the kids on their bikes and my 3 year old in the stroller and we all go out for some exercise and we get to spend time together that way. If you do two cardio sessions in a day, you will really increase your metabolism and get lean!! This is way too much for most moms, so one cardio session is what I mostly do and it works great.

Matthew 16:24-25

2008-08-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

"Then Jesus said to His Disciples, 'If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it."

Maybe we have been trying to "save" our life(s). I am not sure. It is becoming apparent, though, after 2 1/2 years of SERIOUS trials, that maybe we have been doing just that and now God is litterally yanking parts of our lives away. Some days I literally feel that pain of parts of me being yanked away. I cry, and I cry a lot because it hurts, it is scary and I am not totally sure I am ready. But then, as a storm comes in, it also goes out and the calm comes. The verse, "when I am weak, then I am strong" comes to life and it feels like I get scooped up in HIS arms after my days of deep despair and He gives me His strength and I get stronger. I see all the good that is happening to me. I feel the growing pains and then I see the growth. It's funny that being pruned, being made smaller, makes you bigger. Being cut down, results in the bountiful bearing of fruit. Sometimes a plant must be stripped down to nothing when the pruning job is big. I think the pruning job on me is very big. At the same time, I am really seeing big change. God is so faithful to transform us.

I want to share a little of how He has done this in our life over the last two and half years because maybe my story will encourage one person and if that happens, then it was worth it to write.

It all started with the birth of our fourth child. I have come to beleive that every person has a number of children that becomes their breaking point in a sense. The number that makes them say, this is all I can do. Usually it is with child number 3, 4 or 5 that this happens. I was homeschooling when my 4th was born and 4 kids was my breaking point. Every time we got in the car, she screamed. Whenever I was making dinner, trying to help kids with homework and getting ready for hubby to come home, she screamed. I tried having her on my back, she didn't like it. It was a really stressful time and my husband was gone 12 - 14 hours a day. From the time she was 6 months until she was about 18 months, our stress level went higher than it had ever gone. We put the kids in school which helped, but still having two little ones at home and one that was a "consider it pure joy child", made it the most difficult year we had ever known. About the time our little sweetie turned 18 months, my husband's dad very suddenly passed away. It was out of the blue, he was 65. It was such a shock, as sudden death always is. Just as life seemed to be getting back on track, 6 weeks after Tobin's father died, my dad had a massive stroke that has left him unable to communicate to this day. At first, the doctors did not think he would make it and my family and I spent a week in intensive care just praying for God to save him. Our dads were the first things ripped suddenly out of our lives. Up until then, I must admit, we were both still pretty dependant on our families for support, advice and acceptance. Our dads were both a huge part of our lives.

These two experiences changed our perspective on life a lot. Max turned 10 and it opened our eyes to the fact that our children were growing up without Daddy. We saw that life was short. My husband decided to resign from Starbucks corporate after 8 years. He started his own mortgage business, Vintage Park Funding. http://www.vintageparkfunding.com/ That went very well for a while and then the mortgage industry and the economy turned upside down. Very soon after he started his business, we put our home on the market, it is still for sale. We registered the kids in school an hour and half from our house, thinking the place would sell. It didn't. My husband and kids commuted an hour and half each way to school last year. His business has gotten to the point where we are not making ends meet. He is now looking at a job at the kid's school as the development director.

At this point we are literally selling all of our earthly possessions to get by until he gets a job. I am studying to become a personal trainer so that if I must work, I can help people in a way that is very satisfying for me. I had to cancel my hair appointment. I love to have my hair look great. Giving that up, as silly as it sounds, was a huge thing for me. I sold my Louis Vuitton purse and wallet today. Tobin has sold a lot of his hunting gear including two duck boats. I have furniture on Craigslist. My bike is being sold. Everything we love is going. I cried so hard yesterday I thought I would die of hyperventilation. Then today, I woke up so happy. I feel free. My cell phone is even cancelled. I actually LOVE not spending a lot of time talking about pretty much nothing!!! I do still have my $30 per month gym membership, which I just pray I can keep, but I am even ready to do away with that if I must. The amazing thing is that I learning to be resourceful. I can now stretch a meal so far, I can serve company a dinner made of leftovers!!! These are huge learnings for me as I came from much abundance. Where we both grew up, we never really experienced the "making do" mentality. Today, as I adventured through the farmer's market with my girls and then the Grocery Outlet, I felt so happy and free to be finding ways to spend so much less money on groceries. God is so good to force us into learning things that we really would never learn any other way. I love to be HIS child and I love that He cares so much for us that He is willing to prune us down to nothing in order to transform us into His image. He is an amazing God. May we daily be able to sing, "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, It is well with my soul."!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sophia's Famous Granola

2008-08-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

Sophia, my daughter, and I were making granola one day and we were talking and I really messed up the recipe. So, we just started adding things and experimenting and it was really good, so, Sophia's Famous Granola was born!!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8 cups oats, not instant
¾ cup Canola oil
Cinnamon, enough to cover bowl
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup Agave Nectar
2 TBS Stevia Plus, or five small scoops of KAL stevia. It will be bitter if you use too much!
2 tsp Vanilla
5 TBS Vanilla Whey Protein Powder or plain
After cooking, add:
½ cup almond meal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup coconut
1 cup walnuts
2 cups puffed grain cereal (optional)
1 cup chopped cashews
Real Salt or sea salt, Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt to taste
Dehydrated sprouts 1 - 2 cups (optional) I use dehydrated buckwheat sprouts
Raw, ground flax seeds ½ - 1 cup

Put oats in a large mixing bowl. Pour in oil, honey, agave nectar, stevia, vanilla and protein powder. Mix well with hands. Spread ingredients out on two cookie sheets. Place in 350 degree oven. Stir granola every ten minutes until done, about ½ hour.

Let cool, then add nuts, puffed grains and coconut, etc... Store in airtight container in pantry.

Detox and Cleansing

2008-07-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Fasting is a very healthy way to keep slim, healthy and young. There is a particular cleanse I like to do every few months that is called the Sonne's 7 day cleanse. I started doing this almost 20 years ago. I did not do it at all for 9 years while I was busy being pregnant and breastfeeding my babies. I get to do it again now and I LOVE it. My friend Moby usually does it with me. It is great to do with a freind because then you stick to it! Go to www.sonnes.com to check out the cleanse. I definitely use the Sonne's #7 and #9 which you can get at Supper Supplements or any health food store. I do not get the rest of the things through Sonne's. I trade off taking wheat grass supplements, spirulina and chlorella in between taking the Sonne's products. I also take probiotics, a good vit. C such as Super Bio C Buffered from Solaray. I take the Floradix, liquid Floravital Iron + Herbs. I also make a nice big fresh veggie or fruit juice in my inexpensive Hamilton Beach juicer that I got at Wal-Mart. It works really well and I use it a ton. A good base for veggie juice is carrot, beet, celery, spinach. I also add some parsley, ginger, garlic, lemon, tomato, cucumber or whatever else sounds delicious. I like to do an apple, grapefruit juice in the morning or apple cucumber. I stay away from oranges because their sugar content sends my blood sugar soaring.

Another great fast that I do is by Paavo Airola. He has a book called, How to Keep Slim, healthy and Young with Juice Fasting. I have done his version many times as well for 10 days and he goes into a lot of detail about how to do a fast including details about taking an enema which may sound like a big deal, but is not at all.

My Daily Cleanse

2008-06-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

I start every day off with my cleansing tea made of the juice of half of a lemon, two scoops of stevia made by KAL brand. Stevia is an herbal sweetner that is VERY sweet. It will taste bitter if you use too much, but the two tiny scoops work great for this tea. I use one teabag of ginger tea. Ginger is a digestive aid, it boosts metabolism and helps to reduce toxic build up in your fat cells. Sometimes I even use a ginger/peppermint tea combination which is so refreshing. I also drink a cup of this tea before bed.

Hummus

2008-06-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hummus is a yummy Middle Eastern dip. I like to serve it up with cut up veggies for a treat anyone will like. It contains raw garlic which is an incredibly healthy food because of it's anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Garlic also aids liver function. The recipe also contains fresh lemmon juice which benefits bile formation, essential for optimal fat metabolism and it also helps to cleanse the liver. Lemon juice also helps the body in the elimination of waste by helping to keep everything moving!!

1 1/2 cups canned garbanzo beans
1 -2 garlic cloves
1 TBSP raw Tahini
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 TBS cold pressed olive oil

Put all ingredients in the food processor and mix well. Enjoy with sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sliced daikon radish, carrots and any of your favorite veggies.

Welcome to Wellthy Momma's blog.

2008-06-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

My name is Maria and I am the blessed wife of Tobin and mother of 4 wonderful little miracles. They are Max, 11, Dominic 8, Sophia 6 and Isabella 3. What a journey, to learn how to be a wife and a mother. We are not born knowing how. It is our life work to learn and God gives us the amazing gift of husbands and children to help us grow and be conformed to HIS image. I am no expert, let me assure you of that. I constantly fall short. I am on a journey to becoming well in this life. I want to be able to truly say "When peace like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well with my soul.'" So, join me on my journey. Welcome, and thank you for visiting.

By wellthy, I do not mean I am rich financially. I am well because I have been forgiven and set free from the bondage of sin. Along the way, I have also learned a thing or two about physical health. I believe we were created in God's image and I beleive that HE blessed us with so many wonderfully amazing, colorful, flavorful foods in their natural form. I believe if we eat foods the way God intended for our bodies to ingest them, we will live a life with more energy, vitality and health. I personally have struggled for many years from lack of energy and one way I have combated that is by getting adequate sleep and eating a healthy, whole food diet. I have given birth to four children at home. Not one of my children has ever had a need to take antibiotics and none of them have even been to see a doctor in two years. I do not say that at all to brag. I just say it to show that if we feed them naturally, they will most likely be healthier. I am blessed beyond measure with healthy, wellthy children!!! They certainly do each eat their fair share of junk food, but it is not the norm in our life. I want them to learn moderation and I feel it is unrealistic of me to never allow them to enjoy some not so healthy food because that is just part of our culture. I talk to them a lot about why we might want to mostly feed our bodies healthy food and usually they crave something healthy to eat if they have had very much junk food especially on vacation. I love to hear them beg, "please, mom, can we just get something healthy?"

I have often been asked what I feed my family. I have created this blog as a means to share some of what I have been blessed to learn over the years. I hope this is an encouragement to you!! Here's to your wellth!! Oh, and one more thing...I do believe true wellth cannot come only from eating a healthy diet. If we are unhealthy spiritually, we cannot become healthy through a change in our diet. So along the way, I will also write about what I am learning on my journey towards Paradise!!!