How and Why to Grow Broccoli Sprouts Even if You Don't Garden

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If you want to pack a huge amount of nutrients and disease fighting properties into the smallest possible food, then you will want to learn about growing your own broccoli sprouts! Since the management of both lupus and lyme is largely directed by my intake of large quantities of vegetables, it’s great news when I don’t have to spend as much time chewing. As much as I love eating, there is something to said for efficiency, especially when you are eating consciously to heal the body.

Why broccoli sprouts? Let’s break it down…

NUTRITION

Good news for both broccoli lovers and haters: sprouts have all the nutrition of broccoli and even higher amounts with certain important phytonutrients. For example, the anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties are much higher in sprouts than mature broccoli thanks to a nutrient called sulphoraphane. The heart benefits are also huge. Go here for a more detailed breakdown: Broccoli Sprouts Vs. Broccoli It’s all very impressive.

ABSORPTION

Nutrients don’t do us a whole lot of good unless we can absorb them and use them! Sprouts have a much higher absorption rate of sulphoraphane than broccoli… 74% versus 19%.

NO DIRT OR BUGS

I’m a wannabe gardener with a lupus-induced sun allergy. I want to garden but I cannot… yet. In the meantime, I grow sprouts neatly and successfully on my kitchen counter with zero dirt, zero bugs, and zero gardening knowledge. Plus… it’s really hard to kill a sprout in the 4-7 days it takes to grow. This is the ultimate confidence building project!

WHY NOT JUST BUY THEM?

You certainly can. But you will pay a lot more than the pennies it will cost you at home. More importantly, the greatest nutritional benefits in sprouts are found in 3-4 day old sprouts. That’s farm to table age and your typical grocery store probably isn’t able to provide something like that.

HOW TO EAT SPROUTS?

Easy. Any way you want to. A little handful on top of a salad or in a sandwich are obvious choices. But they can literally go on top of any dish you want. Top a potato or bowl of soup. Put them in a smoothie. Or just eat them plain.

HOW TO GROW BROCCOLI SPROUTS…

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Organic broccoli sprouting seeds

• A sprouter

• Water

It really doesn’t get simpler than this! You provide the space and a little water… the seeds (designed so perfectly to do this by God) do the rest.

The most complicated this ever gets is figuring out which sprouter to buy. I would love to buy this gorgeous $70 clay sprouter I found on Etsy but let’s be real… I have many kids and they break my pretty things. And sometimes in my haste, I also break my pretty things. Since it is not yet my season for fragile decor, I opted for a frugal option that still grows lots of sprouts, is easy to care for, and has a small countertop footprint.

I buy Organic Broccoli Sprouting Seeds from Handy Pantry in bulk (because I’m in this for the long haul) and I use this inexpensive sprouter with a small countertop footprint. It washes easily with vinegar and houses plenty of sprouts. No complaints! I also gave one to my sister-in-law for a birthday present with seeds… and I hope she still loves me. How could she not? Sprouts are a universal love language, aren’t they?

Handy pantry also has jar kits (which are adorable and not plastic) and complete starter kits with a variety of sprouters and seed selections.

Sprouting involves rinsing the seeds and sprouts daily 1-3 times for up to 7 days depending on the temperature. Direction vary slightly according to the sprouter you are using and do come with the spouters I have linked and direction also came with the seeds.

I am a little silly with delight when my sprout babies start to grow. And no, my sprouter isn’t pretty. But that is quickly excused when I see the beautiful sprouts!

It is an amazing feeling to grow what you eat! When the sprouts are ready to serve, I just swish them around in a bowl of water to knock most of the seed pods loose. I don’t mind having a few so I’m not uptight about this.

And that’s it! If you are serious about health and beautiful food, you should definitely sprout! Enjoy!

Chasing Sunshine in a Time of Darkness: Sun sensitivity and lupus

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If you've never heard of a "sun allergy" or photosensitivity, I can tell you a little about it. For the last year (and probably more), it has been reminding me how bizarre and all-consuming autoimmune disease can be. I've had to add it my list of silent disease symptoms... and now also to my first experience with an illness that others can actually see. 

I am not just sensitive to the sun, but to everything that emits or reflects UV rays. Fluorescent lights in stores or offices can cause a trigger even if they are windowless. Riding in a car, going on a walk even on an overcast Ohio Winter day, taking my kids to the park, going shopping, sitting near a window.

It's not really an allergic response to the sun but an issue of cell clearance... or rather, the body's inability to remove dead cells that are naturally caused by UV rays. The cells remain too long and the body begins to attack what it thinks are invaders. Healthy organs and body systems become the object of destruction. So it isn't really the sun that the body is targeting... but itself. 

I used to think that it would be better if my sickness was visible so that people would better understand what was happening to me on the inside. Now that I have the limited experience of an occasionally disfiguring disease, I see that it doesn't really help me or others cope. Not really. I don't find it less lonely or confusing... it's just different. 

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING NOW?

One truth about autoimmune diseases is that they tend to collect and multiply. For example, someone who starts off will celiac disease or hashimotos thyroiditis will, on average, collect another autoimmune disease every ten years. Once the immune system is going wonky and attacking itself, it is only a matter of time before many body systems are involved. The problem is the entire immune system and it only manifests in one area of the body at a time and damages others over time. 

That is my story. And even while I have walked back many of the most severe symptoms, I am still fighting to find ways to continually cool my overactive system and heal the source of the trouble. 

WHAT IS "NORMAL"?

I have had severe body pain ever since I can remember which is back to preschool. In middle school, my stomach and digestive tract became involved. By the time I was a young adult, I had developed symptoms of what would later become diagnosed as Eosinophilic Esophagitis (an autoimmune disease). The only treatment I was offered for that was steroids and so my symptoms continued to compound.

As a child, I didn't know that kind of pain wasn't normal. 

Fatigue.
Nausea.
Digestive issues.
Headaches.
Severe joint pain.
Muscle pain and fatigue.
Skin problems.
Sleep difficulties.
A hundred little things that add up to make you feel crazy. 
A dozen big things that make you feel afraid.

By the time I was in my mid 30's, I was battling chronic pain and illness but being told by doctors that I was in good health. I felt hopeless and depressed and there were many days when even walking across the house felt overwhelming from the pain and exhaustion. 

But it was a silent battle. And I don't think that anyone should be left alone in that silence like I was, which is why I speak it constantly in my personal life and using whatever internet platform I have. 

It's often humbling and a little awkward since I don't know the perfect way to share... but it is important enough to try. 

THE FACE OF LUPUS

It's hard to believe that the woman on the left was me just 2 years ago. So much has changed. I don't usually look like the gal on the right but... I really have not fully recovered. I've aged a lot in a short period of time. Essential oils and plain coconut, almond, or jojoba oils have been a tremendous blessing when my skin won't tolerate anything else. 

My camera washed out much of the red, raw skin in the picture on the right. But I think you get the idea. Before I figured out the connection with UV, the red patches were raw and eventually scabbed over. This is what's going on inside my body finally showing up on the outside, courtesy of a beautiful Spring morning in 2017...

When I started showing serious signs of lupus, I finally found a doctor who sat with me for an hour and listened to my full history. She took the appropriate tests and we talked.

She said...

"It seems likely that the celiac disease came first and triggered everything else. You've done a marvelous job taking care of yourself for the last few years... now let us help you. What do you want to do about the lupus? You know if you go into _______ that they will put you on prednisone right away and then start with the immune suppressants."

Yep. I know. That's why I'm here and not there. 

Celiac
Allergies
Fibromyalgia
Eosinophilic Espohagitis
Lupus

It doesn't need to be named in order to be real. But to be able to name it is to have a certain measure of control and hope. For those of you still searching, I pray that you get to name the enemy. In the meantime, I can still offer you hope.

THE PATH TO HEALING

Through dietary and lifestyle changes I have made over the past 6 years, I have brought my gluten antibody response to zero, completely reversed my esophageal symptoms (I previously could not eat anything but mushy cereal nor swallow even small pills), my joint pain/ swelling and muscle pain and weakness are occasional instead of constant and debilitating, and I am not afraid of going to gatherings where I might stumble embarrassingly over my words or be too drained afterwards to function for a week.

The healing has been life changing. But it's not over.

I have severe chemical sensitivities to pretty much everything (although pure essential oils have given me a hope in a toxic world) and planning a day trip has now become a challenge.  

How does a person adjust to a change like that? I admit I'm not handling it well. I've always had specific ideas in my mind of what painful loss looks like but never in my wildest dreams did it look like being deprived of the sunshine. 

My last troublesome flare was triggered by sitting under UV emitting fluorescent lights for two days at an aromatherapy conference. I never even went outside. 

SPRING IS COMING

As Winter slowly inches toward Spring, I'm experiencing something that I've never felt before toward the end of a Northeast Winter: dread. I simply don't know how I will traverse another beautiful sunshine season with my 8 kids, 1 husband, full life, and an inability to breathe in the amazing season outside.

I actually do know the answer: One step at a time. But I don't yet know what that looks like. Will it look like weeks of endless illness? I just don't know. 

But Spring also brings hope in the form of a new naturopathic doctor and my belief that yes, this is a mountain that I can climb. I believe that there is a reasonable chance for me to find healing. 

Most people will think I’m crazy... because people don’t reverse lupus. But to be honest with me you, I know very few people who have really tried. 

OPTIONS

The obvious medical options are prednisone and immunosuppressants. The problem with the pharmaceutical option is that it doesn't actually address the underlying cause and adds an additional burden (and potential risks) to my already struggling body. I will take them if my organs and life are at risk. But at this point, there is just as much likelihood that those medications will pose a significant threat to my organs and life expectancy. Lupus and autoimmune internet boards are full of people who are as busy battling the damage from their medications as they are their primary symptoms.

The alternative option is to continue what I have been successfully doing, and that is healing through natural means under the counsel of functional medicine physicians. This approach has already taken me from a kind of death to new life and I am committed to continuing that path.

In the meantime, Spring is coming and I'm bouncing between grumpiness and delight while internet shopping for...

• Personal UV monitors (Worth the investment?)

• UPF clothing (Can someone please develop a stylish line that doesn't look like beachwear?)

• Long sleeved swimwear and swim leggings (and I'm really confused by the purpose of UPF 50 bikinis)

• Non-toxic sunscreen (I'm trying to reconcile the price of the best mineral sunscreens for full body use or find a DIY that doesn't go on like paste. Still in trial stages!)

• Nutritious food (I'm good here... thank you local farms and Thrive Market... but I totally need a personal chef)

• Supportive supplements (Yes! Essential to my healthcare. I use doTERRA for my staples)

• Healing therapies (So much overwhelm and $$$... )

• Essential oils (Sweet affordable consolation)

I can’t buy it all but I can window shop... and try to fill the gaping hole where “control” should be. Scratch that. The gaping hole where God should be.

Okay... Deep breath.... Thank you, Lord, for lupus. It keeps bringing me back to the foot of Your glorious cross... where I’m going to keep chasing sunshine. 

UPDATE: The Roots of Autoimmune Crisis {My Updated Story of Lupus and Lyme}

Thrive Market Review (and 25% off)

This post contains affiliate links. See my full disclosure here.

Since I started my clean eating journey six years ago, I've had to learn quickly how to eat real food on a budget and with limited time to prep and cook. If I had a million dollars, I'd pay someone to come and prepare my weekly meals... but I don't. Instead, I have Pinterest, 8 kids, and Thrive Market! We work together to make healthy, edible, and sometimes delicious food for our family. 

I came to love Thrive Market a little late in the game and passed over it many times before finally jumping in when I saw this fantastic coupon: 25% off your first order. Whoot! Combined with the free trial month, I was more than happy to dive in. My first order ever is pictured at the top of this page and featured products I already knew and loved, my first introduction to Primal Kitchen (LOVE!!!), and some clean make-up brands. 

I figured that I would take advantage of the deal and the trial month and then just quit. The problem with that strategy was that I ended up loving the products, the service, and the savings. I discovered that several of my staple paleo purchases were less on Thrive Market than they were on Amazon, and I started saving money right away.

When it came time to opt in to a full membership, I knew that I had found the paleo/keto/real food online Costco-like option I'd been hoping for... and it was really a no-brainer.

Thrive Market offers the best-selling natural and organic products at wholesale prices through an annual membership. Thing Costco meets Whole Foods online! Popular brands and best-selling products including food, snacks, supplements, vitamins, non-toxic cleaning supplies, beauty essentials, baby products, home goods, and much more. The site is stocked with an amazing array of raw, vegan, Paleo, dairy-free, nut-free, allergen-free and gluten-free, organic, and non-GMO items.

I honestly thought it would be more expensive than my local stores but I was wrong. Plus, the packaging is the best I have ever seen in my experience purchasing online. The pics here don't show that well because I unpacked so that you can see my goodies! But they do go above and beyond to ensure protection during shipping.

And... I don't have to leave my house. I wait until I have a $50 order for the free shipping. And then I just sit back and let my stuff come to me.  

Thrive also offers their own Thrive brand option for many products. I have never been a store brand buyer, having been grossed out too many times to keep taking the bait. But my experience with the Thrive brand has been quite positive so far. As you can see above, I've used their coconut flour, spices, and chia seeds, among several others items not shown here. 

For shoppers on a budget...

One of my favorite aspects of the company is that Thrive is committed to expanding access to healthy living... meaning that healing food and products shouldn't just be for the wealthy but for all people. For every membership purchased, one is gifted to a low-income American family. 

I've been accused many times of promoting a life style that only the rich can afford. As a not-rich-mom of 8 kids, this accusation doesn't stick to me. I understand the difficulty of living in a culture in which it costs more to afford healthy food than garbage food. Grocery bills for a family my size can be shocking. I am grateful to companies such as Thrive which make it a little more accessible. 

Healthy food... healing food... costs money. Since our lifestyle change, we have definitely seen our food budget expand and now embrace that as an acceptable sacrifice for good health. We trade doctor bills for food bills! 

There are ways to equalize the budget problem; planting gardens (and finding friends with gardens), learning to meal plan, learning to cook for a family with good ingredients, bartering in the community, and finding companies that make it a mission to provide more accessible health care. Yes, I'm one of those people... Food is my primary health care.

Joining Thrive Market is easy and for less than $5 a month, members can access some of the best health and wellness products. Here's how:

1.  Register for free to browse the Thrive Catalog, see member savings, and receive 20% off your first 3 orders.
2.  Start your trial. With your first purchase on Thrive, you'll start a free 30-day membership trial. See how much you save. Cancel any time.
3. Join the community at Thrive for just $59.95... and receive access to many of the world's best healthy products for a full year. With your membership, Thrive will donate a free membership to a low-income family.

**I would be remiss if I didn't share that there is one section on Thrive at which I do NOT shop. And if you know me, maybe you can already guess that I do not purchase their essential oils. As a student of aromatherapy, I'm aware of the tremendous difficulties in the essential oil industry right now and have seen chemistry reports on at least one brand they carry which shows contamination. Since they do not provide a lab analysis of their Thrive brand oils, I will continue to purchase and use from my favorite and proven supplier!**

Since that is just a small portion of what Thrive sells, I don't find that it detracts at all from the overall value and I'm increasingly impressed over time by what I'm able to find. It's a fantastic service with true value and I recommend it!

Healing Autoimmune Disease Naturally: Is it Possible?

Whether or not Lupus (or any autoimmune disease) can be healed naturally has become an important question in my life. After suffering for two decades with chronic illness and actively seeking answers for the majority of that time, I finally have a diagnosis of Lupus. Diagnosis is a complicated thing; it is both a relief and a burden. In my case, it brings the undesirable news that I have an incurable disease in which my body attacks its own major organs and joints.

Bummer.

Until the 1950's, prognosis for someone with Lupus was grim, but medical advancements have greatly extended the lifespan of the average person with the condition. The "medical advancements" of which I speak are primarily medications which suppress the immune system; medications such as chemotherapy and steroids. 

I've spent many hours hanging out in the internet Lupus forums, and discussions are as often about how to deal with the negative side effects of the medications as they are how to deal with the original Lupus symptoms. That is the double edged sword of all pharmaceuticals: They are a tremendous blessing when we need an intervention that a natural resource cannot provide; but they can also become a terrible burden, giving us a new set of sufferings in exchange for the old ones. 

MEDICATIONS CAN'T HEAL THE BODY

The truth is that prescription drugs cannot heal us. Healing can only come from the body itself. The body dies when it can no longer protect and restore cells and body systems with or without assistance from pharmaceutical and natural resources. Prescription drugs cannot heal us if the body cannot, at some point, pick up the burden and continue healing and fighting on it's own.

A great example of a complicated pharmaceutical is antibiotics. We have a false notion that these little pills will kill an infection in its entirety and we can just sit back and let it happen to us and life in our body will go on as usual. The reality is that if our immune system doesn't ever engage the infection alongside the antibiotics, we will die. 

Antibiotics are a great example of the non-specific nature of prescription drugs. While they stop infection, they are not discerning and also kill off the good bacteria which live in the gut and comprise the majority (70%) of the body's immunity. It starts to get complicated. And in our desire to heal, we decrease our body's natural ability to do so. 

Our participation in that healing is often passive and even interfering. We proceed with our unhealthy habits and can't understand why the meds don't "work" the first time around... Or why our chronic cough/sinus infections/etc seem to continuously plague us.

THE NATURAL SOLUTION

The natural solution is not necessarily easy but it is a simple concept. It says: "I will focus on strengthening my body systems according to nature's design in order to protect against and battle disease." Even if we must take medications to survive, it is foolishness to ignore the basic needs of the body.

So... While I don't know that I can "cure" my Lupus, I do believe that I can manage my symptoms to some degree by honoring the fundamental biologic needs of my body. I believe it first because I have done it. I believe it also because science and research confirms that experience.

I have been managing quite well for the last 6 years (pre-diagnosis) with nutritional changes alone until recently when I experienced a lengthy flare which I could not fully control. On some level, I knew it was coming. I had been telling myself for months that I needed to stop my increasingly frequent sugar splurges... and I was conscious of carrying a stress load far too heavy for me. I also had stopped supplementing regularly just out of pure laziness. When the flare hit, I immediately cleaned up my diet, decreased my obligations, increased my sleep, expanded my essential oil use, and started my supplements again. I believe those things (along with other natural wellness resources) kept me out of the hospital. 

MOVING FORWARD

I once believed I was headed for life in a wheelchair and in ONE WEEK of dramatic dietary overhaul was able to change that trajectory. If I was able to do that only by eliminating toxic garbage from my diet, I feel confident that I can make further strides with greater application of a healthy lifestyle. 

By "healthy" lifestyle, I mean one in which I am addressing (naturally) the following factors:

1. Nutrition

2. Stress

3. Toxic Load

4. Sleep

5. Physical Movement

An honest assessment of the last 6 years tells me that I was only partially addressing #1 and #3 and yet still experienced what felt like miraculous healing. I have to ask: What more can I do for myself before I add prescription drugs to my lifestyle? There's so much room for improvement.

By the way, all of the five healthy lifestyle categories above are specifically mentioned on mainstream Lupus sites as Lupus triggers:

1. Poor Nutrition

2. Stress

3. Exposure to Toxins

4. Poor Sleep Habits

5. Sedentary Lifestyle

It is quite exciting to me to see that each of these categories has a corresponding natural solution! If I cannot eliminate my Lupus, I can surely make giant strides in managing it. 

BUT CAN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE BE CURED?

I don't know. But I've seen plenty of evidence that people have at least been able to fully control their symptoms (meaning they have zero). I have read many accounts of people overcoming life threatening disease with only the changes that I have made. Cancers killed. Diabetes reversed. Rheumatoid Arthritis eliminated. People leaving wheelchairs behind. Very sick children becoming well again. Once I started paying attention, I realized that there is a large body of evidence suggesting that it is possible.

Am I crazy? Well, if I am, I'm certainly in good company...

• Dr. Amy Myers is one resource I have been turning to lately. She is one of many functional medicine physicians out there who are successfully treating people with autoimmune disease. She says:

"In conventional medicine, the belief is that once you have an autoimmune condition, there’s nothing you can do to reverse it, only ways to manage the symptoms. Managing the symptoms typically involves harsh medications that are aimed at suppressing your immune system. While these medications can be effective at reducing some of the symptoms of the disease, since they suppress the entire immune system, they are not without many unwanted side effects such as fatigue, weight gain, depression, increased infection rates and even cancer.

In contrast, functional medicine sees the body as a whole and works on the principle that the health of one system impacts the health and function of the others. Instead of focusing on disease symptom management, we focus on supporting and strengthening the immune system by getting to the root of why the immune system went rogue in the first place. While there is no known cure for autoimmune disease, I believe that there are five key elements that are at the root of all autoimmune conditions. In my functional medicine practice I have been able to successfully help hundreds of patients lower and reverse antibodies, get off their harsh medications, and become symptom free."

• Then there's Dr. Mark Hyman who writes about practical steps to healing autoimmune disease. He directs a functional medicine institute at a world-renowned hospital in my area.

• There's Dr Terry Wahls, a physician who healed her progressive MS through diet (The Wahls Protocol) and has been awarded $1 million dollars by the National MS Society to run a clinical trial based on her research.

• And here's a list of the "Top 50 Functional and Integrative Medicine Doctors" compiled by Dr. Josh Axe, who is doing so much amazing work in his own right.

THIS IS NOT A FAD

Healthy living is not a fad. It is a response to a culture that has been consistently deviating from a biologically appropriate course of overall health care. I am so glad to see a growing body of professionals who are committed to restoring what has been lost and embracing the best of what is new.

For those of you new to this journey, here are some of my favorite resources. There are more... so many more... but diving in to even one of these will keep you occupied and inspired for a long, long time. 

• Autoimmune Wellness is an amazing website and community that is helping countless people restore their health. I highly recommend Mickey and Angie's book The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook as well as their cookbooks. Also check out their website and links if you want to have your mind blown and hope restored.

• The Paleo Mom (aka Dr. Sarah Ballantyne) is another mind blowing resource. She is the creator of the AIP Diet (Autoimmune Protocol) and the author of "The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body"

• Dr. Amy Meyers is another powerhouse of help and hope. Her book is called The Autoimmune Solution: Prevent and Revers the Full Spectrum of Inflammatory Symptoms and Disease and is a tremendous resource along with her website.

• The GAPS Diet has been a source of healing for so many. You can pick up a copy of Dr. Natasha Campbell-Mcbride's book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia. And also check out her website for more resources.

There are so many more resources I want to share but I've already dropped enough links to send you down the wellness rabbit hole for a year!

I will continue to share my journey with you on these pages and on social media. Blogging has always been an amazing source of support and accountability in other areas of my life... and now I know will continue to be that blessing for my short and long term health. 

I am so glad to have you with me! My dream is to be able to enjoy the sunshine again without triggering sickness. What is your dream?

The Myth of Moderation: Learning to Say No in a Culture of Indulgence

Everything in moderation! 

For the past six years, I have heard that maxim more times than I can count from people who do not understand or like my dietary choices. I once politely refused a cookie from an angry woman. She insisted that it "just wasn't healthy" not to eat cookies and believed that I must eat "everything in moderation" in order to live a healthy life. It turned into an uncomfortable standoff and... 

I didn't eat the cookie.

I didn't eat it because the idea that the way to be healthy is "everything in moderation" simply isn't true. 

There are some things which are always harmful to us even in small quantities.
There are some people who are harmed by things that you aren't.
There are some substances which are not harmful in small quantities but are in "moderate" quantities.

And most significantly...

Moderation means different things to different people.

Moderation is a movable line. Let's take ice cream for example. What is a moderate consumption of ice cream?
Here are various definitions....

Me: One scoop every couple years.

My husband: When the mood strikes every couple months.

My friend: One small scoop three times a week.

My neighbor: A giant banana split once a week.

My family member: Whenever the heck I feel like it. YOLO

My kids: "I will eat ice cream at every possible opportunity whether or not I actually want it and even if I am so full that I might vomit upon consuming!"

"Moderation" sounds scientific and authoritative until we look more closely and discover that the term is often a convenient way to justify our excesses and judge the eating habits of others. We know that it is a movable line but continue to wield it as an iron sword of truth.

True moderation is the application of virtue to all areas of our life. But American cultural moderation is pretty much just do whatever you want to do and call it moderate. We have replaced the word "virtue" with moderation and our collective health (mind, body, and soul) has suffered as a result.

"Sweetheart, you need to have a cookie! Everything in moderation!"

Except dirt. And paint chips. And glue. That goes without saying really. But when it comes to food, one person's "moderate" is another's kryptonite. And It's time we call out the lie and speak the truth:

It's okay to say no to things that aren't necessary. Why are we so afraid to lose our little luxuries?

As someone with autoimmune disease, moderation takes on an entirely different meaning for me. Instead of meaning that I can indulge in anything I want as long as it's in small quantities, it means that I can enjoy reasonable quantities of almost any food I like... as long as it's on my approved list. That list is quite a bit smaller than I'd prefer... 

• I can't drink alcohol because it adds stress to my vital organs.
• I can't eat gluten because I hate feeling like I'm dying and I like my small intestine.
• I don't eat sugar because it is an inflammatory food and I'm battling inflammatory disease.
• I don't drink coffee because caffeine is also a huge inflammatory. 
• I don't eat food with additives, colorants, or artificial flavors because... see all of the above.

Technically, I could choose to consume those foods and pay the consequences. I know many people who do that in the name of moderation. Or because they feel their quality of life would suffer without their annual Shamrock shake. It's their choice, of course. But I do not choose sickness over health... not for all the moderate enjoyment this world has to offer. My weaknesses lie in many other areas (many many), but it is relatively easy for me to say no to things which prevent me from enjoying life and serving my family.

There are many other things I don't do (and no one should do) in moderation (like eat paint chips). That list is long, self-evident, and destroys the moderation in "everything" myth instantly.

Then there are donuts and coffee and that fuzzy middle ground.

I admit that it's easier for me because those two comfort foods would make me miserable and mess with my body's ability to to heal and to survive. Sickness is HARD for me. Debilitatingly hard. When I put food to my mouth, I am consciously choosing to live. 

On the other hand, I know diabetics who eat donuts and people on anti-depressants who drink caffeine. I understand that our struggles and physical limits vary and I cannot speak to their choices.

But...

If you eat garbage food multiple times a week and have migraines, IBS, thyroid issues, fatigue, anxiety, depression, weight gain, and a host of other common plagues, you might want to consider doing something beautiful for yourself and throw "everything in moderation" out the window. You may just be surprised by a miracle; not the least of which might be that you can say no to that extra ice cream splurge and live to tell about it. 

When we discard the moderation myth as a way of life, we learn a beautiful secret about ourselves:

We are capable of self-control.
Our needs are simpler than we previously thought.
We spend less on the unnecessary.
We can be free from our cravings.
We can do heroic things even when no one is watching.

If we are Christians, we also learn a beautiful secret about our faith... 

In any given moment, we might be asked to give up everything for Love. Every time we decline that caramel latte and offer it as a sacrifice of praise, we become a bit more fit for the bigger battles... and more free to be molded for loving service and eternity. 

Thanks be to God!

Gluten Free Pantry Basics

{This post contains affiliate links Thank you for supporting my family! More info Here.} 

Unlikely as it sounds to my sweet-loving mind, I made it through my fifth Christmas and Easter seasons without touching a single wheat flour cookie. In fact, I haven't eaten a bona fide wheat cookie since May of 2012. There have been many times when I've felt deprived of all of the food-related pleasures that others were enjoying. Since then, I've discovered the wide and wonderful world of gluten free baking. These are not your mama's gluten-free cookies, people. Eat, celebrate, be happy.

The grain-free world has literally exploded with delicious cookie and dessert recipes in the last couple of years. Many talented food scientists/artists all over the internet have changed my life.

Listen to me... I am no longer deprived. I eat cookies. Delicious cookies. And most of the time, the ingredients are astonishingly good for me. I love my ingredient lists and don't feel guilty when I eat several. No more stomach aches. Just good solid nutrition.

Because I battle autoimmune disease, I do not indulge in gluten free baking frequently. During the easy times when my body is at peace, I can enjoy about once a week. When I am hit with a flare, I abstain completely. My favorite indulgence is The Essential Paleo Carrot Cake which makes a delicious dessert, breakfast, or snack.

I tossed the last bit of my wheat flour long ago and am slowly learning how to bake efficiently with alternatives. One of the obstacles I faced at the beginning of my journey was actually having the ingredients on hand when I needed them. I have recently been inspired by the constant calls for help on social media to provide a list of my basic wheat free whole food pantry to share and to reference. I'm including links (yes, some are affiliate links) to the places where I purchase my own supplies with exceptions noted.

An important note:
Just because something says "GLUTEN FREE" does not mean that it's health food or even remotely nutritious. When I say "Gluten Free Baking," I am NOT referring to the box mixes that are starting to glut the shelves. Those are basically gluten free versions of garbage food. Rice flour, corn flour, tapioca flour, and potato flour are not nutrient dense foods; they are cheap, easy, and nutrient deficient wheat flour substitutes. There's a place for these goodies in our lives... BUT... If you eat a lot of them regularly, you will get sick and gain weight. 

So, when I say "gluten free baking," I am referring to splurge food that actually contributes to my overall health. Nut flours, healthy fats, and real food. Do these ingredients taste different than the Ho Ho's you grew up on? Yes, they do. But over time I have actually come to prefer the rich tastes of real food flavors rather than chemical fillers...

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Grain-Free Baking Basics

My pantry no longer showcases giant containers of wheat and sugar but all of the following are regulars. Not as cheap as white flour and sugar but as I know from experience... Good food is cheaper than hospital bills. If you don't know my story, read it here. 

This list doesn't cover everything but it does cover the staples that I try to always have on hand. Your own gluten free pantry will be shaped by your favorite recipes and family need. Here's my basic shopping list... scroll down for more information about each...

Almond flour
Coconut flour
Honey
Coconut milk
Coconut oil
Cocoa powder
Shredded unsweetened coconut
Cacao butter
Vanilla extract
Vanilla beans
Sea salt
Chocolate
Chia seeds
Dates
Coconut sugar
Gelatin
Maple Syrup

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1. Almond Flour

Almond flour is a staple at my house. We don't use it daily but we use it regularly in everything from chocolate chip cookies to pancakes to birthday cakes. A delicious, nutritious chocolate chip cookie when you are gluten free is worth it's weight in gold!

I buy almond flour in bulk through Amazon in 25-pound increments because it is a couple dollars cheaper per pound that way and we have a lot of kids to feed! The drawback? The packaging is impractical and you will need to repackage into gallon freezer bags asap (if you have room in the freezer) before storing. I store them flat so they stack like books. It is also available in 3-lb bags which is more money per pound but not as challenging to keep.

Bob's Red Mill almond flour is available locally and on Amazon but I only use it if I can find the Super-Fine and not the meal.  
 

A Favorite Recipe: Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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2. Coconut Flour

Coconut flour tends to absorb moisture from recipes so a little goes a long way. It cannot be used to replace regular flour 1:1 but is excellent in many bread, muffin, and cookie recipes. I even use it to "bread" my pan fried chicken and none of the kids can taste the coconut.

I buy Betterbody Coconut flour locally at our BJ's Wholesale Club for a good price. It is available on Amazon as well and the price fluctuates. Bob's Red Mill is available locally and online and works fine. 

A Favorite Recipe: Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chip Streussel Topping 

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3. Honey

Most of the muffins, cookies, and cakes that I have been making lately do not require sugar but do call for honey. I buy local organic when I can but I can't always fit it into the budget. I just buy big jars at our warehouse club. (I'm not going to let the perfect get in the way of the good here.) If you can afford raw, local honey, do it! You can also buy on Amazon HERE.

A Favorite Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Muffins (I like to add an extra brush of honey a couple minutes before they come out of the oven)

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4. Coconut Milk

I use pure coconut milk for much of my gluten free baking as a cow's milk substitute. I'm not talking about coconut drink, I'm talking about pure coconut milk untouched by other ingredients. This goes in our cookies, pancakes, smoothies, homemade ice cream, and cakes. And when I'm really missing ice cream and feeling lazy, I eat it straight with frozen berries. Nice, delicious healthy fats! 

Golden Star is the only local brand I have found that is free from soy or any other ingredients except coconut milk and water. I find it in cans at my local Walmart in the asian food aisle but you can also find it for sale on Walmart.com and off and on through Amazon. If you don't mind soy, there are a number of other shelf brands available. The soy is there as an emulsifier but it changes the texture. With the pure coconut milk, the cream will better separate from the water and rise to the top. You can mix it up again or just use the cream as is. I advise mixing for any recipes which call for coconut milk. 

A Favorite Recipe: Creamy Chocolate Avocado Smoothie (This isn't really bakery but it's dessert-ish. When I am feeling run-down, I love this kind of super boost recipe for increasing my healthy fats and nutrients.)

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5. Coconut Oil

I use coconut oil for everything from moisturizer to cooking. I fry in it, bake with it, wash baby's head with it, make lip balm with it. I look for it on sale locally but have also purchased online. There are different ways to buy coconut oil but unrefined is going to provide you with the most nutritive value. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature but has a low melting temperature... do not be alarmed if it turns to liquid in a warm house.

Vegetable oil is forbidden in my house. Wherever it used to be in baking, it is now replaced with coconut or olive oil. 

A Favorite Recipe: Fudgy Chocolate Tarts

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6. Cocoa Powder

There are many brands of organic cocoa powder out there and I recommend them if you can afford it... but I just use Hershey's because I burn through it. It's yet another example of how I must compromise with the perfect until I am no longer feeding a family of ten. As soon as my grocery bill goes from shocking to reasonable, I would love to make the switch.

A Favorite Recipe: Almond Butter Fudge

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Here's a picture of a Gluten Free Easter creation. The cake is made from a cocoa and almond flour/coconut flour base. The frosting is buttercream with grass fed butter... A definite splurge! I rarely eat dairy but this was an enjoyable exception. 

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7. Shredded Coconut (Unsweetened)

Unsweetened shredded coconut is difficult to find around here so I order mine online and love the product. My favorite brand is Let's Do Organic and buying it in bulk on Amazon is the best deal for me. I have a lot of trouble finding this locally.

A Favorite Recipe: Peppermint Chocolate Macaroons

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8. Cacao Butter

Cacao Butter is a beautiful food that I consider an indulgence. Not cheap. I use it to make my own chocolate energy bar (aka homemade chocolate with chia thrown in for fun and protein) and to add to an occasional recipe. I have purchased from both Rose Mountain Herbs  and Amazon.

A Favorite Recipe: Chocolate Coconut Energy Bars

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9. Vanilla extract & Vanilla Beans

Most commercial brands of vanilla extract have sugar added so I've started making my own. When I have to buy it, I double check the ingredients to make sure that it is just vanilla and alcohol. I also buy vanilla beans to use in very special desserts. 

A Favorite Recipe: Blackberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

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10. Sea Salt

Available pretty much anywhere.

A Favorite Recipe: Paleo Salted Caramel Sauce

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11. Chocolate

Because I am sensitive to soy and soy is even in most organic chocolates, I buy Green & Black's organic dark chocolate for my splurges. In addition to the clean ingredients, I also find the taste more pleasant than other leading brands. 

If you are looking for dairy, nut, soy, gluten free chocolate chips, Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips are a great option.

A Favorite Recipe: Dark Chocolate Cake Brownies

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12. Chia Seeds

These can be found many places and I've been happy with Bob's Red Mill. I buy them in larger quantities online to get a discount. I add them to smoothies, homemade larabars, and chocolate.

A Favorite Recipe: Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding

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14. Dates

These little fruits are a surprisingly wonderful way to sweeten up many desserts. Get yourself a good food processor (I found a Cuisinart at a garage sale) and a whole new world of healthy dessert will open up to you. You can find them anywhere that sells groceries.

A Favorite Recipe: Paleo Chocolate Energy Bars

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15. Coconut Sugar

Sometimes you just need something to replace white sugar 1:1 in a recipe and coconut sugar does that really well without the same affect on your glucose levels as white sugar. The taste is good. Texture is good. And it is finally available locally for a reasonable price. I buy Betterbody at our local BJ's Wholesale and on Amazon when the prices dip.

A Favorite Recipe: Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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16. Gelatin

This is not your mama's knox gelatin. Gelatin is a wonderful for joint and bone health and even better when you know that the source is all grass fed beef. I buy Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin.  Gelatin is used in many paleo and gluten free recipes to help desserts set up without eggs or cheese. 

A Favorite Recipe: Chocolate Gelatin Squares

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17. Maple Syrup

Get the real stuff. It seems pricey but very little is needed to sweeten a recipe. 

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Recipe Resources

I have to conclude by passing on my current favorite resource (besides Pinterest which is endlessly wonderful) for the most wonderful gluten free recipes. I have not been disappointed with any recipe I have tried from Against All Grain. Danielle Walker is a beautiful person with an inspiring story of how she has managed autoimmune disease with nutrition. In addition to her website, her physical cookbooks are absolutely gorgeous and useful.

I also love  Simply Gluten Free Magazine. I have found some incredible and nutritious recipes in here as well as a heads' up to new brands and tips for eating gluten free. 

Is there anything I should add to my pantry? Let me know in the comments!

How I Do Mornings Without Coffee

{This post contains affiliate links Thank you for supporting my family! More info Here.} 

I don't drink coffee. I don't even like coffee.

There... I got that out of the way. Can we still be friends? 

Other than the surprising news that I don't share most of the world's love affair with coffee, people are most confounded by how I manage to function without the caffeine. Well, okay, I'm tired... a lot. But I also have 8 kids so expectations of being well rested are reasonably low. 

I suppose the real question is...
How do I function well without that shot of caffeine in my life? 

The overreaching principle of my daily healthcare is that before "self-medicating" (deliberately consuming caffeine to stay awake, etc), I consider if there's a need that can be met by a healthier means. In the case of fatigue, the obvious answer is MORE SLEEP. But since I am a homeschooling-entreprenuerial-mother-of-8... I need a little more help than that. 

I have heard from many people who wish they could kick coffee to the curb or at least limit it to a moderate amount. They are tired of the caffeine crash headaches, insomnia, caffeine-induced anxiety, their financial contribution to the Starbucks empire, caloric excess with specialty coffees, and desire to limit the use of addictive stimulants to keep them going. 

The news is also spreading that caffeine and autoimmune disease to not mix well... and we all know that autoimmune disease is on the rise. 

Here is my personal plan of action for those of you who are trying to kick (or reduce) a coffee habit...

SLEEP.

Just restating the obvious here. For some of us (moms with babies, toddlers, or teenagers, for example), more sleep is not always an option. God bless you hard working caregivers! Virtual fist bump from a mom who hasn't seen 7 hours in a very, very long time. 

For those of you who have other reasons for not sleeping (overworking, insomnia, stress, evening internet use, pain, etc.), there are other resources for helping with that. But... coffee is not one of them. Coffee does NOT help with sleep.

JUST SAY NO.

Whittle the schedule down to the bare minimum. If your 3-year old is already in ballet and soccer, I promise you that declining another activity will not ruin her life. It's more likely that a tired, cranky mother will mess with her quality of life, to be honest... speaking from experience here.

My unscientific observations tell me that most people use coffee to propel themselves through overbooked schedules of their own design. If you say no to extra obligations, you will not be less busy (something will always fill up your time!) but you will find your activities more manageable. 

I have some very big obligations in my life that keep me busy 100% of the time. That means I have to say no to other opportunities pretty much daily.

NUTRITION

The average American diet is saturated with energy-sapping ingredients. White flour, sugar, chemical additives, empty calories... none of which are going to keep you going beyond an initial burst. In fact, the net effect of a lousy diet is that we force our bodies to run on empty constantly. Calories? Sure... we've got those. Real nutrition at the cellular level?

Epic cultural fail.

Switching to a nutrient dense diet will do more for your body and energy level than a cup a joe ever will. (Read: How to Transform Your Health Through Diet)

WATER

Odds are that you have your fancy water bottle already. Use it. Your body needs water. You already know that water consumption increases energy and body efficiency! Don't make me nag you!

SMOOTHIES

This really should go under "nutrition" but smoothies are my favorite way to get started in the morning so they get their own category. I don't think I ever make the same smoothie twice (who has time to measure?) but I do have some (but not all) favorite ingredients...

• Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) 
• Tart Cherry Juice
• Spinach
• Almond milk (Heinen's brand without soy)
• Pure coconut milk (this brand does not contain soy)
• Kale
• Carrots
• Bananas
• Turmeric
• Lemon (sometimes fresh, sometimes a drop or 2 of lemon essential oil)
• Avocado
• Collagen powder
• Chia seeds
• Bone broth protein powder

ESSENTIAL OILS

Peppermint, lemon, and orange are my happy-wake-up oils. Seriously! I diffuse or apply them in the morning and take them with me when I go. They are particularly helpful on a car ride when my mind is not working quickly and I want to make sure I'm driving safely. More info about these great natural resources HERE.

PRAYER

Stress and anxiety exhaust us. They cause us to lose sleep, they tax the adrenals, they wreak havoc on our mental clarity and relationships. There isn't always a way to eliminate big stressors in our lives but the fact is that those who have a strong faith, have greater interior peace and better health. 

If you don't know how to pray or do pray but aren't sure you're grasping the full benefit, I highly recommend this slim volume called Prayer for Beginners. 

I read it when I already considered myself a veteran to prayer... and it helped bring a greater simplicity, clarity, and peace to my existing spiritual life. 

EXERCISE

I almost forgot this one (thank you for the kind reader who reminded me!)... probably because I like to sleep a whole lot more than I like to exercise. ha. But studies confirm that exercise increases energy and fights fatigue. People with autoimmune disease or adrenal fatigue have to be a bit more strategic about when, how, and how long they exercise (I'm just going to cite this as my excuse for sleeping in) but physical movement is still a critical part of their energy tool box and long term health.

What else am I missing? Let me know what your tips are!

Transform Your Health Through Diet (8 Steps)

Whether I'm talking to someone who is in need of healing or examining my own life, I always put nutrition first because it must be first. Nutrition is the fuel that runs our bodies, our brains, our hormones... everything. Our bodies are incredible.... AMAZING... beautiful... and we were designed to function optimally with nutritious food; but the typical American diet does not take those needs seriously. Consequently…

We live in a first world country that is plagued with disease... much of which is self-inflicted.

It is common knowledge that much disease (and symptoms of unavoidable disease) can be eliminated or reduced by eating a nutrient-dense, garbage-free diet and living a healthy lifestyle. Modern medicine is marvelous... but no doctor or surgery or medication can replace God's plan for normal, healing nutrition.

(Pause for a second and read my disclaimer HERE. I'm not a substitute for your doctor. Consider me an accountability partner in a life of joy and health.)

If you exercise every day but stuff your body full of garbage, you are setting yourself up for failure. If you exercise daily, eliminate garbage, but do not meet your body's fundamental nutritional needs, you are still setting yourself up for future problems.

The following information contains the skeleton of my personal nutrition plan. When someone asks me how I eat (or ideally eat), this is what I tell them...

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TRANSFORMING MY HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION (8 Steps)

1. CUT OUT GARBAGE

2. INCREASE REAL NUTRITION

3. SHOP THE PERIMETER

4. THE FEWER INGREDIENTS, THE BETTER

5. EAT NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOODS

6. EMBRACE THE FAT

7. CAREFUL SUPPLEMENTING

8. NEVER STOP LEARNING {FIND A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM}

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1. CUT OUT GARBAGE

The human body is incredible! The balance of hormones and systems is finely tuned and designed to function with seasonal, real food. It is extremely resilient and can survive and thrive for a long time on inferior nutrition or periods of fasting, through days, seasons, and even decades. But if we use garbage "food" to fuel the body on a regular basis, we will eventually damage the beautiful machine.

The good news is that the body also has a remarkable ability to heal. If you're like me and have abused your own body nutritionally for most of your life, then it might take a longer period of hard work... but every small step is worth it! I'm on my 6th year of gluten-free, clean eating and I'm not tempted to go back. I cannot overstate the positive effect that those changes have made on my life.

Once upon a time, I told my husband I thought that I would die if I had another baby and I truly believed it because I was THAT sick. But in between that pregnancy and the next, I changed my diet and consequently, my life. And I didn't die. Not even close.

When I was 35, I told him that I would surely be in a wheelchair by the time I was 40. I am now 39... and thriving.

LET'S BE HONEST... The trial of going without chemically enhanced lattes and Oreo cookies is a first world problem. You don't have to have them. And the obligations of your vocation may be calling you to let them go. If you eat junk regularly and also complain about IBS, fatigue, diabetes, joint pain, headaches, etc... then it may be time to start thinking about the stress you've been putting on your body all these years and the investment you want to make for the future.

The good news is that now is a GREAT time to begin to make changes regardless of the challenges you face in life. There is always a small change you can make toward health.

THINGS TO CONSIDER ELIMINATING IMMEDIATELY:

• CORN SYRUP. This should not even be used in moderation. It has no nutritional value and wreaks havoc on a body. It's also in almost everything modern Americans eat.

• WHEAT/GLUTEN. Wheat is not inherently evil... but the way that the majority of flour is produced in the last 50 years renders it a nutritionally empty source of calories, and increasing numbers of people are developing sensitivities. If you do not have an intolerance, you will still benefit nutritionally from replacing most or all of your bread and pasta with vegetables and nutritionally dense carbs. You will eliminate an inflammatory food and you will also eliminate a huge source of extra pounds! The elimination of gluten changed my life.

• PACKAGED FOODS. There are exceptions to the this but in general, if a food is packaged, it needs non-food chemicals to keep it from rotting, breaking, separating, or to enhance its denatured flavor. Added up over the course of a day (and a life), the cumulative impact can be significant. 

• PACKAGED FOODS LABELED 'GLUTEN FREE'. Make no mistake... The majority of packaged gluten free food is junk food. Completely nutritionally empty. Just eat real food instead or find companies that produce nutritionally, garbage free products. Have you ever heard anyone say "I gained weight on a gluten-free diet"? Yep, me too... all the time! Well, that outcome makes sense if they are simply replacing their empty carbs with more empty carbs.

• ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. Most simply are not healthy to consume. Use natural sweeteners instead.

• SUGAR. I know... I know... All things in moderation, right? But the American idea of "moderation" and the body's idea of moderation seem to be at odds. Modern science recognizes that sugar is a source of inflammation in the body, and that inflammation is a common cause of preventable disease. So... consider less damaging alternatives (honey, real maple syrup, coconut sugar) and also making even those splurges rare since they tend to increase more sweet cravings. read more here.

• ALL SODA . This is a no-brainer. We know this. Regular is terrible for you. Diet may be worse.

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2. INCREASE REAL NUTRITION

After cutting out garbage, it can initially seem difficult to find nutritious replacements. We are used to eating from boxes and bags and have been desensitized to the long list of ingredients on labels. The following tips will help you navigate...

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3. SHOP THE PERIMETER

Most real foods will be found in the produce and refrigerated sections of a grocery store. Avoiding processed, nutrient-deficient foods generally means eliminating many of the middle aisles. Shop fresh.

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4. THE FEWER INGREDIENTS, THE BETTER

One-ingredient foods are the best option. If you're buying chicken, you want chicken... not chicken with a list of hard to spell chemicals listed on the label. If you're buying broccoli, you want broccoli... not broccoli, colorants, and preservatives. When buying from a can or a box, go for the one that has the fewest and most recognizable ingredients. For example, a simple can of kidney beans usually contains some form of sugar. Put back the ones that list corn syrup and chemicals... and keep looking until you find the healthiest, fewest ingredients added to your beans.

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5. EAT NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOODS

Long term health does not count calories but weighs nutrition. The best path to weight loss is a body that has the proper fuel when it needs it. If you overeat regularly, calories will add up, but I've got to tell you... it's a lot harder to gain extra weight when you're doubling up on asparagus than if you're doubling up on the pasta. Make the calories count and your appetite will more likely regulate itself. You will remember what it's like to be truly hungry. There won't be bloating to confuse or guilt you. You can just eat.

Also, not all whole foods are created equal. If you are short on nutrients (almost all of us are), then you might want to make your pile of dark leafy greens significantly larger than your pile of rice.

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6. EMBRACE THE FAT

It is time to leave the diet fads and pseudo-science of the 1980's behind. Dump the margarine... Embrace the full-fat grass-fed butter. Why? Because margarine is chemically-laden garbage food and your brain and body NEED healthy fats to stay healthy. Every cell in your body is made up of fats... you have a fundamental biologic need for fat.

I have noticed in my own diet that when I eat more healthy fats, my cravings are reduced, I have more energy, less brain fog, and have no trouble with weight gain. When I skimp on the fats, I end up eating more of everything else and struggling with energy.

WHAT FATTY OILS TO GET RID OF COMPLETELY....

vegetable oil
canola oil
cottonseed oil
Trans fats
soybean oil
hydrogenated oil

MY FAVORITE WAYS TO GET MORE HEALTHY FAT IN MY DIET...

avocados
coconut oil
nuts
full fat coconut milk
organic full fat butter
organic bacon... because... bacon.

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7. CONSIDER CAREFUL SUPPLEMENTING

Before saying another word about supplements, I must reiterate:

A NOURISHING DIET IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY SUPPLEMENT.  PILLS WILL NOT SAVE YOU FROM BAD FOOD CHOICES. Supplements only become a need when our diet is inadequate. Having said that…

I am a supplement convert. I never "believed" in the idea and thought that I could just get what I needed through food. I was wrong. Countless years of nutrient deprivation from poor eating, malabsorption, and ignorance left me seriously depleted of nutrients. And unfortunately (due to chronic issues and perhaps age), it isn't just correcting itself by eating a steak and a hearty salad periodically. My age and body abuse have left me struggling, and for the first time, I'm leaning on good supplements to get through my days.

It is VERY important to note that the vitamin and supplement industry is unregulated. That means that your Walmart multi-vitamins could very well contain Chinese sawdust... and mold. When testing has been done on OTC supplements, they have regularly been found to falsely advertise content and quantities and harbor such horrid ingredients as I’ve listed above. Additionally, most supplements provide synthetic nutrients and science is still uncertain about if that even benefits our bodies. What to do?

Do your research. Pay more money for supplements that you can source. Don't pop a pill just because it's cheap. You'll pay out the nose for medications to treat disease... why would you skimp on your preventative care? (And because someone always asks, I buy my supplements from doTERRA. Contact me and I'll be happy to share more info.)

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8. NEVER STOP LEARNING {FIND GOOD SUPPORT}

I receive many questions from this post since so many details simply won't fit! I will do my best to get to those as I am able and integrate answers in other posts. In the meantime, I will leave you will some of my favorite resources for recipes and wellness. Wondering how to cook a meal with real food? These recipe resources are a great place to start and have helped me out more times than I can count.

And don't forget...

Listen to your body. This is a journey of wellness NOT perfection. Every good choice is a victory. Remember your purpose... Thanks be to God!

The Slight Edge and The Secret to Healthy Living

What is holding you back from a healthy lifestyle?

The answer is so simple that it surprises me every time I stumble upon it again. It recently jumped out at me from the pages of a great book that I think everyone should read. A good book will take a basic truth and extract it from the superficial complexity of life and just NAIL it to my forehead...

"Here you go," it says. "You've forgotten this." And then it slips quietly back on to the shelf while I sit stunned.

The Slight Edge is one of those books and that is precisely why I recommend it to all who work with me; because it lays out simple steps to a successful life. Not just successful, but happy. Most people are probably prompted to read it in the context of a business endeavor, but the author's approach applies so well to a journey to physical fitness, good health, and even the spiritual life that the applications are almost limitless.

A good Christian friend of mine said that the principles in the book were to her like a secular adaptation of St. Therese of Lesieux's Little Way. Do small things with great love and do them well... trusting that the steady faithfulness will bear great fruit. 

Do you want to be healthy in mind, body, and soul? The Slight Edge makes it clear...

Healthy living is not about amazing and quick transformations, but about one small choice at a time. 

The author puts it bluntly...

"It's easy to eat well. But it's also easy not to, and to go on eating the food that will eventually kill us, because it won't kill us today. It's not the one junk food meal; it's the thousands, over time. Eating the burger is just a simple error in judgment. Not eating it, a simple positive action.

The thing is, eating it won't kill you... today. Compounded over time, it can and will - but not at first. And not eating it won't transform your health and save your life, at least not today. Compounded over time, it can and it will."

He makes a simple but powerful point about why so many in our fast food, click-bait culture don't reach their goals: Because they aren't willing to do the one mundane easy thing, in the moment, without seeing immediate results.

He says...

"Here's how real success is built: by the time you get the feedback, the real work's already done."

One day at a time, one choice at a time... step by step.

I know the path to healing intimately and I know how slow progress can seem at times. But then suddenly, you have turned a corner... and you're standing in the middle of Walmart bawling like a baby and thanking God because there was once a time when you were too sick to go on a short Walmart trip with your husband.

Yes, that happened to me... that day in Walmart when it all made sense. The day I knew that every little choice toward the positive had been worth it. Slowly, steadily, faithfully. That's how lives are transformed.

I know you can do this! I am living proof that you don't have to be a high energy "health nut" to make a change. Be a steady little plodder and you will achieve great things!

And read the book... it's well worth your time. The Slight Edge

The Best Clean Eating Snack On the Go (Sweetpotato Awesome)

{This post contains affiliate links. More info Here.} 

Anyone who is on a restricted diet for any reason, knows the challenges of eating well while living an active and free lifestyle. This is primarily because most commercial food providers don’t deviate from the standard American diet and customers don’t demand it.

So the challenge is finding sources that provide beautiful food in every respect; to keep the joy in eating as well as help the consumer stay on a healthy path in life.

I have been a gluten-free clean eater for five years and Sweetpotato Awesome products are still my hands down favorite. Absolutely no question about it. It has been over a year since I first reviewed these delicious treats and they still holds the number one status on my growing list of resources. I would eat Sweetpotato Awesome just as often as I have it in my hands. I would be happy to receive it as a gift on my birthday. Yes... it's that good. 

• Super crunch that we gluten-free peeps so often miss.

• Exceptional flavor

• Nutrient dense

• Clean, organic ingredients that can be counted in the single digits.

On top of all that, Sweetpotato Awesome was created by entrepreneur, Joshua Kingdon, who is a man of true integrity and excellence. If there's one thing I love more than food (??), it's supporting small business and the hearts and souls behind a product.

What is my favorite flavor?

I'm sorry... I cannot choose. Each one I tried became my new favorite and then, after I finished the last one, I'm pretty sure I missed them all equally. I may have a slight preference for the flavored because I love the beneficial and taste qualities of herbs and feel like I’m eating my way to good health!

• Dill and Garlic

• Sea Salt

• Cinnamon

• Dill ,Garlic and Chipotle

• Sea Salt Fries

• Sea Salt Bits

Remember, these are not chips, they are SLICES... of organic freeze dried sweetpotatoes goodness prepared with organic, nutrient dense ingredients. There are so many ways to eat them... check out the website for ideas. 

Don't balk at the price. It reflects the quality and goodness of what is in these bags! It also reflects the blood, sweat, tears, and regulatory hoops that entrepreneurs must jump through in order to be awesome. 

I used to feed my toddlers fish crackers. Now that we are gluten free, I don't intend to replace processed junk with gluten free processed junk from Walmart. Junk is junk.

But Sweetpotato Awesome?

Baby loves these. Mama is happy. Please visit the Sweetpotato Awesome site to get your own... (and put another bag in the cart for me).