Where did Christ go in our Christmas?

It’s 8:48pm and everyone is tucked in bed for the night.  Everyone, but myself.  As I sit and reflect on the day, I would say it was as close to perfect as one could get.  We woke up at my parent’s home.  Excitement was in the air as the boys rose from their slumber.  Presents were stacked high underneath the tree.  EVERYONE was in good spirits. The day was full of laughter, fellowship, gift giving, movies and, of course, food.   After all, this is the most wonderful time of the year.

At the end of the day, my husband and I loaded up our minivan full of new toys and clothes for the boys.  On the way home, I began to think, “What would my boys tell me of today?”  Well, I know what they would have said.  They would have brought up times spent with grandma and grandpa, watching a movie with Uncle Josh, and all the toys they got to play with.  My heart sank.  While those things are good, somewhere, we lost the true meaning of Christmas.

After everyone was in bed, my husband and I sat on the couch and we began to talk about our day.   We both agreed it was a good day and we also agreed that we did a very poor job of speaking biblical truth.  Not once today, was Jesus mentioned.   I seriously cannot even believe I just wrote those words down, “not once today, was Jesus mentioned”.   Wow.  We did an entire Advent book series and on THE day, the day that matters most, it all fell apart.  How does this happen?!  Sadly, I know the truth.  I wise woman once told me, you cannot impart what you do not possess.  I have a heart issue.

The past couple weeks have been crazy (and yes, I could totally give you a list of things that happened in our home, but I digress).  With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I lost Jesus.  I personally lost him.  I did not spend time with him like I should.  A day turned into two, which turned into a week… and here a sit.

Now what’s to happen?  Things need to change.  LIFE needs to change.  Apparently, I cannot do this on my own.  I need help.  I need someone to hold me accountable.  I could sit here and feel ashamed and guilty, but that will do me no good.  I need action for change.  So here it goes.  Being real.  Telling someone that  I struggle reading my bible and humbly asking for help, but I HAVE to.  Life is about JESUS.  I have 3 boys to raise, and I have so much to teach, BUT I cannot impart what I do not possess.  Everything starts with me.

Peace and love to you on this Christmas night. 

Kami

Whole Foods Lifestyle and Pregnancy

So, I'm not going to sugar coat this in anyway.  For those of you that don't know, I am currently expecting our 3rd child and I am just about 10 weeks along.  This first trimester has been hell.  I was sick with my other two, but THIS takes the cake.  I'm down about 6 pounds and I throw up constantly.  If you can't find me, I'm in the bathroom probably throwing up.  Oh, and if you see me at the store, please know that I am on a mission to get out ASAP before I up chuck again (why, oh WHY, do grocery stores smell so bad?).  Sounds glamorous, right?

I was hoping I wouldn't get sick this time around.  I thought that maybe our new lifestyle would prevent a lot sickness, but it didn't.  I've found myself compromising on the food I eat.  One thing I LOVE to eat is bread.  While I haven't bought bread for the house, if we ever go out, that is the FIRST think I get, and it stays down and tastes wonderful!  Other things I have bought that aren't apart of our lifestyle are oatmeal and cereal.  I made sure what I purchased was organic and contained no more than 5 ingredients.  HOWEVER, I have noticed that 30 minutes after I'm done eating those items, my digestive system goes haywire.  I get bloated and don't feel good, so I will not be purchasing those items anymore.  It was fun to see little Jackson (3 years) all excited about cereal.  It's so weird to me that he's 3 and he's just getting introduced to it.  Sorry child - the cereal is leaving us!

I guess I don't know what to do anymore.  I'm starving, yet nauseous.  If I eat, it's a gamble on if it'll stay down.  When I eat, I'm miserable.  It's def a challenge to get food to stay in my belly...so much of a fight I have to question if I want to even try.

Today was a terrible day, so that's why this post is not very uplifting.  On the bright side, I am blessed with another little baby growing inside me.  I'll take being sick for this child.  One day, though, I'm going to tell him/her the misery he/she put me through :).  It'll be SOOO worth it!

If you think of me, say a prayer.  That's all I have now.  I've tried this and that with no success.  I am at the Lord's mercy :).

Our Budget

Our grocery budget has been astronomical the past few weeks.  I would tell you the amount; however, I am a bit embarrassed.  I felt convicted that I needed to cut back SIGNIFICANTLY.  I asked some other women what their weekly budget was and made my decision from there.  I decided to set our budget at $120/week.

For those of you that think this is a bit high, please remember we do not eat processed foods and we are gluten free (which ups the budget by quite a bit, I think!) 

This week, I'm going to give you the opportunity to see my grocery bill along with my weekly menu.  I have to admit, I am a bit nervous about staying on budget this week.  We were out of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Vanilla (two items I will not compromise on). 

Other items I will not compromise on are: organic strawberries, organic celery, organic carrots, organic lettuce, organic apples - these specific products have a very high pesticide rate if not certified organic.

Okay!  So, here was my grocery list (thus far) along with the total spent:

• Orange Juice
• 2 Jars of Salsa
• Clementines
• Green Beans
• Organic Strawberries
• 4 cartons of Blackberries
• Organic EVOO
• Organic Vanilla Extract
• Bananas
• Organic Apples
• Gluten Free Spaghetti
• Blue Corn Chips
• Toothbrushes

Total = $68.67

I also stopped by Heyely's to purchase some (not all) of our meat for the week. 

• Whole Chicken
• Pound of Ground Round

Total  = $10

This is only a partial grocery list, but from this list, this is what I plan on making:

• Crock pot Chicken (chicken, beer), Green Beans, Applesauce (frozen)
• Chicken Veggies Soup - this will be made with the left over chicken and I have carrots and celery left over from last week
• Gluten Free Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Green Beans, and Peaches (frozen)

I currently have Hamburger Soup left over for Monday's lunch and we'll have left overs for lunch the remainder of the week. 

I also have enough fruits and veggies to make green smoothies a couple times a day.  Kale and Collard Greens last for quite awhile AND are very cheap!

That's it for now!  I'll probably be going to the store around Wed or Thursday and will post an update!

Lastly, I will speaking at Bear Family Chiropractic on Tuesday @ 6:30pm.  For those that are looking to make a lifestyle change, that's what I'll be talking about!  I'll be giving you steps to implement and take back to your family.

Wishing you a week full of whole foods and health!!

The Skinny on My Weight

Weight...Doesn't every women worry or maybe even obsess about this??  I use to be one of those women.  From a very young age, weight was an obsession for me.  The desire to be thin and look good was always at the fore front of my mind.  I'm assuming I got this from television or maybe even magazines.  I can remember in the third grade documenting my weight in a journal and writing what I wish I would have weighed.  Which is sad, really.  A third grader should never even be thinking about weight.

As I got older, weight always consumed my thoughts.  I had uncontrollable cravings and I'd always get so mad at myself when I 'gave in' to these cravings.  My weight fluctuated constantly and I never felt as if I was in control of the weight battle, let alone my food.  In one year I gained 40 pounds.  I remember thinking of my next crash diet.  I thought I was doing everything right.  I was drinking diet coke and munching on 100 calorie packs and fat free cheese!  I spent many nights crying myself to sleep over my weight.  Looking back, the answer seemed so simple, but at the time I was caught up in a terrible eating lifestyle.

There's this big movement right now about embracing the big women we are (along with reality TV shows).  I'm not sure how I feel about this. I truly believe we are in the middle of a health epidemic.  So many people are overweight today because of the convenience food around them. Those foods are making us overweight.  High Fructose Corn Syrup is in a lot of our processed food, which doesn't fill us up like it should and is so much more potent.  In fact, HFCS makes us hungry (double whammy!).  We really can't win when we ingest Corn Syrup - so, if weight is an issue for you, my advice would be - BACK AWAY FROM THE HFCS! :)  

I tell you my weight struggle because I think a lot of people look at me and think I've always been thin and weight has never been an issue for me.  That is so far from the truth.  For the first time in my life, I feel completely in control of my food choices.  In my last post I stated I no longer have food cravings.  This has brought me so much freedom.  I don't crave pretzels like I once did (pretzels use to be an obsession for me).  I also HAD to eat chocolate.  My husband and I would do ice cream runs 3-4 times a week.  Who was in control??  Even though I thought I was, I most certainly was not. 

By switching to a whole foods diet and cutting out gluten, we are happier and we feel better.  I no longer look at the scale and wonder what number is going to pop up this time.  I weigh myself about once a month just to check in. I eat what I want to eat without guilt.  Since I no longer have cravings, I choose when I want to eat dessert or treat myself.  Eating a piece of pie is such a treat for our family because we don't have that food around a lot.  If I let Jackson get a cookie, that's probably one cookie or sweet treat he'll get all week.

I guess the whole purpose of this post is to let those of you who battle weight know that I KNOW what you are going through.  I know what it's like to look at the scale and want to shed 20 pounds, but every time you weigh yourself that number doesn't move.  I want to encourage you to look towards a lifestyle change rather than going on a diet.  Start cutting out processed foods and focus on eating fruits and veggies (and no more HFCS!).  Nourish your body with whole foods.  If you don't know if it's a whole food ask yourself, "Did God make this?".  There are no fruit roll up trees, my friends.

I felt very compelled to write this, so I'm sure there was a reason.  Wishing you much health this Holiday week!

Last November, we started a journey of better eating.  I am so proud of how far we've come!!  The Bear house is officially processed food free! 
For many of you, this may seem impossible and not doable.  In one year, we have taken baby steps to reach this point.  This, dear readers, is VERY doable!!  By eliminating one product or chemical at a time, we have progressed to where we are today.  We still have a ways to go, but I am so proud at the progression that has taken place.

Our diet now consists of WHOLE FOODS - God made foods (fruits, veggies, and lean meats).  It's so simple - it's hard :).  I use to be obsessed with recipes, but now, I hardly ever use them.  I've also learned that repeating meals weekly and biweekly is completely acceptable.  My entire perception of food has changed!

I truly believe that the food we put in our bodies determines how well we live.  I just read an article today entitled, America: In 10 Years You'll Be Fat.  I think sometimes people take these articles offensively, but they shouldn't.  There is so much truth in it! Americans need a wake up call and sometimes a slap in the face.  We are in the middle of a health epidemic.  People mock me (yeah, a little harsh, but true) when they see what I post about their cereals, their pizza and everyday "food". They have a tendency to think I'm over doing it.  How can cereal really hurt us, right?

Here's the problem - we aren't eating bad once in-a-while.  We are eating poorly everyday, for every meal, over a life time.  Nine year olds are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.  This use to take a lifetime to get, now it takes us 9 short years. Food is in control of us.  We have uncontrollable cravings and we are getting...I'll just say....FAT.  Big, fat, stupid America, that's what we're becoming.  We no longer know how to feed ourselves (crazy, right?). 

I blame the food industry.  They do a wonderful job marketing, TELLING us what's healthy.  They tell us to eat this and that, and we believe them.  We take what they say at face value and do not question them.  STOP THE MADNESS!! 

Since we went off processed food and cut gluten, we have been more in control of what we eat. We no longer have cravings and we are no longer slaves to food.  Some may look at the way we eat and think they could NEVER do it and they'd be giving up to much.  Oh, dear readers!  We have GAINED more than we have  lost.  If our lifestyle was impossible, it would not be a lifestyle.  We don't miss the frozen pizzas, cereal, crackers, cookies, chips...WE DON"T MISS THEM!  We are functioning BETTER without those things and we will never go back.

I have a very sick extended family.  Sadly, what I have to say falls on deaf ears.  I can only control what we do, and we will continue doing what we're doing.  I always love questions and will help when I can!  Do not hesitate...this is my passion!

Illness in our Home

Illness has struck the Bear household!!! And what I'm reading from Facebook, it sounds like a lot of you have been battling it too!  This brings me ask...what do you do to PREVENT or SHORTEN illness in your home?

For a lot of you, this may sound a little bizarre :). Believe me, when I was growing up, we never tried to prevent illness and when someone was getting ill, we just braced for it, and maybe took some medicine to help us "feel better".  But medicine doesn't create health, all it does is covers up the symptoms.  NyQuil won't heal us, it'll just not make us feel not-so-crappy.

What if I was to tell you, that you can prevent illness and the severity of sickness?  Would you try it?  My life has been transformed by the idea of wellness and prevention and I am now a believer.  Most non-mainstream people (holistic people, if you will) have known the path to wellness; however, most mainstream individuals (95% of us) ride them off as being crazy!  Let me tell you, non-medical intervention WORKS.

If your kids are chronically ill, let me advise you to read, "What's Eating Your Child".  We know how important nutrition is; however, when it comes to actually putting good nutrition into practice we fail to do so.  Part of that has to do with our access of process food - and in such abundance!  Really think how much fruits and veggies your kids are eating?  Okay, now think about what they are consuming for their snacks.  Are these good, wholesome foods?  Do your children not want to eat the food you prepare for dinner, but you feed them food from a box (crackers, Cheerios, granola bars, etc.) because that's all they'll eat.  If that's the case, they are not getting the proper nutrition to function and they're cells are not operating at the level they could be - they're operating on sub par fat (not good).  Just because you buy food at a store, does NOT mean it should 1) be consumed and 2) it is good for your kids. 

Good nutrition is the CORE of staying well.

Okay, now let's say you feel the onset of a cold.  What do you do?  Nothing?  Wrong answer! :)  Most of us have heard of Zicam.  This is wonderful stuff!  Zicam is Zinc, and the purpose of Zinc is to shorten illness.  Oh, my friends this works!

Let me tell you what I do when I am faced with illness.  This weekend, I could feel myself getting ill.  I was instantly on the war path! (Partially because I was home ALONE with the boys that weekend and could not afford to be sick.)  Every 2 to 3 hours I took zinc, I doubled up on Juice Plus, took an extra pro biotic, and put drops of colloidal silver in my ears and under my tongue (my ears hurt).  I also cut out all dairy and sugar from my diet (diary and sugar suppress the immune system) and I focused on eating and drinking fresh fruits and veggies.  If you want your body to work for you, you need to give it good food to give your a body a fighting chance!!  This makes sense, don't think?!

I did this for two days and it worked!  I felt run down at times, BUT I never stopped pumping my body full of good stuff and I never felt anything more than an onset of a cold.  I do the same thing for my kids if I think they're getting ill. 

Overall, I feel like we're living better lives!  I also feel that most people aren't aware of the natural options out there because we SOOOO dependent on the medicine - which I believe medicine has it's place :).  If anyone has questions in regards to this, let me know!  I'll answer as best I can!  It's time to approach our outlook on healthcare differently so that we may life healthier, better lives!

Cancer

Most probably know that my grandmother has cancer.  She has lived with it for 6 years.  Unfortunately, it looks like the end of the road may be closer than we initially thought.  This week my grandmother went to Mayo Clinic and found the tumors have grown and she has a large mass in her abdomen.  We still don't know what the mass is and they will be making the long journey back to Mayo next week to get more answers.  My grandma is in her early seventies...young in the grand scheme of things.  I hate cancer and the thought of losing her makes me oh, so very sad.

Here's the thing.  I don't believe we are destined to get cancer.  Our environment, the things we eat, the things we come into contact with all play a role.  We are all just one mutation away from cancer.  I don't know about you, but I want to keep my odds low so I am going to do what I can to PREVENT cancer.  This is a huge reason why I do the things I do.  I want my cells to be working FOR ME not against.  It has been proven time and time again, fruit and veggies are SOOO good for us, yet we don't eat them.  We know that working out is good for us, yet we choose not to. We know we need to drink more water, yet we drink sugary soda.  We are looking for other, easy ways to get "healthy" or to loose weight and it's not working.

Let me tell you there is NOTHING my grandma wants then to be well and to have her health back.  She's not ready to leave this word or to leave us.  I don't want her to leave us either...because I love her and she's a wonderful person.  Cancer has motivated me to DO better.  I am going to do what I can to PREVENT this from happening to me.  I'm going to only eat whole foods (God made foods), I'm going to drink more water, eat more fruits and veggies, I'm going to work out, I'm going to cut out house hold cleaning toxins, I'm going to get adjusted regularly, I'm going to make the switch from plastic to glass...all these things I'm going to do because I want to be around for my children.  I want to be around for a long, long, time.  Hopefully, I'll be able to read this post when I'm 120 year old with my husband and we can say, we did the best we could to lead healthy happy lives ;).

Let's Get Healthy!!

Let's Get Healthy!
Let's get healthy America!!  I am totally stoked to get the word out to EVERYONE about the crap they are eating and they don't even know it!  I was at the car dealership today and I would say 90% of the Dealers were obese.  At the dealership they offered free soda and there was a McDonald's right beside them.  A family of four came into the dealership after they grabbed a "snack" of 2 large fries.  The family looked far from healthy.  I say this NOT to judge.  I truly felt sorry for them because I don't think they have a clue what they're doing or know what exactly is going into their bodies - most people think potatoes and oil, but little do they know all the toxins that go into the making of fast food fries.  Well people it's time to get educated!

What Should I Do First?

• Go into your cabinets and anything you find that says Hydrogenated Oil on it - throw it out.  (Yes, partially hydrogenated oil is the same thing).
• If you are not buying natural peanut butter, it's time to make the switch! 
• High Fructose Corn Syrup must go!
• ANY and ALL artificial sweeteners need not enter your mouth
• Buy whatever you can locally - if not locally then try to go organic
• If you don't know what an ingredient it is, or a 6 year old can't pronounce it you shouldn't buy it
• And my fave, if your great-grandmother didn't eat it you shouldn't either.

Shopping

If you have very young children and you are implementing this lifestyle change, you will want to leave them at home when you shop for the first time.  You will be AMAZED at the food you can no longer buy.  Some that surprised me were: taco shells, taco seasoning, rolls from the bakery and Ritz crackers.  If you cook with any premixes (cakes, cookies, brownies) or use Hamburger Helper, you are going to have to say bye-bye!  These are LOADED with preservatives.
You'll want to make sure you shop the perimeter of the store.  All the processed food are in the aisles.

Buy TONS of produce.  Buy a variety!  Kale and collard greens are soo good for us.  Pick out an exotic fruit to take home to your kids.  On a side note - if your kids are use to processed foods, they are going to MISS processed foods.  Expect to go through a detox period.  You can gradually take them off as well.  Early this summer, I banned Cheerios's from our house.  Jack STILL asks for them.  He'd rather eat processed product than real food.  Your kids will eat what you available to them.  If you don't have processed food, then they can't eat them and either can you!

Getting Healthy

Can you believe I have the key to getting healthy and loosing weight?!  I sure do.  Today, we have traded WHOLE foods for processed products.  Let's see...who was healthier, our ancestor's or us?  Well, it most certainly is NOT us.  By 2030, it is predicted, that fifty percent of Americans will be obese.  Something is not going right! It's time to go back to whole foods - and that means all the calories and fat that come with it.  Fat doesn't make us fat...artificial food is making us fat...REALLY fat.  Artifical foods are driving our cravings and they are out of control! 

Challenge
I would like to challenge you, my dear readers.  I want to challenge you to a whole food diet.  When your at the store, ask yourself, "Did God make this?".  As a friend of mine told me, "there are no fruit rollup trees".  I believe we are at a very pivital point.  We are fat, unhealthy and walking around blindly.  Time to WAKE UP!  Time to eat better.  We deserve it and our children deserve to have there parents around...oh wait, we are projected to out live our kids (for the first time in history).  Okay, so our children deserve to have LONG healthy and happy lives.

Have a wonderful weekend!! My local readers...enjoy the Fair!

Hello Fall, Goodbye Fresh Produce

Wow!  Where did our summer go?!  It seems just like yesterday I was so excited about the prospect of Spring, now we're starring straight into the barrel of Fall.  Don't get me wrong, I love fall and all it has to offer.  I love the cooler temps, sweaters, camp fires and especially the thought of the holidays...BUT it's the thought of WINTER that comes AFTER Fall that I don't care for. 

With the end of summer also comes the end of Farmer's Markets and all that wonderful FRESH produce. I was talking to my grandma the other day, and she was telling me how she used to can EVERYTHING...like, everything.  It's hard to imagine not going to the store and having fruit and veggies at your finger tips. And that's how it was back then.  I think canning is somewhat of a lost art.  I wonder how many people actually can today?

Many people may be wondering what the purpose of canning would be.  After all, we do have access to produce year round, PLUS you can buy produce already canned.  Well, I would have to say that locally grown produce is...better.  For example, let's look at tomatoes. Tomatoes are a fairly common fruit to plant for a lot of Americans.  Have you ever picked a tomato straight from the vine?  The full flavor does not even compare to a tomato you'd by at a store.  Or how about a strawberry?  They are SOOO much better if you buy them from a local farmer!  The quality of food you get from a local farmer surpasses anything you could purchase at...ummm, shall I say...Wal-mart? :)  Also, you want to be careful when you buy canned fruit.  Make sure you see what's accompanying the fruit.  Sometimes high fructose corn syrup is added. 

Therefore, friends, I have canned tomatoes, froze 30 pts of  peaches and have 2 bushels of pears riping on my counter.  I have to believe it'll all be worth it.  I want to put away more tomatoes and some green beans, and, come fall, we will be doing applesauce.  I have far from mastered the art of canning, but I hope to soon.  I need a pro to come over and help me!  I do so much better SEEING and DOING rather than just reading!  This desire to can and freeze coincides with my quest to eat better, live better and be healthier.  Sure it's a little more (okay, a LOT more) work, but when it boils down to what's better and HEALTHIER for us, I think the effort is worth it.  After all, convenience foods have only gotten us into trouble...but I don't want to get on that right now! 

This summer I have thoroughly loved eating melons, sweet corn, tomatoes from our plant, and all the fresh produce summer brings...ahhh, I will miss you summer!  It's not over yet though!  Enjoy the delicious-ness of summer dear readers!   Have a happy and Healthy weekend!

Random Thoughts for the Week!

I have a new recipe for you all!  I made this awhile back, but since we used RAW apple cider vinegar, it overpowered the food.  I recently tried it again with less acv and it was WONDERFUL.  The recipe is for Cabbage Roll Casserole.  It can be somewhat time consuming if you choose to chop up the cabbage.  Oh, and if you use rice make sure you COOK it.  Our casserole was a bit crunchy :). 

On another note, this week has been somewhat of a trying week for me.  My youngest has been teething (that's what we think it is anyway).  He's had a fever for the past 2 days and has been super fussy for the past 3.  Before I could pin-point what was wrong with him, I thought he could be getting ill.  Both kids, and myself, doubled up on Juice Plus, probiotic, and fish oil.  I've been giving Jack zinc to help his immune system.  I HATE illness (mainly, because of what little sleep I get).  I now think it's just teething, but hey, a little extra "good" stuff couldn't hurt!  I'm just curious what YOUR family does to boost the immune system?   I could always use more ideas!

This week a new company, Wildtree, was brought to my attention.  Has anyone else ever heard of this? They sell all natural products.  For those of you that are eliminating processed foods, you are aware that so many products contain hydrogenated oil, MSG, GMO's, high fructose corn syrup, etc; THEREFORE, convenience foods are out.  Even products like taco seasoning packets, dry onion soup mix, bullion cubes and MUCH more are included.  These were convenience items for me that I can no longer use.  Well, Wildtree brings those convenience items back.  Their products contain only NATURAL ingredients.  From the research I've done on this company, I have been very impressed.  For me, it's a one stop shop for everything that I could need.  I'm tempted to have a tasting party.  Would there be interest if I would hold one at my home??  Here's the thing, I'm not a big party person, BUT if people wanted to try this stuff, I'd love to have a party - I don't want people to feel obligated to come, especially if they don't see the importance of natural foods in their diet.

Lastly, I've been thinking about giving a class on the American diet, processed foods and tools on how to cut processed foods from our diets. I'm not sure what the response would be, but apart of me thinks, GO FOR IT.   I don't claim to be an expert, I just want to educate people in a loving way.  If this would be an interest to anyone, let me know!  If no one response, I think I may do it anyway!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Juice Plus -Why You Should Take It Too

For about 8 mos my family and I have been taking Juice Plus.  What is Juice Plus you may ask?  Juice Plus is fruit and veggies in a capsule (or gummy form for kids).  That's it!  Juice Plus has been given a WHOLE FOOD label.  What does that mean?  It means when you take a veggie capsule of Juice Plus you are EATING carrots, tomato, spinach, kale, broccoli, etc. AND getting all the benefits!! When you take Juice Plus you are getting the nutritional benefits from 17 fruits and veggies.  Juice Plus bridges that nutritional gap between how you eat and how you SHOULD eat.  Did you know, we are supposed to consume 7-13 servings of fruits and veggies everyday?  How many of us meet that requirement?  I know I don't and that is why we take Juice Plus and why my husband recommends them to his patients.

If you want more information about Juice Plus, please check out these videos. 

My mission is to make people healthier and I believe Juice Plus does just that.  I've talked a lot about wellness and creating health.  One way to achieve that is by consuming good food.  Remember great food creates great cells.  When my children are getting sick, Juice Plus is a free for all!  Since they're fruit and veggies, you cannot overdose!  You cannot overdose on fruit and veggies.  I want my kids to get the BEST stuff in their bodies if they are getting ill.  Juice Plus is not a replacement for fruits and veggies, it just bridges the nutritional gap (like I stated before).  It also brings peace of mind. It is very hard to get my youngest to eat veggies.  Even though Juice Plus is not a replacement, I know my son is getting something good for him!!  As a mother, that means a lot!

Juice Plus offers a kids study program.  With an adult order, your child will be able to recieve Juice Plus for FREE from ages 4-18 when entered into this program. How cool is that?!  If you want more on the kids study program click here. There are also TONS of peer reviewed clinical research done on Juice Plus from top universities.  If you want to see all the research on Juice Plus click here.

Other supplements we take are fish oil and Probiotic.  Not a day goes by when we're not taking Juice Plus, fish oil and a probiotic.  This creates health and wellness (along with eating right, of course!).  Too often we wait for ourselves to get sick before we take action.  We get ill, go to the doctor and THEN we take something.  I want preventative care and that's why I eat the way I eat and take what I take.

If you are interested in Juice Plus for you or your family, let me know! You can also visit Kevin's Website.

Stay cool this weekend!

Kids "FUN" Foods

Yesterday, I spent my afternoon cleaning our condo (which we are trying to sell, so if anyone's interested let me know!).  The entire process, along with being on the second floor with no a/c, was exhausting!  I used my power of persuasion to talk my hubby into letting us eat out for dinner.  We decided to eat at Applebee's because they have many gluten-free options.  My husband and I both decided to get a salad.  We than began looking at the menu options for our kids (which BOTH eat food now).  Our options were Mac n' Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Sliders and Pasta with Alfredo sauce.  Wow.  These foods may be fun for kids, but they are far from healthy.  Needless to say, we decided to order off the adult menu to feed our children.

Is it any wonder why children are so unhealthy?  As parents we want to make our children happy.  One way to achieve that is buy feeding them these "fun" foods.  What child doesn't get excited at the sight of Mac n' Cheese?  As an adult, I still love Mac n' Cheese; however, my kids have yet to experience this over processed product (notice I didn't say food).  Everywhere you go to eat, "fun" foods are readily available for kids.  As my mind set is changing, I am looking more at these fun foods as a food product rather than real food.  If we began to look at food in that way I think most Americans would feed themselves and their children differently.  Wouldn't it be great if food came with a labeling system?  Such as, real food like lean meat, veggies and fruit would have an A label while fake foods like mac n' cheese would receive a D.  Wouldn't most parent's strive to feed their kids the BEST food?  Doesn't it make sense that in order to get the BEST result from our children, we need to feed them the best food out there?  In the book, "What's Eating Your Child" Kelly Dorfman, MS, LND writes:

"If a child's neural network is lacking nutrients, it cannot be expected to work optimally.  If the components are not there when they are needed, a weaker system is built, and the person compensates accordingly.  For example, if a child consumes the wrong kind of fat (the fat that comes from mac-and-cheese, chips, or fired foods in stead of fish, whole grains, and lean meats), the cells incorporates the less suitable fat into the membrane.  The nerve membrane now is less able to process and interpret incoming signals, resulting in changes in the sensory system capabilities,  Multiply this problem with foods devoid of nutrients (sugar), and a child will be functioning, emotionally, mentally, and physically - at a deficit."

Doesn't that put things into perspective??  We cannot expect to get optimal results from ourselves and our children if they are not eating the right foods.  It's so easy to feed our family out of a box or can, but that's not food - it's a food product.  If your family is ill all of the time, you may want to question the food your eating...even your milk (which I believe is a processed food as well).  You can see my earlier post on milk, which I'm planning to edit soon as I have learned more. :)

I'll let that be that for now!!  Wishing everyone much health and happiness!  Oh yeah, if anyone wants to buy our beautiful condo, I will give you a wonderful deal on it! ;)

New Adventures

Right now I have a HUGE box of lovely red and yellow tomatoes sitting on my counter.  We found this lovely Amish produce stand, right off of 300 (by Vera Cruz).  A cute little Amish lady told me these tomatoes would be perfect for canning...Before I knew what I was saying, the box was purchased.  Now, I have this box of tomatoes waiting to be canned; however, I have zero canning equipment and zero knowledge in this area.  First time for everything, right?!  You cannot beat the cost savings when canning your own.  I've been purchasing organic tomatoes and pay, close to, $2/can.  I paid $5 for the entire box of tomatoes!  I'm hoping I find the canning experience somewhat enjoyable so that I'll continue doing it.

Another new adventure I'm embarking on is switching all our plastic containers to glass.  Recently, I read another blog about the dangers of plastic, even BPA free (which I cannot find, otherwise I'd give you the link!).  Every time you heat food in that plastic container, chemicals are seeping into your food.  Cost wise, it is rather inexpensive to make the switch.  You can purchase a 7 piece set of glass storage containers for $20.  I also want to limit the amount of plastic bags I use, but that may be a little harder.  My life seems to be lived out of plastic bags, especially when we're on the road with my two young boys.  Like everything, this will be a learning experience.

I also decided to switch over our suntan lotions.  Commercial suntan lotion is generally a concoction of chemicals that, inevitably, gets absorbed by your skin.  Natural suntan lotions contain zinc oxide, a natural ingredient.  If you'd like to know more about the danger of chemical laden sunblock, read this article by Kitchen Stewardship.  The same blogger goes on to give a review of the natural sunblocks she tried - read this.  I know many people think they are using a natural sunscreen because they are labeled as such.  Be careful!! Just because the suntan lotion says natural, does not mean it is.  The FDA has yet to set regulations for this.  I decided to go with Kabana Green Screen.  We have yet to use it, but I'm anxious to try it out.  I've been told that these natural lotions stay on the surface of your skin, so it'll leave a white tint.  If it doesn't work out well, I'll let you all know! 

Lastly, I wanted to give you all some recipes I've been trying.  The first is Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce.  This was amazing!  We loved it and I wouldn't change anything about it!  Another recipe I've used in the past is Veggie Lentil Pottage.  I thought corn was a key ingredient.  This is time consuming recipe with everything that needs to be chopped up, but it is worth it and I often freeze left overs.  Lastly, I make Sausage Zucchini Bake  about once every 2 weeks.  I often take this to new moms.  I haven't gotten any feedback on it, but it is a family hit!  My boys always clean their plates!

Wishing everyone a a weekend full of love, good health, and laughter :).

My Opinions

Like anyone, I have a lot of opinions in regards to natural living.  When it comes to Facebook I try to filter myself, but occasionally, I'll post or write something that I shouldn't.  I feel very passionately about living a healthy, natural lifestyle.  Social media is a wonderful way to express your thoughts and opinions about these issues; however, you have to be careful about offending people.  Sometimes, in the heat of the moment you post, it's out there, and you feel that once people read that article their thoughts on that topic are going to change.  We all know that doesn't happen. 

Today, I read an blog post by Keeper of the Home.  She wrote about how she utilizes facebook and her blog.  Her facebook account she keeps neutral so she will not offend anyone.  Her blog, is her voice/her opinion and people have a choice to read it or not.  I do not want to offend ANYONE or make anyone feel that I am better then them because of the choices we make.  Sometimes I'll write short sentence remarks on facebook and those can be misconstrued; THEREFORE, I am going to keep my facebook account neutral and my blog with be my thoughts and my opinions. 

When you choose to live a lifestlye outside of the norm, people always question your sanity along with your beliefs. I believe that my family is moving in the right direction, but NEVER do I want to come across as snotty or superior.  I NEVER want to turn people off.  My goal is always to educate and I'm very passionate about it.  Everything I do, I want to do in Love.  I will be backing off facebook and blogging more on, not just nutrition, but living more of a natural lifestyle.

If I've ever offended anyone, accept my apologies.  My mission is to educate and create healthier people in a loving manner.  Until next time!

Grain Free Challenge

I have about a million other things to do right now, but I feel compelled to blog. Now that our family has been grain free for 3 weeks, I can honestly say we will not go back to the average American diet (after all, the American diet has brought us nothing more then illness, right?). I must confess, we have had our falls from grace, BUT when we decided to eat off our diet it was a conscious decision made by both. For example, we decided to get a pizza this weekend after the kids were in bed. My husband and I were both soo very excited about the prospect of pizza we were almost giddy. After we ate the pizza; however, we were left with a very uncomfortable feeling. As we were laying in bed, we agreed the thought of pizza was much more enjoyable then actually partaking of it.

 Now, I don't make it a point to announce that my family is grain free. People just notice. Why doesn't she have a bun with that hamburger? No cookies for dessert? People then ask what we're doing.  When I tell them we aren't eating any grains it's always followed with a "why".  If I could give them the feeling I have (not tired, no more cramps - overall a better feeling) I would.  But I can't.  So most people say, "I could NEVER do that".  What I want to say in return (but would never, mind you) is if you feel like you could never give up grains then you are addicted to grains and that my friends is a problem.  If an average American gave up grains could turkey, they would crash just like a drug addict.

Since I've been eating this way, I have learned just how bad grains are for you.  Really, I had no idea.  After all, grains are apart of the food pyramid and the government would NEVER lead us astray, right? (sarcasm in that last statement).  I really wish, in all my wisdom, that I could give you the science behind why you should omit grains from your diet, but I can't.  So here is a guy that can.  Read his blog.  If you want more information about going gluten free, may I recommend learning more about the GAPS diet or the Paleo diet. My small knowledge of both tells me they are very similar.  For those that are unaware, there has been success in REVERSING autistic behaviors with these diets along with other ailments.  Fertility issues have often been resolved by omitting grains from diets.  To me, that speaks volumes.  Like my husband says, "If you put crap in your body, how can you expect to be anything less than crap?".  Oh, the words of a wise man :).

Who doesn't want to live up to their optimal health?! I don't mean to make this blog about going grain free, but I now feel so passionately about it that I feel it's a lifestyle everyone should lead.  My husband gave me something to think about yesterday.  He asked me if I knew what the first signs of a heart attack were.  I'm sure you're listing off some of the warning signs, right?  Well, for 40% the FIRST symptom is the heart attack that kills them.  WELLNESS people, that's what I'm preaching.  How to live WELL and stay WELL - to be better than an Average SICK American.  We don't ask our doctor, "how can I not get sick".  When we see our doctor, it's because we already have an illness and we want a cure.  That is sick care, not health care or wellness care.  Often we wait until the first symptoms comes before we take action.  Seems a little odd, right?  It's like waiting to brush your teeth until you feel that cavity coming on.  (I have to note, that I'm stealing a lot of this from my I husband).

I'm not asking everyone to go grain free.  The little things make all the difference.  Those little thing will then lead to BIG changes.  If you feel like you can't give up grains, may I implore that you do a 30 day gluten free challenge.  If you need help, may I suggest purchasing a book or doing research ahead of time so you don't feel completely overwhelmed.  See how good you feel after those thirty days.  It very well may change your life... :)

Menu: Week 1

As I promised, here is our menu for this week.  Our menu is gluten-free (grain free), but for those that eat grains you can make your own substitutions :).  Hopefully, this will help those that are starting to phase out processed foods as well! 

Day 1

Breakfast:  Scrambled eggs and blackberries
Lunch: Chicken Skewers (Chicken, tomatoes, onion, and pineapple) and fresh veggies
Supper: Italian Sausages with onions and peppers, Green Beans and Grapes

Day 2

Breakfast: Gluten free blueberry pancakes
Lunch: Italian Sausages with onions and peppers, fresh veggies and berries
Supper: Pork Cutlets, Asparagus, and Cantaloupe

Day 3

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Raspberries
Lunch: Pork Cutlets, fresh veggies, watermelon
Supper: Shrimp, Zucchini, Eggplant, and berries

Day 4

Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins and Oranges
Lunch: Shrimp, fresh veggies and a fruit
Supper: Baked Cod, Muffins, Brussels Sprouts

Day 5

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Nectarines
Lunch: Cod, fresh veggies, and fruit
Supper: Roasted Chicken, Asparagus, and Strawberries

As you can see, I usually make enough for supper to have for lunch.  This is just easier for me.  If, for some reason, I do not have enough meat for lunch the next day, salads our my go-to meal.  I always have tomatoes, mushrooms, lettuce and hard boiled eggs on had for an instant meal :).  I also don't cook any veggies for lunch - we eat raw veggies which consists of broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.

In regards to snacks throughout the day, the boys usually just eat fruit. I have lots of berries on hand (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries), along with watermelon, nectarines, bananas, apples and grapes.  These are easy, go-to snacks.  We also eat nuts, nut mixes, raw veggies, gluten free granola, and gluten free pretzels for snacks as well.  Freeze dried fruit is also great for the kids when you're on the go.  Freeze dried fruit has replaced Cheerios for us!  Natural peanut butter and hummus are great dips to add to any snack.

So, that's it!  If there's anything else I can do to help you out, please let me know!  Would recipes be helpful?? If I get enough response for recipes, I can post them tomorrow.  I am a mother of 2 young children, so simple is my motto!

Still Gluten-Free After a Week

Week One of Gluten Free

A little over a week now, our family has been eating gluten-free.  I felt this past week was a bit more challenging because I was out of the house more and faced with outside influences.  The funny thing was, I did not have the feeling of, "oh, I would LOVE to have a piece of bread right now!" or "those Sun Chips look delish!".  I was okay doing without.  I feel so good that I don't want to screw up what I've got going on.  We also went away this weekend to Amish country.  Now that, was a bit more challenging because all they serve is bread and noodles (okay, being a little sarcastic, but you know what I mean!).  It was hard to find things I could eat.  Even though I stayed gluten free, I found myself compromising on salad dressing that I KNEW had hydrogenated oil in it.  It's so hard to stay "natural". :)

Gluten-Free Crap

There is a lot of gluten-free crap out there.  Sure, you can eat gluten-free packaged cookies, candy, cereal, mac n' cheese, etc., but just because it's gluten-free doesn't make it healthy by any means.  I've started a new rule when it comes to packaged products.  If it has more than 5 ingredients, I will not buy it.  This has cut a lot of products out of our diet, but we are better off.  Since we've become gluten-free, I've been searching out other bloggers who are doing the same.  I've found many bloggers and TONS of recipes, but the majority of recipes are not-so-healthy.  Be forewarned, if you go gluten-free you can still eliminate gluten and not be healthy.

Adjusting My Frame of Mind

In our society we are told what to eat because it's good for us and we take it at face value.  For so long I was told to drink my milk, eat my grains, fat is bad, and Splenda was a gift from above.  I believed all these things, without question.  When I got married, Kevin refused to eat the low-fat American cheese, the 100 calorie packs - anything "diet" for that matter.  So, being the good wife I am, I eliminated those items from our diet in exchange for "real food" (we still ate our fair share of processed food then).  Do you know what happened??  Just months after we got married I had LOST weight.  Cutting out fake food made me loose weight.  At the time; however, I couldn't figure it out because I was consuming more fat than ever before.  This did not make sense!!  It went against everything I have ever learned!

There are many times I find myself going through the grocery store or looking through a menu and my first thought is, "that's good for me", when in fact it's not.  When we are told for so long what's good for us and it becomes your truth, you have to completely rewire your brain.  My brain is in the rewiring phase right now.

Why I'm Doing This

Okay, so I understand that some of you may ask why I'm taking everything a step further with going gluten free.  After all, isn't eliminated processed foods enough?  My answer is simple.  I am on a quest for wellness.  After having children I began to question our food and what it does to us.  My children are the primary reason I am on a mission to do better.  Did you know that one in three of our children will have cancer?  Did you also know for the first time we are projected to outlive our children.  This SCREAMS that a change needs to be made!  I want better for my children and I want better for me.  I want to be around for my kids and I want my kids to be around for their kids.

I'm currently reading the Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf.  This has changed my perception on grains.  If you want to know the science behind how grains effect us you MUST read this book.  I cannot even begin to explain it to you, but he made a believer out of me!  The Paleo diet is more than cutting out grains, it's cutting out dairy and refined sugar as well.  We have begun the phasing out process to live this lifestyle (which was just decided today).  The only dairy we really eat is cheese and since we've went gluten free we've found we don't crave sugar.  This past week I indulged in M&M's and a can a pop.  Not a bad sugar consumption for a week, huh?! :)

Menu's

I'm going to start posting what we eat on this blog to show other's it's do-able!  I can tell you, our meals will consist of meat, veggies, and fruit.  Thankfully, we are in the summer months so I have more options!

Getting Started to a Healthier Lifestyle

For those that are seeking a healthier lifestyle, I would not recommend going gluten free cold turkey because it may be very hard to stick with (however, if you do choose to do this, bravo!!).  First, cut out the processed food, or use the processed food rule - no more than 5 ingredients.  Cut out all deli meat (PROCESSED!) and try to avoid using bread as a side dish when possible.  Finally, STOP thinking of fast food as an option.  If you eat crap, you'll crave crap.  By taking baby steps, you'll find going gluten free will be much easier. 

Whishing everyone a healthy and happy week!  Blessings :)

Gluten-Free Day 3

It's day 3 of our gluten-free diet and so far we all feel great!  My husband said he usually crashes for a couple of hours every afternoon, but since his diet has changed, he said that dragging/sleepy feeling went away!  As for me, I've noticed my cravings for all things grain is completely gone.  In previous posts, I wrote how I love my pretzels and I could not/would not give them up.  My mother, being the ever-so-wonderful mother that she is, bought me gluten free pretzels at Fresh Market.  Since we've cut out all grains though, I've noticed I don't even want to eat pretzels!  This is HUGE!!  I don't think you guys realize how much I LOVE my pretzels! :)  The bloating that I was experiencing is gone.  As for feeling sleepy, I still have that, but Jackson's not been sleeping the best so I really don't have a good gauge on that aspect yet!

If I had to guess, I'd bet we continue eating gluten free.  I don't think my husband has any inclination to stop and I feel better so I don't plan on stopping either!  The transition has been an easy one.  Like I said in my previous post, we don't eat bread so our diet hasn't changed a whole lot.  The biggest change for me is I can no longer pop in a pizza for lunch.  All convenience foods are definitely out, which I've been trying to eliminate anyway.  I've had to plan out meals, even lunch, just to make sure we have food to eat!  Fast food is no longer an option for us.  I'm mean, really, that's not all bad, right?  If I had to guess, I'd say I lost some weight too.  That wasn't the objective, but that is a great side effect :).  One blogger wrote that she always had to worry about her weight until she went grain-free.  I think that speaks volumes!

In closing, Bear Family Chiropractic is hosting a wellness workshop next Thurs @ 7pm at the Wells Co Public Library.  Dr. Kevin, DC well be speaking about stress and Jill Sell, RN will be speaking about nutrition.  To all parents reading this blog, I URGE you to come!  I haven't heard the stress talk yet, but I'm sure it's great :).  As for the nutrition aspect, this is a MUST!  I learned SOOOO much from listening to Jill.  I thought I knew quite a bit about nutrition before I heard her speak, but I was AMAZED at how much I learned after!  I guarantee if come, you will be throwing out half the food in your pantry when you get home.  Come! Come! Come!  It's time to get healthy!! :)

Gluten-Free Diet

I'm considering doing a gluten-free diet.  Why gluten-free?  If I was to tell my grandmother this, she would look at me and say I'm just doing it because it's the "in" thing.  But Lord knows I love her! :)  Seriously though, I have noticed over the past few years that I have been tired.  Not a normal tired, almost exhausted.  Some would say, "well, Kam, you do have 2 kids under the age of 3".  And yes, I would have to agree with that.  I've had other symptoms as well.  I've been very bloated - to the point I feel like I'm pregnant (but THANKFULLY I'm not!).  I also just want to feel better and be healthier.

Today, I read an article, "Will a Gluten-Free Diet Improve Your Health?".  This article is great if you're considering going gluten-free.  When I was first considering this, I thought it wouldn't be that hard because we don't eat bread, BUT we do eat pretzels, cheerios (kid's snack), bagels, oatmeal, tortillas, and spaghetti.  I soon realized bread is only a small part of the equation. 

At the very end of the article, there's a section about how gluten free doesn't always equal healthy.  Lately, gluten-free products have been making their way into grocery stores.  Even the Bluffton Wal-mart has gluten-free products (that's when you know it's a big deal :)).  Just like every other packaged product, we need to know what we're eating.  Manufacturers add extra sugar and fat to simulate the texture and satisfying fluffiness that gluten provides.  Basically, you're eating junk.  It's just gluten-free junk!

Bottom line, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it 100%.  Here's the question...will it be too hard to stick with?  I don't want to do this if it's going to be an impossible task.  I'm not going to lie, I like my ice cream on occasion.  If I have to cut out everything, then forget it.  I am a firm believer that you have to be on a diet that you can stick with.  And when I say diet, I mean the way one eats...I'm not talking about a diet to loose weight.  If I choose to go gluten-free, it's because I want to be healthier; it has nothing to do with weight.

I think what I'm going to do is give it a trial run.  I'm going to do it for one week and evaluate how I feel.  I need to do more research in regards to what I can and cannot eat.  If I cannot have any sweets at all, then I may have to count myself out :).   I'm going to plan to start it on Tuesday and I'll document how it all goes.  I'm guessing the first few days will be a little hellish! 

Wish me luck!  I'm going to need it! :)

What are You Going to Do?

I haven't blogged in quite awhile.  We were blessed with a new home and we've been spending the last couple weeks getting everything in order, figuring out new routines and all the other fun stuff that goes along with moving!

Right now, I'm feeling a little frustrated/defeated about the entire food thing.  I always feel like we can be doing better and sometimes I question where to draw the line.  I have a confession...I love diet coke.  Even to this day, if I can sneak in a diet coke I will. (I say sneak because my husband would never allow diet pop in his house :)).  I don't know if it's addictive or what, but I CRAVE diet pop.  I know I need to stop.  Really, it's poison, isn't it?!  It has so much crap in it and it goes against EVERYTHING I "preach" :).  Anyway, that's a huge struggle, even now.  Oh, but I love it!

Another thing I'm frustrated with is prices.  We spend so much money on food.  About a month ago, I totaled my bill up for that week.  I had spent $300 on grocery's and I didn't buy any protein.  I spent all that on fruits, veggies and some snack items.  I am at the grocery store at least 3 times a week.  Produce goes bad and I have to replenish.  We eat everything I buy.  After that $300 week I decided to put ourselves in a budget.  Our budget is $150/week.  I'm guessing that's on the high end?  It's VERY hard for me to stick to that budget.  I will never compromise on quality (grass feed beef, organic eggs, etc), so I've had to rework my menus.  I went back to making roasts, soups, and roasting whole chickens.  Most weeks we'll eat the same meal twice.  I know people who are on a tight budget and manage to eat well.  Nourished Kitchen, Kitchen Stewardship, and Keeper of the Home all offer great advice on cutting down food prices - you can follow them on facebook as well.  I just need to devote my time to figuring out how to do better in this area. 

Another confession I have is I am a cart snooper.  I like to glance and see what people have in their carts.  Just the other day I was in line with a man (I'm assuming he was single) who had about 10 Hungry Man meals, 6 six packs of pop and one apple.  I looked at him and asked if he was going to have a party.  (You know, he had TONS of pop).  He just looked at me and said, "Nope, I like pop and I drink a lot of it".  There was a man who knew nothing about nutrition.  I hope that one apple served him well!

Sometimes, I think I'd like to help people shop for food. I'd like to see what they'd buy and give them some guidance.  I know I am not all knowing in this area, BUT the stuff I see in people's carts blows my mind.  In their defense, they don't know any better.  Five years ago, I didn't know any better.  There is a direct correlation between food and health.  That is why we Americans are so ill...we have such a poor diet and we don't know it.

On a different note, I was very excited to find nitrate free hot dogs at Kroger (in Bluffton).  I paid $6 for a package.  What are you going to do?  :)