The Bigger Picture

Wow!  So, it seems like so much has changed in our family since we started this natural way of life (and this blog)!  What I find remarkable (yet, overwhelming) is how one small change has led to a BIGGER vision and a healthier lifestyle.

Here are a few things on my "big picture" to-do list:

• Learn how to soak beans
• Beans are sooo good for us, but not the canned kind.  My family loves beans and we are not receiving the nutritional benefits from them.
• Go green with cleaning products
• I'm planning on purchasing Watkins.  So far, I have loved their products.  We've switch our glass cleaners, cleaning wipes and all purpose cleaners over.
• Do a cleanse
• I think this is very important to rid my body of toxins and give me a fresh start.  I'm hoping to do the Candida Diet -I think I'm in need; however, I want to wait until I'm done nursing my son.  If anyone wants to join me on this cleanse, I'd love the support that would bring!
• Work out REGULARLY
• Yeah, I'm not very good at this.  I walk...which my husband tells me is not a work out ;).  So, I'm joining the Y and getting a personal trainer.  Sweating is a great way to release the toxins in our body.  I may be thin, but I am out of shape and lack muscle!

My purpose for this change is I want to be around to see my kids grow up, get married, and play with my grand kids.  I want to be healthy!  Too often we wait until we're ill, go to the doctor, get our meds, and wait for the meds to make us better.  We need to be asking ourselves why are we getting sick!  When we think of health care we think of going to the doctor, right?  So much money is spent on TREATING the illness when we should be working on PREVENTION.  That is my intent - to keep my family far away from the hospitals, far away from medicine, and the traditional American way. If we would ALL focus on prevention I think our "health care" would be different.  Instead of a co-pay for medicine and doctors visits, how about our employers give us gym memberships and a fresh produce allowance?  We could even go so far to say employees would have to meet  fitness requirements.  That would keep us HEALTHY and out of the hospitals.  Isn't that what we want?

Some may be asking how we stay "well".  First, let me say, we do get sick.  We get colds, snotty noses, I've been thrown up on BUT I believe the severity, duration and frequency of these illness is so much better than otherwise would be.  My kids have never been to the doctor for an illness.  I'm not saying there won't come a time when we'll have to go to the doctor, but we try to prevent illness as much as we can. 

Everyday, we take supplements to support our immune system (my kids too):

• Juice Plus - this is NOT a vitamin.  It is a whole food...it's like eating fruits and veggies (think of it as a salad bar in a capsule).  Good food promotes good cells and that is what JP does.
• Pro-biotic - promotes good bacteria - you can buy it at your local health food store
• Fish oil - getting some of that great omega 3!

When I feel a cold coming on, I get my zinc out and double up on my Juice Plus.  It has done wonders!

Aside from supplements we also go to the chiropractor regularly.  Every week we get adjusted.  This has also kept us healthy.  Once again, we go to the chiropractor when we're WELL - not when we're sick and hurting.  We are to maintain our bodies (like a car).  Most people will do anything to be well.  Nothing else matters to us when we're sick then to be healthy again.  Prevention is key!  What do you do to stay well?

This was kind of an impromptu blog session!  I hope you all are staying healthy!  I'm excited to see how more changes will impact my family's life :).