Shopping on a Dime!

February 10, 2018

Grocery food shopping bag - vegetables, fruits, bread and pasta

Let’s talk about finances!!!

I know, it’s everyone’s favorite subject. 🙂 But I am going to talk about how you can still shop and buy all that you need for a healthy living while you are on a pretty tight budget. I know you are always looking for ways to save money… but you don’t want to go hungry, either.

So! Let’s get right down to it, shall we?!

1. Make a Meal Plan

Plan ahead. The key to staying on or under budget. When you write a meal plan for the week it helps you to make out your shopping list and plan accordingly for each meal and gives you ideas on what to look for in weekly specials and savings.

2. Don’t Shop Hungry

When you are hungry it is so much easier to let temptation get the better of you. You could end up walking out with things you don’t really need. Try going on your shopping trip after you eat… or at least have a snack. 😉

3. Use Coupons

Checking online at your store’s website (or if you get ads mailed to your house each week) just before you go out can send you off with some good savings in your hand.

4. Stick to Your List

This is very important. Only put items on the list that you need for that week (and that are within your set spending budget) and stick to it! If you purchase items that are not on your list you will see how very quickly you can exceed your budget. Now this can be hard, and there are allowed exceptions (such as a few items that you forgot to put on the list), but for the majority of the time avoid things that are not on your shopping list. Your budget will thank you.

5. Freeze Fruits and Vegetables

Buying fresh fruits and vegetables while they are on sale and freezing them not only helps save you some money in the long run… but it also helps them last longer. Just be sure to write the name and date on the bag. 🙂

*As a side note: only purchase fruits and vegetables in bulk when it is within your budget and on your list. This is where planning ahead and looking at your weekly specials comes in handy for writing out your shopping list.

6. Get Creative With Meals

Be careful about wasting food. That is where most of our food budget goes down the drain (quite literally 😀 ). Try making meals where you can reuse your leftovers to create a completely new meal for the next day. Or devote one day a week to being leftover night. You can make a little bit of food stretch out longer… without losing any of its “deliciousness”. 🙂

Here are some idea recipes you could try (just to get your brain storming moving 😛 )

Chicken Casserole

Vegetable Beef Soup

7. Cut Back on Other Articles

Budgeting doesn’t have to be limited to just the food side of your bill. We spend a lot more money than we realize on (and use a lot of) different cleaning supplies. You can cut a large chunk out of your spending (and toxins) by making your own…

Laundry Soap

Dish Soap and

House Cleaners

 

Happy shopping, everyone!

Build a Better Defense and Enjoy Your Winter

January 21, 2018

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It’s that time again people! Are you ready for another bout of achy muscles, inflamed sinuses, sore and raw throat, and having to put your life on hold because you are too sick to function? I thought not.

No one likes to spend their winter indoors because they HAVE to. Sure, we don’t mind staying home and lying around from time to time when we have a choice – we aren’t feeling horrible while we do and we can perhaps get some things accomplished off of our to do list.

We also don’t want to create a domino effect and put our whole family in quarantine (have you noticed how powerfully it effects large families?) 😉 Though this seems to be the norm during this time of year, it doesn’t have to be for you. There are some very simple steps you can take to minimize the effects of the winter bug, or even avoid it all together. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Food

80% of the immune system is in the digestive tract. One of the biggest defense tools you can give your body is filling it with lots of good superfoods and staying away from foods that weigh your body down and weaken your defense walls. So load up on some vitamin c, green leafy vegetables, probiotics and even some bone broth (smoothies are awesome). Be sure to chew well so it is easier for you to digest… and eliminate. Hydrate well, guys!

Stay away from those foods that can irritate the gut such as processed/fried foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners.

2. Exercise

It’s generally not thought about, but getting exercise can help you sleep better. It also helps increase circulation and keep your body in good strength for its defense. So keep up that daily workout routine! It will also help keep you warm, if you are not a fan of cold weather. 😉

3. Essential Oils

There are several essential oils that can help build up your immune system AND help build you up while you are down with the bug. 😉  Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Lemon are some of my favorites.

Peppermint and Eucalyptus help to clear the airways and can also help to relax your muscles. Plus, peppermint always smells amazing. 🙂

Lemon helps with lymphatic drainage and can help settle your stomach.

*Not every oil is going to work the same way for every person. Muscle testing is a great way for you to find out what oil your body needs. Contact me if you want to know more about muscle testing with oils.

4. Sleep

Getting your rest is an important part of staying healthy. If your body is too tired, it has no energy left to fight off illness. I know it is hard (I’m still trying to teach myself), but sometimes you should just turn off your computer, put away your work and get some sleep.

 

So go out there and enjoy your winter!

Too Much Moodiness?

August 20, 2017

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I have noticed that we tend to get irritated way too easily. A hiccup in our plans, rearranging the schedule last minute, the slow driver on the highway, technology that won’t work. Anything that causes us a little inconvenience just gets under our skin and turns our whole mood sour and our day is ruined.

Now, I want to say first off that it’s not wrong to get a little irritated sometimes… because it IS rough when you are stuck behind a really slow driver, or you are trying to get something accomplished and technology is just not working with us. However, we let those inconveniences bother us WAY more than we should. We constantly dwell on them and, instead of taking a deep breath and controlling how we think and look at our situations, we let them control us and our thoughts. Then we have a big mess. 🙂 We ourselves are miserable, and we also make it miserable for those around us. What is inside, what we meditate and dwell on, is eventually going to come out… and no one wants to be around someone who is miserable. They will be miserable, too.

It is impossible in this life to have positive thoughts all the time and never get irritated. We are sinful people living in a sinful world after all; but we don’t have to be in a bad mood ALL the time. And we don’t have to transfer that bad mood to others. Here are some helpful tips to try and reduce those moods:

1. Positive Noise

What you let yourself listen to has a great impact on how you behave and what you think about. It is very easy to get annoyed when we are on the road. With construction, crazy drivers and annoyingly long traffic lights, there is a lot that can mess up our day and our plans; and don’t even get me started about when there is a time limit involved!

So plug your ears to all the negative thoughts flying around you and pop in some of your favorite music… or an audio book. You are much less likely to be fuming about the length of the light or the slowness of the cars around you when you are trying to concentrate on the words to your favorite song. It makes time go by much faster. And don’t be afraid to sing along! Hey, when you are sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, roll down your windows and share the joy! 🙂

2. Smell the Roses

Nature is very therapeutic. Have you ever noticed how calming a walk in the park is? A hike through the woods? A swim in the lake? Try taking a walk when things start getting under your skin. Even just walking barefoot in your backyard (this is called grounding) feels so relaxing. All the irritating things we struggle with seem so small in the midst of the beauty in nature.

Try applying or diffusing some of the many soothing and uplifting essential oils. I’m sure you have a favorite smell that just makes everything around you seem brighter.

3. Talk About It

You know, sometimes we just NEED TO RANT; and occasionally that is OK. Keeping our feelings locked up inside is not always a good thing. If we are struggling with frustrations and we keep it tucked away it can easily grow until it eats away at us… or we explode. Neither of those options are good. 🙂 Sometimes talking to your family and friends about things that bother you is a great way to relieve stress. Be careful with your words, you don’t want to drag anyone down or make them desire to run away. After you talk about it, let it go. The more you bring it up the more you are tempted to dwell on those little details. Then it is a very slippery slide to where it consumes your thoughts again.

Pray. God will always listen and He is willing to help you with your struggles. As a side note… it may be thought of as crazy, but talking about things out loud to yourself can help a lot. 😀

 

Look around you. God gave us an amazing life to live; and it is a shame to waste it by letting the little troubles of the day get under our skin and make us miserable. Trust me, it is not worth it. Besides, we all think it would be wonderful if the people we meet every day would be in good moods for us. How can we expect something from someone else that we are not willing to do ourselves?

So begin with you (and me), and get out there today and start that positive domino effect! Spread the JOY!!

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope…”

 

Our Thoughts Contain so much POWER!

July 17, 2017

 

Mindfulness wooden sign with a beach on background

Did you know that our happiness is a choice we make every day? And that it affects our health physically as much as emotionally? I want to look at just a few ways our thoughts affect our bodies… and our lives.

A Negative Mind Hurts Our Body

Our minds are powerful things and they can play many tricks on us (no, not Jedi mind tricks 🙂 ). We know that the brain controls the body, so it makes sense that the thoughts that occupy our brain have a great effect on our health. But maybe we don’t think enough on what damage negative thoughts have on our health. There are so many ways that we can damage our health with our thoughts, but I am just going to skim the surface for now.

Have you ever fought with someone and you got so angry and emotional you couldn’t think about anything else? These negative thoughts can really drag you down and keep your brain active so as not to let your body get the sleep it needs. OR… how about the one about STRESS?? We all have dealt with stress over something. Stress about everything you have to do today, stress over things that are to come, stress over work, stress over relationships. And it is so easy to let it consume us and paralyze us so that we don’t do our jobs well, or even not at all.

We begin to tell ourselves all the things that could go wrong or get scared with the long lists and stressful situations and dwell on them so much we don’t enjoy ourselves and our lives. We are “worried sick.” We no longer have any motivation or desire to do anything. Then we beat up on ourselves.

We are not happy. We find no happiness in doing anything in life. We just give up.

A Negative Mind Hurts Our Happiness

But there is more to this than just being happy, at least, what we think happy means. So let’s take a look at what the word “happy” means. Is it just a fickle emotion? Or is there more to it?

Happiness, in the truest definition, actually means… contentment. And that is more than just a feeling. It is a choice we make. A choice to not dwell on all the bad things around us, things we cannot control, and to look for all the good things that God has given us. Look for the “blessing in the thorns”.

A Negative Mind Hurts Those Around Us

No one likes to be around a “Negative Nancy” all the time. When we are constantly hanging around with someone who is gloomy or complaining about their difficult situations all the time, we not only get very annoyed, but all of that negativity and gloom gets passed on to us and then we start feeling the same way. Thus begins another game of dominoes!

You know that what you are constantly processing and thinking about is eventually going to come out. We can’t keep it inside forever. No one is that good. 🙂

So maybe this week, when you are talking to your friends or family, just try and curb your complaining a little. Because it is really not as bad as you think. Then try practicing gratitude. Because there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.  We just have to be willing to open our eyes to see it. And little by little your joy and happiness will begin to grow and you will become a blessing to those around you as well. Be intentional.

A Negative Mind Limits Us

I wonder how many things we have missed out on simply because we let this thought creep in and take over: “I don’t believe I can do that.” So we don’t even try. Words have POWER. Even when they are not spoken out loud.

It’s Not About Surviving

You know, sitting back and just living with all these negative thoughts, just trying to make it through another day, is surviving. Ever heard or said this before? “How are you doing today?” “Oh, I’m surviving.”

And while surviving is not a bad thing (in fact I hope we all do it) it’s not enough to simply “survive”. We should be trying to “live”. These are two different words, but they go hand in hand. Too often I see people (myself included) just surviving. Making it from day to day, not really enjoying all the blessings and opportunities that they have been given, because they are so wrapped up in all the negative things that are going on in their lives. It drags them down. And believing they have to live with it and can’t change it, they focus so much on it and miss the joys of actually LIVING and CHOOSING the thoughts that occupy their minds.

How many times have we missed the beauty, blessings and wonderful opportunities staring us in the face because we were so wrapped up with being consumed by negative thoughts? Even in the darkest of times and the worst of situations, God is still good. We still have a choice.

I want to start living my life to the fullest and being more intentional with my thoughts. Being more positive, not only for my body’s sake, but for the sake of those around me. What will you choose?  Inspirational Typographic Quote - Your mind is a powerful thing

 

Wonderfully Made

May 19, 2017

Woman Silhouette Waiting For Summer Sun

I know this can be a touchy subject for many people. But it is all over in our culture today and it is pretty damaging to many people.

Advertisements on a billboard, or a commercial during your favorite TV show: “Get the body you’ve always wanted.” “Look like a supermodel.” “Have perfect skin.”

Here’s a question to think about: What makes a supermodel?

You see, our world believes you should look a certain way in order to be beautiful and to be noticed. There is only one shape, one size, a perfect weight. And we have been sucked into believing this, whether we realize it or not.

Don’t think so? Let me ask you: Have you ever been dissatisfied with your shape? Have you ever, even for just a moment, wished you looked different? Had different hair, better skin, prettier features? Have you ever doubted, or denied, you were pretty – even after having so many people tell you how beautiful you were? Too many girls and women fall into this way of thinking. The harm that this causes comes in several forms, but I’ll just mention two major ones that I’ve seen (and felt) through the years.

Form #1: Not Enough

We begin to hate ourselves. We don’t care. We get embarrassed about ourselves and we also tend to annoy others with our constant denials when they complement us. We get discouraged, and jealous, when we see others we think are prettier than ourselves. We don’t believe we are worth much, if anything.

This has to sadden God, who put so much into us and considers us His masterpiece, and we neglect it and think it ugly and worthless. We are always trying to change it. Yes, we may be a mess (we don’t meet our beauty standards) but we are a BEAUTIFUL mess – because we were made by the author of beauty. Just look around. See the sunset? The stars and the moon? Look and see the flowers that grow in the field every spring. Why do we care so much what the world thinks beauty is? “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” It is defined by the person who sees it. And the world is fickle. It will change its definition of beauty every day. But God’s is constant. 

Form #2: Too Much

On the other hand…. In our efforts to look better and be better (to prove ourselves to everyone) we can easily go overboard. We don’t eat enough and we wear ourselves out, making it worse instead of better. We can easily get overzealous and injure ourselves (I’ve been in this form, too). It can be very hard to recover from this.

So now you may be thinking, “Where is the balance? How do I keep from going too far one way or the other?”

Believe me, it is not easy to find the balance. On the #1 hand: be content with yourself and don’t long to be someone you are not meant to be. But DO NOT be content with letting yourself go and accepting it as “this is who I am”. We have been given a beautiful gift to take care of. And we should do our best to keep our bodies in the best condition they can be. And that leads me to hand #2… 3 words: everyone is different. Each person can handle different levels of diet and exercise. The important thing here is to know your body… and to listen to it AND the people around you who know.

To sum it up in a nutshell: Take care of what you have been given, but also be confident in who you are. In who God made you to be. For you are wonderfully made. His beautiful creation.

Now go forth with these new thoughts in your mind… and live long and prosper! 😀

We are in a Battle – How to Deal With Your “Battle Fatigue”

April 10, 2017

Depressed woman awake in the night she is exhausted and suffering from insomnia

Adrenal fatigue. You probably know someone personally who struggles with it. Or maybe you struggle with it yourself.

In the midst of adult life you can have a high amount of stress, physically, mentally and emotionally – and that takes it’s toll on our body. We let down our guard… and then fatigue decides to come for an unwelcome visit. And decides NOT to leave!

So now you struggle with the constant exhaustion, depression, emotional breakdowns and… maybe even feelings of incapability?

It is all right to be tired from time to time, it is bound to happen in our busy lives. But adrenal fatigue can get dangerous and cause dangerous inflammations and autoimmune diseases. It’s time to nip it in the bud and beat this thing!

If you aren’t struggling with adrenal fatigue right now, don’t be tempted to pass this by, because chances are, you may very well face it in the future at some point. But there are some ways you can be ready for it and have a fighting chance at avoiding it.

For those of you who are struggling with fatigue… good news! There are some tips for battling it… and BEATING it!

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Building a defense!

One of the best ways to defend yourself… and have a fighting chance at winning… is to KNOW your opponent. Know what to watch out for to avoid fatigue.

Symptoms:

    • Morning fatigue
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Poor Focus
    • Irritability
    • Muscle Tension
    • Cravings (Salty or Sweet)
    • Hormone imbalance
    • Feeling overwhelmed

Now, I do want to point out that it doesn’t always mean you have adrenal fatigue if you struggle with some of these symptoms. But it is always a good idea to be aware of them.

So how can we win the battle that has already been going on for some time?

1. Diet

Food is medicine. Food is energy. You need to give your body the nutrition and ingredients it needs to fight this battle that it is up against.

When struggling with fatigue caffeine is NOT your friend. Even if you need to stay awake just TEN  MORE MINUTES to finish a project, it is much better for your body to stop. Caffeine will just mess with your sleep patterns and your adrenals won’t be able to recover the way they are supposed to. So drop the can of soda or the cup of coffee and get to sleep at a decent hour.

Of course we all know sugar and processed foods are a “no no”. Opt for raw honey instead.

Some of the best superfoods for adrenal health that you should get into your diet:

  • Coconut
  • Avocado
  • Almonds
  • Vegetables (cruciferous vegetables)
  • Chicken and turkey
  • Wild-caught salmon

2. Exercise

Keeping in shape and getting just a little bit of exercise a day (a short walk) can do wonders to keep your spirits up and help walk away that fatigue (it will wear it out and it won’t want to stay 😉 ).

3. Rest and Relaxation

  • Keep a regular sleep cycle. Get some sleep when your body is telling you to. Go to bed at a decent hour, even if you have a lot to do… which brings me to
  • Minimize stress. Stress is a big factor in causing fatigue so it makes sense to minimize it. Obviously we can’t take away all stress from our lives, but we can take reasonable steps to decrease it.
  • Take a vacation. Sometimes it will do a world of good to just get away for a short time and “leave all your troubles behind you”… within reason, of course.

The biggest tip I can give you is this: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

You know your own body. You know what foods help and what doesn’t. You know what makes you relax, you know what you enjoy. Listen to the body God gave you and use the sources He has given you to help your body heal and thrive.

Make The Connection – Follow the Line to the Root and Pull the Plug

March 5, 2017

Chiropractor examines spinal column of patient woman medical concept

God was pretty creative when he constructed the human body! I mean, we all know that the spine is the backbone (literally) of the human body, our support beam, you might say. We all know good connection in the spine gives us the ability to move our limbs properly. We all know the spine health is pretty vital to our mobility.

But here’s something not super well known (and I think it is pretty cool 🙂 ): The spine is not only connected to all the other bones but also to our organs. Yeah! The pain you experience in other areas of your body could be pointing to a problem in a specific area of your spine. If our spine is out of order than our organs will feel it.

But, why? And how? These are two questions that should come to your mind pretty quick. 

Communication Center

Let’s have a little fun with this one. I want you to try and picture the body like a telephone system. And, no, I don’t mean a cell phone, or even the modern day home phone. I want you to go a little further back in time. To those phones that you had to plug into the wall and had the spin dial. 🙂 You have the mouthpiece that sends messages, the earpiece that receives the messages, and the wire that transfers the messages.

The brain is the body’s “communication Center”. The brain sends messages to every part of the body, telling them what to do, and the body sends messages back to the brain. This is how we know pain.

These messages are sent through the nerves in the spine. (The body’s own telephone wire, you might say. 🙂 ) Now when telephone wires get cut, or damaged, the phone doesn’t work. We can’t communicate so well with friends or family members that live far away. The body is the same way.

Any time one of the vertebrae in the spine gets slightly displaced, it pinches a nerve and blocks any messages that are trying to get through. This is where chiropractors come in handy. They can adjust the spine and get the kinks out of the line to clear the way for the messages to get through so the body’s communication system can get back to working properly.

So you can see why the health of the spine is so important to the general function of the body. 🙂

Make the Connection

By this time, you (like I was) might be curious about what organs are connected to which area of the spine.

Now this is where it gets REALLY COOL! Each section of the spine has a specific connection… and each can cause specific issues to tell us what is wrong.

There are some issues that are pretty easy to relate to the spine (headaches are a big one)… and then the not so easy ones (like problems in the stomach and intestines).

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5 Tips for a Happier, Healthier Job

February 5, 2017

Business Man Working At Office, Consultant Lawyer Concept

Working in an office? Do you find yourself having back and neck pain, gaining weight, getting sick more, feeling sluggish and fatigued throughout the day… or just feeling plain uninspired and dull? Well, you are not alone.

I know working in an office environment can be tough. It can be boring, sitting at a desk for hours at a time, sitting through meetings can be grueling, conference calls with clients are annoying… Oh, and computer work! Ugh! Don’t you just have days where you want to throw it right out the window?? (There probably would be very few computers left if we all acted on that impulse every time, right? 😛 )

But I have some good news for you! Are you ready for this? Listen closely. If you put your mind to it, you can make a big difference in the way you feel physically… and mentally?

How about a few tips on how to stay healthy in your office and make your work just a little more enjoyable? Sound good? Okay! Let’s go!!!

1. Keep Proper Form and Get EXERCISE!

With all the sitting we do (in the car, at our desk, in front of the TV, etc.) we tend to get lazy with our form and start slouching and craning our heads forward, wreaking havoc on our backs and neck. We have heavy heads, and the constant forward head posture we keep from day to day not only hurts our spine, but it could also cause some of those headaches you’ve been complaining about. Make sure your chair is the right height so that your feet are flat on the ground. Keep your back straight (I know it’s hard at first) and place your computer monitor at eye level.

It is also VERY important to get plenty of exercise. Get up from your desk and do some stretches or take a quick walk around the building. Even opting for a standing desk (if possible) can do wonders. If that is not an option you can always try sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair. Have some fun while sitting at a desk! 😀

2. “You Are My Sunshine!”

A sunny day makes just about everyone feel happier, right? But I know that sometimes working in an office makes sunlight EXTREMELY limited.

During your lunch break, try getting a change of scenery. Eat lunch outside on pretty days (try even taking a walk!). Even if the day is grey (or rainy) getting out of the building and eating lunch in your car is a small way to get a relief from the everyday dreariness of indoors (and make you more productive)!

3. A Little GOOD Food Goes a Long Way

When we are sitting at a desk for many hours (and not very active) we tend to snack… A LOT. And it’s usually vending machine snacks that are full of sugar and artificial ingredients. When we fill up on these snacks we are harming our body more than we are actually feeding it. Because, let’s be honest, how many times are we snack and ACTUALLY hungry? I know I can tend to stress eat… or eat just because I am bored.

Eating a bunch of sugary snacks every day can take it’s toll on your body. Being inactive and a lot of unhealthy snacking causes unwanted fat (and weight). It can also make you susceptible to mood swings and irritability… and of course, make you feel just plain sick. 🙂

Instead of running to the vending machine or a fast food breakfast stop, opt for stocking your office area with some nuts, fruit and vegetables and, if you have a sweet tooth, try some organic chocolate. But still, you don’t need to snack all the time… even if it is good food. 🙂

4. Use Music to Chase Away Stress

There are few things worse for your long work day than starting out in a bad or stressed mood. If you have a long”ish” drive to work traffic can get pretty tiring and stressful. SO…. try listening to some uplifting music or an audio drama. They are great ways to inspire you and get your mind full of new ideas and positive thoughts (and away from the idiot drivers and long day ahead of you 😉 ). And if you are able, listen to music on your phone or iPod while you are working to keep up your spirit during the day.

5. Use Essential Oils

Lemon oil is a great uplifting smell to brighten your day and give you energy. Inhale a little bit throughout the course of the day or put a couple of drops on a cotton ball and place them in your car or around your desk.

For a little extra punch you can add Peppermint oil. 🙂

1 drop of peppermint and 2 drops of lemon to a cotton ball (adjusting amount to your preference).

 

God wants us to enjoy our work and be healthy in the process. I know that sometimes it is necessary to do some work that we don’t really want to and that may not be absolutely perfect for our health, but by making a few wise choices (and with a little determination), we can keep from being sick and miserable. 😀

Happy Healthy Kids for Life

January 15, 2017

Small group of happy children outdoor

We all want our kids to be happy and healthy. But how do we do that? What should be on our priority list and where should we draw the line?

The truth is, those are questions I can’t answer for you. Every parent has to make the decision about what is best for their kids. However, there are some general tips that we all should take into consideration. After all, our child’s health should be our main priority.

1. Be Careful of the “Food Trap”

Our society has several “health” foods that they try to sell us for our kids, making us think we are feeding kids good food. But that is not true. So many of those “health” foods have fillers and preservatives hidden in the ingredients… and have next to nothing in the way of nutrients.

Feed your kids plenty of organic protein (found in eggs, raw dairy, and grass fed beef), fruits and vegetables are a must, and good fats are a positive (avocados, salmon, coconut oil). Stay away from processed foods, sugar and artificially flavored and colored snacks.

 

2. Limit Screen Time

Today kid’s spend the majority of their day sitting in front of the TV or the computer, or on their cell phones. And it’s starting at younger and younger ages. It is not only taking away their childhood, but it’s causing some serious health damages. Too much screen time has been linked to sleep disorders, childhood obesity, less positive brain function and behavior problems. It’s time to detox screen time and get those kids moving…

Which brings me to number three…

 

3. Dirty is the New Clean

It may seem weird and a little contradictory but this is one of the best ways to raise healthy kids. Let them be kids. Let them get dirty, it won’t hurt them. In fact, it’s good for them. Don’t be overly sterile. Fresh air and nature – a child’s best friend… and a parent’s.

So kick them outside and let them explore and move. Kids have a natural energy that we have been discouraging by keeping them inside and giving them all these devices that keep them glued to a couch. The body was made to move – and that is especially important in young children. And, hey, join them in outdoor activities as well. You could use the exercise, too 🙂

Enjoy the time with your kids. They will love it and you will treasure it.

Remember, if you start your kids out with good healthy habits, they will stick as they grow older.

 

 

 

5 Healthy Holiday Tips

December 12, 2016

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Thanksgiving and Christmas. Two of the most exciting days of the year. It’s a time for family to gather together, there are delicious smells coming from the kitchen, the weather is getting colder (well… maybe, if you’re in the right place), and there are all those wonderful holiday traditions. But there is that one annoying little bug hiding in the corner, just waiting to jump out at you.

I know it’s hard to keep looking and feeling your best during these holiday months. There are so many tempting sweets this time of year and with the busy schedule of everyone on the family it is easy to let ourselves go and ignore our body’s warnings. I fall into the trap almost every year. And just about as many times… I end up regretting it. These are special and happy times and it is a shame to let sickness get in the way of enjoying these times with friends and family to the utmost.

Here are a few tips you can try to make this holiday season just a little bit more enjoyable.

1. Stay Hydrated

Drinking water is vital for your health. Being dehydrated weakens your immune system and can make you susceptible to sickness, especially during the holidays when we tend to ignore our bodies amid all the excitement of the season. It’s recommended that you drink half your body weight in water every day… but that is not the only way to stay hydrated. Getting more fruits and vegetables in your diet has many positive impacts on hydration status.

2. Stay Active

Exercising with a busy schedule is tough, but it is key to keeping our muscles strong (and I don’t just mean like Hercules), keeping our shape and giving us energy. Strong muscles and body help keep spasms and back back pain at bay, and help support the rest of the body. It doesn’t take much, a simple 10 minutes a day will help a lot.

3. Get Plenty of Sleep

Recharge! Lack of sleep really puts a strain on your body and weakens you. I can testify to that. Though there is so much to do during the holidays and we may be tempted to stay up just a few more minutes to complete that last task, we might want to listen to our body and leave it for the morrow. Sometimes it is necessary to stay up a little later, we do have responsibilities after all, but it is important that we don’t go overboard and make it a regular habit. Be smart and know when it is time to stay up and finish that project and when it is time to give in to the calling of your bed. 🙂

4. Manage Stress

Stress zaps energy from our bodies and can also cause physical pain (headaches, muscle cramps for example). Take time to relax during the holidays. Breathe and let the hustle and bustle leave your mind. I have found that curling up with a good book or reading passages of scripture will do wonders.

5. Self-Control

Don’t eat every sweet thing set before you. Sugar is your enemy. It can drain your body of all the good nutrients and leave you with a very inflamed and irritated gut. Indulging in a few special treats here and there is OK, but be sure and feed your body the protein and vitamins it needs to help balance glucose and insulin levels. Don’t overdue your dessert portions… and listen to your body! Stop when it tells you.

Believe me, a happy gut and body will treat you well. Though hard at times… it is worth it. 🙂 So what do you say? Ready to chase away the blue Christmas this year? Are you up to the challenge with me? 

So let’s talk! What are some ways you have found to help your body make it through the holidays with a smile?