Successful Juice Fast / Feast
7:35 AM Posted In fasting , health , Juice Feast , nutrition , weight loss Edit This 0 Comments »
This was by far the best I have felt in a long, long time! I am so excited that I made it to the end of my 6 days! Funny, on the 6th day I was feeling so good that I wasn't sure I wanted to start eating food again! I did though. I ended up having a salad with only apple cider vinegar as dressing! Delicious!
I am so thrilled with the results that I am planning to do this more often. I am also planning to undertake a longer Juice Feast. Yes, I said, Juice Feast! I have always heard that the 3rd day is the hardest, but for me it was the 4th. I got past that and then I had no problems at all. I think it will be easier the more times I do it too. One great idea I had was to do a 6 day Juice Feast on the first 6 days of each month. I was so certain that I would want to do this again, that I actually wrote it on my calendar for next month.
Now, can you believe this, I am actually looking forward to the next one! If you are interested in Juice Feasting (because you really aren't FASTING you are FEASTING on nutrients), check out the links on this page. Just click on the words Juice Feast anywhere in this post. Let me know what you think! Do you want to Juice Feast together? Let me know!!
Day 5 of 6 Day Juice Fast
4:13 AM Posted In fasting Edit This 0 Comments »
This morning is the 5th morning of my juice fast. It's going good. I made myself a glass of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice this morning (I've been having mainly vegetable juice, with the only fruit so far being one or two granny smith apples juiced and a lemon with my greens to cut the "green" taste). Let me tell you, nothing on earth tastes so good as grapefruit juice! I won't do it, but just going by the taste alone, I feel that I could drink a bag of juiced grapefruits! One problem is that my stomach wouldn't hold it! I feel much fuller after drinking an 8 ounce glass of juice than I used to!
Yesterday (day 4) was probably my "healing day" cause I felt pretty bad. I was blessed to go to Andrea Vance's house to watch her teach us how to can green beans. What a fabulous time we had enjoying her beautiful home and her wonderful hospitality! Another dear friend (Hi JoAnne!) had brought some lovely Gazpacho and Haley had brought some jalapeno bread, so while they ate lunch, I drank my juice (swiss chard, carrot, lemon, ginger and an apple). I felt really tired and kept having to sit down. So I was a little bummed that I was fasting when she brought out her smelling good Pecan Macaroon Cookies! I just smelled them, and they smelled wonderful...but you know, this grapefruit juice tastes so good, I can't imagine eating a cookie now!
Anyhow, I'm praying today will be the "energy boost" day and I will feel great. Tomorrow will be my last day of fasting, I will eat a small piece of fruit tomorrow for supper. I haven't decided what fruit I will eat yet. I'm going to give my body a chance to "tell me" what fruit to break my fast with.
I am planning to only eat raw fruits and vegetables on Friday. Beyond that, I haven't thought. So, I'll be thinking of that over the next few days.
Where to get Heirloom Seeds
1:17 PM Posted In gardening , survival Edit This 0 Comments »
Baker's Creek Heirloom Seed Co.
and
I just wanted to post these two links for the ladies in Andrae Vance's class last week. We were talking about hybrid seeds vs. heirloom seeds. Please check out the top link to purchase your seeds. The second list is more along the lines of what we were discussing about survival. It wouldn't hurt for a few families to have this on their shelf!
What is your favorite vegetable to grow? To eat?
Juice Fasting
12:07 PM Posted In fasting , green smoothie challenge Edit This 0 Comments »
Finished the Green Smoothie Challenge! Yay! I hope that everyone enjoyed some health benefits from taking the challenge. It was so much fun to get together with everyone and encourage one another. Thank you all for being so supportive. I know that there are several ladies who would like to go round two and start a second challenge. Let me know when, I'm in!
Now that #6 will be one year old (on the 6th), I am undertaking a 6 day juice fast. For health purposes. This is my second day. It has been much easier than the first day.
Juice fasting is just like water fasting, with the one exception being that you are allowed to drink juice! (Not blended foods like green smoothies, but literally JUICE with the fiber removed.) I also drink a little bit of herbal tea, like chamomile. Plenty of water must be consumed in addition to the juice.
So far some of the juices I have used are:
Carrot, straight up!
8 stalks Kale/1 head Romaine/1 Lemon/small knob Ginger/1 Fuji Apple
4 Cucumbers/1 Granny Smith Apple
Tomato/Celery (with a dash of hot sauce)
So, basically, any time I feel a little hungry, I just down a big glass of water or juice. I have been trying to focus on other things to keep my mind off food. Things like reading (but not about food!) taking walks, working, cross-stitch, talking to friends, spending extra time with the children, listening to sermons and resting. (yeah, right, rest?! Seriously, I'm trying!)
What do I hope to accomplish? I am really just trying to break through some health issues that I have been having. I would also like to break my addiction to sweet things, like honey or maple syrup.
I think I should be able to make it to August 6th with only juices and water. I'll keep updating!
Magazine Subscription on my wish list!
1:48 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
PURELY DELICIOUS...Been wanting to get this one...maybe someday soon. Maybe if there's any money left after I purchase this year's curriculum for school!
Check it out, you may want to subscribe too!
Garlic Butter with Coconut Oil
4:20 PM Posted In health , recipe Edit This 1 Comment »
Peel two bulbs of garlic and toss in your blender, throw in a bit (maybe 1/2 tsp) of sea salt, then add enough coconut oil to cover this all up well. Blend well. Keep this in a jar and spread on toast or add to salads. If you or someone in your family starts to feel sick, just start taking a few spoonfuls of this. It will fight off a cold better than any medication out there!
I also like to "spiralize" a zucchini and just toss it in the "garlic butter." Yum-O
Berries in Green Smoothies
1:27 PM Edit This 1 Comment »
If you really want to boost the nutritional value of your green smoothie, add 1/2 cup of blueberries per quart green smoothie! Blueberries are a superfood, full of antioxidants that will help you to stay healthy all year round. While they are in season, pick up a flat or two and freeze them for your fall and winter green smoothies.
Warning: Using blueberries will turn your green smoothies purple!!
HERB SALAD RECIPE
8:46 AM Posted In children , nutrition , weight loss Edit This 0 Comments »
This is one of Shawne's favorites:
one bunch of parsley
2 sprigs basil
extra small bunch fresh chives (or pinch of dried)
one red onion
three tomatoes, chopped
one avocado
1 habanero pepper
3/4 cup raw alomonds
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
raw honey
a lemon
Chop up parsley and basil, half the onion, avocado and tomatoes in a bowl. Blend the almonds to a flour like consistency in your blender or food processor. Add the other half of the onion and second avocado, to the nut mixture and then add to the herbs. Add to that the lemon juice, olive oil, about a tablespoon or two of the honey and salt to taste. Chop up the habanero (I use more if no one else is eating it!) and soak in olive oil for a little while, maybe 5-10 minutes. Then add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon to the herb salad mixture. This is delicious and nutritious!
This meal has a nice balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is not properly combined, if you follow food combining rules. So I try to consume this as my last meal of the day if I am going to eat it, so that I have several hours before bedtime to digest it and then my body has all night to work on it before I begin eating again the next morning.
Remember healthy plant based fats like avocadoes and nuts, as well as olive oil are just as important when you are trying to lose weight as ever. Just eat moderate amounts. That is why "fat free" dieters have to "diet" forever because while a body can lose weight while on a fat free diet, the weight will always come back (usually with a vengance) once the "normal" diet is resumed.
That is why it is so important to eat healthy balanced meals as a habit for a lifetime. Teaching young children to eat whole foods rather than processed foods is one of the most important things a parent can do. We must lead by example, teaching our children that looking a certain way is not the goal, but being healthy for Him (God) is the ultimate goal. When we treat our body as the temple it is, then it is ready for service to Him.
Green Smoothie Challenge and Salad Class Musings
2:42 PM Posted In green smoothie challenge , recipe , salad Edit This 0 Comments »
How's everyone doing on the Green Smoothie Challenge? I have only missed one day so far, that was today, but I still have time. I guess it's not a total loss if I still have my green smoothie for supper instead of breakfast.
The salad class was fun. We missed everyone who did not show up though.
I promised a recipe for Hummus, so here it is:
one bulb of garlic (roasted)
6 cups of garbanzo beans
8 tablespoons of lemon juice
5 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea Salt to taste
Dash or two of cumin if you like it
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until slightly thinner than the consistency you prefer. (It will thicken as it cools)
We like to put it on fresh baked bread, eat it with flax chips, or baked Garden of Eatin' Chips, or just by the bowl! I like mine warm, if you wish you can drizzle olive oil over your personal serving and sprinkle paprika on it. Sometimes I put a dollop of it beside my salad! Yummy.
Green Smoothie Baby
1:31 PM Posted In baby , children , food , green smoothie Edit This 0 Comments »
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Blessings Multiplied
3:40 AM Posted In God's blessings , green smoothie challenge , greenhouse Edit This 1 Comment »
In my Bible Reading this morning I came across something that I didn't realize I was struggling with, but God showed me that I was worrying and He reassured me.
After much prayer about doing health related classes, I decided to do something on a much smaller scale than I had orginally wanted to do. I started a Green Smoothie Challenge Support Group (of sorts!) The first two classes were great! I used some greens from my greenhouse and garden and purchased all the fruit, cups, straws, etc. Being financially challenged in this stage of my life, I am surprised at what peace I had in doing this. I don't believe that I ever worried about buying the ingredients or running out of food.
After the first two classes here's what happened:
- a friend gave me a huge bag (maybe 15 pounds?) of garbanzo beans. We make a lot of hummus, so this was perfect. She also gave me red lentils (for making birthright stew), a 50 lb bag of oats w/ 7 other grains (for making granola), a box of Nutritional Yeast (for yucky popcorn for Harm) and a few other items
- an acquaintance gave us about 10 bags of various kinds of beans (Shawne eats beans all the time)
- our church gave us 6 bushels of peas/beans
- my mom brought us some blueberries & for the meat eaters, steaks
All this food, without us asking for one thing. Hmmmmm. You think that He is trying to tell me that He will take care of me?
Now, I am planning the salad and dressings class and refresher course and God shows me Hebrews 6:10: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. What's cute about this lesson is that I called our support group "HEALTHY FOR HIM."
I guess I had started to worry a little about where things would come from and He just wanted to remind me that He is in control.
Green Smoothie Recipe For People Sensitive to Sugar
4:42 PM Posted In cancer , diabetes , green smoothie , green smoothie challenge , hypoglycemia Edit This 0 Comments »Some folks can't tolerate sugars, even fruit sugar, like me, a hypoglycemic. Other people need to watch sugar intake (diabetics, arthritics, cancer patients...) So this recipe would be suitable for Low Sugar diets.
1 granny smith apple, washed, not peeled
4-5 stalks celery, ends & tips removed, use leaves
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
½ of a large avocado
½ bunch parsley
approx 3-4 cups clean drinking water
Chop vegetables into 1 inch pieces for easy blending. Fill blender with 3-4 cups filtered water (more or less water depending on how thick you desire your shake). Add all ingredients into blender. Puree till smooth or desired consistency.
* You can also add the juice from one half of a lemon or lime and even ¼ tsp sea salt and/or cayenne pepper.
(this recipe originated from www.bodyecology.com)
Weight loss, Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics
8:06 AM Posted In digestive enzymes , green smoothie challenge , probiotics Edit This 0 Comments »
I don't use these particular brands, but I there is so much good information in here, that I feel led to share this article (he is trying to sell his brands, but you can get yours from a respectable supplement company...ask your doctor). Remember this is point # 7 in our 10 point program, so this is the "why" behind what we are doing in the green smoothie challenge!
Where do you get your protein
7:23 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
There are people all over this issue. I am posting this to so that my friends will understand something that my New Doctor recommended I do. As I did a little research (which I highly recommend everyone do before they make any changes in their lifestyle) and I realized that I get enough protein.
Here is what she recommends:
If you want to be absolutely certain that you are getting enough protein, you should eat food combinations which form a complete protein, such as:
- Legumes + seeds
- Legumes + nuts
- Legumes + grains
Good complete protein combos:
- Beans on toast
- Corn and beans
- Hummus and pita bread
- Nut butter on whole grain bread
- Whole Grain Pasta with beans
- Rice and beans, peas, or lentils
- Split pea soup with whole grain or seeded crackers or bread
- Whole grain tortillas with beans
- Veggie Burgers on whole grain breads
Easy enough!
Finding a Good Doctor
6:58 AM Posted In doctor , health , vitamin d Edit This 1 Comment »
At the second night of the first Green Smoothie Challenge kickoff, I promised the ladies I would be the guinea pig for checking out a doctor we had all heard about.
With a fair amount of apprehension, I made the appointment. As the appointed day grew closer I wondered if this would be yet another waste of time and money. I prepared for the day by much prayer and also by gathering all my personal info; everything I thought she would need to know about my history.
When I walked in to her office, I just had a sense of peace. Everyone was friendly enough, very helpful. I filled out the paperwork and headed back to wait. While I was waiting I noticed lots of posters for various medications, so I felt the visit could go either way. She came in and sat down and talked to me (actually listened and heard what I was saying, as opposed to doing ALL the talking and then thinking of what to say next while I talked... very refreshing). She didn't have to "act like a doctor." I was impressed.
Just avoiding going into great detail about my own personal issues here; but she reassured me that I was on the right track with things I was doing to improve my health and prevent further illness. She also recommended adding certain vitamins to what I was already doing. We talked about what I eat and my doctor's recommendation, what I need to add to my diet...agreed on all that. It was good. Very good.
I did have my blood drawn to test for Vitamin D deficiencies, something I have been wanting to do for a while and something everyone should do, in my opinion. As a society, we are indoors too much and do not get adequate Vitamin D (comes from sunshine.) To read more about Vitamin D testing, why you need it and much more GO HERE.
As I was leaving I saw someone I recognized, but haven't seen for YEARS... a cousin of mine, Rhonda Burgess! Talking with her was further confirmation that this was a God-cidence. (there are no coincidences) I firmly believe that God works all things together for good...and looking back, I can see step by step how he led me to finding a new doctor, that I would not have to travel across three states to see! Praise God. I am so thankful for everyone he used to get me there.
Verdict: Go see Dr. Jill Wallner at Pinnacle Health. You won't be sorry.
Kicking off another Green Smoothie Challenge
2:56 PM Posted In green smoothie challenge , greenhouse , salad , weight loss , whole food diet Edit This 0 Comments »
Ok ladies, we're kicking off phase two of the green smoothie challenge! For all of you ladies who were interested and didn't make it the first time, AND for all of you who want to start over, we are having a refresher course on July 20th. Also, we will be learning how to make home made salad dressings to go on our own delicious home made salads.
The goal will be to eat at least ONE huge salad daily. But preferably one before lunch and supper! We will be adding this to our green smoothie that we have each morning.
We will be talking about the benefits of eating greens, raw foods, whole foods diet for the family, sharing recipes, support and much more! So be there.
Email, call or get with me on Facebook for details!
Also, Shawne is getting together the materials for a class on building / taking care of your own green house, so let me know if you are interested in that as well...
