Update on Health Goals

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Here is a link to some of my health goals:

www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
urnal_individual.asp?blog_id=5336694

In addition to the coconut oil and the raw honey and real salt, I also had started oil pulling while in KC.

www.coconutresearchcenter.org/articl
e%20oil%20pulling.htm

And after much research decided that I'm probably vitamin A & D deficient so I started a very good quality cod liver oil this last week.

www.greenpasture.org/public/Products
/ButterCodLiverBlend/index.cfm

In addition to adding these things to my diet, I've also cut out refined sugar, flour, pasta and rice [although I am having a little Natural White flour in my pizza once a week] and I'm on day 18, in 8 days I will be where I was before having some of my son's birthday dessert on 4/27.

AND NOW:









After 10+ years of painful-itching-sometimes-bleeding eczema, and trying EVERYTHING under the sun to get rid of it, I was dumbfounded two nights ago to discover that I'm HEALING! I'm ecstatic! The only problem--WHAT from? Is it the daily cod liver oil? Is it the daily oil pulling? Is it using coconut oil in my cooking and chocolates? Or dietary changes??? Oh, well, I'll just keep doing these things, and hopefully I will be completely rid of this ONCE and for all!!!!

And another interesting thing is that I haven't had **anything** chocolate for three days! I'm just not craving it [my healthier chocolates with raw honey, coconut oil, and cocoa] and I'm THRILLED. I guess a sign that you're lacking magnesium is a craving for chocolate. I did have a Pink Lady apple the other day and it felt SO good to have that over chocolate and it was DELICIOUS!!!

My weight it NOT budging, and the 5#'s I lost in KC, quickly returned--I wonder if I even lost that much--maybe it was all water??? Who knows, but I do know that I'm 20#'s heavier than I was two years ago at this time. And I'm VERY much resolved, by God's grace, to lose it. I feel satisfied with the changes for now, even though the weight is not budging, and will take the next step, as the LORD leads me.

I've been walking and T-Tapping, so that feels good! Also, I'm excited to get into my gardens. I'll start some of that tomorrow.

I'll end with a GREAT quote I read from a FABULOUS book called, "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon.

"To make us healthy, our food must taste good; it must be digestible, and it must be eaten in peace. Even whole foods, properly prepared according to traditional methods, do us no good if we eat them with a grudge; they will not confer health on the man who does not forgive. It is the loving heart who will find, in the pages that follow, guidelines for providing an abundance of all the nutrients we need to live healthy, happy and productive lives." Sally Fallon

GREAT reminder! We could have it all right with food and exercise, but if we don't have love and forgiveness towards our family, friends and even enemies, then we will be THE most unhealthy of people!

Love you, dear friends! Susan

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Jonathan's Graduation

Friday, April 26, 2013

Hi everyone! Finally able to post the slideshow that I did for Jonathan's graduation! It was a VERY special time!

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Mmmm--real food is SO good!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Hi everyone! Finally, we're back from our trip for Jonathan's graduation. We had THE best time with my family! 700 miles sure are a LONG way away--and it seems further, the older I get! One FUN thing is that my mom and I both qualified for a phone upgrade [I'm on my parent's plan, and my husband had always had company cell phones, but now we have to share until he finds another job], and I now am the proud owner of a iphone 4 for $.99--OH YEAH! It's SO fun texting my mom. I texted her to see if she was up yet, since I didn't want to wake her this morning, and I waited to hear back about 1 1/2 hrs. later to call. Then I texted to see if she was back from her lunch so I could call her about something, and she said she was just laying down for a nap and would text me when she woke up. I've NEVER had texting, and I had the OLD flip phone, so this is REALLY fun!

Okay, now for an update. I did pretty good on vacation, but then on the way home, we stopped for pizza [to visit our college boys at UWSTOUT] and I had some pizza [white flour] but other than that, I've gone almost 4 weeks without refined products--white sugar, flour, pasta and rice.

My exercise has been VERY sparse since falling. I hope to get back to things tomorrow.

My newest healthy eating goals are introducing coconut oil, raw honey, and real salt.

I'm using the Certified Organic, Ultra-Clean, Supreme Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil

www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/cat
egory/coconut-products-coconut-oil.php

And this is a GREAT article on the health benefits of coconut oil:
thecoconutmama.com/2011/09/10-ways-t
o-add-coconut-oil-into-your-diet-daily
-life-2/

And another:

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/
archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-sat
urated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx

Raw honey: Here is an article on raw honey benefits: products.mercola.com/honey/

But I'm actually going to buy mine from a Mennonite community and it's a pretty good price @ $32 a gallon.

And Redmond's Real Salt: www.morethanalive.com/Real-Salt-Redm
ond

I made the BEST bread today! First I decided that if I'm using any white flour, I'm using Montana Wheat's white natural: www.wheatmontana.com/store/product_i
nfo.php?cPath=24&products_id=134
since it's chemical and GMO-free, and I can get 50# bags at the Mennonite community. BUT I didn't put any white flour in my bread today. I used freshly ground Wheat Montana Prairie Gold wheatberries, real salt, coconut oil, honey [yeast, etc.] and it was SO GOOD! I'm so very excited! DELICIOUS!

I ALSO made the coconut oil chocolate! Here is the recipe:
thecoconutmama.com/2012/12/coconut-o
il-chocolate-bars/ I did however use raw sugar cane juice instead of honey or maple syrup. It's DELICIOUS and my 7 year old really likes it too!

And tonight I made my pizza with mostly freshly ground whole wheat, and 2 cups of Natural White. I loaded it with carrot, cauliflower, red, yellow and orange peppers, mushrooms and black olives w/mozzarella cheese! Oh, my goodness! DELISH!

So, the theme of my blog! It's GREAT to eat REAL FOOD!

Love you all!

Susan

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100 Days of Real Food

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

This is my 3rd week of changing my focus from losing weight to embracing a healthier lifestyle. I've cut refined sugar, flour, rice and pasta from my diet; however, I've still eaten corn tortilla chips, and I had some french fries yesterday at Jack Stack BBQ. Remember, I'm taking baby steps towards better health! And, I'm pretty sure I'll never earn the title of 'perfect health nut'.

Nevertheless, today I was inspired by a 100 Day Challenge that I'm thinking of doing. Here are their guidelines for 'real food'.

www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-
defined-a-k-a-the-rules/

I'll let you know if I take the plunge and make this a 100-day streak.

Just made a LUSCIOUS looking dessert:


engine2diet.com/recipe/date-nut-frui
t-pie/

Plus I made another batch of homemade Hot Fudge Larabars:



chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/12
/hot-fudge-brownie-larabars/

These, by far, are my healthier dessert of choice! REALLY satisfies my chocolate and sweet fix without refined sugar or chemicals.

We're having supper at a KC Mexican restaurant tonight. This is MORE challenging for me!



We are planning to head North on Monday--CAN'T believe it's been almost 3 weeks since we left. Such a WONDERFUL visit with my parents and siblings and nieces and nephews.

Talk to you later, my dearest friends!

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Week 3 & Spark Streaks

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Starting Week 3 of no refined sugar, flour, pasta and rice.

Last night I did have a sweet tooth so I made some homemade Hot Fudge LaraBars: dates, pecans, cocoa and vanilla in the food processor until it forms a ball. I took about 1 TBS of LaraBar and about 1/3 cup of fresh strawberries in a ramekin and enjoyed EVERY bite! DELICIOUS! I've heard that dates are high glycemic, but I'm thinking with the balance of the nuts and strawberries that the 'sugars' went into my blood stream a little slower, and at least there is NO chemicals to deal with in my body from eating refined sugar. Anyway, it's all baby steps, and it's all good.

Week 2 of adding exercise went really well. I did T-Tapp every day, and did some form of walking daily. This week I'm adding more exercise, and will continue with my healthier eating habits. Right now my streaks include: 8 hours of sleep a night, 10 minutes of walking, T-Tapp, Not eating white sugar, flour, pasta or rice, and adding at least 2 freggies daily [however, I'm far exceeding that goal].

Onward and UPWARD, my dearest friends! Off to church and then another LOVELY day with my parents! We are staying another week in KC--and I'm APPRECIATING *not* having to go home to SNOW right now! With my dear husband not working, we're able to stay longer. April 12th was FIVE whole months since he lost his job! We have a very good prospect and we're waiting to hear if he's gotten the job. If you think of us, would you please ask the LORD to mercifully open the door. We want to wait patiently and hopefully, but it does get challenging. Thank you, my sweet SparkFriends.

Love you all, Susan

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