Herb Wreath

This is an herb wreath. I did not make this herb wreath, but you can go to this website and purchase it, http://www.organicbouquet.com/p_75/three_herb_wreath.html. However, they are currently sold out of this particular wreath. So I'm going to tell you how to make one of your own.

Why an herb wreath, you ask? Why not?!?!? I reply back at ya! They smell terrific too, by the way!

I did not make one this year because I've been entirely too busy creating an empire. :)
In fact, its December 23 and I JUST decorated the Christmas tree last night. I usually have this done by at least the first weekend in December! But, when an empire needs building, you gotta build. So, I decorated the tree in about 20 minutes.

I used candy!! This is brilliant and you should try this one year. The real beauty part is that when its time to take down all the decorations, there is no need to bring out your boxes and wrap ornaments to be put away. That can take hours or in some of the homes I've been in, days or even weeks!!! All I gotta do is turn my family loose and Ka-BAM!!!!! tree done!!!! :)

Back to the wreath though. All you need is a grapevine wreath, some 24 gauge wire, wire cutters, some pretty ribbon for hanging, and some herbs.

I have to warn you though that the herbs are not cheap. So I made a small wreath to hang in my kitchen. But, I will tell you that I think you could do this year round and the smell is sooooo wonderful. If you have a garden and access to fresh herbs (or tons of money, time, and patience!) you could make a bigger one.

The pictures I've seen of herb wreaths keep each herb together. I do like the one in the picture at the top of this post especially with the peppers in between. But, when I made mine, I used a variety together, like a floral arrangement with only greenery. I used lots of sage and rosemary and added in others like oregano or whatever looks pretty. Cilantro and parsley won't hold up well for very long, though fyi.

Take bundles of herbs and tuck them in to the spaces in the grapevine. Use the wire to attach the herbs to the grapevine, trying to keep the wire hidden and the layer more bundles of herbs all around the wreath. You'll want to layer the leafy parts of the herbs over the stemmy, wired parts of the herbs. Keep moving around the wreath in this fashion until the entire wreath is covered. Then loop the ribbon through the back of the grapevine and tie into a bow on top. And voila!!!! herb wreath complete!

This will continue to smell good for weeks. It will start to wilt though. Once the herbs no longer look good, you can just remove them from the wreath and do it again!

Some Really Good Pork!!!

We just recently bought some meat from a man selling it off the street!!

Well, kinda but not really. I usually buy grass fed, free range, antibiotic, hormone, and nitrate (ite) free meats. But, I had decided to get some of the guys on my list (who frankly could care less about healthy eating!!!) some steaks for Christmas. Well, then all of a sudden a guy comes in selling such meats for less than I had planned to spend. Yeee-haw!!!! So he threw in a case of pork for free. Well, okay. I'll give some of it a try. Because not only do I like to eat healthy but frugally when I can.

So, I found a recipe from http://allrecipes.com/ and found pernil pork loin. Its a Puerto Rican Pork Loin. And oh my!!! Was it ever delicious!!!!! So, since its your lucky day, I'm going to tell you how I made it and what I served it with. Then I'll tell you how much my husband gushed over it and promised me all sorts of diamonds and furs and trips and....... Oh, well, okay he didn't really promise me all that but he did really love it. :)

Puerto Rican Pork Loin:

In a food processor add:

4 cloves garlic


1 large onion, quartered

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon white wine

Chop and blend until its all paste-y. Spread it over:
1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast

Cook on low about 5 - 6 hours and then squeeze the juice of

1 lime

all over the top. :)
 
 
 
 
I served this with a Caesar salad (because we love them) and some rice. I cooked rice the regular old way, following the directions on the package but I added baby spinach and pine nuts sauteed in butter. mmmmmmm....butter......
 
I love butter.
 
So the rice is mildly bland while the meat is pretty tangy. Its a perfect complement. My husband not only loved it he had it for lunch 2 days in a row until it was all gone. I was going to use the leftover meat for sandwiches and tacos or something.
 
Home Run in the Pearson kitchen!!!!! Now it can be in yours too! :)
 
This post is part of Food Renegades Fight Back Friday. You should go over there and check it out! Here is the link http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-december-17th/#more-2542

Winter Skin and Lips

I've been super busy lately!!!! This is the first time in my adult life that I've actually had enough money in the bank at Christmas time that I wasn't worried about paying bills and what cheap things to get people for Christmas! (sigh)

Ahhhhhhhh.........feels good...... :)

I'll tell you what doesn't feel good though is dry, chapped winter hands! Of which, mine are.

You know we own a pool service business. Add to the cold water, chlorine and muriatic acid and you get fingers that are dying from a thousand little cuts. (Try adding lime or salt to a lovingly prepared dish with those hands!! Give it a try.....I dare you!) Ouch! Ouch! Double Ouch!!!

But, since I'm busy (I have more pools to clean today) and its Thursday is Herbs Day I'm sending you a link to a recipe for lip balm. I want to try some of this recipe for my hands soon. Maybe next week I'll post on the lotion bars my friend Melanie makes. I'll be making some of that too! It's absolutely wonderful!

Here's the link http://www.cauldronsandcrockpots.com/2010/12/winter-lips/

Stay hydrated, my friends! :)

Why A Lowfat Diet Isn't Good For You!

Did you know that a low fat diet isn't good for you? Of course you didn't and I know why you didn't too! Its because you've walked into a gym or picked up a fitness magazine, or been in a doctor's office. All those things conspire against you to make you fat and unhealthy!

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!!!!! I know!!!

Okay....They don't do it on PURPOSE, but they do it anyway. Because they too have been brainwashed by junk science to make us all believe that low fat foods will make us thin and healthy. But, let me just tell you that there are a few of us "believers" still around that know the truth. That sounds funny doesn't it? Like one of those people that believe in space ships and zombies!! Ha Ha!! That's funny!!! Hey! Don't judge! As my friend Dave likes to say "Its better to be prepared than caught off-guard by a zombie attack!"

But, still yet again, I digress! sigh......

So, lets get back to the fat.

At the turn of the century, heart disease was very rare. I don't know if you are aware of this but people back then ate real, whole foods. There was no McDonalds. By the 1960s, heart disease was our number one killer. Hmmmmmm....Hello, Mr McDonald! How are you?? - "Rich!! Thanks for asking!" ( I'm putting quotation marks in because I like them. Really I'm just paraphrasing what Mr McDonald probably would have said. :)

Right around the same time people were consuming less butter. Then, some brainiac scientist said "Wait a minute! Butter causes heart disease!!!" ( Again with the paraphrasing)
So... a bunch of other scientists said "By Gosh! I think you're right! People eat too much fat! Fat makes people fat and unhealthy! Lets tell them to stop! In fact, lets create a new Food Guide Pyramid telling people to eat lots of bread!"

And there goes our diet. Right there. I just in a paraphrase explained to you our obesity problem.

Our bodies aren't equipped to eat protein without the fat. Not only that, too little fat in your diet causes all sorts of problems that are usually associated with old age....eeeewwwwwwwww!

Honestly, I'd rather eat the fat than be old!

About 15 years ago, I was teaching 15 aerobics classes per week, personal training clients, and lifting weights. I ate a very low fat diet. I had no energy and I had about 5 pounds I needed to lose and with all that working out I was still "soft". So, I saw a molecular biologist who was also a nutritionist. He told me I needed more fat, protein, and calories. I kid you not, when I tell you that the heavens broke, angels sang, and the world just appeared.....I don't know.....rosier.

So, I upped all those things and actually scheduled in snacks. He also told me I needed more fruits and veggies in my diet to prevent cancer. I immediately dropped that 5 pounds. Since then, I've researched diet and nutrition extensively. (I still do, by the way! You can never learn too much.) Among others, I read Suzanne Sommers books. She advocates eating all the protein and fat you want as long as you don't eat starchy foods with it. It really works and when I eat this way, I feel fantastic. Do you know that I put real cream and coconut oil in my herbal coffee every morning? I will go home this evening and have a bowl of rasberries and heavy cream. I put real butter and cream in my oatmeal. My family eats full fat yogurt, raw cheese, and milk. (milk is a whole other story!!! I'll post on that later. Don't drink skim milk! For the love of God, stay away from skim milk!!!)

By reading this, you might think, Geesh! that girl probably weighs 300#!! Nope. I sure don't. I look great and I probably haven't looked this good in 20 years!! You know why? Its because I don't eat sugar with all that cream. Its the sugar that kills you. Its highly inflammatory and causes weight gain and even worse, disease. In all that low fat food, they load it up with sugar. Why, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Its because it tastes bad! Fat causes your body to feel satisfied and doesn't need to eat much. Remove the fat, remove the taste. Make it taste better by loading it up with sugar!!!! Well, that and  a whole bunch of chemicals that are made to taste like food.

So, in addition to our bodies not being able to process lean protein sources very well, Food companies are taking advantage of the fact that we are quickly becoming an obese nation. We are all looking for ways to lose weight. But, trust me. If you want to lose weight, eat whole, real foods including fat and stay away from low fat and fat free fare. Well, except for fruits and veggies. You also need lots of those!!!

Tough & Tender

Okay, you know ME. I like products sold through network marketing because I like to help my friends make money. I don't know how you get any greener than that, honestly! PLUS, all the best products are sold this way, mostly.....

But, I absolutely ADORE these TOUGH & TENDER WIPES from Melaleuca. I get them from a friend of mine and let me tell you that they are absolutely wonderful. I use them all over the house. They make clean up super quick and you can feel good about the environment when you're done. Here's an excerpt of the product description from the Melaleuca website:

Unlike many other wipes, Tough & Tender wipes are biodegradable! Just because other wipes are disposable doesn’t mean they’re biodegradable too. In fact, nonbiodegradable disposable wipe waste is expected to clog landfills with an additional 100,000 tons a year by 2010. Plus, Tough & Tender wipes are naturally free of bleach and harsh chemicals, and they’re safe to use on almost any surface, even natural stone like granite and marble.

I use them in the kitchen and then toss them into the compost pile. I also use them in the bathrooms and flush them. I live in the country and have a septic tank as opposed to a fancy sewer system like the city folk. All you country gals can appreciate the fact that they are flushable!!!! :) Keepin it real!

So, locate your best friend that sells Melaleuca or go to Melaleuca's website and sign up to get products wholesale and get some of these little buddies! They have other great products that I use all the time too. But, this is my favorite I think.

This post is part of Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday. You can check out a lot more healthy stuff and recipes here: Fight Back Friday

Ginger

Ginger!!!!

Yeah, not THAT Ginger, silly!!!!

This Ginger

Well, its a gingerbread man because its the holiday season, ya know!!! :)

I DO Like Ginger from Gilligan's Island, though. Every time my husband wants me to make a sexy face, I make the "Ginger" face and say, "Hello, Gilligan". He thinks that's REAL sexy......SCREECH....NOT!..He always says, "Why do keep calling me Gilligan?" to which I say, "If you don't want me to make a sexy face, then don't ask me to make a sexy face." and then I walk away. HeeeHeee. I like to keep our love life spicy. So, I like to play "sexy games" like that. We HAVE been married for over 20 years, so you can imagine....

Anyway, back to my real post for the day, and that's the SPICE ginger and no, I don't mean the SPICE GIRL, Ginger. I mean the Real Ginger.

This is part of my new, regular Thursday posts, about herbs.

Ginger has a whole host of health benefits!!!

I consume it regularly in a tea form anytime I'm feeling a little queasy. I make some ginger tea (I just use the tea bags. You could actually make your own if you're feeling so inclined) I put some Stevia in there to sweeten it and BAM! queasiness gone! You can also take it in a supplement form. You can even buy ginger candies in pharmacies now if you don't like the tea. Even a little ginger ale and ginger cookies can help with nausea.
I think we all knew that one already, but here are some other benefits of ginger that you maybe didn't know.

It reduces pain and inflammation. In studies it has been shown to be a natural painkiller and people who consume it have less soreness after working out. I can only assume that would also apply to people with injuries.

It has also been shown to relieve symptoms of colds and flus and help with digestive issues. When someone in my house gets sick, I always give them some ginger tea with honey in it. It tastes good and honey is also anti-inflammatory as well as being anti-viral and anti-bacterial.

In a University of Michigan study, ginger killed ovarian cancer cells. Can you say, WOW!!! ?On a side note, I've been claiming all along that cancer can be cured and prevented with diet.....I'm just sayin'....

A University of Minnesota found that ginger slowed down colorectal cancers. Again...I'm just sayin'...

Another study done on rats found that ginger may reduce diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

In addition to all the things that ginger can do, it tastes pretty good too!! So, go home and make some gingerbread. Make it extra gingery and feel good about your family eating it!!!


mmmmmmmmm.....AND it smells wonderful......... :)

Thursday is Herbs Day!! - Aloe

Welcome to Thursday!!!! Yay!!! Its so great because its one day closer to Friday AND its the first installment of Thursday is Herbs Day!! I think a celebratory cake is in order. I'll get right on that. But, FIRST let me tell you about one of my very favorite "herbs".

Aloe Vera.

You probably already know a little about it, because its in sunburn lotions in pharmacies all across the U.S. So you know it helps soothe a sunburn. But, do you know WHY and how that info can help soothe and heal other conditions as well?

Not only that but its super easy to grow in pots. It looks pretty and you always have a ready supply on hand and even enough to give away to your closest friends, more if you're like my friend Melanie who tries to GIVE them away on a regular basis!! Those things make "babies" and Melanie's must be extra fertile because she has "babies" out the wazoo. If you're nearby and want a free "baby" let me know and I'll hook you up!

Aloe vera is a succulent so it needs very little water. In addition to that it doesn't need a lot of light either. Its very easy to maintain. If you leave it in the sun it gets faded out and if its in the super dark it also loses its pigment. It can live in either of those conditions but for asthetics, ambient light is best.

I keep some around all the time. Its especially good for burns. It soothes a burn faster than anything I've ever seen. When I'm cooking and accidentally burn myself I just go over and break off a piece and rub the gel on the burn. It instantly feels better and heals much faster. Its also good for cuts and scrapes too. Its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory. Its full of vitamins and minerals too. You can also buy aloe vera juice to help with some digestive issues.

ssshhhhhhhh, here's  a secret just between us. *looking around*, come in close.........

It has laxative properties...........

Just sayin.......

You never know. That sometimes comes up. Or doesn't. Again, just sayin.....

Okay enough with the eighth gradedness and poopy humor.  Okay, seriously, stop. POOP  and lack thereof is NOT a laughing  matter.


Here are some fun things you can do with Aloe Vera: (From http://www.aloevera-benefits.org/)

1.Create your own facial cleanser with aloe vera: Just mix with olive oil, rosewater, and a few drops of grapeseed oil in a food processor. Keep it in the fridge!

2.Create an organic sugar scrub and apply to damp skin:


■2 tbsp. aloe vera

■2 tbsp. brown sugar

■1 tsp. lemon juice

3.You could also try a salt scrub for rough patches:


■2 cups sea salt

■1 cup aloe vera

■1 cup baby oil

■2 tbsp. honey

4.For those with eczema or psoriasis, aloe is possibly the best moisturizer available. Rub all over hands and feet, put on gloves and socks and let it work its magic!


You can also dress up your plant and take have a photo shoot! I personally wouldn't do it, but you could.... Again, just sayin..... :)

Pumpkin Oatmeal

IMAG0536
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/50173102@N04/

Well, its a chilly 54 degrees here in Texas. I know some of you Yankees are laughing your hiney off! But, hey.... We like it hot!

Hot as in Hot, yo! Not hot as in "Oh My Lord, Its a hundred freaking degrees outside!" which we get a lot of here in Texas.

But....Not Today!!!! Today its chilly out and has me in the mood for some phat (pretty, hot, and tasty) oatmeal. Its super good with pumpkin added to it as well. I had some myself and now I'm going to share it with you. This is enough for one serving because I only made some for myself. Heee Heee.

No, no! Before you get all sideways thinking I'm a bad wife and mom, let me say, that my honey doesn't really appreciate oatmeal the way I do and has elected to eat some organic Koala Crisp cereal with raw, whole milk and my son is spending the night with a friend of which and a side note, he accidentally called my phone in the middle of the night and I eavesdropped on his activities for a while. Heeee Heeeee!

HEY!! don't judge me! He called ME so its okay...... Right??? Yeah well, a mom has to use all the tools in her chest. :)

But, anyway, back to the oatmeal. Here's what you'll need:

1 cup water
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup organic pumpkin puree
1/8 t cinnamon
1/16 t nutmeg
1/16 t cloves
1/16 t ginger
pinch of salt
1 packet of Stevia
1/4 cup raw cream (you heard me!! I said CREAM)

Then: Here's what you'll do:

Boil the water and add the oatmeal. Cook for about 5 minutes or so until its creamy. Add the pumpkin and spices and continue until  everything is all melty and warm. Add the Stevia. If you want it sweeter you can add another packet. Spoon into your bowl and pour the cream all over the top.

Then, sit down and count your blessings today. One of which will most definitely be the fact that you just found your new favorite way to eat oatmeal!! :)


And seriously.....Don't be afraid of the cream!! Really!!! Don't put sugar in it and the cream will skip right past your thighs much like I skipped right past my shorts this morning to put on my blue jeans and sweater!

Menu

IMAG0531
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/50173102@N04/

A lot of people think they have no time to eat healthy so they wait until dinnertime and think "Oh crap! what's for dinner? Honey, what sounds good to you?" to which Honey says "I don't know what sounds good to you?" then you say, " I don't care, you pick something." Then Honey says "I don't care either. You know what I like so either just pick something up or make something." Then, because its late and its much easier, you just pick something up on the way home. This conversation comes very easy because its the exact same conversation I've had many, many, many, MANY times!!!!

Except sometimes, I don't say Honey........ :)

Anywhooooo, so what I do is this. I make a menu for the month. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to pull out my planner and list some things my family likes to eat. You'll notice that 4 days are crossed out. That's because its Thanksgiving weekend. I'll either be cooking or not that day and the rest of the weekend I'll be off riding horses with my parents in the Kiamichi mountains of Oklahoma. Woooo Hooooo!!!

This is my actual day planner and my actual menu for the month that I just wrote up. If I don't do this, then I end up having the aforementioned conversation, with or without the use of the word, Honey. You'll notice that a few of the entries have "leftovers" where a dinner option should be. Thats because I know my family by now and I know that they will not eat all of what I prepare and I don't want to waste the leftovers and create extra work for myself by preparing something else when there is still perfectly good food in the fridge.

What you don't see is that I made these plans with my schedule in mind. I know that on Tuesday and Thursday evenings I come home late from teaching yoga. Honey gets a little pissy (can I say pissy? Is the word pissy allowed in the blogging world? Is it like tv where you can't say certain words? I don't think so. And honestly, there really isn't a better word I could use. He really does just get pissy.) when dinner is too late. It's not his fault really. He gets indigestion and heartburn when he eats too late and then goes to bed. Sooo, being the good wife that I am, I prepare meals in the slow cooker on those nights. Monday nights I have Tae Kwon Do, so the same goes for Monday nights. I don't have anything written for Saturdays because its junk food night at our house on Saturday nights.

OH BOY!!!! You have to know about Saturday nights!!! Junk food night is the bribe I use to get my family to eat relatively healthy the rest of the week. It really works but I'm almost sorry that I introduced it. Now, I'm completely shackled to junk food night! Here's another conversation at my house.

"Honey, I'm going out with some friends on Saturday night." To which Honey says, "But.......It's junk food night....You can't go, cause I'll miss junk food night. You know I don't want to miss junk food night." *sigh* Again, sometimes without use of the word Honey.... :)

Also, I don't list breakfast or lunch. Those meals are super easy to "wing it". We usually have cereal, eggs, oatmeal, organic toaster pastries or something for breakfast during the week and a big Sunday breakfast that doesn't need planning. And for lunch we usually just have soup, sandwiches, salads or something. Whatever the mood strikes.

So, now that I have my menu. I will go make a grocery list for the week. Go buy said groceries and I'm all set! Now, I already know what's for dinner and it takes a big load off each evening trying to figure out what I'm gonna feed my family when I'm tired from a very full day of conversations with Honey! Again, sometimes without the use of the word Honey!!! :)

eggs

eggs
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/50173102@N04/

This is one of my favorite way to eat eggs. And since its your lucky day, I'm going to share it with you!!!!

Okay, you can do the happy dance now.

Go ahead, cowboy, dance.........


That's how you dance? Really? Okay, then.....

Just kidding!!! I'm sure you're a really great dancer! In fact, you should go out dancing tonight! If you do, call me. I've been wanting to go out dancing lately myself. Cut a rug, do a jig, get my groove on...


What? Oh yeah. The eggs. *sigh* Okay, here it is.

Before, I tell you, you need to know that I'm a dumper inner and not so much a measurer. But, I'll do my best.

melt some butter in a skillet. This is just one serving so I'm gonna guess it was about a Tablespoon of Butter.

Sautee a handful of chopped onions, a handful of chopped mushrooms in the butter until the onions are translucent. Then, add about a cup (or more) of torn baby spinach. You can use a lot of spinach. It cooks WAY down. Then, add 2 eggs and scramble around. I also added a pinch of garlic and a pinch of salt. When the eggs are done, turn off the heat and add grated cheese. Lots of grated cheese.

Now, you can use whatever makes you happy, but because I like to be super healthy, I used organic veggies, free range eggs, and raw cheddar cheese, and sea salt. And let me just say......MMMMMMMMMMM
and even better? It took about 10 minutes from start to finish to prepare. I had some fruit with it to make it a meal. Dinner in fact!

This post is part of Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday. You can check out all the other entries here http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-october-29th/

Cancer Awareness?

I just have to say, I'm sick of "cancer awareness" !!!!!!!

Really, I'm sick of cancer!!! I know how that sounds so let me say, No! I do not have cancer! Nor am I uncompassionate to those that have suffered the disease.

But, every time I turn around someone is posting on facebook about cancer awareness. "97% won't re-post" about cancer awareness, as if you don't re-post, you don't care about cancer patients. Football players are wearing pink shoes in honor of breast cancer awareness. Races are being run in the name of cancer awareness, and the list goes on endlessly

I absolutely DO CARE about cancer and those with it!!! But, the thing is...we already know how to prevent cancer. We ALL DO!!!! We just elect not to do those things. I mean, GEEEESH!!! by now, seriously, are we not aware????
The CDC said in the 1960's that the rate of cancer was 1 in 300. Well, sure, back then maybe cancer awareness was needed. I mean...1 in 300. Wow, probably very few people even KNEW someone with cancer. It was a big, scary deal. But, over the years, the cancer rate has risen. Now, in 2010, the CDC says the cancer rate is 1 in 2...

Let that sink in  for just a minute...... 1 in 2..........




1... in... 2. Its an even bigger, scarier deal!

So it seems to me that we are all aware. And what is all this awareness actually accomplishing? The cancer rate continues to rise and people are still out wearing their pink shirts all in the name of awareness. But, what I want to know is, how is wearing a pink ribbon going to prevent me or my friends from getting the disease? Does anyone have an answer for that? Does anyone ever even ask that question?

I don't think so. It makes us feel like we're doing some good if we're out "fighting cancer". But, really how are we fighting it? By raising money for pharmaceutical research? Pharmaceuticals don't prevent anything. Nor are they proven to be the most effective treatment for anything. Do you know that the biggest cause of death is "pharmaceuticals as prescribed" Okay, now ponder THAT for just a moment....

"As prescribed" Not, as in overdose or mixed with other drugs, or mismanaged by the patients....... "as prescribed"!!!!

So...... Why, why, why are we busting our butts to raise money or "awareness" (because from what I can see those two are synonomous right now in this regard) for that?

Why, why, why is there not "awareness" for the death rate of "pharmaceuticals as prescribed"?

Why is there no "awareness" for the fact that eating lots of fruits and vegetables truly IS cancer prevention.

See, I told you we already know how to cure cancer. Don't do the things that cause cancer. Don't smoke. See, you already knew that didn't you? Don't spend hours out in the sun in the middle of the day. I bet you knew that already too! Don't inhale asbestos. I'm not saying anything new there either. Eat your fruits and veggies. Your mom has been telling you that your whole life!

You can prevent 70-90% of ALL disease just by eating 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. That is from the USDA. It used to be 2-3 servings but with our politicized and industrialized farming practices they had to increase it to 9-13 due to the lack of nutrients in our food. But, that's a HUGE discussion for another day.

So basically you have a choice.  You can consume high amounts of anti-oxidants and live a healthy lifestyle and not only prevent cancer but all disease. The only side effects of that are looking and feeling better.

OR....

You can continue to eat the junk being sold in stores and restaraunts as "food" and pin all your hopes and dreams on cancer research and a "pill" that will prevent cancer. The side effects of current cancer treatments are loss of hair, loss of weight, killing your immune system, death, etc.

hmmmmmmm....I wonder which I will choose?

Did you also know that there really are all natural cancer treatments that have no side effects that are proven to work? One of them is The Gerson Therapy. In a nutshell, its high dose vitamin C IV therapy.
But, you're doctor (even if he believes it) can't legally administer this therapy. Legally, your doctor can only prescribe surgery, chemo, and radiation for cancer treatment. They can only legally prescribe those treatments even though there is statistical proof that natural therapies work better than the conventional therapies.

Cancer is continuing to rise, people are still out trying to "make a difference" but nothing is helping.
Its actually getting worse!!!! So, this is me calling for a new cancer awareness campaign.

Prevent cancer!!!!! Eat 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables. Eat real, whole foods instead something from a box or a window. Drink tea. Don't smoke!!! Stay out of the sun (I'm still unsure about sunscreen. I've heard reports of the chemicals in that being worse than the sun! Your best bet is to just go out for a little while and then find some shade, preferrably a nice hammock with a book and drink ). Drink in moderation. Exercise. Pray. Laugh often and love a lot.

Doesn't that seem simple? Much better than running a race to give your money for a pill that likely will do more harm than good anyway! I'm not saying don't go run the race. For sure, go run, hang out with your best friends and lend support to your cancer surviving warriors. But, just be "aware" of what you're actually raising money for and how it would be more effective.

Now, that you're "aware" go spread the word.........

Product Review: Emv

This post is part of Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday where real food enthusiasts can "fight back" against industrialized farming thereby creating better health for our families. If you're interested, you can check it out here Fight Back Friday 10/21/10.

I've decided to start doing some product reviews. I'm very excited about this. In fact, I've been pondering new directions to go with my blog. I'm very excited about that too!! It'll still be geared toward making our families healthier but I've got new ideas in which to do that. One of them is the regular product reviews. I'll also be adding some herbal information as well.

I would like to start off by saying that alot of the products that I use are sold through network marketing. I know a lot of people are turned off by that, but not me and I'll tell you why. Number 1, all the best products are sold through this type of marketing. So much so, that Warren Buffett and Donald Trump now own network marketing companies. Robert Kiyosaki reccomends network marketing as the least expensive way to start earning residual income in his books. Number 2, I'm big on loyalty. I like to support my friends and family in their business ventures when I can. I would rather see them do financially well than some big, faceless corporation. Not that I'm anti-big business per se. I am a conservative after all. I do believe in the free market system. But, if a friend has a great product I'd rather help them out anyway. Not only that, BECAUSE network marketing has such a bad rap, I think if my friend has decided to attach their name to a product and actually sell it, it must be a really great product!!

So, the first product I want to tell you about is one that I've attached MY name to and decided to sell. It's Monavie. If you want to learn more you can go to my website Monavie.  The product in particular I want to share with you, though, is Monavie's healthy energy drinks.

This is very exciting because our kids LOVE energy drinks, Monster, Redbull, etc. and they are SO bad for us!! Deadly, in fact! I know, I know, you probably think I'm being overly dramatic but No....I'm not. They truly are deadly. In fact, doctors are reporting that those energy drinks sold in stores cause irreparable heart damage!!!! Okay. Let that soak in for just a minute. IRREPARABLE HEART DAMAGE.......

They are full of caffeine, sugars of all different varieties, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, and additives. Oh My!!!

What we love about Monavie's Emv is that its a healthy, sustained energy (my husband and I absolutely love them and we didn't drink energy drinks before). There are no jitters or crashes with this product. Also, there are no added caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, or chemicals. It's all natural, healthy, and best of all, it has the anti-oxidant equivalent to 6 servings of fruits!! So, not only is not bad for you like the others on the market, but its actually good for you!

My teenage son loves energy drinks and I was forever getting on to him for drinking them. Really, that's the one thing that will get him into serious trouble. I'd rather see him with a beer in his hand than a Monster. (He overheard me say that one time and he got excited. "All right!!! I can have beer!" Ha Ha! Silly Boy! No)

My point is that you can allow your kids to drink them and not feel like a bad mother. It's actually good for them. For sure, its better than a Coke! the energy in Emvs come from a slow release carbohydrate, green tea extract, and yerba mate extract. In fact, some parents are giving it to their children with ADHD before bed to help them sleep. And it works!!!!!

For those that are calorie conscious, Monavie recently came out with Emv Lite. It has less than half the calories of the original. However, to get less calories, they had to remove some of the fruit. The original version is 80% fruit whereas the Lite version is only 20% fruit. Then because it has less fruit its not as sweet. So, they added Stevia to sweeten it. I love it. I'm a big fan of Stevia though. If you aren't familiar, Stevia is a very sweet herb that has been used in eastern countries for decades and just now being discovered here in the west. It tastes a little aspartame-y though (which I really do like, not the aspartame, but the flavor. I used to be a big aspartame consumer until I learned how bad it is). So, if you don't like that flavor, I would reccomend the original. I personally drink the Emv Lite. I work it into my caloric budget. Occasionally, I will have the original, just because. On some occasions, I have more than one in a day. Oh My!!!! :)

If you want to try it, leave a comment below, and I'll pick 10 random winners to a free one!!!! in the comment, leave your preference to the original or the lite and your email address so I can email you to get your shipping address.

Yogurt

Yogurt
Originally uploaded by mistypearson@rocketmail.com

Here's another recipe for you. If you like sweet, fruity yogurts, you have to try this instead! It's so much better for you and doesn't have any added sugars or artificial anythings added to it.

1 small container of plain, fat free, greek style yogurt
2 packets Stevia
1/2 t vanilla extract
handful of raspberries

Mix together the first 3 ingredients well (you could stop here and it will taste delicious!!!) then fold in the berries (you can also use other fruits as well)

That's it!


Now go make it!


Feed it to your kids...


Then, go sit and read a book. Let them do whatever they want. Don't let it bother you. You've fed them a super healthy snack so you've already been a good mother today. Rest in that knowledge and feel superior to the other mothers who fed their kids a sugary, fake yogurt.


aaaaahhhh! feels good huh???? You know you can eat the yogurt too! It's really delicious and it won't make you fat. Man, does this day just get any better????????

Yummm!

Yummm!
Originally uploaded by mistypearson@rocketmail.com

I live in the south and we southerners love our fried foods.

As a diet nazi, I like to eat real foods that are healthy. I also want my family to live a long, healthy life so I like to feed them healthy foods too. I, personally, plan to live to be 130 years old and I don't want to be here all by myself!!

When we first started eating healthy (as defined by me and other real foodies and not crazy fitness mags!) I found it hard to break old habits. We used to either eat out a lot or eat food from boxes. I just didn't know there was any other way. I'm sure there are a lot of people that think that way too. I know, because I've looked in their pantries. I've seen lots of Hamburger Helpers and cake mixes.

Then, I realized that if you just eat meats and veggies you're pretty set. So I bought a George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine (I love both George Foreman and his grill!!!! I read his book. You should definitely pick it up and read it) I've grilled lots on it but that gets to be just a little boring eating that all the time. Then, I figured out how you can turn almost any of your favorite foods into healthy foods just with a few little tweaks!

Now, you will see some butter in my recipes. But don't freak out!! Butter is your friend and not the enemy those crazy low fatties would have you believe. I eat lots of butter and cream and I'm not fat, nor do I have high cholesterol, blood pressure, or blood sugar. You just have to trust me on this. If you don't, then read some books by Drs Perricone and Mercola and Suzanne Sommers, Marilu Henner too. I know it sounds crazy but its true!

Here's a recipe for you:

Salmon Patties
We love to fry salmon in a patty form here in the south! You will occasionally find some who pronounce it correctly (sa-mon), but mostly you'll find everyone says (sal-mon). Don't try and correct them. They don't want to change. Believe me, I've tried. It doesn't work. Just enjoy the patties!

1 large can wild caught alaskan salmon
1 egg
1 cup oatmeal
1t. garlic powder
1t. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, heat up some peanut oil ( I use peanut oil for frying because as far as I know, it doesn't turn into trans fats at high temps. While olive oil is a nutritious oil, it's not stable at high heats so it's not a good option for frying.)

In a medium large bowl mix up all the ingredients. form into hand size patties. When the oil gets hot, place the patties in the oil. fry until they are brown on one side and then flip. Cook until brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

I served these with fried sweet potatoes ( melt butter in a frying pan and slice sweet potatoes. Place sweet potatoes in the melted butter and fry until mildly brown and soft. Add a little salt) and canned beans.

And voila!!! You have a pretty nutritious, quick meal! Its fairly low glycemic and has your protein, starch, and fiber. I would also serve a side salad as well to get some greens in the body. But, the whole thing takes about 20 minutes to prepare start to finish and my family loves it (Well, not my son, but he's a picky eater and behaves as if I'm poisoning him if he thinks I snuck a vegetable into his food. But, don't listen to him, he's odd. He gets that from his dad I'm sure!)

Whats Going On Right Now

Are you like me? I often wonder what other people are doing, especially in the evening. You know, when you drive past homes and you see soft lights in the windows and wonder "What are THEY doing?" Its why reality tv is so popular, I imagine.
When I was little, I used to imagine that I was starring in my own tv show for giants. In my imagination giants were greatly entertained by my antics as I went about my days.

So, Ive decided to share with you what Im doing right now.

Im sitting in my favorite chaise watching the Rangers play the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. Its very exciting because its the first time in history the Rangers have gotten this far in the playoffs. The Rangers are winning, by the way, 3-0 in the top of the 4th inning.

I like to knit while I watch baseball. If you dont know me, I have to clue you in. I live in a tiny house out in the country. We have one tv and its in the living room. My husband has been bucking for a tv in the bouduoir for years...but that aint happenin'. But thats a crazy story for another day. He is also a HUGE sports fan. We have to watch all the Rangers games, all the Cowboys games, and all the major golf tournaments!
He recently started making some noise about college football but I nipped that in the bud pretty quickly!

So you can imagine that I get quite a bit of knitting done. Guess what everyones getting for Christmas?? :)

Right now, though, Im working on a baby blanket for my brother-in-law and his wife. They are expecting their second baby this winter. Awwwwww!

Leave a comment telling me what you're doing, cause you know, I want to know!

Meanwhile, I gotta get to work on that blanket! I hope the Giants find it entertaining.......

Go Rangers!!!

Deadly Poison In Our Food

I heard last night that Glenn Beck (we love him!!) was having some health complications due to aspartame consumption.

That prompted me to write about aspartame today and tell you what a horrible addition to our food that has been and what it's done in our family.

My husband, Robbie, has multiple sclerosis. He grew up playing sports and has been super athletic all growing up. Shortly after our son was born 18 years ago, he started noticing small things like tripping and blurry vision. Being a manly man, he wouldn't go to the doctor. Years later, he had some absolutely HORRIBLE leg weakness. I finally just made an appointment with the doctor and sent him. They did numerous tests and couldn't find anything.

Meanwhile, jump back....we used to have absolutely horrible fights about once every month. Now, part of that could be explained on youth, pride, and the inabilty of moi to control her mouth. However, part of that was the fact that I had to walk around on eggshells to not send my husband into a rage that would last for months at a time. He literally went 4 months without speaking to me other than hurl outrageous hate at me because I wanted him to get us free Six Flags tickets from work to donate to our son's swim team fundraiser. He didn't want to do it, so I went behind his back and got them from one of his co-workers. He got so mad that he cussed me out and didn't speak to me all summer.

Meanwhile...he was drinking about 12 diet cokes a day. I had no idea. I knew it was his drink of choice. Back then, in our house, all of our diet and nutrition info came from women's health magazines and Muscle & Fitness. My Lord! Pick up one of those mags and see all the advertisements for fat burners. Health my hiney. Anyway, we ate super low fat, and sugar free foods. Well, back then, for us, sugar free meant aspartame-y. We had sugar free jello, sugar free kool-aid, sugar free cokes, sugar free lemonade, sugar free all snacks. And all three of us were "soft and pudgy" including me who at the time was teaching 15 aerobics classes a week.

We went to Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws and my sister-in-law's grandmother saw me drinking my beloved diet Dr Pepper. She told me that her friend had gone blind and her doctor told her to stop consuming aspartame. She stopped and her eyesight came back!! That prompted me to look up the effects of aspartame knowing that Robbie was drinking alot of it and he had all these unexplained health issues. By then, his arms had become weak as well. What I found was astonishing. Aspartame has been found to have side effects that mimics MS, Parkinson's, ALS, anxiety, rage, vision problems, balance problems, stomach issues, etc.

I told my husband that we had to stop consuming aspartame (which is in a lot of food by the way!). Immediately his arm weakness went away, our fights have become less frequent. In fact, its been almost a year since our last squabble, not even a real argument. He immediately also regained some of his leg strength. WOW!

But, you'll still hear doctors say "No, the FDA approved it so it must be safe" That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Do you know that the biggest killer in our nation is not heart disease or cancer, but "medications as prescribed by their doctor". How many of us haven't seen the commercials for lawyers suing drug companies because the side effects killed people? Those were FDA approved drugs. Have some common sense. They approve things all the time that we shouldn't be consuming. Not only that, there is a lot of politics in our food. So, it behooves the health conscious consumer to be aware and pay attention.

Other things I found interesting is that aspartame was studied in mice and neuroscientists have reported that mice that were given aspartame had holes in their brains. What's even more disturbing than that is that animals are better able to metabolize it than humans. Even worse than that is that children don't have mature brains able to protect themselves from the poison. It is a poison too. Don't be fooled. It is a neuro-toxin that literally poisons your body. It's even more poisonous when its been heated to above 86 degrees F. Think about the Jell-O. What about the Diet Cokes stored in the garage? Geesh! No wonder disease is on the rise.

I want you to go read Dr Mercola's article Aspartame Dangers for the more technical information on "why" its bad for you.

Be aware, pay attention to where your food is coming from, stay informed, and take charge of your family's health.

Conservative vs Eco Friendly

I was listening to the news yesterday and heard all day about the uproar in New York about whether people on food stamps should be allowed to buy junk food. I say "Heck no!!"

'Wait a minute' you might be thinking. 'Arent you a conservative? You actually WANT government to dictate people's choices? Isnt that contradictory?'

No. And I'll tell you why.

If the government is paying for your food, then they get to tell you what you can buy with it. Its like telling your kids "You live in my house, you live by my rules." There is incentive there to get up, stand on your own two feet and make your own decisions. If someone on food stamps REALLY wants a Coke then they should think to themselves 'What can I do to earn $1.50 to buy myself a Coke?' Instead of 'I wish someone would give me money for a Coke. Stupid government wont let me have one.'

Anyway, you can see how my conservative thinking applies to this situation. Which brings up something else. How does someone reconcile their conservatism with their yoga mat weilding, herbal tea drinking, raw milk buying, organic gardening self?

This is a good question, I think, because it seems you are expected to be one or the other. Thats simple too. I care about our environment because its a greater reflection of our bodies. I'm all about improving my family's health and helping other people do the same. If the environment I live in is toxic, then its likely that my body will be toxic as well. Do you know they have found jet fuel in breast milk??

And you dont have to be "a liberal, environmental kook" to care about the environment. Its just common sense really. For instance, I use phosphate free detergents because phosphates kill toads. I'm on a mission to "Save The Toads!" because toads eat grasshoppers. Grasshoppers eat my garden and I dont want pesticides on my family's food. The toads help me do that. I dont need the governments help with that. I just want them to leave me alone and stay out of my way while I do it.

Yoga

The first twenty years of my adult careerhood (is that a word?) was strictly fitness. I worked at big, hard core, hard body health clubs as well as more family friendly YMCAs. I taught lots of aerobics classes, lifted lots of weights, and corrected lots of people's forms during their exercise. Then....

I took a yoga class.

At first it made me mad. I know, how weird is that???? I had already lifted weights for two hours and taught an aerobics class that morning. I saw the yoga instructor walk in as I was packing up my music. I thought 'Oh yeah! Yoga! I keep forgetting about yoga. I probably should stay and do it. After all that working out I just did, I probably really could use a nice, easy, little stretch class.' - Yeah, Right!!!!!!

My muscles started quivering. My body started sweating and I started to get muscle cramps. THAT made me mad. I had no idea that there was actual physical work involved in yoga. Who knew???

Well, I realized that I wasn't as strong, balanced, and flexible as I thought I was and decided that I probably should continue the yoga. I didn't. I was busy. Ya know, right?

Well, let me rewind a minute. My mother didn't breast feed me as a baby. You didn't know I was gonna rewind back that far did ya? :)  Well, she didn't! You don't know what kind of damage that does! I could have been a model if my mother hadn't stunted my growth!! I know, I know. But, that's what I going with, anyway. So, anyway, I nursed my son when he was a baby. It was the most relaxing thing ever once you get past the first month when you feel like nothing more than a cow. I told my mother how relaxing it was and she said it was because I was sitting down and stopping. Nope. That wasn't it. It was the nursing. If I had known she was wrong, I'd still be nursing that teenaged young man today!! Hey, don't judge me! :)

So, when I stopped nursing, I sat down with my sweet baby and waited for the relaxation to kick in....waiting....waiting....Hey!!! There's no relaxation here! I was robbed!!!!

When he was about two, I took a yoga certification for some continuing education credits for my group fitness certification. At the end, we lay in savasana for about ten minutes with some guided meditation. I sat up from that and went "Oh yeah, baby!! There's the relaxation I've been missing all this time!" I've been hooked ever since.

Okay, fast forward back to now. So, I've been teaching yoga for about ten years now. I love it. I'll tell you why. It helps with flexibility. When I'm practicing yoga, I don't need as many chiropractic adjustments. There's that whole relaxation thing I just told you about. It builds strength, not big, bulky muscles, but actual strength you can use in your everyday life. It also adds nice definition to your muscles. Bonus!!!!!! It helps you to be more mindful of your body. That's important for several reasons: 1 - it helps you to avoid injuries and 2 - it helps you know what your body needs nutritionally, thereby preventing illness. Yoga is also a wonderful stress reliever. Did I mention that its very relaxing???? Well....The actual DOING of the yoga is not relaxing. But, the golden reward of savasana at the end is truly heaven.

Okay, now that I brought up heaven, I have to bring up something else about yoga. I heard on the radio today about a minister who wants his parishoners to stop doing yoga because its anti-Christian. That is one ignorant minister. So, I wanted to say this, lest this happens in your church. There are some eastern religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc that yoga is an integral part of their religion. Yoga itself, and by itself, however, is not a religious act, depending on how you use it. Here in the United States, where it's taught in mainstream  gyms all over, its just the asana practice that we do. There are some forms of yoga where you only chant or meditate. Here, however, its mostly just the physical part that we do and it can actually ENHANCE whatever religion you practice, even Christianity. You're supposed to be quiet and meditate to know God, anyway. How many people really practice that? How many people even know how to quiet their mind, if they even know what that means, exactly? Yoga can help you do that. The picture at the top of this article is the Sun Salutation. That's a wonderful place to start if you're learning on your own. I reccomend that you find a yoga instructor and take a class. If you're a beginner, look for beginner classes. If you want a real treat, go to a bigger city and take a class at a real yoga studio and not a gym. I will warn you that you may find chanting at a yoga studio. But, you get the whole "zen", relaxing, experience. And I promise, they will not try to convert you from Christianity. In fact, you might find that the majority of instructors are Christian as well.

Do your mind and body some good and try yoga! You'll love what it does for you. - Namaste!!! :)







sugar free peach melba

sugar free peach melba
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/50173102@N04/

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM...........


Imagine this with real, fresh, organic cream poured on top.



MMMMMMMMMMMMMM.......

Let me tell me how you I made it. Its super simple and it won't make you fat. I promise. In fact, it can help you lose weight. NO!!! Really!!! Its true. Now look at that delicious picture again.

Unbelievable huh??? But, I kid you not.

This is enough for one person. So don't tell your family. Or better yet, tell them that its healthy and they'll stay away from it and you can have it all to yourself.

Take one organic nectarine (I know, I said it was peach melba. It's really nectarine melba. But peach melba just sounds better, ya know?)
Cut that up into chunks while you're melting 1/2 Tablespoon butter in a pan. I love butter. I'm going to marry butter when my darling husband of 20 years is not married to me anymore. I don't know when that will be but I'm going to keep stringing butter along until then.
Once the butter is melted, reduce the heat to medium and add the chunks to the pan. Sprinkle two teaspoons full (real teaspoons that you stir iced tea with and not measuring spoons) of ZSweet on the nectarine chunks and stir around, or sautee, if you will. ZSweet is Xylitol and Stevia. It has zero calories, is all natural, and is low glycemic.
Once the nectarine is softish*, add a handful (or 3!!) of organic raspberries (blackberries are super yummy too!!) into the pan and stir them around gently just to coat them with the glaze.
Turn off the heat and pour your mixture into a bowl. Then pour cream over the top.

*This recipe works really well with peaches or nectarines that are not quite ripe. You know, the ones that aren't very tasty and juicy to eat right out of your hand? Yeah, those. The juicy ones, just eat 'em before you get in the house. That's what you're supposed to do with those. That way you can hose your face off while you're still outside.

Then, sit back and enjoy every single, delicious, nutritious, slimming bite!!!

The caveat to eating butter and cream and still losing weight is that you can't eat fat and sugar together. So, you could have this with protein and vegetables and still be losing weight. You can't eat anything starchy or high glycemic and then have this. Otherwise, it WILL make you fat. Soooo, you can enjoy the buttery, sweet goodness just don't have any sugar, bread, pasta, or potatoes when you eat it. Easy, huh? :)

Affordability of Whole, Organic Foods

In my family, we eat healthy, organic produce and groceries.....most of the time.....

We do enjoy occasionally going out to eat. Also, Saturday nights are junk food nights at our house. I had to install junk food night to get my guys to eat healthy the rest of the week. *WARNING* DO NOT COME TO MY HOUSE OR TRY TO DRAG ME AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD NIGHT ON SATURDAY!!!***
They are like rabid dogs, I kid you not! I have to drop junky food in front of them very quickly and then jump back so as not to lose a finger. or a hand. or an arm.

That being said, I decided a long time ago to implement a healthy eating program in my house. I want us all to live to be 130 years old. Honestly, you can't expect to do that if you eat Hamburger Helper and frozen pizzas from Wal-Mart. Nothing against Wal-Mart. Aside from the year I punished them by boycotting their store, I shop there regularly for dog food, toilet paper, and such. But, food-wise, beware. Its just not Wal-Mart either. All major grocery stores, and a lot of small town stores too (in Texas anyway. I don't know what those crazy liberals in California have in their stores. But, I bet its a heck of a lot healthier than the shelves upon shelves of different kinds of Ranch dressing that we have here for salad fare. But, again as usual, I digress) have the same basic, junky, hydrogenated, chemical laden food for your culinary pleasure.

Since I couldn't find a stupid taco shell without hydrogenated oils in the grocery store (Texas, remember?) I chose to drive an hour to the nearest health food store where I bought two bags of groceries and shot 3/4 of grocery budget wad! 'Oh My! What will we do?? We will all starve to death!!' I thought. I was about to have a major panic attack. Then, I calmed down and realized that no one was going to starve. They may be mildly unhappy with the lack of chips and cookies for awhile, but not starving. The reason they wouldn't starve, I reasoned, is because we're just trading chips and cookies for high quality, nutritient dense foods. So you know, no one really NEEDS chips and cookies. I know, I know! But, truly! Its true!!! You don't need them! And guess what? No one perished under my healthy regime! And then, everyone adapted. Yippee! I love it when no one is complaining about nothing to eat in the fridge.

Since then, I've told countless friends about our switch to organic eating. So many of them, say "I can't afford it" or "I'd love to feed my family that way, but we just can't afford it." or "I know Monavie is good for me, but I can't afford it". You know why you can't afford it? Because you THINK you can't afford it, so you don't even try. It's just like anything else you do in life. You just have to jump in and give it a shot! I'll tell you what will happen, because it always does. You WILL be able to afford it. Not only that, you'll probably have even more money. You'll spend less on medications. You'll be more productive at work because you'll feel good. You'll spend less time at the doctor's office. You won't be spending money going out to eat...as much.... You can still go out to eat. Just eat at home more. And your budget will adapt to the new addition.

I recently watched Food, Inc on dvd. You should definitely watch that if you haven't seen it. Food Matters too!!! But, on Food, Inc it shows a hispanic family going to Burger King because they can feed their whole family on $1 hamburgers. They would love to eat more produce and the mom feels guilty feeding her children fast food, but it's what they can afford. The children wanted to buy broccoli at the grocery store. (Can you imagine??? How much would you give if your child actually ASKED if you buy some broccoli? Honestly, I think I would think I'd just died. Lord? Is this heaven?? My child really wants broccoli? Thank you Jesus. Thank you!) But, anyway, the parents said, "Broccoli is $1.29/lb. We can't afford it." *sigh*

Sad, huh? The dad has to spend so much money on medication to control his diabetes that he can't afford good, healthy foods that would a) help control his diabetes without medication and b) prevent his children from suffering from the same fate. It's just an endless cycle that will never break until someone say "STOP! This is enough!!"

I guarantee that if they would just sit down together and create a family budget, see where they are spending the majority of their dollars, they would find that they CAN afford to eat good, quality foods.

Which means...........YOU can too!!!! Honestly. I didn't think we could either. But, we did. Also, and I know this is radical but instead of wondering where you can save to afford to eat better, why not see where you could make more money to eat better? That's what I do and a lot of other successful Americans are doing. The point is, if you just jump in and do it, you're budget will adjust itself to fit. I truly hope you give it a try. It's honestly the best thing you can do for your family. We want our children to live long, healthy, happy lives and we certainly want them to outlive us. That's precisely the reason I changed our diet. It was not because my husband has MS. Although, it was lucky that I had that process in place at that time. (As an aside, I think God puts things in front of us when we need it. We then either act on it or ignore it. I say ignore it at your peril. Act on it to your great benefit!!) The reason I changed our diet is because I read an article that this is the first generation of kids to not outlive their parents. Stop and think about that for just a minute.



Honestly, (and I don't say this lightly or smart-assy) Is your current budget and financial situation more important to you than your children? Because what I didn't tell you, is that those findings were all linked to diet. In fact, in a recent study of 14 year olds they found that they had arteries of 45 year olds. They are expected to have heart attacks in their 20s!!!!! As a mom, that scared the ever-loving crap out of me! Not only that in the 1960s the cancer rate was 1 in 300. Now, in 2010 its 1 in 2. That's reported by the CDC. Not only that, but all inflammatory diseases are on the rise. That includes MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimers, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, etc. They are all linked to diet and its proven that eating 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables can greatly prevent all these diseases. That's why we drink Monavie. 4 oz/day has the anti-oxidant equivalent to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables. We are also members of our local, organic co-op. You can also keep costs down by shopping at local farmer's markets and grow your own produce in a garden. But, even if you can't do all that, you should still bite the bullet and just go to the health food store and start buying the bulk of your groceries. It's for your health and that of your family. You CAN do it!!!!!!

Giveaway!

A friend of mine directed me to a giveaway for stainless steel bakeware. I find the blog itself interesting if you're a health food fan like me. You can enter to win at this link http://www.foodrenegade.com/giveaway-stainless-steel-bakeware/#comment-20554

Have fun and good luck on winning!

Tolerance

I don't know about ya'll but I'm getting really tired of people telling me that I need to be "tolerant".
What I want to know, at this point, is WHY??? And who the heck are these tolerant police tolerant of themselves anyway?

There's a big difference between being cautious and an intolerant, racist, bigot. I have no problem whatsoever with people from the middle east. I love the whole zen buddhist and hindu philosophies as a whole. They are very peaceful and loving religions and there is a lot of overlap with christian principles so I think there must be some truth in all these teachings. HOWEVER, islam is NOT a peaceful, loving religion. their teachings are based on intolerance, deceit, and hate. So, why on earth, are we being told to be tolerant of them.

The same people claiming that we need to be tolerant of the muslim faith and all their antics are also going around bashing Dr. Laura, Glenn Beck, George W. Bush, and Fox News. I don't understand any of that. Truly. It occurs to me that people are offended by anyone with strong views that differ from their own. But, seriously, Dr Laura???? She espouses raising healthy kids, intact families, and having morals and values that your mother should have taught you anyway. What's so offensive about that???
Glenn Beck talks on his show about preserving our freedom. Why does that "scare the crap" out of people? We want the muslims to have the freedom to build a monument to their killing and destruction, but we shouldn't have the freedom to say we don't like it. Why is our freedom offensive but their freedom is not?
Fox News does have a little right wing slant. So. Big Deal. I know they are slanted to the right, but the mainstream network news are all slanted to left. So, why is Fox News offensive, but the liberal love fest is not?
And finally, George W. Bush. That one truly baffles me. My one complaint about him is that he was not conservative enough. When he campaigned for president, he said he wanted to reach across the aisle and govern with non-partisanship. Boy, did he ever do that. And the liberals absolutely HATED him. They also hate any of the Democrats that sometimes vote right.

So, back to the tolerance issue. Why are we expected to be tolerant of EVERYTHING these days? What if you had a friend that was being beaten by her husband. Should we be tolerant of his abuse and tell her she's just being hateful for wanting to take away his right to beat her. Or....would we be angry and offended and want to whip his ass? What if another friend had a kid that came to your house and ran amok, screaming and throwing tantrums, pulling your child's hair, breaking toys, etc. Should we be tolerant of that behavior? Or...would we ask our friend not to allow her child to do that in our home? I think you can see where this is going so I'll stop the scenarios right there.

I was reading Dr. Laura's blog the other day and this caught my eye.

Mohammad Mukhtar, a cleric and candidate for the Afghan parliament in the September 18th election, in reaction to the news reports of the September 11th Koran burning set to take place at a Florida church said:







“It is the duty of Muslims to react. When their holy book Quran gets burned in public, then there is nothing left. If this happens, I think the first and most important reaction will be that wherever Americans are seen, they will be killed. No matter where they will be in the world, they will be killed.”

It's my understanding that we still live in America. I don't agree with burning holy books, or any books for that matter. Nor do I agree with people burning our flag.  But, I absolutely respect the right that an American has to do those things. I would never want laws passed that keeps a person from expressing their views. I also don't want our nation to be so "tolerant" of others that we have to give up our own beliefs.
There is also a movement beginning to start that wants us as a nation to become sharia law compliant. If you don't know what that is, it's the law that governs muslims. You see, there is no separation of church and state in the muslim faith. So, basically, if we are to be tolerant of their religion then we must also be tolerant of their laws, sharia law. Under sharia law, a man can beat and kill his wife and children if he deems it necessary under his religion. According to that religion he is just in doing so. That sounds barbaric doesn't it? Well, it is. But, there are some judges in our own country who are pushing for sharia law compliance. In fact, one such case just happened where a man killed his wife and was aquitted because it fit into his religious beliefs. Luckily, that ruling was overturned. Again, we're still in America right? So, if we are to be tolerant of this man's religion, we have to give up our own beliefs. We have to turn our back on the Constitution of The United States. We don't allow people to kill in our country. We have a rule of law. We offer protection and freedom to those who come into our country legally (don't even get me started on that!).

So, basically what I'm seeing is that we're supposed to be tolerant of muslim men and no one else. We're supposed to be tolerant of those that want to take from us and give to others. We're supposed to lay down, be quiet and allow our Constitution to be trampled on or else, we're greedy, hateful, intolerant, racist, bigots.

Well, I'm tired of being "tolerant". I know what I believe in. I believe in freedom, family, morals, decency, and values. And I for one, will not be silenced by the people who wish to take those from me.

Who Are The Radical Muslims??

This may be offensive to some but I think we as a nation are too worried about offending people. If we have something that needs to be said, then just come out with it!

Unless, of course, you want to tell me I'm fat. Then keep it to yourself please!! :)

I was having a facebook debate with someone else's friend about politics earlier today and yesterday. BTW, it's important I think not to berate your friend's friends. It's just rude. Say what you want to say in a polite, concise manner. Not only is respectful to your friend, but people will listen to what you have to say.

One of the contentious points this lady was making was that we should not be biased against Muslims simply because they are Muslim. It would be equivalent to hating Christians because of what Timothy McVeigh did. Well, I contend that that is just flat out WRONG!!!

Timothy McVeigh wasn't acting in concert with a group of Christians to kill another religious group. He was a mentally disturbed guy who had a problem with his own government and decided to bomb a government building. It was a terrorist act in my opinion but not exactly the same thing and I'll tell you why.

The Muslim faith states that a good Muslim is to kill the infidels (Christians) and tolerate the Jews as naughty children. Well, we know that Muslim terrorists also kill Jews because we see it in the news everyday. I read the Koran in college and it stated that quite clearly. I'm not making this up!! It is naive to think that if only Christians and everyone else would be supportive and tolerant of the Muslims they won't want to kill us. It is all our fault!! That's just nuts!

Did you know that the president of our United States created some multi-religion outreach program. The interesting thing about this is that the only religion represented is Muslim. Muslim Imams go out and speak with other Imams. Hmmmmmm....that's doesn't really smack of diversity and tolerance. Where are the Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian leaders?

Does it not bother people that groups of Muslim terrorists are killing christians, jews, buddhists, and hindus all in the name of their faith? And we are supposed to "tolerate" that? Not only that, there is no separation of church and state in Muslim countries. So to be truly tolerant of Muslims we must allow them to follow their own laws while in our country. That may or may not sound crazy to you but there are actual public officials and judges that would like us to become Sharia Law compliant. That is a smack in the face to our constitution! Under Sharia Law a woman has no rights! So, immigrants can come here looking for a better life.......unless you're a woman....then you're screwed! A family can migrate here and if they are Muslim, the husband will be allowed to beat his wife and children if we deems it necessary and they would have no legal recourse. That is just barbaric and backwards! Why would we allow that? Why would we WANT to is what I want to know.

I submit that the radical muslims are NOT the ones killing in the name of Allah! I submit, because I READ IT IN THE KORAN, that the radicals are the ones not killing people!!!! Also, have you noticed that no "peace loving" Muslims are standing up denouncing the terrorist acts of other Muslims??? Suspicious, huh?

Also, have you noticed that there are no groups of Christians killing groups of people in the name of God? There are no groups of Buddhists, Hindus, or Jews forming sleeper cells in other countries so they can bomb other faiths? It seems that is limited to the Muslim faith, but we aren't supposed to say anything so as not to offend them. Why is that? I think it's because our country has gotten so soft, that we're scared of them!

I'm tired of people calling me a bigot, racist, or intolerant because I'm cautious of the Muslims and because I don't want a president apologizing for me for standing up in my beliefs!!! I think he should represent my beliefs because that is what he's hired to do!!!

On the upside, illegal immigration is down.

They look at our country and think "Ah, it's not so great anymore." 

That makes me sad.

Knee Pain Prevention

Its kinda weird. But I was reading something somewhere. You know I'm always doing that. Right now I'm reading the Twilight series books. I know. Its kinda silly but strangely, I love them!!! That's not where I read about flip flops though.

It was probably in a Yoga Journal or a Wellness Journal or something. I read those alot too! I used to be all into Shape and Self and mags like that but they are just goofy! I'm also a personal trainer and half of the exercises they show aren't very good form so I think they're a little too fluffy. Also, I don't like a "health" magazine that advertises diet pills. I mean seriously!!! diet pills!!!! They are sooooo not healthy!

But, anyway.........

I was reading about knee pain. And it said that wearing flip flops actually help prevent knee pain. What's weird about that is that a doctor generally will tell you NOT to wear flip flops because they "have no arch support, they'll hurt your back, they're evil, yada, yada"

But according to this article, wearing them prevents knee pain because it mimics being barefoot. Also as an aside, being barefoot prevents knee pain as well. It has something to do with the muscles working to stabilize the feet and legs.

So.....

Viva La Flip Flip!!!!!

or

Vive Le Flip Flop!!!!

I'm not sure.....

High School Spanish was a long time ago....

Adios, mi amigos!!! :)

Self Defense

Several things have come to mind today to prompt me to write on this topic.

First let me say that, I now strongly believe that all parents should enroll their daughters in a martial arts class and REQUIRE them to attain their Black Belt before allowing them to leave home (as in college or marriage, or whatever, not going to spend the night at a friend's house).

Now, back to the prompting of this. First, years ago a man followed me out of Kroger late in the evening when my son was a baby. He really scared me and I had no idea what to do. Years later, just for fitness and fun, I signed up for martial arts and decided it was a good thing to do for me. Then, I saw video footage of a girl who worked for Wal-Mart get kidnapped in the parking lot after work. She was later killed by her attacker. My thought at the time was 'Man, a side kick right there would have saved her life.' She had already gotten to her truck but the attacker was right behind her and pushed her in and drove away. That makes me very sad, mostly because if she knew even a little about self defense, she would be alive today. If she knew anything, she wouldn't have parked way in the back of the parking lot in the first place. I don't care if that's the required parking for employees. It's unsafe. especially for women.

Shame on Wal-Mart.

Years after that, college student, Ms. Holloway (I can't remember her first name. I think its Nancy) was declared missing. Her friends said they had last seen her with a hunky local. OK. If this girl, her friends, or her parents knew anything about self defense, she wouldn't have ever been  in that position in the first place. I personally would never leave one of my friends alone with a stranger or in a strange place for that matter. I don't leave mere acquaintances alone in their cars until the car starts before I drive away. That, my friends is good self defense.

So, now we're at the present. Yesterday I was at the grocery store. You know all the tabloids are right there inviting you to pick them up and read them. My personal belief is that if its printed on newsprint its quackery. But, on the other hand, if it's written on glossy paper, well, then buddy, that's GOT to be the truth! :)
Hey, don't judge! I don't go around trashing your beliefs and it helps get me through my day, ok? so back off! :)

Anyway, on one of them, the front page was dedicated to stars who have been cheated on or beaten. It's very sad what passes for entertainment. However, I saw it bigger than that. It made me realize that no matter how famous, rich, or pretty a woman is, she still has to face the same problems of men cheating on them or beating them like anyone else. Only its worse, because its now public. Just awful!!
My initial thought was, 'Man, those women should have taken a self defense class.'

Just this morning I was listening to my favorite daytime radio show host, Mark Davis, on WBAP. He was talking about a female blogger who was offended at a police chief who said that women should be self aware as a prevention to date rape. Basically, he said, "Don't get drunk. Take a friend with you when you go out", and yada, yada. I was nodding my head as I heard this. She got offended.

THAT'S where I am today.

I'm a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I don't say that to toot my own horn (although, I must say that I'm very proud of that!!). I say that because it's a mind set. Martial Arts is not just an extracurricular activity like dance to keep a person in shape. Nor is it just an activity to keep a kid busy after school so they can't get into trouble. Martial Arts teaches a person discipline, self confidence, and AWARENESS, along with other life enhancing principles. So, more than teaching someone to throw a side kick at an opportune time (which really is a handy thing to know!), it teaches someone not to be in a dangerous position to begin with!! Isn't that what we really want for our children???
We teach our children to make responsible decisions about planning homework and who they hang out with, but we don't give them any direction at all when it comes to basic self defense.

Why? Maybe we're naive and lulled into a false sense of security. Maybe we think those things won't happen to us. Maybe they won't. Statistics show that it doesn't happen to a lot of people.......

But, it DOES happen to some people.......

What I've learned also is that while a day long or week long self defense class is better than no self defense class at all, what's really needed is 4 years of martial arts training. I see girls come into class all the time being silly, goofy, wimpy, cutesy, and very girl-like (I was one of them, too). THAT will not save them if they are attacked. By the time a person earns their Black Belt, they are transformed into someone that most likely will never have to use their physical skills at all, which in and of themselves will be impressive. They will have enough sense to not be in a dangerous situation in the first place. That's a skill I would wish for my daughter if I had one and it's a skill my son DOES have as a Black Belt.

I wish it also for your children with all my heart.......

I BELIEVE!

I BELIEVE:

1. that a person doesn't need to spend the rest of their life in pain, on meds, tired, grumpy, diseased, sleepless, and in constant need of a doctor's advice.

2. that karma is a real presence and whatever energy you send out comes right back to you.

3. a healthy diet takes care of all the problems listed in #1.

4. the crippled stool is the cadillac of the pooping stool! -- Sorry! I stole that one from Larry The Cable Guy. But I do think of that every time I go into the restroom anymore. :)

5. that when you need something, you just have to ask for it, believe you will get it and you really will. I've tested this theory out repeatedly myself. It really works!!!

6. prayer works

7. the government can't fix all our personal problems, nor should it attempt to do so. If a person is struggling, they need to pray for an answer. When the answer presents itself in the form of an opportunity, the person should jump on it. I've found that prayers are usually answered in that way. You have to put forth a little effort.

8. nothing is free

9. people should make the Golden Rule, the rule they govern their lives around.

10. family is more important than ANYTHING else and all activities and endeavors should be simply to make a better life for the family.

11. marriage is a lifelong commitment, not a mate du jour!

12. raising a child is a commitment, not something to make you feel fulfilled until you get a job!!

13. more people should pay attention to their own health and stop eating artificial food like substances.

14. everyone needs a little slack sometimes.

15. everyone needs to sit still and be quiet sometimes and just listen.  Lets start right now!!! shhhhhhhhh.......



 Peace and Joy be with you now!     : v )