Food Wars

I know that the effort to eat healthy sometimes feels like a battle. That's because it is. It's a spiritual battle as well as a physical one. Our enemy will use any means to "steal and kill and destroy" in our lives (John 10:10). But we don't have to be discouraged. Being mentally and spiritually prepared will help us win the war, one fight at a time.

So I'd like to devote the next few posts to some practical tips to help us in these "food wars." And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments as well, so we can help and encourage one another. =) 

"Battle of the Grocery Store"

If you've been in this "war" for very long you'll probably agree that the fight is usually won or lost in the grocery store (because if it's not on your shelf or in your fridge at home, then you probably won't eat it). =) 

Stores are designed by marketing experts who've studied all the ways to entice people to buy more products and spend more money. They are not interested in our personal health. So it's up to us to arm ourselves for the fight.

Some tips for winning the battle in the grocery store:

1) Make a list of what you NEED before you go. Then stick to it! 

2) Try not to go to the store when you're hungry. If necessary, have a snack before you go. A full tummy isn't as easily tempted. =) 

3) Keep to the "outer" aisles that contain "real" food (meat, produce, eggs, etc.). Most of the inner aisles in the store contain man-made foods, so they're easy to avoid. And stay away from the really dangerous aisles (like sodas and sweets).

4) If you feel compelled to put an item in your cart that's not on your list, leave it alone and tell yourself you can come back for it if you decide it's really necessary. Chances are if you have to come back around for it, you'll realize you don't need it after all.

5) While standing in the check-out line, instead of perusing the contents on the shelf next to you, use that time to inventory what's in your cart. Is there anything there you don't need? Anything you shouldn't be buying? If so, take it out and leave it on the shelf next to all the other tempting but unnecessary items. 

6) Pray before you go into the store. Remember, our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the "spiritual forces of evil" in this world (Ephesians 6:12). Rely on God's strength to fight for your health!

And one final tip:

Buy what you can from your local health food store. It's good to support these stores and they have less temptations than regular grocery stores. Our health food store is small, but we can still get much of what we need there - organic produce, organic & non-gluten flours, local honey, organic coconut oil, etc. 

(Just remember that not every item in a health food store is necessarily "healthy." Always read labels so you can make smart choices.) 

Note:

If you're not sure what makes a healthy diet, you can check out my post about basic diet recommendations here.

Also, "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin, is an excellent resource on eating healthy, as is Doug Kaufman's website and his Phase 1 diet which has helped many people.

I hope these tips are helpful. Happy shopping! =)

Question: What are some strategies you use when facing the grocery store battle?

Good Read

Recently a friend sent me a book called An Honest Look at a Mysterious Journey by John & Joanna Stumbo. I just finished it and I highly recommend it! This couple's story is amazing. He was struck with a mysterious illness that almost killed him. The doctors still can't explain it. By God's grace John is still alive (I won't tell you the rest of the story...). Now he continues to share his testimony and to follow where God leads him day by day. 

This book is full of insights John gained by going through a health crisis, yet the truths apply to many situations that we all face. So much of what he wrote was exactly what God has also taught me in recent years. I found myself crying, sometimes laughing, and often saying "Amen!" as I read chapter after chapter.

I appreciate his "Honest Look" at a difficult trial, and I was blessed by his story. If you want to check out his blog and website, it's:

http://www.johnstumbo.org/blog/

I also just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who read this blog. Thank you for being part of my life and for welcoming me into your life. John's book reminded me again that none of us goes through life alone. We all have different stories, but we are still connected to each other as human beings and especially as believers in Jesus Christ. For that I am truly grateful.

Blessings,

-Joanna

Relax

How often do you relax? 

I mean "put your feet up, lean your head back, close your eyes and breathe deeply" kind of relaxing.

Once a day? Once a week? Once a year? 

I admit this isn't something I'm very good at either. Now that I'm able to be more active, I love to do things just for the pure joy of DOING! And when I'm not active, my mind is usually jogging down three or four different trails simultaneously. 

In our busy world it seems we're always on the go or at least our thoughts are always moving at a fast pace. I've discovered that ongoing activity and busy thoughts often cause my body to tense up. If I'm not careful I can spend a whole day in this "tense" mode without even realizing it. 

I'm learning how helpful it is to take moments now and then throughout the day to just "Relax." 

Be still. 

Calm the thoughts. 

Smile.

Breathe. 

Embrace this moment.

"A heart at peace gives life to the body" (Proverbs 14:30a).

I believe we need moments of stillness, of peace, of relaxation for the health of our bodies and our souls. 

Will you join me in practicing relaxing moments and learning to enjoy the gift of stillness? 

"But I have stilled and quieted my soul" (Psalm 131:2a)

Coming Back To Life

It's been 7 weeks since I started the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRSystem.com), and what a journey it's been! I've seen a lot of improvements so far. I'm so happy that God is using this program to bring me back to LIFE! =) 

Here are some pictures of the fun things I've been able to do lately:

I visited a couple from my church. It was so great to see them! I spent about ten minutes in their house and didn't have trouble breathing!!! Praise God! 

Yes, this really is me riding a bike! First time in years! =) 

I've been helping my mom clean out and organize the garage. BIG job! I'm sorry I forgot to take the "before" picture, but trust me, this "after" picture is a big improvement from how it looked before. =) 

We found this great park with amazing trees. I especially liked this one. (I didn't climb the whole thing though, just this little part.) =)

Some other things I've done in the last few weeks:

- mom and I have done two puzzles, so fun!

- I stamped cards for two hours! 

- I drove the car around the neighborhood.

- I went shopping at the Christian bookstore! 

- I ate out at a Greek restaurant.

- I went garage-saling (found some good deals too). =)

- I visited some horses at a local stable. (Next step is to actually ride a horse again!) =)

It's so amazing to be able to do more things again! I keep setting goals of new things to try. It's a process, but I'm SO thankful for the DNRS program, and I'm praising God for the healing He is doing in my body! 

I look forward to continued improvement and to living a fuller life than ever before!  

Thanks for rejoicing with me! =)

Time For Change

I'm really enjoying the things I'm learning about the brain. =)

Did you know there are two main ways to increase synaptic connections in the brain?
1) learn new things
2) have new experiences

This is very important if we want to keep our brain changing for the better and avoid the deepening of certain pathways that turn into "ruts".

If you think about it, you'll probably realize that you do a lot of the same things every day. Wake up at the same time, eat the same foods, do the same exercises, etc. If you want to continually promote healthy change in your brain, you can start by changing your routines.

For instance,
- rearrange your furniture from time to time
- drive a different route to work or to the store
- vary your personal care routine (ex: brush teeth before getting a shower, or vice versa)
- wear different color combinations than you usually do
- eat with your non-dominant hand or use a spoon instead of a fork
etc.

These little changes will help your brain be more open to changing in the areas you want to transform - whether that's eating habits, exercises, anxious thoughts, Scripture memory, etc.

Also, "increasing synaptic connections" (which is vital for brain health) is not as hard as it might sound. To learn or experience new things you don't have to go back to college or travel overseas. Start small =)

For instance,
- try new foods
- listen to different music
- read a book or magazine about something you don't know much about (photography, cars, horses, etc.)
- make a new friend
- try new activities as you have opportunity
- stop and really notice your environment...what do you see, smell, hear, taste, touch?

These are small things we can do day by day that will gradually add up to ongoing, healthy change in the brain.

So tell your brain it's time for change! And have fun with it. =)

Irish Soda Bread

I've got food on the brain...probably because I've been gradually losing weight over the last few months. My doctor and I are stumped about the cause, especially since I'm eating a better diet right now than I have in years.

Whatever the cause, I'm trying to eat more and hope that helps. Though, it's challenging to find high-calorie foods I can eat that are healthy. One of my current favorites is this Irish Soda Bread (non-yeast bread). So I thought I'd share the recipe with you. =)

Irish Soda Bread

stir - 2 cups organic whole wheat flour
       1/2 tsp. sea salt
       1 tsp. baking soda

mix -  1 organic egg beaten
          4 Tbl. honey (This is optional but it tastes better with it. =) We use local orange blossom honey.)
          3/4 cup buttermilk or 1 cup sour cream (To make our own "buttermilk" we mix about 2 Tbls fresh lemon juice with 3/4 cup organic raw milk. I think it also works to combine the lemon juice with almond milk.)

add liquid mixture to dry ingredients
blend with hands to work flour in (knead about 5 minutes)
shape into loaf
put in oiled glass pan (You could use a cookie sheet, but I recommend never using anything with a non-stick surface.)
cut 2 parallel slashes on top of loaf
bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

I like to eat this bread for breakfast with a generous spoonful of coconut oil on top. Yum! =)

Give it a try and enjoy!

Make 'em Laugh!

If you're an old movie buff like me, you probably remember the hilarious scene in "Singing In The Rain" where Donald O'Connor sings "Make 'em Laugh!" while performing all kinds of crazy antics. That's one of my favorite comedy scenes of all time! =)

Then this week I was watching Life Today (with James & Betty Robison), and I saw a comedy routine by Chonda Pierce that had me laughing til I cried! My mom heard my riotous laughter and came to see what was happening. I couldn't even speak, I was laughing so hard!
I know different people enjoy various kinds of humor, but if you need a hefty dose of laughter, I'd encourage you to check out this link:
http://lifetoday.org/video/prosperity-and-joy-6/

Laughter is good for body and soul. It's a gift God has given us. Let's enjoy it today! =)


Question: What is your favorite comedy scene?