The Reason Why We Strive To Be Healthy

The reason we take measures to take care of our bodies is not so much that we live a long, long life, although that is a wonderful benefit, but, the reason more specifically is, that we can be fully functional and not living in unnecessary pain until the day we take our last breath.

We live in a toxic society, and a society that perpetuates sickness with everything around us. All of this, of course, is done under the guise of 'convenience' because we have been taught the convenience is the most valued thing around.

We live for today, and take short cuts whenever possible. We have microwave ovens wherever we go. It takes too long to heat something up by any other means and we have to get back to what we were doing. Stores sell tons of food items where the only preparation is adding water or milk, and then viola, the dinner is served. Clean up is minimal.

Take the opportunities that we have, for us to go to a fast food restaurant and get something on the go. We don't only do these things on Sunday, after the church service. Anytime time gets tight, we rush to the nearest hamburger joint or pizza place.

I am not necessarily going to say it is wrong to go to a fast food place or buy prepared food from the grocery store. But what is the trade off? This applies to all of us, especially today in America.

America is one of the sickest nations in the world. This should be surprising since we are also one of the top technologically inclined nations of all nations anywhere. There are many articles written and much research has been done on the correlation of how we live and why we are sick today. Yet, nothing really changes. The fast food places are still packed. We continually hear about friends and relatives who develop cancer at an early age. We lose friends and family members to cancer all the time. We wonder when our turn will come.

But my question is, do we have to succumb to sicknesses like this? Is this specific to America in the 21st century? Is there anything we can do to help solve this problem?

I do believe we can work with this. We can take measures that should help us to have better health. That doesn't mean that if we all took these measures and applied them to our lives that no one would get cancer or any of the other dreaded diseases that so many are getting today. But it is a step in the right direction and can be helpful.

    There does seem to be a correlation between what we eat, touch, and breathe in. We can do some things to get rid of toxins in our bodies. The question is, do we want to pay the price for having good health and feeling good physically, or would we rather satisfy our taste buds and not make any changes in the way we prepare our food? Can we take the time and do some research or listen to trusted people who have studied the affects of what we eat and how it affects our bodies? Can we learn how to nourish our bodies so they will be able to fight off sicknesses and disease? Can we learn how to eliminate toxins from our environment or is that too much work for us who live in a society that demands instant results and gratification?

The choice is ours. We are fortunate to be able to have this choice. We can choose to live the fast paced life or we can choose to live our lives carefully and healthfully. What we do will not only determine how long we live, but it will also determine the quality of our lives. Which is the best choice for you?

A Good And Safe Waffle Iron

I had spent the last couple of years analyzing waffle irons. I do not like the ones that have a non-stick coating on them. So, I searched but never found what I was looking for until someone suggested using a ceramic waffle iron. I found one on amazon.com and I love it. So grateful for the suggestion and that I asked the question in the forum at the right moment.




This is just like the one I got. Amazon has other ones as well, and this particular brand has a couple of different colors offered too. Using this one has been easier than using the one I had prior to this. There is no need to spray or butter the plates. The finished waffles come right off. The cleanup is easy too.

There are a lot of recipes on the Internet for making waffles. I have even seen sourdough waffle recipes. By now, there may even be gluten free recipes.

If you do ever get a waffle iron like this one, please read the instruction booklet that comes with it. This applies to any appliance we get. Don't assume you know everything about the machine if you have never used one before.

I Like My Teeth Nice And Clean - Update

I went to the dentist not too long ago, and the hygienist was cleaning my teeth. She mentioned a couple of times that my teeth were very clean. She also commented that she noticed less tartar on my teeth (guess my teeth made an impression on her for her to remember my teeth condition from the last time she did my teeth). So, the oils seem to be helping. I will continue on with this and see how we do next time.

I Like My Teeth Nice And Clean

All of my life I have suffered with problems with my teeth. When I was 8 years old, I had to have 8 teeth pulled out at the same time. Definitely was not fun.

Fast forward many years later; As an adult, I still get cavities. I have a light case of gingivitis, and have had at least 8 root canals and crowns put on my teeth. It's about time I find something that will help me have clean teeth, or, at least a clean mouth, free from bacteria that will end up rotting my teeth.

A couple of years ago, I made my own toothpaste. I did not like the way it turned out, but it must have made my teeth very clean, for the dental hygienist told me a couple of times, how impressed she was on how clean my teeth were during that visit.

  What did I use to make my teeth that clean? If I remember back, I used a homemade toothpaste that contained peroxide and baking soda. I put it in a jar, but it did not come out easily. But perhaps it really did work.

  Now that I am using essential oils, I have another idea to keep my teeth clean. When I put toothpaste on my brush, I put a drop of frankincense, a drop of clove oil, and a drop of myrrh essential oil. The clove will take care of infections that are in the area inside the mouth.

  My big concern today is for the root canals and crowns I have. There is some information out there saying that root canals are very dangerous. The reason why they are dangerous is because they are blocked and the canals are still open. Germs can hide in there and live inside the canals. If my immunity ever became compromised, I could get very sick. That is the reason for the clove oil. Clove oil is very strong and will kill germs. If you use clove oil, you must be careful. One time I got it on my face around my lips, and my face felt like it was burning all day!

   When I was a kid, I had teeth problems, mainly with abscesses. My mom would put something called a 'polaris pad' inside my mouth where the abscess was. I still remember the taste. It was the flavor of cloves.

   When I brush my teeth in a couple of minutes, I am going to use spearmint essential oil on the top of the toothpaste. This will be a good note to go to bed on.

  Certain oils should not be swallowed so take care to spit out after you brush your teeth, especially with the oils like myrrh or cypress. They are good for the mouth (gums) but should not be taken internally (swallowed).

For information on the toothpaste I use go to:

If you are interested in the oils, send me a message at awestruck@bellsouth.net

My Mock Fresca Drink With Added Zip

Here is a homemade recipe I came up with. Instead of buying 'Fresca' from the store, I can sort of make my own version, without the additives and sugar.
This one also has some extras in it that are good for you and support good health. If you are interested in obtaining these ingredients, please contact me for more info.

Mock Fresca Drink With Added Zip

* Crushed ice
* 5 drops Stevia or to taste
* 4 drops 'Slim and Sassy' (essential oil)
* 2 drops Zendocrine (essential oil)
* 3/4 cup Club Soda
* 3/4 cup Pure Grapefruit Juice (Use Organic if Possible)

Take a stainless steel or glass cup and add crushed ice. Place drops of Stevia on top of the ice. Place drops of essential oils on top of the ice too. Add the club soda and grapefruit juice. Use a straw if desired.

Here is a page with information on 'Slim and Sassy'. It is a metabolic blend that helps manage hunger and helps support metabolism http://www.doterratools.com/documents/Slim__Sassy_Essential_OIl_Blend_Product_Information_Page.pdf

Here is a page with information on 'Zendocrine' - It is a detoxing blend. http://www.doterratools.com/documents/Zendocrine_Detoxification_Blend.pdf

Tastes very much like Fresca. Everything

 

 

 

in this is completely natural and safe. 

Nothing artificial

Help For Restless Legs, Finally!

I have had restless legs since I was a child. I used to think that they were, what we call, 'growing pains'. Long after I was done 'growing' I still had restless legs, especially at night.

Not only did I have restless legs, but I also have, what I figured out to be as I diagnosed myself based upon a book on insomnia, is 'primary insomnia'. It is basically an insomnia that it hard to cure.

The insomnia got worse when I was in my 50's. I actually could not fall asleep, and the scary part was that even Benadryl didn't help most of the time, anymore.

I went for sleep studies. I used melatonin. I did research on the Internet and tried many different recommended supplements. Nothing happened. I still could not get to sleep or stay asleep for very long. I went to different doctors. Each one had their suggestions, but again, nothing really helped.

So, since I can't sleep at night, I decided to just stay up until I got things done around the house, or things I never got to during the day. I actually felt fine at 2 am. Everything was there during the night that I needed to have during the day. But try getting up at 7 or 8 am in the morning!

Not only do I have a problem with insomnia, but also have a hard time with restless leg syndrome, known as RLS. RLS was there every night, along with insomnia. They seem to work well together.

Again, many of the suggestions were fine and worked for most people, however, they did not work for me. I resolved myself to the fact that I would have to take this dreaded medicine that one doctor told me I would have to be on for the rest of my life once I started taking it.

I had heard about the side effects of this drug as well. I try to avoid taking any kind of drug if I have to. I thought that perhaps this would be a drug I could take only as needed, which ended up being every other night instead of every night.

The drug helped very well when I took it. But the RLS got so bad, I even had it during the day, especially if we were traveling or if I had to sit for a long time.

Months ago, I started using essential oils in a diffuser. I also put them on my hair at night!! I put them on my face, on my legs, and on the bottoms of my feet. I have a couple of diffusers in the house now and use them continually. But there is a difference in some of the problems I have been having with sleep and with RLS.

My original thought was to try to help my husband sleep well. I basically gave up on myself, but I thought if he could sleep well, that would even be helpful to me. He has a hard time breathing at night, so I have been putting the oils in the diffuser and on his pillow to help him with that. He even said that he is sleeping better now. But what I didn't realize was how well all this was going to help me sleep. Most of the time, when I do the essential oils ritual in our home at night, I can fall asleep and stay asleep for a much longer period of time than before. When I take a nap, I fall into a deep sleep many times. I have the diffuser going for that as well.

For the RLS, I use a combination of essential oils. Basil, Vetiver, an oil combination called, 'Aromatouch' which has helped many with RLS. I add wintergreen and fractionated coconut oil. as well as  Ylang Ylang.

Another thing people have said about RLS is that you have to have magnesium, or even just minerals. I tried mineral supplements, but nothing much happened. I upped my magnesium, but still had RLS. I do take large doses of magnesium now, and that may be helping as well. I take a magnesium supplement three times a day, then I take 2 magnesium malate tablets (they are huge and I have to chew them. Yuk!) at night. All this really seems to help with both insomnia and RLS.

I haven't had to take the RLS medicine for a over a month now, and I have had a much easier time falling asleep at night. All these new measures really seem to work.

Disclaimer: This is something that works for me. If you struggle with these same symptoms, I cannot guarantee they will work the same for you. It is good to do research and if you have the time and money, to experiment. Also, check with your physician or family doctor to find the root of your problem and see if there are alternatives that will work. If you are dependent on taking a certain medicine, do not go off that medicine unless you are absolutely positively sure that you can go with out it. Again, check with your doctor and ask for his wisdom.

If you are interested in learning about these oils, send me an email at omasworkshop@bellsouth.net

I bought two of these diffusers.
They work well and they stay
on for three hours. You can
also turn off the light. 

Eastern Medicine And Essential Oils - Two Things I learned This Week

What have I learned, that has been beneficial this week? I do a lot of research and study a lot of health related issues mainly on the Internet. I am grateful for medical doctors who love to help people and continue their studies on health.

  One of the things I learned this week, is about Reflexology and Acupressure. I found this video and this is a form of 'Qi' which is the energy force in our bodies. This is a good alternative to having to take drugs.
I would be very interested in learning how to do reflexology and especially using oils with reflexology. I think this is so much better than using medication in trying to help us with the symptoms of sickness.

 The other thing that I love that I learned this week, was how nice the effect of using two essential oils on my face. I used geranium and frankincense mixed with fractionated coconut oil on my skin. My skin looks smoother than it used to. I am impressed.

As with any Eastern medicine or practice, we do need to be discerning. There is nothing wrong with touch and using reflex methods to help our bodies. But when the teacher or instructor uses terms that indicate a supernatural force that is used to accomplish healing, then we need to back off. I believe God heals people, even today. When Jesus was walking on the earth, He healed many, many people from all kinds of illnesses. But there is a subtle belief in Eastern religions that sometimes comes out in their medical practices.

  Sometimes, it sounds a little like Norman Vincent Peale's teaching about our having some kind of spiritual asset inside of us. New Age and the Eastern religions teach that there is a force within you that you need to acknowledge and bring out. There are even some teachings that would say that 'you are a co-creator with God (or whoever the ultimate being is)'. This is scary because it is not only false, but it sets people up for disappointment. God is creator. We are the created. But, because we are created in God's image, we do have creative abilities. That is not the same as being a co-creator with God.

  Aside from all that, there is a lot of good and helpful information we can learn in reflexology. We can help others by simply learning the zoning areas (meridians) mainly on the feet, and how they correspond to the different organs that make up our bodies. For example, did you know that the area that corresponds to the thyroid is below the big, right toe, on the bottom of the foot? How cool is that? A simple way to reach the thyroid, without having to go inside the body.

   Here is a book I am reading, carefully. It explains the subject of reflexology and Acupressure (which tie in with each other, even though they are two different methods of healing).

I can't wait to learn everything in this book, as well as everything about the benefits of using essential oils! So many good and helpful things are available to us today, that we didn't have in the past.

The Oil Experiment With Bugs

For the past two months, I have been using essential oils. Each month, I invest in a couple of new oils that I think I can use. I have had some success with oils so far. One of them is with sleep. We are using some of the recommended oils for sleep and relaxation, and they do seem to help.

   A couple of weeks ago, we went to Canada for a business conference. One of the activities we did on our own was to go hiking. I don't know if the bugs in Canada are different than the ones in the U.S., but I didn't have much problems with bugs like mosquitos.

   On the Fourth of July, we were planning to go see fireworks. I got an idea of taking some oils and rubbing them on our palms. I took peppermint oil, but we also used some of the citrus oils. When we went to see the fireworks at night, we had very little, if any problems with mosquitos or flying insects. Hmm. Maybe we are onto something.

   My husband said the same thing. He was not bothered by the bugs, like usual on the Fourth of July. Perhaps it was just coincidence though. But the theory seems plausible. Bugs do not like the taste of oils.

   Whenever I go out into my garden in the evenings on warm nights, the bugs are so bad. I get tons of bites from mosquitos or even horse flies. But I have a bottle of citronella, and it really does help to keep the bugs away when I use it on my skin.

   So, this experiment seems to have worked positively. We can also use the bug zapper light we have which is really cool. Bugs hit this light continually, and then get zapped.

   I now wonder if because I have oils in my body, will that repel the bugs like mosquitos and horse flies? I hope so.

  I will update my blog page with more experiment results for you to enjoy!

   Just came up with another idea. Since I have a problem with roaches, and since bugs hate the smell of peppermint, how about if I try using peppermint oil in the kitchen? Should be interesting. I will love to see the results of whether or not it will help to get rid of roaches.

Tropical Iced Green Tea

Here is a recipe I made a couple of weeks ago, and it tastes pretty good. Plus, while the weather is getting hotter and we need more liquids in us, using coconut water is beneficial. Coconut water has electrolytes and will be helpful to us in keeping us hydrated.

Tropical Iced Green Tea

4 cups water (use spring or filtered)

4 green tea bags

2 cups coconut water

*4 drops lemon essential oil

*1 drop peppermint oil (optional)

Sweetener to taste (use Stevia or xylitol)

    Place the water in a pot and let it get hot, but not boiling. Remove pot and add tea bags. Let steep for several minutes (if you let it steep too long, the tea will not be green, but more like an orange color). Remove tea bags and place tea in a glass jar. Refrigerate. Add coconut water, essential oils, and sweetener. If adding peppermint oil, add only 1 drop as peppermint oil is extremely potent.

Tropical Iced Green Tea

* An alternative to lemon oil and peppermint oil is to wash a lemon or lime, slice thin, place in jar of tea. You could also put a sprig of peppermint or spearmint in your iced tea. 

     Pretty soon I will be getting spearmint oil and can't wait to try that one in this iced tea drink. You could probably use 4 TBS. coconut sugar, but it may turn the tea to a darker color. 

Essential Oils and Animals

I was watching Janet Roarke DVM, who was a featured speaker on a group of summit videos on essential oils, and, of course, I learned a lot. I learned that cows actually like some essential oils and they even get to pick out which ones they would like to be used on them! Lavender seems to be a favorite oil for using with animals. Melaleuca is very potent and has to be used carefully around animals.

She recommended taking a cup of baking soda, and adding 4 drops of an essential oil in it. Leave it sit overnight, then sprinkle on the litter in the litter box. I wonder if Frankie likes the new smell in his litter boxes??? I used lavender and placed the drops in the baking soda. Baking soda is good for litter boxes anyway. I was in Costco one time, and was looking at the baking soda. A lady was commenting to someone else that she puts it in her litter box and the litter boxes did not stink.

   Janet Roarke used some essential oils on a horse that was sick with respiratory problems, and the horse actually recovered. Makes me want to use oils in every room in my house! Time to buy another diffuser!

  Have you used essential oils with your animals, and if so, what has your experience been?

Make Your Own Vapor Rub

We have alternatives for all kinds of things available to us, but did you know that there is even an alternative for Vick's VaporRub?

You might be asking, what is wrong with Vick's VaporRub? After all, we have been using it for years.

As you might have already guessed, Vick's VaporRub is made from petroleum. You don't want petroleum in your body because it is a toxin. Many cosmetics are made out of petroleum as well.

The recipe was made from 4 teaspoons grated bee's wax, 3 Tablespoons of Shea butter, and 7 Tablespoons of coconut oil. You heat the Shea butter and bee's wax first, then add the coconut oil. There were many options of oils to use, but I used peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, and menthol. The menthol was like crystals (hmmm. Menthol. Maybe they mean meth). I added the oils after adding coconut oil. I put it in a plastic margarine container (Some family members have not given up their love for 'fake butter' so, until they do, I will have little containers when the 'fake butter' is gone).

Here is the web site I got the recipe from:
http://www.mommypotamus.com/diy-vicks-vapor-rub/

Remember, never put peppermint oil on small children. It could be very harmful for them.

I am actually going to use the vapor rub on my pots that are holding plants, because the scent should repel squirrels and other animals, and it should stay on for a while, even after a rain.

They are not cute. They are evil. They will hate the smell
of peppermint oil in the homemade vapor rub mixture.

Top Products/Ideas For Good Health

I am overwhelmed with ideas on how to stay healthy, so I want to compile them on a page in order to organize my own thoughts. I will list some ideas that have been touted as bringing about good health.

1. Vitamin D3 is necessary for good health. Many Vitamin D3 supplements come with probiotics. Probiotics are so necessary for good gut health.


2. Eat clean. Avoid foods that are processed and have preservatives and artificial colorings. Also avoid food that is genetically modified, or irradiated. When it comes to eating produce, eat organic. Avoid food that has been sprayed with pesticides. Watch the Food, Inc. trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2sgaO44_1c

3. Avoid toxins. Eating clean is included under this. We live in a toxic society, and toxins contribute to our lack of well-being. Everything that touches your skin will end up in your bloodstream. Whatever you breathe in goes into your lungs and other parts of your body. It is not just what we eat, that brings toxins into our bodies. It is whatever we touch or breathe in that also brings toxins inside of us.

4. Detox. There are products on the market specifically made for detoxing. Chlorella is good to use to help with detoxing as well. Maximized Living carries a good detox package.



5. Moderate exercise. Exercise helps the blood to flow better throughout your body. It is also good for your heart. Weights are good to use in exercising. Walking is one of the best exercises to do.

6. I have heard about Earthing and there are people with testimonies of how Earthing has helped them. Earthing is also known as 'grounding'. It involves allowing your feet to touch the soil in order to receive the proper balance of electrons. I know this sounds very weird, and it is not some kind of strange religion. It is very scientific, and I personally can see where it matches what it taught in the Bible about man being created out of the dust of the earth. Earthing is not only done by walking in the soil in your bare feet. You can buy sheets, socks, blankets, and some clothing items that have the same effect as if you walked in your bare feet. It is supposed to help with insomnia. *http://wellnessmama.com/5600/earthing-sleep/
*http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/04/why-does-walking-barefoot-on-the-earth-make-you-feel-better.aspx

7. Get fresh air and let the air come through your house. Of course, if you have birds in your house, you definitely do not want them to get a draft (birds are very draft sensitive and could easily catch pneumonia and die). You need to get rid of the recycled air in the house. Also, new houses have many chemicals in them that are toxic to breathe in. Grow houseplants which will create oxygen inside the house. If your car is parked inside a garage, make sure that there are no air carriers that would bring in the air from the garage, which would be filled with the gasses from the car that is parked in the garage.

8. Grow Your Own Food - You can do your own gardening and grow your own food, without the use of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, etc. Gardening can be hard work, but there are several places on the Internet that can help. http://www.gardenweb.com 

9. Get adjusted by a chiropractor. This is so easily overlooked or misunderstood. Many think that a chiropractor is one who helps with back problems, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our brain was made to interact with other parts of the body, and the signals from the brain to the other body parts has to go through the spine. Many times, there is blockage in the spine, so the signals from the brain do not get to the body parts that they were intended to get to. A chiropractor works on the spine to open it up so the signal from the brain can go to the organ or whatever part of the body that the signal is being sent to. I have heard that just one adjustment can boost your immunity by 200%!

Products that are recommended for good heath

1. Essential Oils - If you know anything about essential oils and their benefits, you are aware that there are at least two big essential oil brands that are widely used. One is called 'Young Living' and the other is 'DoTerra'. Of course, DoTerra has a line over their o and I cannot make that with my computer! A note about oils and their medicinal purposes: Essential oil companies are not allowed legally to sell their oils by describing their oils as cures for various ailments. The reason for this is due to the fact that, according to the FDA (I think), it puts the essential oils into another category, which would correspond to medicine. In other words, essential oils cannot be advertised in connection with curing diseases, or we would not be able to sell them unless we have a medical license to do so.
(Here is a link to my web site. I would like to write all the benefits of the oils*, that I have here on paper, but it would take too long and make this article too long for people to read through. http://www.mydoterra.com/susanseifert1/#/ )

2. Garden of Life vitamins - If you have to take vitamins, Garden of Life is a good brand. Be careful of just buying over the counter vitamins. Many have been tested and have been found wanting.



3. Juice Plus+. This is one of my favorites. The people at Juice Plus+ have a real vision for getting nourishment into people's bodies. They have created a food item that has the nourishment of the amount of vegetables and fruits for 9-13 servings. They come in capsule form and also available, and not only for kids, they make a chewable version. The chewables are similar to Gummy Bears. Juice Plus+ has a program where children who are ages 4 and up can go on Juice Plus+ at no cost, with a subscribing adult. So, if both mom and dad are taking Juice Plus+, they can have two of their children on Juice Plus+ and they do not have to pay for the children's subscriptions. Other items of interest that Juice Plus+ makes are Complete, which is a protein shake, and bars. For more information, please go to:
http://www.ss.juiceplus.com (Note: Juice Plus+ is not a vitamin supplement. It is much more than that.)

4. Tower Garden. This is one way to grow a garden in one place! Instead of sprawling through the yard, plants are grown vertically. You can grow anything on this except plants with bulbs or that grow underground. http://www.ss.towergarden.com

5. Maximized Living. Very good for learning about the 5 M's. Maximized Oxygen and Lean Muscle (exercise), Maximized Mind, Maximized nerve supply (chiropractic adjustments), Maximized Quality Nutrition, and Minimized Toxins. They also carry a line of supplements and have exercise programs as well as informative videos. http://www.maximizedliving.com

* I can give a couple of examples of oils we use right now. I have heard that oil of marjoram is good to help with snoring. We are using one put out by 'Now' brand called 'Peaceful Sleep'. Peppermint oil is good to help with breathing, but it not recommended to not use on children six years old or under. I am going to make a recipe that will be like VapoRub, but without the petroleum. It calls for coconut oil, shea butter and some oils like eucalyptus and peppermint. I have menthol but it is hard as a rock and I cannot get it out of the jar. I will use it if I can get it to melt.

There is always more to do and learn. That is why I have this blog. We have in no way arrived at our knowledge of keeping well. We are just at the beginning of this.

Throughout History, people always got sick. There were many reasons for this. Some of it was due to unsanitary conditions. Some people only had access to certain types of food. There were times of drought when food and water were scarce. But today, we have an entirely different type of environment, and people, in large amounts, are getting sick and not recovering. Today, we have toxins that civilizations in the past were not exposed to. Toxins are the killer for us. We have toxins in our cosmetics, household cleaners, building products, food, air, etc.

I hope this has been helpful. As I experiment with different things, and find new answers to old problems, I will update the page. As I learn new things, I will write about them. I hope you enjoy journeying with me while I am traveling this road. 

I Am Down To Eating Carrot And Celery Sticks

Well, it's my turn to have to have a special kind of diet. I have always prided myself on being able to eat almost anything and adapting to changing my eating habits, when necessary, but this time, the tables are turned.

  For the past several months, I have cut out most white sugar by substituting my need for sweets by using liquid stevia or xylitol. I have also found that coconut sugar is an excellent substitute for the real thing. But cutting out anything with grain? You must be kidding?

  Grain products make up probably 75% of my diet, or more. I can't imagine life without bread products or cream of wheat. I can't just let go of pasta, can I? After all, I use imported organic semolina to make my pasta products with.

   Most everything I make is organic and should be safe, at least from an organic standpoint. But can a pre-diabetic person eat organic flour and not have any serious side effects? I don't know. Not yet, anyway.

   So, I have made a start in my diet. Now, instead of having pasta for lunch, or eggs on toast, I will have an omelet. I will make my omelet with as many interesting ingredients as I can find. For example, today I made the omelet with cooked sausage, mushrooms, and cheese. Tomorrow I will make ricotta cheese and add that to the omelet. Somehow, cheese and omelets seem to be made to go together.

   When I come up with a new menu containing the limited amount of food I can eat, I will post it somewhere here, so that others who are newly found pre-diabetic human beings, can find something to eat, besides beans.

   Now for the dessert! Where's the dessert in all this. Step #1 is to make ricotta cheese. You can use ricotta cheese in many recipes, and since dairy products are fine to eat for a pre-diabetic, ricotta cheese is a good choice. Ricotta cheese is used in Italian cakes. If you can find a recipe for Italian cakes that doesn't use flour, please post the url in the comment box!

   I could eat ricotta cheese right out of the bowl. Put some stevia in it and whip it up. Maybe it would make a nice dip for zucchini slices! Not!

3 Foods that can be eaten by pre-diabetic people:

* Omelets
* Ricotta Cheese
* Smoothies Made With Protein Powder (sugar-free)

Oh, and I also found some gluten-free beef jerky in the pantry. After I spend days on Pinterest, I will update my list of allowed foods for pre-diabetic people.

Which One Is It? Quantity or Quality of Life?

People wonder why in the world do I want to eat and live in a healthful way. Especially since it is so much easier to buy prepared food that tastes great, why would I go through all this trouble? Is it so I can add a few more years to my life?

Think about it this way: If you live to be elderly, would you rather live on a farm or in a nursing home? Would you rather have a mind that thinks clearly, or would you rather be sleeping all day, not even knowing or caring where you were?

Perhaps you are not willing to give up your Big Macs or Oreos. You might be thinking, living clean only adds a few years to one's life. I would rather keep my junk food and lifestyle and live a few years less. That is your choice, and I will not interfere with that.

But perhaps you don't understand the deeper issues. It's not so much about quantity of life as much as it is about quality of life. If you ever see someone dying of cancer, you should be thinking, what can I do to help? What can I do to prevent this horrible disease from taking over my loved ones? If you don't see the correlation between our modern, western lifestyles, and the rise of disease such as cancer, diabetes, and allergies, then take a moment to look at some statistics.

   In 1985, my father died of cancer. No one expected it. It came suddenly and he died a terrible death. Back then, the statistics for cancer were about 1 in every 4 persons. Today, cancer is even greater than heart disease. Now the statistics for cancer are 1 in every 2 people. That means 50% of the population in America will probably succumb to cancer, sometime during their lifetimes.

   The problem is, most people today did not see the slow change in our environment and food industry. Americans today assume that we always had grocery stores and food that came in boxes. But that is not true. In the early to mid 1900s, most of the food eaten was grown on local farms, without the use of modern pesticides and herbicides. By the mid 1900s, supermarkets were becoming more and more popular. But they probably were not as lacking in nutrients as they are today. Today, people prize convenience. People love what is easy to make. It is a lot easier to open a box, put the ingredients in a bowl and add water, then put it in a pan and bake it for 25 minutes, than to collect the ingredients and prepare them yourself and do whatever baking or cooking is necessary. Believe me, cooking food that has nutrition is by far harder than just opening a box and adding water. But food on the shelves of grocery stores is full of additives. Some are preservatives. Some are coloring and flavoring. Agricultural farms give antibiotic shots to their animals to help prevent them from getting sick. What they don't seem to know is that, in turn, we are consuming antibiotics and they are getting into our systems as well. Growth hormones are given to the animals as well. Could this be a reason why girls go through puberty much earlier than their grandmothers did?

    Think of household cleaners. There are many toxic ones out there. They are not only toxic if taken internally, but they are toxic to breathe in the fumes and when they have contact with our skin, our skin absorbs the toxins and they get into our bloodstream. Did you know that chlorine is carcinogenic? Fluoride is another carcinogen. The FDA approves it in very small amounts, but, we don't get small amounts. Think about how many times you have to brush your teeth? Every time you brush your teeth, a little fluoride gets into your mouth. Several tooth brushing experiences will cause the amount of fluoride to add up. Plus, fluoride is mandatory to be in our drinking water. Of course, this is only in America. Europe doesn't allow fluoride in the water over there. Fluoride has ended up in our soil, and many plants are now contaminated that are growing in these places where the soil has taken up fluoride.

   So, the question is not, how much longer will one live if they eat right and live right. The question is, what kind of quality of life do you want? Perhaps you don't have any motivation for living. Maybe you are depressed or see no reason for living. The Bible says, 'Where there is no vision, the people perish'. Those who have no vision for their lives will wander aimlessly, without purpose.

   So, do you want to live in a nursing home one day? Do you want to die of a horrible disease that could have been prevented? Or, do you want to live out all your days in good health, with your memory intact?

   If you are one of those who are depressed or lacking vision for your life, God has a different idea about why you are here. God didn't create you to mope around and be depressed all your life. God created you for something much higher. He made you so that you could worship Him. You could live a life designed by God, instead of a self-centered, self-seeking life, which goes nowhere but to the grave. If you would like more info on this, please go to http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com   or   http://test4gp.wordpress.com

Coconut - It is Good For You

With all the talk about how good coconut oil is for you, as well as other parts of the coconut, it is worth investigating. I just saw a Facebook post saying that coconut oil will help you lose weight. There was also a picture with it ( a drawing) of a woman with a tape measure going around her waist. On the final picture, this once fat woman was now slim, due to taking coconut oil. Maybe this is the key to losing weight.

Last year, my mother in law, who lived about 2 hours away from us, was suffering from dementia. I had heard that coconut oil helps with dementia, so when we went to visit her, I made her some candy with coconut milk and oil. I love this stuff, and she did too, according to what I had heard. She was becoming a picky eater, but there was no problem with her eating the candy I made (I don't even think I added any sugar to it). If I lived up there, I would have given this to her all the time, but because we lived so far away, it was hard to get this homemade candy to her.

When I sold Shaklee, we had available some informal classes on nutrition and health, and I was in a place where I could go to these classes. I learned a lot from them. They taught us how to make protein balls with their protein powder. The recipe goes something like this:

Protein Powder Balls

1/3 protein powder
1/3 honey
1/3 peanut butter

Combine and roll into balls. Eat and enjoy this nourishing snack.

I have come up with my version of something similar, but with the value of coconut too.

Coconut Protein balls

1/2 cup protein power
coconut cream (a can of coconut milk separated. Put in fridge to help with separation before opening)
flaked coconut (you can get unsweetened)
Peanut butter (optional)
1 TBS. coconut oil

Coating
Chocolate chips, melted (I would use chocolate chips that have a high percentage of cacao).

This recipe is a little tricky because the coconut cream will make it very soupy and hard to work with. Take a can of coconut milk and put it in the fridge for a while, then open and the cream part should be separated from the liquid like milk part. Combine protein powder, coconut cream, coconut, peanut butter, if using, and oil. Add more protein powder if too soft. The rolled balls will be very soft, and they need to be refrigerated for them to harden. After they are rolled, place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
I have put too much protein powder into them and then they become kind of hard when in the refrigerator. You can add peanut butter if you want to, but it is not necessary. If you like peanut butter, it is a good choice to add. If you leave the peanut butter out, the coconut protein balls appear like Mounds bars. Also, coconut butter can be added (see picture below).
Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or on very, very low heat. The chocolate chips are the only thing in this recipe that contains sugar. I have added liquid stevia to the mixture to make it sweeter.
Dip the balls into the melted chocolate chips. Put back in the refrigerator to harden again.
I don't really have any measurements to this, and I add the ingredients until they make a fairly good consistency. They will be very soft until refrigerated.
Another word about chocolate chips; If they are heated too high, the chocolate will 'seize' which I guess means that the melted chocolate will be grainy and will not spread. Been there. Done that.

This coconut butter is a
good addition to the
protein balls

Chocolate chips that are highly recommended

This is the coconut milk I use.

Shredded coconut is a good addition
to many recipes

On Making Homemade Aspirin

Did you know that aspirin originally came from the bark of the white willow tree? Originally, the bark was steeped in hot water and made into a tea. We can still make this original form of aspirin today.

  Who wants to buy a product that says it's intended on helping us, when it has gone through a factory and has other ingredients added to it for various reasons? It is probably worth it to learn how to make one's own aspirin.

You can get a little teapot similar to this one at amazon.com Tea Beyond PINK Glass Teapot Butterfly 710ml 24 Oz Non Drip with Infuser

 Here is the first step: Taking the white willow bark and placing 2 teaspoons into the little glass tea pot.

You can also get white willow bark at amazon.com White Willow Bark Cut & Sifted Organic - 1 lb,(Frontier)

Step 2: Add 1 cup very hot water to tea pot.

Step 3: Let hot water steep for a couple of minutes.

Step 4: Pour steeped tea into a cup.

I have even added liquid stevia to the tea. Yummmmm....

To Vaccinate Or To Not Vaccinate

I don't really have an answer for this question, from my angle yet, but what I want to do is to just look at this issue and see exactly what we are dealing with.

We have people fighting all over the Internet about this topic, if you haven't noticed. But what exactly are we fighting over? Personal rights? Fear of autism in our children in the future? Anger at people who selfishly don't want to vaccinate their children?

I am not an authority on this subject, but have been reading quite a bit lately, just because the articles are in front of me, from both sides of the argument.

I would also like for you to read another person's article on this subject:
http://authenticsimplicity.net/2015/01/5-indisputable-facts-vaccines/

To summarize my thoughts, I do not think this issue is over whether we should vaccinate our children or not, based upon facts. The CDC and FDA have warning about taking the vaccines, but those who give out the vaccines either ignore them or don't know about them.

We should just learn the facts as best as possible, and not attack people who are on the other side of this issue. There are valid reasons why people do not want to vaccinate their children. It helps if we know what these reasons are. (Go to the link above for more information).

Years ago, we were at a church service, and out in the lobby were some children coughing. You could tell they had whooping cough. I remember getting irritated that the mom would not have vaccinated her children. My baby was possibly exposed to whooping cough now.

   Not sure why someone would bring their children with whooping cough into public areas. Fortunately, for their sake, a doctor was there and gave them some medicine. Grateful that my baby didn't catch the sickness!

  I used to see a stereotype of people who didn't vaccinate. They were those families who had home births, and who home schooled. It almost looked like some kind of rebellion to society to vaccinate your children, whenever I saw these people and their families. Maybe they were in some kind of silent contest of who could be the most radical? I didn't know, but back then, I thought that not vaccinating your children went a little bit too far.

   Now that I am older and more informed, I am seeing an alarming trend in society, particularly in America. I see the American Cancer Society who has been working for decades to find a cure for cancer, yet being unsuccessful. Yet, I have also seen people, not related to the medical society, come up with cures for cancer. What happens to these people? Many times, they end up in jail. The FDA doesn't approve of what they were doing. There has been a lot of talk about genetically modifying seeds to make plants resistant to sicknesses and also to make them resistant to the harmful affects of herbicides, like Roundup. Again, the FDA together with Monsanto, are defending their 'right' to genetically modify plants. But what would happen if Monsanto continues to work with genetically modifying plants? What would that lead to? One farmer found out. Apparently, he planted seeds on his farm, but the seeds were tainted with Monsanto's genetically modified seeds and produced the kind that were put out by Monsanto. The farmer claimed that he never planted any Monsanto seeds. He was arrested and went to jail. The fear of what could happen, is that Monsanto could actually take over the whole food industry, and put the local farmer out of business, or create laws that would prohibit people from farming and gardening, altogether. If the government has its way, all food would be processed and owned by corporations like Monsanto, and we would not have a say in the kinds of foods that we want to eat.

   We see commercials advertising all these 'wonder medicines' that can help with the sicknesses we have today. By law, they have to put the disclaimer on them though, which makes it kind of funny. They tell the side effects of taking the drug and the warnings. Many times, one of the side affects is 'death'.

   All these things tie in with each other, and vaccines are included as well. We have the FDA which forbids selling root beer, the way it was originally made. Root beer used to be made from Sassafras root and bark. A study done using mice indicated that drinking root beer made from sassafras could cause liver cancer. Mice were given the equivalent of a human's consumption of 3 gallons a day for a long period of time. First of all, I don't know anyone who is going to drink 3 gallons of root beer every day for months. So now, when we buy root beer from the grocery store, it is made with tons of sugar (which is approved by the FDA) and artificial colors and sweeteners. Did you know that sugar feeds cancer cells? This same group approved of sugar being added to food, even in large amounts, forbids using Sassafras in soda.

   I think we are probably the sickest nation of people in the world. Is there any wonder why? With a McDonald's on every corner and most of our store bought food being filled with sugar and other chemicals which are approved by the FDA, this is no mystery.

   I know of two people who recently got the flu vaccine, and they got really sick afterward. I know of a young woman who almost died from a vaccine when she was going to leave the country and was required to be vaccinated. Recently, we are having a measles epidemic and are being encouraged to have our children vaccinated. There is question of whether or not to penalize those who choose not to vaccinate.

   Why is it that we cannot understand that the best prevention is to use preventive care instead of running to a doctor after we get sick? Vaccines are a type of preventive measure, but again, we choose to take the preventive measures we like, instead of the ones that are best. We would rather get a shot than to give up McDonald's hamburgers or fries. We would rather risk getting a shot that contains harmful chemicals and potential side effects than to give up drinking Coke or Pepsi. It is so much easier to buy a box of scalloped potatoes that are already prepared (but full of preservatives) than it is to buy some potatoes and make scalloped potatoes from scratch.

  The key to being healthy and staying well is to build up our immunity systems. The key to building up our immunities is to get rid of the toxins that cause inflammation and lower our resistance. Are we willing to do that? That is the question. So far, the answers I have seen, for the most part, are 'no'.

   We live in a society that embraces convenience and searches for what makes us happy. We think that shortcuts are always good and that there is little or no effects on our lives, by the things we do to our bodies. There is always a trade-off though. Taking care of our health is hard work, and we as Americans do not like to do 'Hard things'. We like the easy, quick, fun way out of difficulties. If something is hard, or takes a process to accomplish, we avoid it. If something is as simple as 'I like this so I will eat it' then we eat it. But if we have to learn about that thing we are eating, it will be too much work for us, and we just simply, in ignorance, enjoy it. Then, somewhere down the road, we suffer. Go figure.

  I can make a lot of connections for people on this topic, but I would rather just put out the information, and also statements made by the FDA and CDC, as well as real time events that have taken place (see above link). You don't need to be a genius to figure things out. I am not one who believes in a conspiracy theory either (except the one concerning the devil being behind all evil ultimately). I believe there are evil people in key positions making very unwise decisions concerning our health, and the fear of it all is that the choices they make will result in their being enacted as law, when they see those who do not agree with them rising up. We can point fingers all we want to. We can expose all the facts, but ultimately, we are the ones who placed them in office to begin with. And now, we are reaping the consequences of decisions being made today, following an era of an apathetic society when it comes to having a standard of right and wrong.

  It is up to you to make the decision of whether or not to vaccinate your children (or yourselves). I am not going to be angry with people either way. The only thing I ask is that we look at the facts (and, for the sake of space) I did not put anything here concerning the 'facts' and statements made by other authority figures. The link above will bring you to more information on that.

Flavorful Mexican Corn Recipe

Here is a recipe I came up with this morning as my son needs a Mexican side dish recipe for an event he is attending tonight. I will not make this one for my family, as we have a certain family member who finds Mexican food repulsive! You can make this recipe as clean as you want to. You can find organically grown corn, peppers, and onions, and you can use butter that is made from cows who are grass-fed and who have never been treated with growth hormones or antibiotics. But, if you do decide to cook with butter, always remember that butter burns. You can ruin a meal quickly by heating up butter on too high of a heat level. If you are cooking something with oil or butter, if it starts smoking, you have gone past the smoke point and the oil is no longer any good. (I will make this recipe for myself and for others in our household who are find with eating Mexican food.)

Flavorful Mexican Corn

12 oz. corn (If using canned, drain)

¼ cup chopped pepper (I like green or red peppers. Use hot or sweet or a mixture. Just remember, a little bit of hot pepper goes a long way! Be careful when cutting hot peppers up if you use them).

2 TBS. chopped onion

3 TBS. butter or peanut oil

¼ cup grated Cheddar Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste, if desired

Place butter or oil in large skillet. If using butter, do not turn the stove temperature above medium. Turn skillet on and let butter or oil heat up. Add corn and sauté for about 5 minutes or until corn is heated through. Add chopped pepper and onion and continue to sauté. Turn skillet off when the pepper and onion are cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a bowl and add cheese. Stir until cheese is mixed in. Serves 4. Source: Susan Seifert.

A note on hot peppers: People have burned their fingers while cutting up hot peppers! I took some jalapenos to a slumber party, and a woman was cutting them up. Her finger burned all night long! If you do get a burn from hot peppers, do not use water to extinguish the burn. Use vinegar instead. Water will not take the burn away. Do not touch your face or eyes until you know that all the juice from the pepper is off your hands. 

Alleviating Sore Throat Pain Using Natural Means

With the flu season upon us and all those bad germs surrounding us, what is one to do when she gets a sore throat? Here is a link that gives several natural methods to help ease a sore throat. Even with the best immunities and detox methods we use, it is still possible to get a sore throat. There are natural things to do to relieve the symptoms.

Sore-Throat-Remedies - Alternative Medicine About.com

Interestingly enough, I have been taught to do some of these things. When I was pregnant, I had a sore throat and the doctor told me to use salt water and gargle with it. My mom used to mix honey and lemon together. Sometimes, we ate it straight off the spoon, but we also had it in tea.

Here is a list of the suggestions they put on the page:
*Marshmallow - This is not the marshmallows that you put in your hot cocoa. Marshmallow is actually a plant that has excellent health properties.
* Licorice Root - Another plant (not candy) that helps with sore throats.
* Slippery Elm - Sounds kind of gross. But it is a plant that can be made into cough drops which have been reputed as helpful with sore throats.
* Sage Tea - Oh how I want to grow sage! Make it into a tea to help with sore throats.
* Honey - You can do a lot with honey. Honey also has some antibacterial properties.
* Warm Black Tea - This might be something you make every day anyway!
* A Lemon Drink made from Lemon, Cayenne, and Honey
* Gargle with warm Sea Salt Water

So there you go. Now, off to find a recipe for natural, homemade cough drops, now that I have the ingredients in the house.

Some Ingredient Resources, teas, and natural cough drops: