Lavender, Eucalyptus and Peppermint; oh my!

So, I have had great intentions to talk more about essential oils and now I actually am going to.

It is important to note that all oils are toxic, that is why they are medicines, and should be used with caution and knowledge. Less is better when using essential oils. You will get the same benefit from one drop of oil as you will from pouring it on you.

If you want to know more about the basic benefits of essential oils and how to use them refer to this post.

You will notice that I will not be talking about any blends. There are a few reasons for this. 100% pure essential oils last longer than a blend. Additionally, I can control what carrier oil is used and how much is used thereby insuring that the pure essential oil can be used without fear of going rancid because of a carrier oil. Most 100% pure essential oils are 2 to 3 times more costly than blended oils, however when you mix 3 drops of 100% pure essential oil with 20 drops of olive oil, you will find out that your pure essential oil will cost you much less than if you had bought the “blend” already mixed. I also like to be able to use my oils for may things. If they are already in a blend it limits what I can do with that oil. I do occasionally make my own blends, but I never use more than 2-3 oils in a blend. One thing that is important to consider when blending oils is their "note". It is also important to know the "note" of the oil so that you will have a better idea of how often you should reapply the oil. There are 3 kinds of "notes" when it comes to essential oils.

Top notes- have small chain molecules. They go into the air easily and evaporate easily. They work quickly, but the effects of them also wear off more quickly. Generally energizing will last for 1-2 hours.

Middle notes- will last for 3-4 days.

Base notes- don't go in to the air as quick and will last for up to a week.

If you are using a middle or base note oil, it is not necessary to use that oil again for a while. You will still get the benefits from it without having to reapply it.

Most of what I have learned about oils has come from this book.


I think it is the best oil book out there and I love that it is not from a particular company trying to sell oils. I feel like I get really great information from it that is not bias toward any one brand.

With all that said, I thought I would just start off by talking about three of my favorite oils. These three I probably use the most and they are very versatile.

Lavender (middle to top note)- We all know that lavender smells great, but did you know that it has the best healing properties of all the essential oils out there. If you only have one essential oil in your home it should be lavender. I will list just a portion of it's benefits below.

• It is a very calming oil that relieves stress and anxiety and calms the nervous system.
  
• It is a great treatment for insomnia, migraines and headaches.
  
• It is very effective for muscle aches and helps ease the pain caused from arthritis.
  
• It helps with other conditions that involve inflammation such as acne, psoriasis and boils.
  
• It is beneficial for asthma.
  
• It is great for insect bites as it calms the bite and helps relieve the itch.
  
• It helps to regenerate cells in the body quickly, therefor it is great for cuts and scrapes. It also works wonders for healing burns, including sunburns. A great burn "lotion" is:

Burn "lotion"

2 oz of carrier oil (Calendula oil and Rose hip oil are both great for the skin)
25-30 drops of essential oils including:
Lavender 15 drops
Geranium 5 drops
Frankincense 5 drops
Peppermint 2 drops (gives a cooling effect)

Eucalyptus (Top note)-

• Great for the treatment of headaches. It is recommended to take it internally (if it a trusted brand) for migraines and issues with the pancreas.
  
• Best know as a decongestant for colds, asthma, flu, sinusitis and bronchitis. . When put on the chest and bottom of the feet it will help greatly with breathing.
  
• The physiological properties of it are great for people who feel emotionally constricted by their surroundings. It helps them to feel like they can achieve greater freedom and gives them "room to breath"

Peppermint (Top note)-

• Used for relief of muscle pain, bruises and contusions, joint pain and insect bites.
  
• One of the most effective oils for the digestive system. It releaves nausea, stomach pains, diarrhea and flatulence.
• Helps with metal fatigue
• Helps relieve headaches and migraines

Cooking classes- Veggies

Some benefits of vegetables with high nutritional values

• A 41% reduced risk of heart disease
• 22% lower risk of certain cancers
• Protection from macular degeneration and glaucoma
• Better teeth and bone structure
• Improved memory and brain function
• Stronger immune system – less colds, flu and infections

Only 14% of U.S. adults eat enough fruits, vegetables

By Lindsey Anderson, USA TODAY 9/29/2009

Only 14% of adults eat the recommended number of servings of fruit and vegetables a day, says a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 33% of adults meet the recommendation of two or more servings of fruits a day; 27% eat the recommended three or more servings of vegetables.

Washington, D.C., leads the nation in eating fruits and vegetables: 20.1% of adults report they meet both daily recommendations. Mississippi sits at the bottom with 8.8%.

Three of the top states are in New England, and three of the bottom states are in the Southeast. The disparity could be a result of the lack of farmers markets in the Southeast and policies that promote healthful foods in schools and communities, says Heidi Blanck, senior scientist for the CDC.

High school students fare worse than adults: 9.5% report they eat two or more fruits and three or more vegetables a day. About the same number of students (32%) as adults say they meet the fruit recommendation, but only 13% say they eat at least three servings of vegetables a day.

The Healthy People 2010 objective from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aims to have 75% of the U.S. population meeting the daily fruit recommendations and 50% meeting the daily vegetable recommendations.

"At the current rate, the goal won't be met," Blanck says.

To raise the percentage of people meeting the goals, the CDC suggests grocery stores increase their stock of "high-quality" fruits and vegetables and encourages states to form food policy councils that evaluate the access to fresh produce.

It also suggests schools provide more fruits and vegetables in cafeterias and vending machines.

A few recipes that we made:

Hans’ Salad

Throw any of the following ingredients together, chopped into small pieces

Bok Choy

Pickled cucumbers

Onions

Collard greens

Roman lettuce

Tomatoes

Avocado

Rutabaga

Jicama

Carrots

Tomato, Avocado and Almond Salad by Shelly

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1-2 cups diced avocados

1 cup chopped almonds

1 cup chopped celery

4 Tbls chopped green onion

4 Tbls chopped cilantro

2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

1 tsp agave

1 Tbls Nutritional yeast (optional)

Dash of cayenne (optional)

¼ tsp sea salt

Mix together and enjoy

And just a regular salad with Ranch dressing and a Tomato Basil vinaigrette dressing.

Cooking Classes- Sugar

Well, my cooking classes that I have been doing with my cute little neighbor girl have been going well. A few weeks ago we talked about sugar substitutes and what sugar does to your body and more specifically how it effects our hormones.

Did you know:
- That the average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week, which is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are being processed into so many foods such as bread, breakfast cereal, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and a plethora processed foods. When you start looking at labels and know what to look for you will be super surprised at how many things have sugar in them. Prior to the turn of this century (1887-1890), the average consumption was only 5 lbs. per person per year!

-Sugar is addictive. Sugar promotes cravings. The more sugar you eat, the more sugar you want. A high sugar meal raises the blood glucose level, which triggers the outpouring of insulin. This excess insulin lingers in the system, triggering a craving for more sugar, thus adding another hill to the roller coaster ride.

-When we eat sugar it actually depletes our bodies of nutrients. This is because in order for our bodies to digest anything it needs nutrients to metabolize it. Because refined sugar contains no fiber, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, it actually steals those nutrients from our cells.

-Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become underactive and others become overactive.

-Sugar inhibits the release of growth hormone which deppresses our immune system and makes us more prone to disease. Sugar aggravates autoimmune conditions such as arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis.

-Sugar raises the insulin levels in the body which in turn causes our body to store and hang on to fats.

-Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children. Sugar reduces learning capacity, adversely affects children’s grades in school, and can exacerbate learning and behavioral disorders.

-Sugar exacerbates PMS.

-Sugar exacerbates fertility related diseases like PCOS (poly-cystic ovary syndrome) and Endometriosis and is many time the cause of such diseases.

What do I look for on food labels?

Avoid any of the following things that may be on a food label.

• Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
  
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
  
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Maltose
• Saccharose or saccharin (Sweet and Low)
  
• Sorghum or sorghum syrup
• Sucrose or sucarlose (Splenda)
• Sugar alcohols such as maltitol and sorbitol
• Sugar, brown or white
  
• Syrup
• Treacle
• Xylose

What sugars are safe to use in moderation?

• Agave
• Blackstrap molasses
• Coconut sugar
  
• Dates or date syrup/sugar
• Dehydrated cane juice
  
• 100% pure maple syrup
• Raw honey
• Stevia
• Sucanat
  
• Turbinado Sugar

I mostly use the ones that are highlighted.

We made three recipes this day.

“Almond Joy” Fudge from greensmoothiegirl.com

Put 2 cups each agave nectar (found in health food stores) and coconut oil in the BlendTec Total Blender. Set the blender container in a sink of hot water for 10 minutes to warm them. Add 1 cup powdered raw chocolate (or unsweetened cocoa) and blend well. Pour into a 9×13 pan and stir in 2 cups each of shredded coconut and chopped or sliced almonds. Chill and cut in squares.

Ginger Bread Cookies from simplehealthytasty.com

3/4 cup coconut oil melted
Egg Replacer for 1 egg
1 cup Sucanat
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
2 cups soft white wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each of ground cloves,
nutmeg, and sea salt

Cream together oil and Sucanat. Add Egg Replacer and molasses then mix in spices, soda and salt. Add flour last mix well roll into walnut sized balls. Gently roll in Raw sugar place on cookie sheet press down gently with hand to flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or 10-12 minutes for Ginger Snaps. Let cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from pan to cooling rack.

Tapioca pudding

3 TBLS instant tapioca (next time I will use pearled tapioca, but I couldn't find any and my friend really wanted to try making it)
1/3 cup agave
1 organic egg, well beaten
3 cups almond, or macadamia nut milk
1 tsp vanilla

Combine tapioca, sugar, milk and egg in medium saucepan; let stand for 5 min.
Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. cool 20 minutes; stir. Serve warm or chilled.

Dairy

I have a friend who has a daughter who is really struggling with some hormone issues right now. She is 12 and already on birth control as a means to help with her imbalance. Because of the success that I have had in balancing my hormones my friend asked me if I could help some how. I decided that I would really like to teach her about food and why she should be careful with what she eats. I am such a firm believer that if we feed our bodies right we will not need as much medical intervention in our lives. My life is proof of this, and I want to share that with people. So I have been sharing a bit of our dinner meals with her so that she can try some new foods and see what she likes and doesn't like. So far she has liked everything that I have given her (at least that is what she says) She came over last Thursday and we has a little class with just her and I. It was so fun to have another girl around! I gave her some information and then we made some things and ate them. My first focus for her was to teach her about dairy and how strongly it affects our hormones. I just wanted to post the info that I gave her here in case any body else could use it.

Dairy-

Common dairy products include milk, flavored yogurts, sour cream, cheese, Ice cream and cottage cheese.

Why should we avoid dairy?

1. Dairy (especially milk) contains powerful hormones that increase the estrogen and progesterone levels in your body. There are two reasons that this happens. First, most dairy farmers give their cows artificial growth hormones to help them to produce more milk. Second, and this one is often over looked, is that most cows are milked about 300 days a year and for much of that time the cows are pregnant. When cows are pregnant, their hormone levels are naturally raised, just like in humans, especially their estrogen. Even if you buy milk that says no added hormones, likely the hormones are still higher because the cows may be pregnant. Dairy accounts for 60-80% of estrogen consumed.
2. Dairy contains other things that are not good for our bodies.

· Dieses like Leukemia and Para Tuberculosis are found in cows often. These diseases are supposed to be killed by the pasteurization process, but studies have shown that these diseases are not killed all the way. Many believe that para tuberculosis is the cause for human diseases such as Crohn’s Disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

· Dairy also often contains traces of antibiotics and other drugs that are given to cows to help them combat all the diseases that they get.

How does this affect the hormones in my body?

These added hormones to our bodies affect everybody differently. Some people don’t see much affect and some see a lot. Some of the affects that can be seen are early onset of puberty, acne, irregular menstrual bleeding, PCOS and endometriosis, which are major causes for infertility today.

What about calcium?

There are many sources of calcium out there. Most are better sources of calcium then milk and actually help our body to absorb calcium easier than milk. Here is a small list of good sources of calcium:

· Sesame seeds

· Raw nuts

· Beans (white, kidney, etc)

· Flax seed

· Chia seeds

· Arugula

· Collards

· Parsley

· Kale

· Sunflower Seeds

· Spinach

· Oats

· Swiss Chard

· Lentils

How do I avoid dairy?

Obviously avoid all the products that you know are dairy (items listed above) You will also need to look at labels to be certain no dairy is in it. Law says that dairy must be labeled very clearly on all products. If it is in an ingredient that is in the product that ingredient must be labeled that it has it in parenthesis. Example: (milk)

What are some good alternatives?

Milk- Nut milks (macadamia. Almond, cashew, etc), Rice milk, Seed milk (sesame, sunflower, hemp)

Yogurt- Homemade yogurt made with goats milk, or hormone free cows milk can be ok on occasion. It has good bacteria in it that will help it to digest easier.

Sour Cream- Sauerkraut is a great alternative for the sour flavor of sour cream. We often put it on tacos and baked potatoes. Nut sour creams are also a good alternative for using in baking or on top of things.

Cheese- Nut cheeses and nut cheese sauces.

Ice cream- Homemade ice creams made with nut milks or coconut milk are great. You can also by some ice creams that are non-dairy. Just make sure to check the ingredients to make sure they are good.

After we talked a little we made these recipes:

Almond Milk

Macadamia Nut Sour Cream

Cheezy Sauce

Ranch Dressing

Then after we made them, we had some nachos with the stuff we made, (except for the almond milk, we saved that for the ice cream that we made next). They were yummy!

These are the ice cream recipes that we made. Because of time we just made them in the blender so they weren't super solid, but they sure were good.

Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream

Vegan Blueberry Ice Cream

It was a fun day. Check back with me next week so see what we learn about next!

Feeling a bit emotional today!

Well, the title says it all! Up to this point this blog has been mostly about food. I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far, but my intention was for it to be so much more. After all, it does say in the title, "All things in life that lead to Health and Happiness!" My emotions really are all over the place right now, but it is because I feel so content and happy right now. I want to share why I feel this way. I want to share some of the thoughts that have been rolling around inside this crazy head of mine so that maybe, just maybe, I can help others that may need some of what I have to share. The problem is, I am not sure how to say what I am feeling. I hope that by the time I am done writing and re-writing this post it will make some sense.
I find in my life, as I am sure it is in everybody's, that I go through waves of being content. I was very content a few months ago. I remember specifically talking to a friend about it. Then, not a week later it all changed. I was feeling like my whole world was falling apart. I couldn't cope with anything. There was one Monday that I literally cried ALL DAY LONG and really had no idea why. But this very day, this very moment I feel so content with life that I feel like crying out of pure JOY! I want to bask in this moment so that I can remember what it feels like, so that when the frustrations of life begin to fold in upon me, I will know that moments like these are real. Is everything perfect in my life right now? SO far from it! My kids are running around the house screaming right now. My oldest son has lost his privileges for the last three days because his behavior has been so poor. I have woken up with migraines almost every day this week. There are some changes that are going to take place soon that are going to greatly impact my life. I don't know exactly how it will be impacted, but I know it will. I HATE not knowing things! And yet, I feel so happy with life right now! I wish I knew exactly why, I wish I could pinpoint what it is I am doing that makes me feel like this. Maybe I am doing nothing. Maybe it is simply a gift that I have been given by my Father in Heaven to carry me through. If so, I wish I could have this gift always.
There are a few things that I think are at least contributing factors in the matter. I have been really trying to simplify my life lately. I have three VERY rambunctious boys. I homeschool my kids. I have a busy husband that I try to take care of. I have a church calling that keeps me on my toes and occupies a lot of space in my brain. I have my footzonology business. These are just the important things that I do in my life. To say the least, I am a busy girl, as all moms are. Do I sometimes feel overwhelmed? Yes, most of the time!
I learned from some wonderful mentors that I have got to keep things in perspective. I learned from one that every 6 months I have to do a 6 month purge and a 6 month "NO". This has been such a huge blessing! Every 6 months I look at my schedule and that of my kids and husband. We make a list of everything that we are doing, the things that keep us busy. We look at them all and think about why we are doing them. Is it leading us to our end goal? It is worth our precious time to continue doing it? Of course to do this you have to know what your end goal is! I want to blog more about this, but it will have to be for another post. The things that do not fit into our end goal we say "no" to and we stop doing them. The best thing to do is to look at things with this perspective from the get go, but you would be amazed what things slip in, or how things can change in so little period of time.
The 6 month purge is that you go through your whole house and get rid of stuff that you do not need. This has changed for me recently. I have been reading some blog posts from this blog for the last year or so. In the past I haven't agreed with most of what she said. Her blog was recommended to me, but I never really liked it. Her and my ideas never really meshed, but for some reason I kept checking back every now and again. Lately her idea's have changed and I have been very intrigued by some of her thoughts. They seemed to speak to my soul. Her ideas seem to flow with the thoughts that I have been having and she gave words to what I have been feeling. I am usually good at knowing what I want and what I need and know what I should be doing, that is a gift that I have been given. But I have never been so good at knowing how to achieve the things I want. I guess I am not that creative. I search and study to find something that speaks to me and then I try to make someone else's ideas work in my life. I know, I am a follower and I am ok with that!
Anyway, as some of my perspectives have changed I have realized that I need to simplify my life all together. I need to truly purge things out of my life that are not the best. I won't go into specifics here, because I believe that it is different for everybody, but I will just say, that I have been looking at all aspects of my life from food and health, to books and media, to activities and responsibilities, to my home and what is in it and really trying to decided what is the best for me and my family. I don't do this to try and be better than others, but rather to try and be the best me that I can be. I am not talking about having the best of everything. I am talking about having less, but having what I do have be the best things that will enrich our lives.
I took a class at Education Week at BYU. One of the teachers said something that changed my view of things. He said, "We need to be effective, not just efficient." I guess I want everything in my life to be effective! To have something not just to have it, but because it makes a difference in my life. If it is not making a difference, and I mean a significant difference, then why am I allowing it to crowd my life?
I plan on cleaning out my kitchen soon with this perspective. It will be fun to take each little kitchen utensil into my hand and think about if it is effective. Is it worth taking up precious space in my little kitchen? Do I use it enough? Do I have another tool that I can use just as easily for the same job? It is kind of exciting to think about. What is most exciting is how freeing it feels to let go! It is so nice to not be responsible for so much! I am busy enough without having to have all this STUFF to be responsible for. It really opens up my brain space and makes me feel more happy because I can think about things that really matter in this life! Things are so much easier to handle and get done. I find I have more time to do the things I really want to do! It makes me feel content at least for a moment. Sometimes a moment is all we need to carry us through, right?

Essential Oils

So, today I thought I would talk a bit about essential oils. I have only been using them for about a year and a half and still have much to learn, but I wanted to share some things that I have learned so far. First, Aromatherapy is an ancient healing art that we have just rediscovered in the last century. They were used in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Greece, China and India and in the Middle East and France. They are a great way to relax and heal your body from emotional, mental, and physical problems.
There are three basic ways of using essential oils. The first is through inhalation.
This works through the olfactory bulb in the brain. Using the oils this way is most helpful to our emotional and mental bodies. (The next two ways deal more with the physical body, but can also be helpful to the emotional and mental.) The second is through applying the oil directly to our skin.
When we apply the oil to our skin it goes into your blood stream and then spreads to the organ that needs it. One of the very best places to apply the oils is to the feet because the pores are bigger there. Also, because of the signal system on our feet that corresponds with the rest of our body it is a good option. You can also apply the oils directly on top of the problem area.
The third way is internally. Taking oils internally is controversial and should definitely be used with caution. There are several methods inside each of these three basic ways to use oils. I will cover those at another time.
Some points to remember:
1. All oils are toxic and should be treated as such.
2. Less is better when using essential oils
3. Because natural medicine fixes the problem, instead of masking the symptoms, it can take longer to see results. Be patient, but know that it is working!
4. Be sure you are using a high quality oil. Using low quality oil can cause other problems because of the additives that they put into them.
5. Be careful when using oils on babies and pregnant woman. Oils are medicine and need to be researched for safety before using.
6. Be careful when blending oils. No more than three oils should be blended at once until you are experienced at it.

I will be highlighting essential oils every now and again. I will also be writing about specific ailments and things that will help the ailments, including essential oils. So, more information is coming. If you have any questions be sure to ask!

"Are you like, vegan or something?"

I get this question a lot these days. So here is my answer. We have been slowly changing our diets over the last 1 1/2 years. We have cut out meat and dairy along with many other dietary changes. We do have cheese occasionally at home and meat on Sundays when we eat at my Moms. We do have organic range feed eggs sometimes also, but mostly for baking things that don't work well with flax. We do eat yogurt and I do make it, mostly because it is cheaper than buying it, but also because I can control better what is in it. I tried to make kiefer, but it was too much babysitting for me at this point in my life.

People always want to know if it is hard on my kids, if I think it is too extreme, and if it is making a difference. My kids are 2, 5 and 7. It has made a huge difference in our lives. We dont really get sick and when we do it only lasts for a day or two unlike our friends who get the same thing and get it much worse. We also have more energy. I was on several medications for hormone problems and for other such things and I now am off every single one and I feel great! I actually have a regular period for the first time in my LIFE! My kids behavior has changed, especially my son that we thought had ADHD, but really was just because we were putting bad stuff in his body. I don't think that it is extreme at all. I think that it is smart and a healthy way to live. Starting when your kids are young will be more beneficial for them and will make it easier to allow them to make good life long choices.

So, why do I do this? People are becoming more and more aware of the hormones and antibiotics that are in meat, (check out the movie "Food Inc." for more info about this, it is fabulous!) and some are making adjustments accordingly, but it is important to remember that it is not just the hormones and antibiotics in meat and dairy that is not good for our bodies. Animal protein is hard for our bodies to digest. It effects our colon, kidneys, bones (due to loss calcium through our urine), liver and many other organs. It takes a lot of energy from us because it as to work our organs so much harder. For more information on this, The China Study is a great book.

Milk and eggs are the best source of animal proteins as they have the best match of our amino acids, more so than meat. Including these foods in our diets minimally is very good for us. I believe that yogurt (or Keifer) is one of the best ways because not only is it a good source of amino acids, but it can be digested easier because of the live active cultures in it. Our bodies only need 5-6% (relative to total calorie intake) of dietary protein to replace the amino acids that our body looses. Most of America gets well beyond that and take in about 15-16%. I believe that moderation is the key, but many people do not know what moderation means for their bodies. Many people eat animal protein at every meal (eggs for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch and something with hamburger or chicken in it for dinner, not to mention the milk they drink throughout the day) and think that they are being moderate when in actuality that is way too much protein for our bodies. Protein is the most important of all the nutrients in our bodies, but this has been misinterpreted by our society that more is better. People also tend to believe that "quality" proteins, like meat and dairy, are better than "lower quality" plant proteins, when in fact that is not true at all.

The fact is that people need to educate themselves about food and their bodies, no matter what kind of diet they have. Being vegan or vegetarian in and of it self is not necessarily a healthy diet. You need to know about food and how it effects your body and incorporate all aspects of a healthy lifestyle into your way of eating.

But how do I do it?

I have been talking to a lot of people lately about health and nutrition. My clients usually ask me questions, my friends and sometimes my family. I have also been teaching a series of classes in my ward on healthy eating habits. With out question I always get asked, "But how do I do it?". I guess I asked this myself when I first started changing our eating habits. So, to help people figure out how to start I have made a list of some common reasons that make it hard to make changes in hopes that it will help you on your journey.

1. We think that our kids/husband do not need to also change eating habits so we are doing it all by ourselves.

- One thing that is important to remember is that we all need to eat healthy. If your spouse or kids are not showing signs of sickness or weight problems, that does not mean that they don’t need to eat healthy. Eating unhealthy as children, leads to bad habits and addiction. These habits will affect your kids health as adults. Teaching your kids now how and what to eat will make it so that they will not be in the same position that many adults are in now. That is, we have to undo years of addiction to sugar, salt, additives and unhealthy fats that are causing our health problems and weight issues.

-You really need to have the right frame of mind. This is really hard. Think about why you want to eat healthy. Is it just to lose weight, is it so that you will stay slim, or is it to be healthy? There is a big difference. If it is to be healthy then it will be easier not only for you, but also your family, to make a life style change. Studying the body and how certain foods affect the body really helped me to understand what I was doing to myself every time I ate something, good or bad.

2. We think that our kids/husband will not eat the food.

- Our families and ourselves may very well not like the food at first. If we are not use to it, then we will have a harder time with it. Because there are so many addictive substances in many of the foods we eat, when we take those out, our body doesn’t like the food. We have to give our bodies time to change. As we keep trying new things our tastes will eventually change and we will love the food. Same with our kids. If we just give something to them once, and never try again, then they will never develop a taste for it.

- Another thing to do is to make sure that you are making changes slowly. Decide what things you would like to change about your diet to make it healthier. Make a list. Then, decide what is most important for your family and do that first. You can choose a category like dairy or sugar to eliminate, or you can choose to just incorporate more veggies. Or, you can choose to start with dinner or breakfast and make sure that that meal is always as healthy as it can be. Make just one change a month and soon your family won’t even realize that you are eating healthier. Our rule right now, because we are still in transition after 1 ½ years, is that we eat super good at home and when we are eating other places we do the best we can. I don’t tell my kids what to eat when we are at other places. I let them choose if they want meat, or a cookie. I try to talk to them about their choices before we eat, but once they are getting their food, I leave it alone. It is not worth fighting over.

- Make food fun. Get creative with how it looks. Make something like Ratatouille (which can be very healthy) and then watch the movie after. Let your kids help make the food. They will want to at least try the creation that they put so much work into.

- Talk to your kids about why you are having them eat certain things. Kids are not too young to understand that sugar makes you tired so that you don’t have energy to play with friends, or that soda makes your bones weak and break, or that veggies make you grow taller. My boys love beans because they know that it makes their muscles bigger. We often have muscle flexing contests at dinner to see how much our muscles have grown after we have eaten our food. Kids need to know why they are being asked to eat certain things and why they should not eat others. It also helps them to make better choices when they are alone or when they grow up because they have the information.

3. We look at meals the wrong way.

- I use to have this image in my head of what dinner was. A meat, a veggie (usually canned) and a carbohydrate. I really struggled with changing how we ate until I got it out of my head that that is not what a meal had to look like. After I got good at dinner, I had to work on lunch. Lunch did not have to be chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac and cheese or pb&j with fruit on the side. That is what was easy and what it was always like for me growing up, so naturally, that was the picture in my head. After changing, in my head, what a healthy meal looked like, I was able to move forward with what I wanted my healthy meals to be.

- Breakfast (or lunch or dinner) foods do not have to be what we normally perceive as such. If you want to have something that traditionally you would have for lunch or dinner, then do it! As long as your body is getting the nutrients it needs who cares what time of day it is.

4. The healthy food doesn’t taste as good as the other food

- Again, this comes back to the food additives that are in the food. They do taste better to us because we are addicted to them. Be patient and your tastes will change.

5. Eating Healthy is too expensive.

- In some ways eating healthy is more expensive. If you are buying prepackaged “health” foods then it is always more expensive. If you choose to buy organic, it will be more expensive. If you are eating whole foods and make foods from scratch, then often times it is less expensive. As you start making some things, eliminating foods, or cutting back on foods that are not so good for you, you will have more money to spend on whole foods. Decide what foods are worth keeping in your life and which ones you can let go, or eat less of. Decide what is worth your time to make. Then start buying foods that are healthy with the money that you save.

- You will also notice that as you are eating healthier you will eat less. Because you are filling your body with nutrients and not just fluff, you will stay full. Additionally, if you are not eating foods that are addictive you will not crave them, therefore you will spend less (or none) on junk type foods.

- Another way to look at it is that the money you spend now, will be an investment in the future. Eating healthier now means less money spent on prescriptions and doctors visits in the future. Neither my boys, my Husband or myself have been to the doctor for over a year for sickness. We have not had to fill any prescriptions. That money adds up when you are paying co-pays. Look back at the money that you paid to the doctors office over the last year and even if you just took half of that, think about how much good food you could buy with it.

6. It takes too much time. It is not convenient.

- I will not argue with this. It does take more time to cook things from scratch then to just go to the store and buy them. This is a trade off, that you will have to decide for yourself, if it is worth it to you. For me, I would rather spend a little more time in the kitchen and know that I am feeding my family the best that I can. That brings me peace of mind. Also, I kind of look at it the same way I do with the money aspect of it. If I spend more time in the kitchen, I will spend less time in the doctors’ office.

- As you get better at living the lifestyle you choose to live, you will find ways that make it easier and take less time. My friend put it this way, “It is becoming more convenient the more I use different things that I hadn't used before. Just like when you start learning about whole wheat you have to learn how to use it, and then it becomes easy.”

7. Ignorance or lack of knowledge

- Lack of knowledge makes eating right scary. So, educate yourself! Do research, ask questions, and most importantly pray for understanding as to what is best for you and your family. The only people that can tell you what is right for you is, you and Heavenly Father. If you are having a health issue that you would like to be rid of, research what foods affect it and help it, and then pray about it. If you would like to prevent something, do the same.