Mick's Up With the Numbers

Life has a very strange "normal" right now.  A lot of things have changed in the past couple of weeks.  There are good things coming out of it, though.  For instance, our daughter has lots of thyme on her hands (see image). 

Great hibernation = thyme on our hands

We've enjoyed cooking together, walks together, chilling together.  Although we are still keeping busy with full days of working from home, and our daughter is keeping productive with school work and hobbies and helping with housework, we are doing well at using face-to-face time more than we would be able to otherwise.  We are not interrupted by other responsibilities, since most things have shut down for a time. 

There are great reminders out there about personal hygiene (as if we didn't already wash our hands a ton) and distancing ourselves from others, in order to stop the spread of a virus that is constantly mutating.  My favorite reminder, especially in a time when money is tighter:  "I will not touch my face.  I will not touch my 401k.  I will not touch my face.  I will not touch my 401k."

I heard it put well recently:  The face is the door for the virus to enter your body.  So, touch your face less, and when you are tempted to touch your face, make sure your hands have been washed since the last time you touched something else.

Our chiropractor has a healthy outlook, one which we all should have:  It's not about killing the germ/virus, as much as it is about strengthening the host.  If we have this mentality, we can fear less.

Moreover, if you are a Christian, you should have no fear.  God is bigger than anything.  A church in our hometown shared a good reminder through Scripture (as all Bible preaching churches do): "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)

Now that I shared some funnies, reminders, and encouragement, here are some numbers.

Making the graph accurate

Don't let the hype of the media lead you.  Look into things yourself.  One social media post I saw clears up a comparison.  The media wants us to believe the spread of the virus is as bad here in the USA as it is in Italy.  However, putting the numbers in a more accurate graph, we see that population/size of the country plays a big role.  Check out this comparison.


You can be informed by visiting the CDC website yourself.  There, you will find all kinds of information, but be aware that this all started out with fewer tests being done (1000 tests) versus an increase of tests available (10,000 or so).  That alone can sway the numbers!  Also, weed through the scary stuff to find the positive things, such as the fact that the number of new cases has started decreasing per day... (meaning we hit the peak already)... and use the numbers to see for yourself that the fatality rate is .01% in the USA. Granted, some states seem worse off than others, but you can check out your state's stats on the CDC website... and, overall, we will weather this storm. 

Want more numbers?  A study shows cases involving 10,000 flu patients under medical care versus the same number under chiropractic care.  Under medical care, .095% died versus .0025% under chiropractic care.  When comparing 10,000 pneumonia cases each, .64% died under medical care versus .01% under chiropractic care.  That's a huge difference.  I would certainly rather be under chiropractic care and wellness coaching, in order to be strong, in case I end up being host to a virus.

Please be wise, be safe, be healthy, and be empowered.  Also, please pray for the families being negatively impacted by disease, whether this virus scare or any other illness.  Especially pray for those dealing with loss and hurt and heartbreak.  Call, text, email, or snail mail your family and neighbors.  Be kind, and check in on someone today.  Maybe we will develop some really cool habits from this hibernation.   

"I know that you can do all things; 
no purpose of yours can be thwarted."  

Job 42:2

Wait! What? Mick's up with a Fad?

Those who know me know that I do not like to go with the norm... not punk style... just unique.  If something is a fad, I stay far, far away.  

Recently, I was chuckling at my kidderz and their uniquenesses.  They don't purposely do things to rebel against society, or at least I don't think they do.  It's just part of them.  

What do you think of as a pasttime for a nice winter day?

For example, one unseasonably warm and gorgeous day this winter, my son said, "I'm going to go string up my hamock."  He was curious at my amusement.  What struck me so funny is that I don't know anyone else who would think, "go string up my hamock," when saying, "what a beautiful day it is."  Some may want to go lay in their hamock, but to him, the "hike" accompanied by the process of stringing up a hamock is the attraction.  

Similarly, I like the adventure of being my own person.  Tell me I'm following some trend, and I actually take it as an insult.  

That's why my heart was saddened when it finally hit me that I'm doing a typical thing for people my age... the over-forty crowd.  We've lived (and eaten) the way we want to for quite a few years (most-likely because we've gotten married and comfortable), and now we woke up to the fact that we won't live forever.

It becomes a time of looking seriously at taking care of ourselves, to improve our quality of life, to "be there" for our kidderz and grandkidderz, to ward off chronic disease and the "c" word, and to look better and feel better about ourselves.  

                      Those of you who have started this change early in life... 

                   Good on ya!  

                      It's best to start early and kick all the bad habits 

                    before they become so ingrained that you feel like 

                    you've punished yourself for the life you lived.  

                      For those of you who are closer to my age
                     (and maybe even in an older generation)... 

                  Don't think it's too late!  

                     The way we've lived in the past does not have to be who we are.  

                     (That goes for spiritual lives, as well as the physical and mental.)  

                     It doesn't have to define us.  

Oops.  A pep talk popped in.  

Now, back to the fad idea.

As you can tell from the above statement, "it finally hit me," I was not in this health kick for the trendiness.  It was to be a lifestyle change to improve my hubby's quality of life (and as a bonus, my own) and teach my kidderz the better way to live and the right choices to make.  However, the fact that some people look at it as a fad has discouraged us as a family.  We are now working our way back to what we know to be truth and health.  

Please don't let this be a passing fad for you.  Please don't just be "in a phase" at this particular point in life.  

Realize how important it really is, if you want to be the best you can be for your family, for God, for your friends, for your employer, for keeping your job, and for yourself.  

Don't worry.  We won't be part of a fad for long.  It'll blow away eventually, but we know what really works, and we'll be all the healthier and stronger for it.  We might not be "in style" any more, but we'll be wiser.  

In the words of Dave Ramsey:  

"Live like no one else,

so that later you can live like no one else!"

~

“Enter through the narrow gate. 

For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, 

and many enter through it. 

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, 

and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Mick's Groceries Together

Recently, a friend asked me if I have a list of things I buy and where I find them.  So, I feel it is time to dust off another old blog post.  I've been wanting to do it, so this is a good time!  It's from November 2011, which marked one year of our healthy lifestyle.  The list is basically the same now, but the stores have changed things once in a while.  I don't shop at Sam's Club as much these days, since they've chosen less healthy versions of some of the products.  A good change at the Harris Teeter store in our neighborhood is the inclusion of Ground Bison and Ground Grass-fed Beef!!!  Granted, we would like more variety, but I'll take what I can get!  Different Food Lion stores in our area have different organic and health food styles.  It's funny to see the same chain have such variances.  I was disappointed to see the one in our neighborhood take the raw milk cheeses and other great items off their shelves because of lack of interest.  However, soon after, I found another Food Lion down the road just a little bit, which has an amazing healthy section!  Just keep shopping around (literally), reading ingredients, and watching your goal!

For more selection, there are some great places to buy food online, such as U.S. Wellness Meats and Vitacost.

Mick’s in Groceries

Are you a Coupon Queen? I know some ladies who are great at couponing, and can probably be titled Coupon Queens. I’ve never achieved that status. I tried once, but failed. I discovered I was buying things I wouldn’t normally buy, just because I had a coupon. Nowadays, we buy “out-of-the-ordinary” items that are almost never put on sale and rarely put on a coupon. That’s OK, though. That is a sacrifice we are willing to make. I know: It sounds crazy to most. We are choosing to spend more on food that is nutritious and will enhance wellness, so that we spend a lot less on medicine to mask illness… and, boy, does it feel great!

Here’s a typical day in the life of our grocery shopping.

Weekly:
Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Granny Smith Apples
Berries
Bananas
Almond Butter
Smucker’s Simply Fruit
Butter
Raw Milk Cheese
Grass-fed Beef
Ground Turkey
Organic Free-range Chicken Breast
Free-range Eggs
Spinach
Mixed Greens
Broccoli
Feta Cheese
Organic Cream Cheese
Ezekiel Bread
Applegate Sliced Turkey
Veggies: Beans, Peas, Lima Beans
Cucumbers
Stonyfield Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
Coconut water and/or Naked juice for kidderz lunches
(We mostly drink water at our house.)
Splurge item: SoDelicious coconut ice cream!

On-hand, not purchased weekly:
Bolthouse Honey Mustard Dressing
Bolthouse Raspberry Dressing
Bolthouse Ranch Dressing
Garlic
Onions
Peppers: Green, Yellow, Red
Crushed Tomatoes
Black Beans
Pinto Beans
Coconut Oil
Protein Powder for shakes/smoothies
Raw Nuts: Almonds, Pecans, Cashews, Pistachios
Dates
Red/Pink Salt
Fresh-ground Pepper
Xylitol
Stevia
Almond Flour and/or Meal
Coconut Flour
Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)

I got an awesome deal on eggs this week! My brother and his wife raise chickens, and they are sending some eggs to us, by way of our parents. Yay!! (Aren't big brothers and parents the best?!)

Keeping it simple is the key!

Have fun experimenting with nutrition!

“We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.”

Numbers 11:5 (NIV)

~

Mick’s up With Apples

A favorite and easy breakfast (or anytime) dish at our house is what we call “Bakes Apples.”  They aren’t as yummy as the baked apples my Grammy made for us, all those years (and still does), but that’s what I call this dish anyway.


Since it’s so simple, I want to share it.  Maybe you'll find it helpful to add to your healthy lifestyle menu.

I recently heard variations on this type of baked apple dish, some healthy, others really not healthy at all (cringe!).  This one is healthy and offers a little protein sustenance, which is why I like to serve it in the mornings.

This is all there is to it:
Ideally, use organic apples (to avoid the pesticides, etc.) and of the Granny Smith variety (to keep the glycemic level low).  However, if you have the capability of none or only one of these suggestions, do what you can, and enjoy what apples you have.

Once you core and slice the apples, place them in a casserole/baking dish, and get ready to mix up some fun crunchies for the topping.  Do you have shredded coconut (unsweetened), flax seed, sliced almonds, protein powder, butter or coconut oil, almond or coconut flour, cinnamon, stevia, and/or coconut crystals? Put any or all of those items (and whatever else you can throw in) in a bowl, and mix together to make a delicious crumble on the apples. 

Place the entire mixture in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or long enough to soften the apples.

It’s as easy as that!  If you have a yummy, healthy whipped topping, go ahead and put some on top.  Maybe you have found some of the healthier ice cream available, too, like So Delicious coconut ice cream or Clemmy’s.  Any of those will turn this breakfast dish into a heavenly dessert, and with the protein added, it’s a dessert with a boost!  It can’t get much better than that.

Enjoy!!

“Keep me as the apple of your eye;

    hide me in the shadow of your wings” 

(Psalm 17:8 NIV)

~

What's the Mick's up?

After having written 100 posts, it seems time to revisit the mission of this Mick's up Life, lest we lose focus. (It's also a great opportunity to introduce new readers to the info that can be found in a Mick's up Life.)

So, I welcome you to join us on the path to a Mick's up Life! (Click on the links throughout, for fun adventures into the variety of Mick's up topics.)

Why did I bring my family on this ride?

Because the results of our new lifestyle got my hubby pain-free and all of us medicine-free, we feel we have to share what knowledge we have on the subject. Too many people suffer!  Since Jay-hubby has first-hand experience with FMS, we both know it is a disease people are in desperate need of getting out from under.  We see Fibromyalgia so commonly diagnosed these days, but that doesn't mean doctors know what to do about it. There really are no answers for it, and those victims in the midst of it are at the end of their rope, feeling like nobody understands, nobody cares, and like there's no end.  We want them to know that's not the way it has to be!

Just saying you need to eat healthy and exercise isn't getting us anywhere.  There are many versions of healthy living, but from what I have seen, they all fall short... except one... the one we were blessed to find 2+ years ago... the lifestyle we chose.  The one that saved us is the one which follows what are called the 5 Essentials of Maximized Living.  The info I gleaned while working in a Max Liv office covers all the bases, and bringing that information into every day life for readers is my mission, in order to encourage individuals and families to make healthy decisions for the long term.

So many people have said to us, in their own way, "Yes, we're so happy it helped you... but that's you... and I'm me.  I don't have the same reasons you do for changing the way I live, so I'll just keep doing what I've been doing, since I'm healthy enough, and I'll stay in my little comfort zone."

I'm sorry to hear that.  I really am!  Do I spread this information for my own benefit?  No! Why would I?  Why would I do this, other than to open people's eyes to improve their own lives?  Every person is precious, created by the One True God, and deserves to live life to the fullest.  Isn't that reason enough?

OK.  Fine.  For those of you who think I must have some selfish reason for writing, I'll go ahead and admit it.  I want everyone around me to be healthy... so they can be productive... and happy.  It will make my world... and the future world of my kidderz... much nicer and safer.  There.  I said it.  Selfish of me, isn't it?

Well, I'm not sorry... and sharing this Mick's up Life of ours is one way for us to get the word out and try to get the world a little bit healthier.

Where do we start? Inflammation and toxicity are two of the biggest enemies we all have, causing sicknesses (even minor ones), pain, and chronic disease.  Just a few simple tweeks in our daily living, and we can keep them at bay.  With this guide to a Mick's up Life, find some of the "whys" for handling stress, improving the nervous system, saying "yes" to some surprising foods and "no" to others, increasing exercise, and decreasing toxins.

I'm no expert.  I'm simply a mom, who found what works and what doesn't... and instead of making you do the research and trial-and-error, I want to give you a head start.  As they say, "Why reinvent the wheel?"

This is good for me and my family, too!  We constantly need it in front of us, so we don't forget why we do what we do.  Of course, the painful joints, stuffy sinuses, and grumpy attitudes we encounter in the days following a splurge with sugar and/or wheat are cruel reminders... but it would be nice to save ourselves the suffering.  So, we are reading right along with you, in order to keep us on the right path. 

Thanks for taking this journey with us!  I hope you find it's well worth the trip.

"I instruct you in the way of wisdom

    and lead you along straight paths."

Proverbs 4:11 (NIV)

~

Mick’s up With the Skinny

Some readers might view this blog’s purpose as an advertisement for one of the “next best” diet fads.

That certainly is not the case.

I have not been one to jump on the nearest bandwagon.  Ask my hubby.  Just yesterday we had a brief discussion in which he assured me that he knows I keep far, far away from anything cliché.  (In other words, I don’t choose the “popular” route, and I despise fads.)

Many people in my circle of acquaintances approach me proudly to tell of a recipe they like to use that has “low fat” this and “nonfat” that.  I actually take offense to those statements.  True.  I shouldn’t.  However, it feels like an insult, because never do I mention those phrases in my information.  The reason is:  They usually have nothing to do with my main objective for sharing what I’ve learned, but instead those phrases give the impression that “diet” and “weight loss” are the tactics involved.

Basically all the health information I share boils down to this: Healthy cells and spines allow the body to function at 100%.
 
Do you want to be and remain cancer-free?  Are you hoping to make your children’s lives as disease-free as possible?  Does your family health history scare you?

I don’t think the catwalk is where you’ll find the answers you need for true health.

You are beautiful just the way God made you!  Your family and friends want to celebrate life with you for a long, long time.  That alone should be enough of a reason to work at being 100% healthy.  Isn’t it?!

Jonny Diaz sings a song that says it well: “More Beautiful You.”  Enjoy the video link below.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

~

Mick's up with Horses

You can lead a horse to water...

I am enjoying time with my parents, away from the every-day chores and monotony.

The expectations I had of these couple of weeks included journaling, catching up on reading, relaxing, exercising, and starting back up on blogging.

Well, what I did not expect was to have so many horses around to love.

My parents are boarding horses for the summer, in order to have animals around for the grandchildren during their visit.  Along with these horses came a pony and her 3-month-old baby.  Who can ignore a baby?!  We have been working at teaching this baby to enjoy being around humans and to trust them to handle her.  We've made progress!  I'm going to hate to leave her.

During this wonderful time in horse heaven, I was reminded of a popular cliche.  Because of the hot temperatures we've experienced, several times I witnessed someone leading a horse to water, thinking they're being helpful.  You know the rest, "but you can't make it drink."  It's true!  Those horses won't drink just because you take them to water!

It's the same with health and lifestyle information.

I can take people to the information, but I can't make them live it.

It's that way for all of us.  We have a wealth of information we want to share with others, but it's up to others to do something with it.

Those of you who have information to share, hang in there!  Be faithful.  Keep up the good work.  I know you're out there!  I've had several heartfelt conversations this summer with people wanting this healthy lifestyle stuff to "click" for their loved ones.  I also know of hearts heavy with the burden of bringing friends and loved ones into the Kingdom of God.  It hurts to know they don't want to be saved from an eternity of torture.  It would be so easy for them to escape that.  We can't make them accept that gift that is at their fingertips.  It has to be their choice.

To those of you at the other end of the information (the lead rope, so to speak), nobody can make you (drink) understand or want to do something with that "water."  Please know it's all in love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, 

  that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.  

Whoever believes in him is not condemned,  

but whoever does not believe stands condemned already

because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."

John 3:16-18 (NIV)

~

Mick’s up Sodas

You’ve probably heard  by now the news about Pepsi commenting on their Mountain Dew law suit.  Kind of gross, isn’t it?  It would be bad enough to imagine a mouse was in the batch, but I think it’s even worse to hear the company admit a mouse carcass would not survive in the liquid.  If the soda can do that to something inside it, imagine what it’s doing inside us!  Besides that, did you read the article that tells us a fire retardant is in the ingredients list?

I’m not even going to get into the diet vs. regular argument.  There are some nasty stats I can share on that alone, but the point of this post is that soda in general should be avoided.

Don’t get me wrong.  I used to LOVE soda and drink it ALL the time.  In fact, if I’m around soda, it’s still a temptation for me.  My husband, being a computer programmer, used to run on Mountain Dew and Twizzlers as his fuel.  Thankfully, we both wised up.  Then information like this comes out that reminds us why we decided to seriously give up soda. 

Besides, we want our bodies to be less acidic, if we want long, healthy living, right?  If so, soda is certainly not the beverage we should be consuming.

I can understand the desire to drink a soda now and then, especially on your splurge nights, like maybe Friday pizza nights.  However, if you choose, like we do sometimes, to have a healthier pizza night, or just need that fizz of soda on an ordinary day, there are alternatives.  In my Mick’s up with the Sweeteners, I mention a soda sweetened with stevia, which I am finding in more and more grocery stores now.

Another idea is to make your own soda at home!  We’ve had fun doing that with our soda maker we have left over from our coffee shop ownership days.  There is also the Sodastream Penguin Starter Kit .  For our house, we choose to find healthy fruit juice or mix up juice from freshly squeezed lemons and limes.  This way, we get the fizz and yummy flavors without the sugar and other gross ingredients that would harm our bodies.  We still have lots more experimenting to do, so if you have any ideas, please leave them in a comment here, or write on the Mick’s up facebook wall.


Thanks for dropping by!

Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do…

Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’

But God said to him, ‘You fool!’

Luke 12:18-20

~

A Mick’s up with Aha!

Have you ever read something that you have come away from saying, “Aha!  So THAT’s why!”?  That just happened to me today.  I’m so glad a friend shared on his Facebook a link to the article How to Starve Cancer Out of Your Body - Avoid These Top 4 Cancer-Feeding Foods.

As I read through the article, I had several “Aha!” moments.  Now I can better explain why we do what we do to be a healthier family, as well as why I believe what I believe about doing or not doing certain things for the sake of avoiding cancer and other serious diseases.

As I mentioned in It's a Mick's up With Cancer Information, I don’t like the idea of women getting mammograms.  Focusing on breast cancer, the article I read today gives some good reasoning behind that, as well as some alternatives.  Dr. Horner states, “Everything has its pros and cons… [M]ammography produces radiation, which has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.  It's like, ‘Why are you doing the test to look at a disease when it's actually causing the disease, too?’”

When I read, “Vitamin D cuts your (cancer) risks in half.  Turmeric and anti-inflammatories cut your risk in half,” I thought to myself, “Aha!  I’m so glad my family and I are keeping up with taking our Vitamin D3 and our EFA (Omega)!  I can hope that this means our kidderz won’t have to watch us suffer from cancer, nor experience suffering themselves,” especially when reading, “Healthy fats of particular importance for cancer prevention are omega-3 and omega-9.  According to Dr. Horner, omega-3 in particular serve to effectively slow down tumor growth in estrogen-sensitive cancers such as breast-, prostate- and colon cancers.”  Aha!  Yes, again, aha!  Our major avoidance of bad fats is rationalized!  Woohoo!  We really ARE reading these labels for a good reason.

The next “aha!” was regarding grass-fed meat.  Why am I so picky about my family eating the right kind of meats?  Some days I get doubting this myself, and I start asking that question.  Articles, such as this, put it in perspective again.  We get inflammation issues and cancer risks with the wrong meat.  Meats from confined animal feeding operations (CAFO's) “are given antibiotics, growth hormones and other veterinary drugs that get stored in their tissues.  Additionally, cooking the meat over high heat creates heterocyclic amines, which further add to its carcinogenic effect.” 

Then, if I get thinking about what hormones in foods are doing to children in regard to way-too-early development, I wonder, “So, what is the bad result of this, other than being abnormal and frustrating?”  Articles like this help to answer this and other questions:  Bodies end up getting more “estradiol, which is the strongest, most abundant form of estrogen, and the one that's most associated with breast cancer.”  Plus: “cells become really sensitive to environmental toxins, radiation, and so forth.  They're considered immature.  They haven't differentiated– as a more scientific term for it– so there's a longer period of time that they're exposed to these toxins where they have a greater sensitivity.”  Whether or not it makes sense or can be easily understood, all I know for sure is that I want to give my kidderz the best chance of living with healthy cells and bodies to fight off any risk of cancer.  It’s not fair to do otherwise. Is it? If you have the knowledge, but choose to ignore it and continue to put your loved ones in danger, is that really love?

With that in mind, let’s talk sugar.  Since the start of our “no sugar” kick, I get extremely excited to see or hear someone else with the same opinion about sugar and other inflammatories.  Dr. Horner refers to them as “cancer-promoters” and explains that this includes ALL forms of sugar, including fructose and grains.  “To me, sugar has no redeeming value at all, because they found that the more we consume it, the more we're fuelling every single chronic disease,” Dr. Horner says. 

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?  Cut out the sugars!!

Dr. Horner continues, “In fact, there was a study done about a year ago… and the conclusion was that sugar is a universal mechanism for chronic disease.  It kicks up inflammation.  It kicks up oxygen free radicals.  Those are the two main processes we see that underlie any single chronic disorder, including cancers.  It fuels the growth of breast cancers, because glucose is cancer's favorite food.  The more you consume, the faster it grows.” Enough said?!

So, what is good to eat? 

Do you have a sister, dad, husband, kidderz (or even yourself) who do not like to eat “rabbit food?”  Are you needing some “ammo” to convince them of the importance of eating greens?  Well, here’s an “aha!” for you.  Dr. Horner describes plants by saying, “some of them behave exactly like chemotherapy.  Every plant has some anti-cancer properties to them. There are some that are standouts.  Cruciferous vegetables are something that I really recommend.  They're a family of vegetables that include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, and Brussels sprouts… All of them have several different chemicals in common.  They've got indole-3-carbinol, Calcium D-glucarate, and sulforaphane.  They have big anti-cancer properties to them, and they inhibit the growth of breast, prostate, colon cancer and a variety of other ones.  Of all the families of vegetables to consume, [cruciferous vegetables] are the ones to be aware of, so you can make sure you're including that in your diet frequently.”

I use flax seed at times, but never seem to remember why.  Dr. Horner helps by saying, “The lignans in flax seed inhibit the growth of cancer in about a dozen different ways, including the exact same mechanism as the anti-cancer drug Tamoxifen and Arimidex, which shut down an enzyme in fat cells called aromatase that converts androgens into estrogens.” Aha!  We’ll be adding more flax seed to our recipes, for sure!

My husband tries to get proper sleep, but when he slips up, I try to explain to him how important it is.  Dr. Horner does a much better job at it:  “If we, for instance, go to bed by 10, we have higher levels of our sleep hormone melatonin; there's a spike that occurs between midnight and 1am, which you don't want to miss because the consequences are absolutely spectacular.  Melatonin is not only our sleep hormone, but it also is a very powerful antioxidant.  It decreases the amount of estrogen our body produces.  It also boosts your immune system… And it interacts with the other hormones.  So, if you go to bed after 10… it significantly increases your risk of breast cancer.”  Aha!  (Well, I like to think it doesn’t stop at breast cancer.)  Any cancer in general is a good enough reason, not to mention all the other benefits… but definitely assisting the immune system is something we all need.

Moving on to things other than food, we’ll look at stress.  We cannot stop traumatic events from happening in life, but it is interesting and insightful to read that when you experience stress like that, “your risk of breast cancer is 12 times higher in the ensuing five years.”  That’s more like an “ugh!” than an “aha!”

The final “aha!” is exercise.  It has some good defense, too! “One of the primary ways exercise lowers your risk for cancer is by reducing elevated insulin levels, which creates a low sugar environment that discourages the growth and spread of cancer cells.  Additionally, exercise improves the circulation of immune cells in your blood.  Your immune system is your first line of defense against everything from minor illnesses like a cold right up to devastating, life-threatening diseases like cancer.”

So, just like it’s nice to know why you’re right in telling your kidderz to wear a helmet when they ride their bikes, it’s nice to know why you’re right in creating healthier habits.  Go with your gut!  You know healthier is better. 

I’ll leave you with an even better “aha!” than all the above “ahas!” combined:

Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.

Jeremiah 32:17

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Mick’s up Desserts

Yummmm!!!!  Yummmm!!!!

Aren’t holiday goodies just so yummy?!

Now that you’ve had your 3 or 4 splurges during the season, it’s time to get back to the normal routine, but your sweet tooth says it still needs some dessert once in a while, right?!

There are plenty of alternatives out there.  Why go for the sugar, when you can have food that’s tasty AND healthy?

Some great resources are (and I’m sure you can add some of your own finds to the list):

• Healing Cuisine by Elise
• eRecipe Book
• Good Food
• Healthy Food is a Piece of Cake
• Maximized Cooking
• Smart Meals
• Heal Thyself

Is it easy to resist desserts? No way!  You don’t know how much I wish (sometimes) I was ignorant of the killer effects of sugar and grains, like I used to be. I do not like living an “abnormal” life (according to most people around me).  I do not like being labeled as a “health nut.”  In reality, I don’t see myself as that.  I simply see myself as a wife and mom, who is planning ahead for my husband and children, doing everything possible to help them avoid a future filled with pain and disease (and helping my husband and me live life to the fullest NOW, rather than the way we were before).  Would it be easier to live like we used to?  Yes!  Would there be a lot less resistance with our choices of foods?  Yes!

Would we feel as alive as we do now?  No!

As much as I might want to at times, I will not give up!  Can you hang in there with me?  Please… Don’t give up!

OK… I think it might be time to try a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie recipe (using almond butter)!!!!!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie

Take 3 cups of almond flour and mix in 1 stick of melted butter until you have a dry paste.  Flatten the mix into a pie pan until you have created a base crust.  Bake this for 5-12 minutes in the oven or until lightly browned.

Heat, on low heat, the peanut butter (or any nut butter you like) until liquid consistency and pour a very thin layer into your browned pie crust.  You will not like the recipe as much if you get too much peanut butter in it.  So spread it thin.

NOW the good stuff, the chocolate pudding:
If you do not have a Vitamix blender, then mix this part 1/2 to 1/3  at a time in a traditional blender.
Pour 1 can of Coconut milk into blender,
Add 1.5 scoops of Chocolate Perfect Protein powder
1 heaping teaspoon of Stevita brand stevia
2 heaping tablespoons of organic cocoa
1 large ripe banana
Take 5 large ripe avocado’s and add them on top of the mix and blend.

Once it is mixed, it will be the consistency of traditional pudding.

Pour this into your pie crust and put in the fridge overnight or for a couple hours.

Take any left over pudding and put it in a glass 1/3 of the way full and fill with frozen blue berries.

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“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it;

I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”

Jeremiah 33:6 (NIV)

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Mick’s up with Your Travel

Since we just finished a great week of travel over the holiday, soaking up lots of love from family, I’m thinking you might be traveling, too.  We love visiting parents, brothers and sisters-in-law, nephews, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles… but it sure can be a pain in the neck!


I don’t mean it as a cliché.  I mean it literally!

If Jay and I don’t take our regular pillows with us when we travel, then we have pains in our necks each morning and throughout the days.  Why is that?  Do you have the same problem?  What do you use for sleeping?  What is recommended for proper sleeping?

First, the why:  “Sleeping on a pillow that does not properly support your neck or causes it to tilt forward can gradually decrease the angle of the cervical curve and cause pain, stiffness, headaches, and misalignment of the vertebrae over time.” (Dr. Suzy)  There it is!  We need to support the natural curve in our necks.  “A normal, healthy neck has a small lordosis, which means it curves.” (Anne Asher)

Next, the what:  I have always wondered what is healthiest for sleeping, and so I was very excited to be told at my previous chiropractor’s office of a neck support to use while sleeping.  So far, that is the best thing I have found.  Nothing worked as well before I used this cervical pillow, and I have not yet come across anything since.

You might use a type of pillow suggested by your doctor.  I am not going to say it is good or bad.  If you are trying to improve your cervical curve, then that is a great place to be!

Finally, the how:  As much as people don’t want to hear it, there are some sleep positions that are just not at all good for the spine.  If you truly, honestly want to be the healthiest you can be, then you need to consider your spine, and in this case, how you sleep.  Lying on your back and using spinal supports is the best thing you can do for yourself, when it comes to sleeping.  It takes time to get used to it, if you are not a back sleeper… but it sure is worth it!  (I heard a great tip from a chiropractor recently.  She suggested that a stomach sleeper wear an oversized shirt for pajamas, and stuff a pillow under the shirt at the chest/belly area.  This should hinder a stomach sleeper from rolling onto their belly while sleeping.)

Keep your chin up!

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8 (NIV)

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Mick's up Laughter

I pray you have an enjoyable Christmas, gathered with family.  If you do get to be with family, most likely you’ll be having lots of laughter.  Getting together can be a a lot of fun… and healthy.

In a study, it was found that people “burned 20 percent more calories when laughing, compared to not laughing.”  (Laughter Can Burn Calories)
 
These calories are burned by the use of approximately 53 muscles, including abdominal and facial muscles.  (Fun Trivia) 
 
Consider the facts:  “It takes 65 muscles to frown and 13 to smile.  Why work overtime.” (B. J. Palmer)
 

Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

Psalm 126:2-3 (NIV)

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Mick’s in Some Christmas Travel

Are you traveling this Christmas, like we are? 

Do you wonder how to eat healthily on the road?  We do, too… but we can share with you some ideas.

Planning ahead is key.  If you can’t or don’t want to pack your own healthy foods for the trip, then think up some alternatives.  Look at menus online before you head out, or find resources, such as the Curves™ book.  On page 163, there are a few helpful tips:  “Fast-food restaurants are okay as long as you order a burger or grilled chicken sandwich (throw away the bun) and a side salad… do not ‘super size’ your order… and of course, don’t order the fries.”  Also, Subway® has salad options.  No, I know the salads aren’t made with the most nutritious greens, nor are the meats the best choices, but it sure beats the nuggets at some of the other fast-food chains.

At this point, I’m not even going to consider addressing the grass-fed meat issue, nor the wild-caught fish information.  For a meal or two, while traveling, amidst the overall healthy eating habits developed to this point, doing your best at eating foods to help boost your immune system and your energy level, instead of dragging you down and causing inflammation, pain, and sickness, is the main focus.

“Fill your plate with Free Foods (Curves™ lingo for low-cal/low-carb)… and bypass the starches and desserts.”

(Gary Heavin and Carol Colman in Curves™ page 163)

Fast-food is not my top choice, so if you have time in your travel schedule for a sit-down meal, it might be an easier find for health-boosting foods (rancid oils are the biggest threat here, but do your best).  Again, the Curves™ book says it well:  “An Italian restaurant that offers salads and meat or fish entrees is workable.  Diners are great because they typically have a wide variety of food and serve it without a lot of fancy sauces.  Asian restaurants are a great option as long as you order the steamed or lightly sautéed vegetables with fish or chicken and avoid the deep-fried selections or foods cooked in heavy sauces.”

We had fun stopping at a mom-and-pop-style coffee shop on our last trip.  This allowed for the option of fresh, healthier sandwiches and wraps.  Of course, in a café like that, the sandwiches are made-to-order, which means you can order it open-faced or with an option other than the bread.  Try it out.

Remember, you’re eating for fuel, not for entertainment.  I like the quote, “Eat to live, don't live to eat.” (Benjamin Franklin)

Packing healthy snacks for between meals on the road is easy enough with foods like LARABAR, Granny Smith Apples, celery, grapes (in a solid container, not a plastic baggie, unless you want grape juice… just speaking from experience here), raw nuts and trail mix (but try to forego the chocolates and the oily nuts) with dates and raisins, Fruit Ropes , bananas, and low-glycemic candies.  WATER… remember lots of water!  One way to keep alert is to keep hydrated. 

Another way to keep alert is to have fun!  Play travel games, like I-spy and telling riddles, etc.  Listen to family audio dramas, such as Adventures in Odyssey and Lamplighter Theatre.  Keeping your mind and body busy with activity will keep your mind off food.

We wish you safe travels and happy eating!

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

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