All it takes is saying "No" one time

Sometimes all it takes is saying, "No" one time...

By Nicole

It can all start by saying, "No" just one time. 

I can't even imagine what it would feel like to have to lose 20, 50, or even a hundred pounds just to feel like yourself again or even trying to stop a food addiction like soda.  However, you have to start somewhere. 

I completely understand how food offers so many things to the human body and a lot of us have had years to build this multi-faceted relationship with it. Just recently I had been struggling to stay strong with the lifestyle we follow. If someone had M & M's or any type of chocolate I was on it. It left me feeling lethargic and lacking motivation to be as active as I would have liked. 

So, something had to be done. I just had to say, "NO" one time to a food offer that would do my body more harm than good. I know that food temptation is EVERYWHERE, but you can change. 

So what can you do?

Take a second to write down what it is you are eating throughout the day, sort of like a food journal. After about a week, examine those choices. What percentage are vegetables? Fast food? Healthy fats and meats? Processed food? Grains? Water? Sugar in all forms (soda, fruit, candy, alcohol, juice, etc)? For most, these results are eye opening, so what are you going to do to change?

Decide what it is you can possibly cut back on or even eliminate to make you healthier. For most people sugar is their main addiction and new studies are showing sugar can be just as addictive as drugs like cocaine.

When analyzing your nutrition, always try to remember what paleolithic, or original man, had accessible to him (or her). They did not have access to much fruit, so the constant craving for sugar was never there. But over the years, fruit has become so accessible and sadly, larger (I am pretty sure apples shouldn't be the size of a softball) it has people walking around in a constant sugar craze. 

So, please do yourself a favor and break up with these foods which are causing weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, thyroid issues, cancer and so much more. All it takes is for you to say, "NO" just one time. Trust me, after that one moment of strength you will start to feel better, then you will start to look better and it will continue to get easier and easier to stay strong! 

Wondering where to start? Here is a recipe you can say, "yes" to and it is so simple even a cave man could do it!

Crockpot Chicken

1 whole chicken

3 bags baby carrots

1/2 stick of butter (organic is best)

Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste. 

Place the whole chicken in the crock pot, breast side down. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder.  Slice the butter and place on top of the chicken, save some slices to put on the carrots. Place the opened bags of carrots around and on top of the chicken.  Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for three. 

Of course, you need another vegetable. Here is our children's favorite way to have broccoli...

4-6 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets 

Grapeseed oil (olive oil is best not heated)

Salt and pepper

Place the broccoli on a large baking pan. Drizzle well with grapeseed oil and season generously with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until most pieces start to crisp. You will want to stir halfway through. 

Trust us, once you have it this way, you won't want to have it any way else!

Enjoy!

It's all about your Blood Sugar

By Nicole:

Blood sugar can greatly impact your health, even
for the non-diabetic.

The pancreas is an organ in the body we all take for granted, until it doesn't work anymore. Your pancreas is responsible for so many functions that most are not aware of.  I hate to say that one of it's functions is more important than the other, however, the production of insulin is probably it's most important.

Here are some questions, and answers, to some common questions regarding blood sugar and what they have to do with you.

What is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone that is produced by your pancreas.  Your body uses insulin to move the sugar (glucose) obtained from food from the bloodstream into the cells throughout the body.  The cells are then able to use the sugar for energy.  However, if your pancreas does not work, then your blood sugar will rise to dangerously high levels.  Those high blood sugar levels are what will cause damage in your body from kidney, nerve, vision and cardiovascular damage.

What does this mean to my health?

Generally, you should try to avoid blood sugar spikes after eating, to ensure your body doesn't have to produce as much insulin to help metabolize your food.  Research suggests that your fasting blood sugar should be less than 95 mg/dL, anything over and you could be setting yourself up for disease. Remember, bacteria, viruses, and cancers thrive off of sugar; therefore, eating a diet that is low in sugar, less than 25 grams of fructose daily will help keep disease at bay.

What are some foods that cause a blood sugar spike?

Recognize that not all foods are created equal, some cause a higher spike than others.  Foods like corn, wheat, rice (white and brown), oats and many fruits will all cause acute spikes in blood sugar.

So, what can I eat?

High fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrate meals.  Please remember fat is actually good for you and important for your body.  Just try to fill over half of your plate with vegetables and a small amount of protein. One of your most important goals should be to try and source the majority of your food from grass-fed sources. These would include animal by-products, butter, eggs, and meat.

Below are some examples of meals we eat on a weekly basis

• Salmon, sweet potatoes with butter, and green peas
• Meatloaf, roasted cauliflower, and green beans
• Black bean burgers, green beans with bacon, and roasted broccoli
• Spaghetti - spaghetti squash, sauce and ground beef

If you are wondering if our children eat what we eat, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Our children eat exactly what we eat, they just get a little more carbohydrates through sweet potatoes and fruit.

Finally a few recipes to try for the weekend...

Pumpkin Pancakes

4 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin

2 TBSP coconut flour

2 TBSP coconut oil- melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 banana- mashed

1/4 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

Combine and mix all ingredients, let sit for about 5 minutes to let coconut flour absorb.  This can then be made into pancakes, muffins or put in a pan for bread.  It is delicious with some butter and apple butter or just by itself.

Chicken chili

6 chicken thighs

6 small chicken breasts

Medium jar of salsa

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

salt/pepper to taste

1 can black beans- rinsed and drained

Place the first 7 ingredients into the crock pot on high for 3-4 hours.  Once the chicken is cooked, the chicken should shred.  Add the black beans and let cook through.

Enjoy, and be content knowing what you eat can help sustain those blood sugar levels throughout the entire day.