Do you remember the first time you hated your body?
I do. I was 6 years old – the same age my daughter is now.
My mom had taken me shopping for new clothes and had to search high and low to find the size “6X” I needed. No one explained to me what “6X” meant, and I certainly don’t remember hearing anyone saying anything derogatory about my body that day. But they didn’t need to. I got the message – I was too big for the clothes that normal 6-year-old girls wore.
A years-long conversation had just begun. A conversation that called into question whether my body – and, by implication, whether I – was enough. Thin enough, pretty enough, good enough, and every other kind of enough I longed to be.
I see the same conversation beginning for my daughter…and probably for yours too, whether you realize it or not.
Our girls are struggling more than ever, at younger ages than ever, to accept and appreciate their bodies. The facts are sobering:
Nearly half of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner.
81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat.
Half of 9- to 11-year-olds are on diets, and 80% of their families are on diets.
The odds are, our girls are already engaged in the battle at some level, and they desperately need us fighting alongside them.
So what’s a momma to do?
Especially if she herself still hears a voice inside that says she’s not enough?
As a dietitian, a former disordered eater, and a fellow mom, my encouragement to you – and to myself – is this: “ENOUGH!”
Haven’t we had enough?
For our sake and for the sake of the next generation of God’s daughters, don’t we know yet that we are enough?
No matter where you are in your own journey of body acceptance, NOW is when your daughter needs you. She needs you to give words to the conversation already happening in her head, and here are five things she needs to hear you say.
5 Things Our Daughters Need To Hear About Their Bodies
1. You are loved.
Our daughters (and our sons!) need to hear that they are loved by their Creator and by us as their parents, just because of who they are. My husband and I tell our kids stories of how much we loved them from the moment they were born, even before they could do anything to earn our love. We tell them how thankful we are that God put them in our family, and we tell them that, no matter what they do, where they go, or how old they are, they can never escape God’s love or ours.
Love won’t shield my daughter from questioning her physical appearance. But it will give a context of security and unconditional acceptance for her to fall back on when the questions come.
2. You are beautiful.
Fearing an overemphasis on physical appearance, some people neglect to comment on their daughters’ beauty altogether. But I believe the desire for beauty and love are God-given, and we frequently and affirm both our daughter’s physical beauty and the beauty of her character.
When parents – especially daddies – tell a little girl she’s beautiful and special, they help define how she views herself, how she views men, and even how she views God. If dads don’t affirm their daughter’s beauty and value, she will seek that affirmation from other men. (Source)
3. The most beautiful things about you aren’t seen with the eyes.
Young children think and reason concretely – it’s just the way God made them. So, while they may accept abstract ideas as true, they probably won’t fully understand them until age 10-12 (Source).
Since they’re prone to look outwardly to help them reason, our young girls need to hear often from us that there is a deeper beauty on the inside that determines how we think, speak, and act, and that this beauty far exceeds anything that can be seen with the eyes.
I try to point out to my daughter the character traits that are shown when she or others speak or act in a certain way, and we discuss how those things – not appearances – reveal who we truly are and help us meaningfully relate to one another.
4. Your body is wonderfully made.
From a very early age, I’ve tried to build into my daughter a gratitude and awe for how God created our bodies. I look for opportunities to tell her about how her body heals its own cuts and scrapes, allows her to run and play, and turns food into fuel.
Understanding and thanking God for the ways our bodies work to keep us alive and healthy each day helps children understand there’s much more to their bodies than just their height and the color of their hair.
5. You are not in competition with other girls.
Our self-saturated culture tells our kids they can do more and have more, even if that comes at the expense of others. Ironically, I believe self-acceptance is strongly related to the ability to accept, even celebrate, others.
When my daughter tells me that another girl has a physical trait or material possession that she’d like to have, we talk about how wonderful it is that God gave those things to that little girl. We also discuss the ways my daughter can love and serve others with what God has given her.
Being genuinely happy for another child and thankful for how God has uniquely gifted her helps diffuse her natural desire to compare or compete.
Assurance and affirmation
As moms, it’s tempting to want to shield our girls from the struggles of life, especially if we’ve experienced them ourselves. But, many of us would agree that those very struggles are what God has used to define who we are today.
So let’s welcome every opportunity we have to speak into our daughters’ lives, assuring them of our love, affirming their inner and outer beauty, and helping them use what God has entrusted to them in order to love and serve others!
What kind of things do you think our daughters need to hear about their bodies?
5 Things I Learned About Special Needs That Also Apply To My Typically-Developing Children
When you have a child with special needs, you look at the world through the eyes of an occupational therapist, speech therapist, and developmental screening practitioner. We notice developmental appropriateness the way the football enthusiast understands exactly what’s going on in a 2-minute game clip on Sports Center, the auto mechanic can identify whether the smell coming from that car is oil, tires, or gas burning, and the musician knows how to replicate the chords in a popular song on the radio.
One of the things that I’ve enjoyed on our journey of having a child with special needs is how what I’ve learned with her applies to my typically-developing children. Here are 5 things that I’ve learned that apply to all families.
1. Developmentally appropriate baby equipment helps children concentrate on what they’re learning.
I have pretty minimal baby equipment (click here for my recommendations), but I like to give my children a developmentally appropriate high chair. See how his feet are flat on the bottom shelf in the chair and his knees are bent at 90 degrees? This gives stability to his body so that he doesn’t have to concentrate on not slipping down in the chair or be distracted by dangling legs and swinging feet and can focus on the fine motor activity of picking up little bits of food off his plate. This chair adjusts (you can buy them here) so it grows with him, still providing a place for his feet to rest and a chair that moves down inch by inch as he grows. This will be helpful as he does more fine-motor work at the table – play dough, coloring, finger painting, and more like that.
2. A good diet and getting enough sleep are essential for good development.
This used to be common sense, but in our busy culture many young children are getting fast food and junk food even as infants, and they aren’t getting enough sleep.
My older children go to bed at 7 in the winter and 8 in the summer when it’s lighter later. They sleep a full 12 hours, sometimes longer, in the dark winter months and a bit shorter than 12 hours in the summer. Yes, this means that we don’t do sports or classes that end after 6 pm. Their physical development depends on sleep, and most of the time getting enough sleep is going to be more developmentally helpful than any kind of extracurricular activity.
Well rested children are better able to regulate their emotions, are alert to learn in the classroom, and are more energetic and ready for physical exercise.
Healthy balanced meals filled with nutrient-dense food provide the nutrients children need to sleep well, learn, and, again, have the energy for physical exercise. When was the last time your child had a meal that was mostly protein and didn’t contain any processed food or refined sugar? I hope it was earlier today or last night for dinner!
Yes, we all get busy and our family is no exception. Birthday parties happen, work deadlines may prevent balanced homemade meals from being served for a time, but these things should be an exception rather than a rule. (For help getting kids to eat real food click here)
3. Sensory Integration Disorders are becoming more and more common
Think of nails on a chalk board, walking on gravel, or your least favorite food. None of these things are actually hurting you, but they all feel uncomfortable, don’t they? Next, think of a nice tight hug, snuggly blanket, pretty colors in the sunset, or pleasing music. These things are not physically necessary, but they feel good, don’t they? They are providing sensory input that your body craves.
Not only do we need a balanced diet of food, but we all require a sensory diet as well. For most people, daily living will provide this balance for us, but many children need some extra input or avoidance. Identifying what your child seems to be avoiding or craving can help you make simple changes that make the day more peaceful.
The child who is is constantly balancing on top of a pile of pillows to sit on the couch may benefit from a balance beam in their garage where they can challenge themselves.
Someone who gets cranky from shopping may be visually avoidant – the bright colors, signs, and lights in stores can be overwhelming. This person may benefit from a minimally decorated bedroom and more organized environment.
A child who bounces everywhere may be craving the high impact of coming down, and might enjoy a weighted blanket, heavy work (see below), and some bouncing on a trampoline.
A child who talks loudly and is constantly crashing block towers or listening to the TV too loud, if a hearing issue has been ruled out, may crave increased sound. This can be provided through headphones, which won’t disturb other members of the family.
Heavy work
Heavy work is important for children who are growing into their body and learning how to use their muscles together. Something like carrying around canned goods from the pantry, carrying around pillows or dragging blankies, or emptying the adult books from the book shelf helps emerging walkers and toddlers to use their muscles. This activity provides good feedback to the muscles and brain. This helps the brain to plan and execute things like going up a slide, sitting down, and then sliding down. This is necessary for increasing coordination and has nothing to do with ‘attention getting’ or making a mess to make you mad. (Oh how I cringe when parents take their baby’s developmental milestones as personal attacks)
4. Differences aren’t the end of the world and ‘early’ isn’t necessarily ‘best’
When you have a child with special needs, you become accustomed to not expecting anything to follow any pre-set timeline. When typically-developing children are born later in the family, there is much less worry if a child is behind their peers by a little bit in some area, and less pridefullness if they are ahead.
Teachers seem to appreciate my understanding that all children progress at a different rate, and if it’s within the range of ‘normal’ it’s 100% okay and no cause for concern.
Avoiding embarrassment if your child is behind can help you to meet him where he’s at so that he is getting the help he needs. Likewise, avoiding feeling like you’re the best parent ever if your child is ahead of their peers will make you much more enjoyable to be around.
5. Knowing what developmental milestones your baby is working on helps you bond with them.
I joke that I run a developmental assessment on my baby every week. But. It’s not really a joke. Once a week, or at least a few times a month I do look at a developmental milestone chart and see what he’s mastering, and what’s likely to come next. Not only does this provide reassurance that everything is going to plan (I won’t lie, I love the special needs stuff, but it is a lot more work and harder than raising a child that is developing typically), but it also gives lots of ideas for play activities that he absolutely loves.
When we understand milestones, we see activities for what they are – he is naturally practicing an activity that he will use his whole life. It’s not a discipline issue, or something that needs to be changed, it’s just what he’s doing this week or month. Giving him opportunities to play and use his new skills is enjoyable for the whole family.
For example, right now my 10-month-old just learned to put things in containers and take them back out. This has been really helpful (ahem) as he adds household objects that we need to our box that’s destined to go to the thrift store for donation. Or for all the Jenga blocks that are in every snow boot. Or for the blocks that are thrown in the dishwasher, kitchen towel drawer, or pull-out freezer.
Rather than wondering why he is doing this, I understand that he just learned this skill, and he’s practicing it. To play we have an empty cashew container from Costco, and we place blocks in and out. It’s great fun, he LOVES it.
Milestone charts aren’t just to make sure your baby is developing typically, and allow you to seek early intervention if he’s not, but they also provide a great heads up for what’s coming next, and lots of opportunities to play and bond with your baby.
For older children, understanding what is appropriate for their development helps them learn self sufficiency
My 6-year old can make hamburgers on the grill, take out the trash without being asked, use a pocket knife (though he lacks the maturity to remember not to bring it to school, so I have it for the school year), and use money to purchase something at the toy store. He absolutely dresses himself, and knows what is appropriate to wear for school, church, and play. He’s responsible for keeping track of his mittens and homework folder.
When you have a child who has special needs, you think about self care in a whole new way. When my children are developmentally able, I am more willing than many families that only have typically developing children to take the time to teach regular daily living activities, and put up with the messes involved while they learn to complete them. If a child is showing frustration from something that is developmentally appropriate, like putting on their own shoes, my experience with special needs makes me more likely to still require that they do it themselves rather than do it for them.
When you are raising a child that has special needs, struggle isn’t something that is feared as much, and this bleeds into every aspect of life for all family members.
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Original article and pictures take healthhomeandhappiness.com site
Staying healthy in the winter is kind of important, you know? That’s why we like to prepare ahead of time with our stay-healthy medicine cabinet. We’ve got 5 syrups here that you have to make, to promote health during the cold months, including some of our favorites!
As summer starts winding down and the natural sunshine starts wearing off, our immune systems starts wearing down. The lack of exercise, water, and natural sunlight shift our bodies into a less healthy state, and make us more susceptible to illness proliferating in our bodies.
Along with a healthy diet, nourishing traditional foods, and plenty of water and rest, you can make syrups and bitters that will bring you through the winter months with less illness. Create your winter medicine cabinet ahead of time to stay healthy!
Instead of breaking the bank, rolling up your sleeves for the mercury-laden flu shot, or saving up for doctor’s visits, load up on do-it-yourself syrups to boost your immune system and overall health before the sicknesses come blowing in.
5 Syrups to Make For Your Winter Medicine Cabinet
What You Will Need
– A handful of the herbs, fruits, and ingredients in your syrup. Source local and organic when possible.
– To make bitters, you will need 100% proof alcohol, or vegetable glycerin (for children).
Elderberries are a powerhouse of antioxidants and immune-boosting flavonoids. Elderberries are anti-viral and anti-inflammatory, and some research shows that it can even prevent cancer. Poultices of the berry and flower have been used to treat viral and stomach illness for centuries. The berries include a high dose of vitamin A, as well as one of the most potent sources of vitamin C. This is a must-have in your winter medicine cabinet.
How to Make
Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons of elderberries (if you have dried, allow them to sit in water at least an hour before preparing)
Soak the berries in filtered water if you are using dried. If you do so, use the portion of water the berries soaked in into your water calculation. After soaking,place the water, berries, and honey in a small saucepan with lid. Turn your stove on to a very low heat. Allow the mixture to heat for 20-45 minutes. Strain the mixture into a jar, leaving out the berries. Your syrup should be a rich, purple color (oh yes, it stains!).
You can make your elderberry syrup more syrupy by adding more honey, or less, by adding more water. I typically make a more watery mixture, so that it is easier to consume in times in health, and more of a syrup to line the throat during illness.
– Optional add in’s: a tsp of ground or fresh ginger or turmeric, ground cayenne
Warm honey on low heat, and remove from heat. Add pineapple juice, lemon juice, and optional add in’s, if desired. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Honey Cough Syrup & Chest Pack
The enzymes and good microbes in honey can cure a respiratory cough and sore throat, and break up mucus stuck in the lungs and esophagus.
It also will help your little one sleep during a cough. In the Sept. 2012 issue of Pediatrics, stated that some honey before bed will both help a child sleep and soothe his cough. Both the FDA and AAP have noted that most cough syrups are not safe for children under the age of six (6). So, what’s a natural mama to do? Turn to their local bee farmer, and an age-old remedy: raw honey.
How to Make
Honey Cough Syrup
Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons of local, raw honey
– A pinch of cinnamon
– 1 tbsp of filtered water, if desired.
Warm the honey on low heat, and add water and honey if desired. It is fine to simply give warm honey as cough syrup! To make a syrup to keep, add the water, and cinnamon for taste if desired. Mix thoroughly, and place in glass jar. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Honey Chest Pack
Using your local raw honey, combine with a starch, such as a fine flour or arrowroot powder, mix the honey and powder into a thicker paste.
Directions
Apply the paste to the chest, on the lungs for coughs. Cover with a warm rag (stick in or on your oven when it’s heating up or down after/before baking), and allow to sit for 20 minutes. This will break up the phlegm, and allow the child to cough it up. Repeat daily (nightly is best), as needed.
You surely know the many anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric. Golden milk or turmerictea is safe for children, however, the taste may not always quite suit them. I set out to make a simple syrup that would get all that goodness into my little sweet tooth. What better way to get the unending benefits of turmeric into your babe than to wrap them up into some sweet honey? This is a staple in our winter medicine cabinet!
How to Make
Ingredients
– 1 tablespoon raw grated or dried, powdered turmeric
– 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
– 2 tablespoons of raw, local honey
– 1 tablespoon of filtered water
Warm honey, and remove from heat. Add in the turmeric, cinnamon and stir in your filtered water. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Bitters have been used to heal digestive issues and maintain gut health for a long time. In fact, some say they are even more beneficial than probiotics(no, say it ain’t so!). They are also implied in eczema, allergies, and asthma, as well as hormonal conditions and even weight issues (too much and too little).
So how do they work? The long and short of it is that you have bitter taste receptors all along your digestive tract–from your tongue, to your intestines, to your stomach and pancreas, which stimulate digestion of toxins and release enzymes to properly digest proteins. This is an excellent addition to your winter medicine cabinet.
How to Make
Offer bitters before meals to improve digestion, or throughout a bout of illness.
As a general rule, use 1 part of dried bitter to 5 parts liquid, or 1 part raw bitter to 2 parts liquid.
Cut your bitters materials, and place in 4 oz glass mason jars. Cover with alcohol completed, and seal lid tightly. Shake bitters daily. Open the bitters to take a taste every few days – some take one day, others may take two weeks, and the longer they sit, the stronger their taste will be. When complete, take off the lid and strain out the bitters materials, discard. Mix in warmed honey and water, if desired. Place entire bitters mixture into a dropper, and enjoy! Bitters do not need to be refrigerated.
Bitter Chocolate RecipeA spoonful of sugar helps the tincture go down…try this bitter chocolate recipe if your little one is not stomaching bitters well.
Ingredients
– 1 tablespoon cacao powder
– 1 tablespoon raw, local honey
– juice or zest from 1 slice of lemon
– 5 drops of bitters of your choice
Instructions
Mix all ingredients, warming honey if necessary. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Making your own syrups is fun, and can save you a lot of money. Including your children in making these remedies can teach them how to naturally heal and prevent illness. Create yourself a winter medicine cabinet, and be ready for the cold weather ills.
What syrups have you made for your winter medicine cabinet?
Original article and pictures take modernalternativehealth.com site
It’s no secret that kids can be picky. As mindful mamas, we try to get nutrition in them where we can, but you just can’t make a kid eat what he doesn’t want to eat, amiright? Fortunately, there are ways you can sneak in some superfoods in order to meet their optimal nutritional needs.
5 Superfoods You Can Easily Sneak Into Your Kid’s Diet
While I prefer to teach my kids to enjoy nutritious foods, let’s be honest: there are just some foods they may never like (especially those I don’t particularly like, like liver!). I’m going to show you how to sneak in some of these nutritional powerhouses in ways that your kids won’t mind or even suspect.
Liver
Let’s be honest. No one really likes liver. At least, not many people. But, boy, does it pack a major nutritional punch! As one of the most super superfoods, liver is an excellent source of vitamin A, plus contains b vitamins like folic acid, iron, and a host of other nutrients.
Getting my kids to eat liver… that’s a whole different story. Luckily, I have some ways of sneaking it into their diet, and they are none the wiser! Here are some recipes to help you do just that:
I also keep pureed liver in the freezer to throw into other meals. To do this, follow these directions:
When we did the GAPS diet, my kids thought they were going to die if they had to eat one. more. bowl. of. soup. They can be a little dramatic. But- soup made with homemade meat stock is a good source of gelatin and a staple in the diet.
You don’t have to eat bowl after bowl of soup to get plenty of gut-healing gelatin in your diet though. And there are LOTS of kid-friendly recipes you can make with it.
Gelatin is packed full of amino acids and protein and helps to rebuild the gut lining, which is why it is emphasized on gut-healing diets. Even if you aren’t doing any special diet, gelatin is one of those superfoods you should try to get into your kiddos. Use one of the following recipes:
Fermented foods, like sauerkraut and kimchi, are revered by traditional cultures for good reason: they are full of good bacteria which help the gut stay populated and balanced, promoting a stronger immune system and better overall health. These superfoods should be incorporated into every meal, if possible.
Here are some great foods to start with to get your kids these amazing beneficial bacteria, while they think they’re just enjoying yummy foods!
Pickles
These ones are a no-brainer; most kids love pickles! But make sure they are traditionally fermented like Bubbies, or make them homemade.
Sauerkraut
Not all kids like sauerkraut, but hear me out! In my experience, my kids won’t touch the store-bought stuff, but if I make a good batch of homemade garlic dill kraut, all four of my boys will eat it!
If tangy foods aren’t on the menu just yet, you can try this fermented tea beverage, which most kids go gaga for! It’s like a real food soda, and you can find kombucha at many main-stream stores these days, as it’s become really popular. It’s very easy (and much easier on your pocketbook!) to make it yourself.
Most kids will eat yogurt, especially if you lightly sweeten it with maple syrup and load it up with some fruit! Avoid store-bought options that have added sugar or artificial colors and flavors. If you can’t make it yourself, look for grassfed, full fat, plain yogurt at the store.
Aside from cooking with these oils, you can encourage additional consumption of good fats (which are especially crucial for growing kids, as our brains are made primarily of fat– so it’s just what growing brains need!) by making them extra kid-friendly.
I make these coconut melt candies for my kids and they can’t get enough of them! You can also sub ghee for the coconut oil and make caramel candies. So good!
My kids even love ” fat bombs,” which we make with equal parts grassfed butter and raw honey and eat by the spoonful.
This one should be pretty easy, but I hear lots of parents say they just can’t get their kids to eat vegetables. My response is often that children adapt quickly and will eventually eat what you put in front of them.
But what about picky kids who are a little more stubborn? You can sneak vegetables in lots of places!
Chili is a good place to load up on veggies, as well as spaghetti sauce or omelets.
Soups and casseroles are good places to hide vegetables as well, especially if they have cheese like this casserole.
I often top vegetables with plenty of butter or cheese, and this is pretty effective for getting my kids to eat them! Just get creative, and you can get veggies into your kiddo’s diet more often than you think.
Do you think your child would eat these superfoods? What other tips do you have for sneaking in nutrition for kids?
Original article and pictures take modernalternativehealth.com site
Allergies, digestive issues, chronic health problems got you down? Here are 5 steps you can take to heal your gut, along with recipes to help you on your way.
This post contains affiliate links, FYI.
It’s not all in your brain…
Part of it’s in your gut.
Did you know 80% of your immune system is in your gut? And no, I don’t mean that extra little bit of stuffing around your middle that’s been hanging on since Thanksgiving. I mean your intestines! Yep, those squishy, slimy looking things that swirl around inside of you.
The same way a happy, healthy gut can keep your body going strong, a compromised, distressed gut can be the cause of all sorts of health issues:
allergies
skin issues
autoimmune diseases
IBS
chronic illness
Sounds depressing, doesn’t it?
But (thankfully), there’s always something you can do to help your body out! Here are five easy steps you can take to get your gut (and your health!) on the right track.
5 Steps You Can Take to Heal Your Gut
#1. Cut out the sugars and processed foods.
I feel your pain, even though the holidays are over, it’s still hard to stop eating the sugar. Processed sugars (corn syrups, white sugars, pretty much any ingredient with “ose” at the end of it) severely compromise your immune system. Not only that, they also act much like cocaine in your brain, causing an addiction forming reaction.
If you really have to have sweets, go for natural forms like fruits, honey, maple syrup, or stevia. Though even those should be used in moderation!
Much like refined sugars, processed foods will eat away at your immune system. Plus, they’re usually full of sugar and unnatural ingredients that your body doesn’t recognize, lowering your immune system.
#2. Go easy on the grains (even gluten-free ones!).
That’s right, even gluten-free grains are hard on your system! All grains, nuts, beans, and some seeds contain phytic acid, an enzyme inhibitor that makes them extremely hard on our intestines.
Also, like the sugars, too many grains can lead to an overgrowth of candida, a fungi that will damage your gut lining.
Here are some of my family’s favorite grain-free recipes, if you need help cutting back:
#3. Add in homemade bone broth.
Bone broth is a very nutrient dense food, full of vitamins and minerals. It helps seal up your gut and heal it from the inside! Just be sure that the broth your getting is homemade, the stuff from the store usually has added ingredients that are unnecessary and hard for your body to digest (like soy). So the next time you’re roasting up a chicken, save those bones and make yourself a pot of broth with them!
I like to drink a mug of homemade broth as often as possible – it’s comforting and delicious! If you’re not up for drinking it straight, it’s easy to get your broth in by using it for the liquid in your soups.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to sneak broth into my family:
#4. Supplement with grass fed gelatin and/or collagen.
Much like broth, these natural supplements will help seal your gut lining and keep your intestines strong and healthy! Gelatin and collagen contain the amino acid glycine which helps increase hyrochloric acid in the stomach helps our bodies digest and assimilate the nutrients in our food.
Not quite sure how to get these into your diet? Homemade fruit snacks and homemade marshmallows are a great way! Gelatin and collagen are also wonderful added to smoothies and drinks.
#5. Add in probiotic foods.
Like the opposite of antibiotics (which kill off bacteria in your body), probiotics help keep your immune system functioning well by keeping your gut full of healthy bacteria. Fermented fruits and veggies like pickles and yogurt are great ways to get probiotics into your diet, as well as fermented drinks like kvass, kefir, and kombucha.
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Embracing a healthy lifestyle is an important first step. But to really experience holistic health, you need to get your digestive system back on track.
5 Snacks to Stop Buying and Start Making From Home
Today, let’s talk about the 5 snacks you should stop buying and start making at home. When you make things from scratch, you control the ingredients, as well as the amount of trash you bring into your home. It’s not hard to make these snacks, it just takes a bit of time. I usually set aside an entire day to make snacks for the week, but I have two hungry teenagers, and all three kids work out at TaeKwonDo 2 1/2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Snacks are the lifeblood in my house!
Easy enough for breakfast, or to make up for quick snacks, this basic muffin recipe will get you going with all sorts of creative ideas! Here’s the basic recipe for homemade muffins:
Begin by whisking together in a bowl:
2 cups flour (whole wheat, white, or a combination)
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Then, in another bowl, mix together:
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 stick melted butter, or 1/2 cup oil
Mix the wet into the dry, until moist. Bake at 400° for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Here’s some fun and creative add-in ideas:
Add 1/2 cup dried cherries, apricots, or cranberries.’
1 cup frozen fruit (blueberries, chopped strawberries or peaches)
Add 1 cup of your favorite flavor jam
Add 1/2 cup raisins and replace the milk with sour cream.
Add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and omit the sugar.
Add 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, dill, oregano, or thyme.
TIP when you remove the muffins from the oven, turn them in the pan on their side. That will let the steam and heat escape from the bottom of the pan and your muffins won’t end up soggy
CRACKERS
These are really easy to make, once you get the hang of it. I usually have to make 5 batches in a row, because the first batch is “sampled” upon leaving the oven and the second batch is “just in case”. My kids love these!!
I use
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
Simply cut the butter into the flour until it forms little “chunks”. Add remaining ingredients. This will get you a stickyish dough. You should be able to roll it out without it sticking to your hands. If it does, add more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach that consistency. Roll it out as thin as you can get it, in one sheet. I roll mine on parchment paper. Using a pizza cutter (which works best here), cut the dough into strips one way, then into squares the other. Dock with a fork, and add sprinkle extra salt on top. Bake in a preheated 400° for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because the edges may be done faster than the middle. Remove to cool. Store in air tight container for a week. I usually don’t have them around more than 3 days, though.
TORTILLA CHIPS
Easy peasy, these are…Simply take your leftover tortillas (get the recipe here) and cut into triangles. Heat oil of choice to 375°. You’ll want at least 1/2 inch oil in a skillet or cast iron pot. I prefer my cast iron pot due to the ability to hold heat well. I like to use palm shortening, beef tallow, and coconut oil for mine. Simple place the cut tortillas into the hot oil for 2-3 minutes and remove to a plate with either paper towels, or an old terry cloth towel to drain. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and onion powder.
OR, you could sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mix for a sweet treat!
GRANOLA BARS
Another easy recipe for diy granola bars! You’ll never go back to buying them from the box again!
1 cup of add ins-chocolate chips, dried fruit, chopped nut, etc
Simply mix all the ingredients together and form in a 9×13 pan. Use a very sharp knife, and cut into bars. You can wrap yours in plastic individually, or we just take them out of the pan as we eat them.
FRUIT ROLL UPS
I like to make these out of applesauce when I am canning in the fall, but you can use any sauced fruit. Simply blend the fruit until it’s an “applesaucey” texture. If you have a dehydrator, dehydrate it for about 15-24 hours. Or, you can place in a 200° oven for 12-24 hours. We wrap ours up in parchment paper, and vacuum seal it for large quantities. Or you can just store in an airtight jar. I have found that they don’t really stick together too bad, even when you don’t put anything between them. Of course, you “could” sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on them to help keep from sticking, if you want.
Need some help getting back into the kitchen and cooking from scratch? Try this delicious collection of easy to make recipes to get you started!
Original article and pictures take thehomesteadinghippy.com site
5 Simple Ways to Raise a Kind Daughter (And Why It Matters to Her Health)
This post is sponsored by American Girl®. All opinions are my own, as always.
I have a secret obsession with psychology, and I’m gonna tell you why. You see, I write all the time about natural health and wellness. I share natural remedies, I talk about a real food diet, and I get geeky with you about natural health research and alternative medicine. I’m all about feeling vibrantly awesome, naturally.
Physical wellness is one thing, but there are other aspects to our overall health that cannot be ignored: namely emotional wellbeing.
Studies have proven over and over again that stress can actually have negative physical effects on our bodies, and that conversely, strong emotional health has positive effects.
You could be eating a flawless real food diet 100% of the time, but if you suffer a lack of relational and emotional wellness – it will eventually manifest itself in your physical health.
For as long as I can remember, kindness, empathy, and compassion have been on the forefront of my mind. I suppose as an INFP personality type, that’s not surprising, given that I’m a strong intuitive feeler.
(Side note: I realize that I’m making myself sound pretty great here, but that’s because we’re not talking detail-oriented tasks, efficiency, and schedules. Ha!)
I recently came across an article about a recent research study which revealed the number one trait that parents desire for their children to develop. Can you guess what it was? The number one trait was responsibility. Empathy was on the list too, but further down.
This probably won’t come as a shock, but I differ from the majority on this one. Responsibility is super important of course. But above all else, I want my children to be kind.
I firmly believe that a kind heart is part of a healthy body.
Kindness has been linked to an increase in helpful hormones like oxytocin, a reduction in anxiety, and faster healing from illnesses and pain.
So, with that being said, I want to share five practical things that I’m doing in this regard. Some are things I’m working on and aspiring toward, and others are things we’ve been doing for years.
5 Simple Ways to Raise a Kind Daughter
1. Talk about feelings
This one is crucial. Make feelings-talk a normal part of your daily vernacular as a family. Don’t shy away from big concepts, like frustration, disappointment, or fear. When kids are able to understand and manage their own feelings, they’re one step closer to understanding how other people feel, which is the precursor to empathy and kindness.
2. Make family rules
We use the phrase “we don’t do that in our family” a lot. There are certain rules of kindness and respect that everyone is expected to follow in our family.
Of course, this goes for the grownups too – modelling is absolutely crucial to successfully passing on character values. (Easier said than done, I know.)
3. Minimal stuff
My kids’ general state of discontent is directly proportionate to the amount of stuff that surrounds them. It’s a bold statement, but I’ve seen it play out time after time again. They are generally more agreeable, more imaginative, and more content when there’s less instead of more.
The two weeks after our house closing (before we moved in) when we were painting walls, etc. were some of the most peaceful, cooperative days I’ve ever spent with my kids. And all they had with them was a few books, some coloring supplies, and an empty house.
Having less reliance on tons of possessions helps kids to become less consumeristic and inward-focused. Instead of self-centredness, there’s ample opportunity to think of others.
4. Choose media and toys carefully
I cannot possibly state the importance of this one enough. I’ve been conscious of this since I first became a mom, and especially so once I had a daughter. Unfortunately, girls suffer from a barrage of poor role models and negative messaging in toys and media.
I’m pretty strict about what kind of toys and shows and books I bring into our home thanks to inappropriately sexualized dolls, movies and shows that promote disrespect and selfish attitudes, and unchecked consumerism.
Thankfully, there are actually some great options out there, if you know where to look. I recently discovered a new line of American Girl dolls called The WellieWishers™, which focus on empathy, kindness, and friendship. They are adorable, age-appropriate, and perfect for my six-year-old daughter. She has “Willa,” provided by American Girl to me for free for my review, and absolutely adores her.
They also have early-reader chapter books and an animated series, available on Amazon Prime, which focus on the same themes, which is awesome!
5. Get out into the world
I’m a huge proponent of not keeping your kids in a bubble. We traveled a fair bit before having kids (South America, Africa, Europe), and have hopes to travel extensively with the kids before they leave the nest once we can save up for it. Travel is one of the very best ways of broadening your horizons and developing empathy for differences in others.
In the meantime, we talk about local and world events (in age-appropriate terms) with our kids to help them realize that the world is so much bigger than just them.
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It is my sincere hope that my daughter will grow up to be a loving, compassionate, responsible, hard-working woman. But above all, I hope that she is kind.
How are you teaching kindness in your family?
Thanks to American Girl for sponsoring this conversation, and for making such great products that align wonderfully with our family’s values. These words and thoughts are 100% mine.
Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site
Hey, hey! I’ve been pondering this whole healthy lifestyle thing, so I thought I would share a few of these thoughts with y’all. Do you want to be healthy? Who doesn’t, right? But what does it look like? How can we achieve our best health at every stage of life?
Y’all know I love natural living and all that comes along with it. It’s such a fun, wonderful way to live. I haven’t always lived this way though. I am changing and improving every day. Aren’t we all?
We are all on our own individual journey’s and paths. We are all at different places and stages in life. That is okay. And actually it is amazing because that’s what makes the world a beautiful place. If we were all in the same place, what a boring bunch we would be!
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Here are my top 5 healthy lifestyle tips…
Eat right.
This is a HARD one. Our tastebuds like to play tricks on us. Some of our favorite things to eat are often the worst thing for our bodies. What kind of food are you eating? Fast food? Junk food? Food that nourishes you? Or food that makes you feel bad?
Eat REAL food. Ya know, the kind that our grandparents would recognize? I usually shop around the grocery store perimeter for this very reason. Run fast from processed food.
Drink right.
What do you drink? Soft drinks that are laden with sugar and chemicals? Energy drinks? Are you addicted to these things? Do you drink good old Adams Ale? {That’s what my dad calls water. LOL}
We drink water more than anything else. I have fallen in LOVE with this water bottle. It is amazing because it keeps ice frozen for 12+ hours. And the bottle doesn’t sweat. Seriously. Go get you one! It is well worth the investment.
Exercise regularly.
We all know this right?? If I don’t MOVE, I feel sluggish, lazy and unproductive. Exercise is my sanity drug of choice. When I workout {I heart CrossFit.}, I feel so much more energetic and excited about life. Find what workout you enjoy and go for it!
Ditch toxins.
Okay, okay so this might even be more challenging than eating right. Toxins are everywhere. E-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. It’s impossible to change every single toxic thing in our lives today. It’s all about the journey of improving and making better choices on a daily basis.
Toxins lurk in many of these products…
Medication.
Skin care. Face wash. Lotions. Makeup.
Hair care. Shampoo. Conditioner. Hairspray.
Fragrances. {Did you know that they don’t tell you that many of these are carcinogenic? Yikes!}
Household cleaners.
Plug-ins. Air fresheners. Most candles.
Awesome. NOT.
Make better choices.
Begin assessing where you are on this journey and determine where you can begin making changes. It’s a process and it doesn’t happen overnight. So don’t feel guilty or stressed or anything for being where you are. We all have to start somewhere.
A few of the better choices that our family has made are –
My point is this…we can’t eat junk, drink junk, use toxic cleaners, toxic skin care, never exercise and just slap a quick “remedy” on whatever unhealthy issues arise and expect to get better.
That is insanity and unfortunately, that isn’t the secret to a healthy lifestyle. There isn’t quick fix.
Simple Healthy Lifestyle Tips | MyBlessedLife.net
Healthy living is a day-by-day process of making better choices for our health today and for our health in the future. Start making better choices today!!
What is your #1 way to get healthy and to stay healthy?
xoxo
Myra
Original article and pictures take myblessedlife.net site
Who doesn’t like easy healthy recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare?
After all, your world has evolved into a busy place, and you’re a part of its hustle, on constant go-go-go.
Making dinner?
You’ve no time for that! Week nights are for Pilates, PTA meetings and VPN-ing back to work. You prefer simple healthy dinner recipes that require little time and effort–and 30 minutes or less sounds like a sweet deal.
Quick dinners, however, don’t always provide the healthy foods that fit a clean eating diet. They are often loaded with calories, cholesterol and processed ingredients.
Not today’s choices though!
The dinners below are quick, easy and full of nutritional value. From crunchy salads to scrumptious stir fry, you’ve enough variety for the next work week.
Keep your busy body clean, lean and fab?
You got it!
5 Simple Healthy Dinner Recipes Under Thirty Minutes
1. Apple Avocado Salad
Who knew Apple and and avocado get along so well? This apple and avocado salad requires five minutes of your time but tastes sweet and crunchy. It’s wholesome with leafy greens and crunchy Apple. It’s certainly an enjoyable experience.
The reason why brown rice is healthier than white rice is because it indergoes less processing–and therefore less stripping of nutition from each layer of the rice kernel–than white rice does. Wakame, an edible seaweed from Asia, is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Brown rice and Wakame together, like this recipe’s noodle mix, is therefore a desirable ingredient for clean eating recipes.
This brown rice noodle salad is flavorful and refreshing. The noodle’s soft; the cucumbers are crunchy; and the Asian flavors are enticing. I had fun both eating and making it. Hope you do too!
Or perhaps this sald should be named “double the healthy and triple the nutrition?” It’s double-triple in flavor too, and takes only 10 minutes to make–an all-around winner for sure!
This simple and healthy chicken dinner is as straight forward as they come. Half the chicken breast, add oil and seasoning, and broil in oven. It’s fast; it’s healthy; and it’s delicious. Find recipe at Clean Eating Herb-Rubbed Chicken.
5. Garlic, Spinach and Chicken Stir Fry
Spinach is full of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, folate, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper and an array of other nutrients. It’s also low in calories, with around 27 calories per serving, making it one of world’s best weight loss foods. (Source: What are the health benefits of spinach? By MedicalNewsToday.com?)
Adding to spinach’s nutritional value, this clean eating recipe includes protein-rich chicken and anti-inflammatory garlic. Stir fried in extra virgin olive oil and with Asian sauces, this simple and healthy dinner recipe tastes as good as it is for you.
