четверг, 29 июня 2017 г.

Why Having a Doula Was One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made

Why Having a Doula Was One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made
Why Having a Doula Was One of the Best Decisions I've Ever Made

There are 1,001 choices to make during pregnancy, and they run the gamut! From baby registries to nursery decisions, it’s not hard to get caught up in the overflow of “to do’s” coming at us when we’re pregnant–especially the first time around.


Much like a wedding day, our culture has placed a very heavy emphasis on the aesthetic preparations we make before birth. And much like a wedding day, our babies’ birthdays are about so much more than the color we choose to paint the nursery walls or the level of fancy we commit to in a stroller purchase.


As with a marriage, the investment we make into the preparations of our heart, soul, mind and body before birth will set the tone for events that will impact our lives long after the milestone of birth has passed.


There is no one right way to approach birth, and there is no prescription for the “perfect” delivery for every woman. Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made, and miraculously, they manage to grow, nourish, nurture, protect and deliver entire lives into the world.


A pregnant woman’s body is strong and powerful. It knows what it needs. It knows just what to do.


Since none of our bodies is exactly like the next, there is no precise formula for birth that equals an “ideal” labor and delivery for every mama.


BUT there are tools available and resources at hand for women who desire the most optimal birth possible, whatever that might look like in their own hearts and minds. This might mean a completely unmedicated, physiologic birth, a medicated delivery, a cesarean section, a VBAC, or any number of other scenarios as hoped for by an expectant mother.


molly and karlye

The commonality in every birth, no matter the circumstance, is that a woman (and her child and partner) has a right to be well-supported from a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level; a mother should feel empowered to make informed decisions–ones that she believes are best for herself and her baby–as she ushers new life into the world.


One of the very best decisions my husband and I have ever made was to hire the support of a doula before each of our babies were born.


Not all that long ago, I had no idea what a doula was–they were not readily available everywhere and it was not the norm to hire someone outside of a medical doctor or midwife to assist a woman in the birth process.


Then one day I came across an organization that was (and still is) certifying women in the practice of becoming birth assistants or “women’s helpers” in birth, and the beautiful word doula entered my vocabulary. I am ever so glad it did.


The translation of the Greek word doula is this: a woman who serves.


For many reasons, scientifically quantifiable and otherwise, the presence of a woman who simply serves another woman in labor and delivery can have significant positive impact on birth outcomes.


A doula supports everyone in the room on a mother’s birthing day, but she is first and foremost committed to the well-being of the laboring mama, her partner or spouse if present, and their baby.


This support is inclusive of (but not limited to) the following:


— 24-hour on-call support to the mother and family for several weeks prior to and several weeks following baby’s anticipated due date, until after baby has arrived.

— Commitment to a mother’s/couple’s birth plan–their hopes, wishes, dreams, desires, and religious traditions — and a strong effort to empower decisions and steps in the birthing process that are in keeping with the above.

— A continuous presence in the hospital room or home at all times (as desired), available for support in any moment throughout labor and delivery.

— Emotional encouragement for both mom and dad in the birthing process. No discouragement, doubt or wavering from a doula!

— Availability to run errands, make phone calls or simply support communication for parents as they seek to connect with extended family, children at home and medical staff.

— Aid in clarifying communications and advocating for parents to make informed choices as they arise.

— Physical support, including the use of helpful tools and comfort measures during labor and delivery.

— Empowerment of the spouse or partner in aiding with support measures for the laboring mother.

— Immediate postpartum and breastfeeding support.

— Follow up phone calls and/or home visits to check in with new families and assist with adjustments to life with a newborn.

— Connection to resources for postpartum follow up and services as needed.


In my experience, the above list only grazes the surface of benefits that a doula has to offer a client in birth. I cannot quantify the peace of mind, the camaraderie, the empowerment or the great satisfaction that comes with having a well-supported labor and delivery.


karlye and molly 2

A doula is not only a supportive presence in labor and birth, but she is at any point an advocate, a cheerleader, a confidant, a prayer warrior, a knowledgeable resource, a caregiver, a gentle heart, a strong spirit, a willing servant.


She uplifts and encourages, and she genuinely cares deeply for each mother, baby and family whom she serves. She believes in the power of birth, the ability of the human body, the necessity of sacred space.


She believes that every birth is beautiful and unique in its own right–that every mother is entitled to the birth of her dreams, and that every mother is also entitled to have fears, to be vulnerable, and to express frustration, doubt or disappointment.


A responsible doula is a safe place to entrust your birth experience and your baby’s birthing day.


When we prepare our hearts, minds and bodies for birth, we equip ourselves with confidence, a sense of security, and the opportunity to look forward to what labor and delivery will hold.


A mama with a healthy heart and mind is most able to deliver a healthy baby, and to arrive at the birth experience she has hoped for throughout pregnancy.


A doula helps a mother to trust both her body and her baby–a reality that becomes priceless in moments of pain, exhaustion, decision, and delivery.


molly and eloise 1

Just as with marriage, preparation for the “big day” of birth is most often celebratory and filled with lots of small decisions leading up to one very significant life event.


Also as with weddings and marriage, it can be easy to let the smaller decisions overshadow what the ultimate event is really all about. When we say “I do,” we mean it for a lifetime, whether we have prepared for a wonderful party, a lasting marriage or both.


When we say “I do-ula,” we look after ourselves and our babies by preparing for a supported and informed birth.


Not only this, but perhaps most significantly, we deliver our babies in an atmosphere of security and trust, giving them a head start in the most significant first moments of their lives. By allowing ourselves to be nurtured and loved, we can love our babies well, too.


For more information on the role of a doula in birth, or to find a doula in your area, visit dona.org. To contact me with specific doula or birth related questions, feel free to comment below or to connect with me at mollymadonna.com.


Have you used a doula before?


Photography credit: Val Dietche


Molly Kehrer

Molly Madonna Kehrer, CD (DONA) is a certified doula and stay at home mama to two wildly amazing kiddos, Henry (4) and Eloise (2). She is passionate about serving and empowering families in pregnancy and birth, loves nourishing and caring for her own babies, craves authentic friendship, and longs to find more hours in the day to write. When life permits, Molly shares her thoughts on motherhood and life at mollymadonna.com. While she loves to travel the world and misses ministry abroad, Molly finds great contentment alongside her husband, Jason, and family near the lovely shores of Lake Michigan, and is delighted to serve a most Holy Creator in the daily.


Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site

пятница, 23 июня 2017 г.

Why Essential Oils Need to Be Used Safely (& why I’m avoiding the essential oil brand war)

Why Essential Oils Need to Be Used Safely (& why I’m avoiding the essential oil brand war)
There are some really important safety issues you need to know before you start using essential oils (plus, why I'm trying to avoid the wars over brand names)

I’ve had a long journey with essential oils now with over a decade of personal use. And the more I learn about them, the more I realize how complicated and complex the wonderful world of essential oils are, and how much more I need to learn. My personal belief is that these very concentrated forms of herbs, spices, and plants are a powerful tool to use in pursuit of better health. But like all tools, it’s not one without risks.


I find this wonderful tool to be a fascinating resource for further research and personal use, but it’s so important to know how to use them properly!


Essential Oil Safety


Just because something is natural, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use proper caution in its use. Essential oil use is exploding, especially because of the efforts of distributors of two large companies who sell them. I’m so glad that the wonderful world of essential oils are reaching more people, but it is also alarming to see so much advice flying around about the use of essential oils when that advice doesn’t often take into consideration basic essential oil safety.


This isn’t to blame those whose enthusiasm for the healing power of essential oils leads them to give bad advice about usage. You will find no judgment from me as I’ve become aware of many of these safety issues myself only recently. The reason I became more aware of safety issues was because I was doing research on essential oil brands. I have been quietly using essential oils for years, but with so many people recently asking me about brands, or joining an essential oil distributor team, I knew I needed to gain a little more knowledge before jumping on board to anything. More on brands in a second, but first, here are some thoughts and resources on essential oil safety for you to consider. (This is in no way going over all of the safety issues – I’m simply trying to wet your appetite to gain more knowledge.)


Today’s post isn’t going over the healing power of essential oils, but don’t let my caution discourage you from discovering that side! We’ve had great results using them in our family.


If you are pregnant or have young children, use extra caution


I know that I have a lot of parents, and pregnant woman who read this blog. You need to know that what is perfectly safe for an adult to use, may not be safe for a child, especially a young child.


One example: Peppermint essential oil safety


One very common (and wonderful) essential oil is peppermint, and it’s often used liberally by essential oil advocates. However, there are some serious concerns about peppermint essential oils and infants and young children. It shouldn’t be used with children under the age of thirty months; it shouldn’t be directly applied to the chest or nasal area, or undiluted on the feet of children. Why? It could cause apnea (that is, it could cause your child to stop breathing) or glottal constriction. That’s scary.


Even for adults, large amounts of inhaled peppermint essential oil could cause nausea, dizziness, confusion, and muscle weakness.


Peppermint oil is the perfect example of how much more powerful the essential oil form is from the herb. Peppermint in its fresh form is not something we need to worry about (as long as we don’t have an allergy to it). Pregnant women and children can enjoy it in foods and beverages without a worry. However, it becomes a whole different story when in a more potent form.


Our scary experience with peppermint


I personally feel passionate about this issue after my then three year old daughter had trouble breathing after we lightly applied a “kid safe” commercial bug deterrent in her bedroom (one of the main essential oils used in the spray was peppermint) during a flea issue we were having. Despite being safe for “kids of all ages” she told us it made her have a hard time breathing, and we felt horrified! Thankfully, it just caused her discomfort, but we also had a newborn infant who could have suffered severe consequences if we had also used it in her room unwittingly.


So please friends, if you have young children, please, please, be cautious in the use of essential oils – even the ones that you have used for yourself for years successfully. Look at the end of this post for resources for child and pregnancy safety


Follow guidelines for diffusing essential oils


Before I became a complete crunchy mama, I loved lighting scented candles in our house to make our house warm and inviting. The crunchy mama’s alternative to toxic scented candles is often diffusing essential oils (which I find wonderful). However, note two things: Only use baby and child safe oils in your diffuser if they are around, and don’t diffuse too long. Generally, my understanding is that you should never diffuse more than an hour long of any essential oil, but some more potent oils or blends should only be diffused for 20 minutes!


Another issue with diffusing essential oils is pet safety. All animals can have severe reactions to certain essential oils, and I know that cats especially don’t have the capability to process many of the same oils we can safely use.


Be aware of a wide range of possible reactions


I also know that many of my readers are much more sensitive to foods (and herbs and spices) than the average consumer. So while this is important for everyone, it’s even more important for those more sensitive. You can have allergies and intolerances to any essential oil, just like you could do any food, herb, or spice. However, since essential oils are so potent, your reaction has the potential to be more severe.


If you think an oil is safe for you personally, but react more often to new products, I’d recommend using only a very small, very diluted amount to start with to test yourself.


Other reactions include skin irritation (in many different forms), and photosensitivity after using certain essential oils (most notably citrus-based oils), which can lead to very bad sunburns.


Personally, I found that even using the oils that were supposedly “safe” to use undiluted made me sensitized to them (that is, I started to react to them over time). Sadly, this may not have happened if I had diluted them properly. That’s another example of “bad essential oil advice” that I’ve seen. Often essential oils are not properly diluted and used in much too strong of doses. I’ve seen a wide variety of essential oils dropped neat into open mouths and used neat on skin when it never should have been. One should fully understand that this could lead to harm, not healing.


Another possible negative effect of essential oils are the fact that many are mucous membrane irritants – that is they can have a drying and irritating effect on your eyes, nose, mouth, and private parts. Another reason to be cautious taking them orally, and even putting them in your bath. Some should never be used in the bath, and all should first be diluted with milk or a type of regular oil before being added (and to be extra cautious, you should add after you’ve gotten into the bath).


The good news


But there is good news in all of this. Most of the “best practices” for essential oils mean that you use a lot less of the oil! This can help stretch your essential oils out to last much longer (and save you a lot of money).


Quality does matter (and why that doesn’t mean we should war over brands)


Over and over again, when reading about essential oil safety, it became apparent that essential oil quality is important for safety. And here’s where it becomes easy to enter the “essential oil brand wars”. Everyone seems to have a favorite and is convinced that their brand is superior. I’ve spent so many countless hours researching brands, going in circles, and even came this close to signing up with a certain company. But in the end, with new information, I decided not too (I’m not comfortable sharing that information at this time, but it was enough to make me back down from that decision for now, despite still being willing to buy certain oils from both companies for personal use).


I see two extremes of misinformation about this online. One being that only their company can be trusted over all of the others. The truth of the matter is, there are many wonderful essential oil companies. Brand loyalty can ignore that reality, and ignore the value of excellent oils available for less expense.


On the other side, you see people saying “all brands are pretty much the same.” It is very true that many brands (yes, even the biggest brands) are all buying some of their essential oils from the same source, but selling at widely different prices. It’s also true that some independent tests done on single bottles of oils from a wide variety of brands showed similar purity, once again despite a wide variety of prices on the bottles. The problem with this view is that it appears that most essential oil experts not affiliated with any company specifically say that there are issues of purity, which lead to safety concerns with essential oil use. It’s over-simplifying the issue to make claims of all brands being equal.


I’m not ready to throw my weight behind any specific essential oil company as of yet, but I do try to buy from companies that work hard to properly test each and every batch of oil before they sell it.


Meanwhile, the most important thing you can do is to educate yourself on how to use them properly, as even the best brands can cause harm if improperly used. I think reading some of this basic information should be required before anyone uses essential oils! I know I would have benefited.


Resources:


  • Essential Oil Safety: This book is for the serious essential oil user, and is very expensive. However, it’s considered the best resource on the topic. I don’t own it yet, but do own this more reasonably priced, user friendly book that covers at least the basics.

COMMENT POLICY ON THIS POST: I am not interested in starting a comment led essential oil brand war on this post talking about why I don’t want to be part of that war. I know that many people are passionate about their favorite brand, but let’s focus on our passion for essential oils and safely using them! Comments may be deleted if they are too inflammatory, or are wanting to try to sell/promote a certain brand (it’s fine to say what brands you like to use, just avoid saying things like “brand X is the only good company”).


Original article and pictures take www.thenourishinggourmet.com site

Why Children Need Time To Be Bored

Why Children Need Time To Be Bored

“I’m bored!”


How many of us have heard that complaint, and felt like we weren’t providing enough for our children to do?


All the activities and lessons aimed at children sure make it feel like they they aren’t experiencing a real childhood unless they’re ‘pursuing their passions’ through scheduled activities. But is this what is best for their development?


When I hear my children say, “I’m bored” I realize I probably have been entertaining them too much, and they’ve forgotten how to entertain themselves. To help them cope with boredom, and expand their creativity and resilience in the process, I intentionally allow for time for them to be bored on a regular basis.


I am raising future adults rather than children who will be this age forever. While it can seem harmless to drop a preschooler off at drop-in daycare so they won’t be bored while you run errands, or hand them an ipad to watch cartoons on a 20-minute car ride, by doing so we are creating 10, 15, 20-year-olds who have never had the chance to develop patience and tolerate situations that are not entertaining or focused on themselves.


Boredom for happiness in the future


In adult life we often have to choose to be happy in situations we don’t think are fun at first. We have to pay the bills, wash the dishes, clean the toilets, and stay home with sleeping children when we may prefer to be out doing fun activities. We are no longer limited by the limits our parents set for us, and we have to use self control when making purchases and planning our time.


Once a child learns the self control to not act out or insist that some outside force entertain them when they are feeling bored, they start to think of ways to entertain themselves.


Unknown to them, this usually involves things that are excellent for their development: Learning, cooperating with their siblings, and pushing themselves physically.


This will be much easier to teach at age 3, 4, 5 than 15, 16, or 25 when they haven’t had much practice tolerating unpleasant things, and they also have real responsibilities like college classes, driving a car, and starting a career.


Processing Boredom


Being bored is uncomfortable, and learning to be uncomfortable is a part of growing up. In fact, helping my children process this helps me to as well!


To help process this with them our conversations look something like this:


“There’s nothing to do!”


“You can come help me fold laundry :) “


“No, that’s so boring!”


“It’s okay to be bored sometimes. Where do you feel the feeling of boredom? Take a deep breath and really feel it”


“It’s like heavy here” (points to upper chest)


“Good! It’s great to know how to feel your feelings. I get bored sometimes too, especially when I fold laundry”


*laughs*


“Being comfortable being bored helps me be more creative though. Sometimes I get really good ideas when I’m bored, or I notice things that I wouldn’t normally notice, like the birds outside the window or the way the breeze blows the clouds”


“I still don’t like being bored.”


“It’s okay not to like it, not liking things is a part of everyone’s life.”


“I’m going to go get my book…”


“Good idea” :)


** Depending on the age of the child, and the behavior of the child (ahem, for a bored child who is harassing siblings), I may also add in a reminder ‘It’s okay for you to be uncomfortable, but it is not okay for you to disturb or bother other people because you are uncomfortable.’


A Good Boredom Space


In the afternoons we have quiet (boredom) time, when the weather is nice it’s outside, and when it’s too hot or cold it’s in the kids’ room. A good space for learning independent (boredom) play is defined- either one room, or area, or the fenced back yard. There are a few safety ground rules, but this is the time that children’s actions aren’t micromanaged.


I transition to this time with an afternoon snack after school or after a morning activity on a non school day. The kids bring their snack outside, and when they’re done they play independently. Having an outdoor area that isn’t perfectly manicured is ideal for allowing digging and bushwhacking, but even a small yard that can’t be altered can allow for lots of creative play if there are bikes, lumber for stacking, and other materials.


Encouraging Independent Play


  • If your child is used to being directed in play and thinking either by constant parental involvement (which I totally get- I love playing with my kids!), TV, or school activities, they may need to be prompted by you to start up some creative play. When we moved here I spent a few minutes cutting up 2x4s and 2x6s in the yard and doing a few different things with them (balance beam, jump for the bikes, stacking into a tower) to spark their imagination. Back off as soon as you see them starting to continue the play on their own.
  • Do something nearby- when my kids are in their room I’m often in the adjacent kitchen cleaning up. When they’re outside, I started out doing some yardwork so they can see me being active. If they’re having trouble with whining and wanting my constant attention, it’s often because I’m trying to do something sedentary like read or blog. So I move to something active instead and this usually clears it up.
  • If they have trouble following rules and are bickering with their sibling or breaking rules out of the desire to get your attention, introduce chores they can do alongside you. This isn’t punishment, but it’s another way to encourage their mind to come up with something more interesting to do.
    Some things I have my kids do with me in this case: Clean around the baseboards with a damp cloth, wash the cupboards and fridge, move laundry from the washer to the dryer, put away clothes, pick up fallen fruit in the yard. Usually I say something like, “it looks like you need something to do, here, come use this cloth and clean down here with me” – nothing stressful or demanding.
  • I happily provide field guides for the local plants, bugs, and animals for my children. (this one is a favorite)
  • Keep an encouraging you-can-do-it attitude. Children pick up on our emotional cues and thinking more than any words we every say.
  • Gently stretch the amount of time they do this and don’t expect much at first. The goal isn’t to have the children completely leaving you alone and never wanting your involvement, it’s just for them to have some unstructured time every day where they learn to make their own fun.

A note for special needs children:


Dog and child

This isn’t always possible for children with special needs, my daughter really struggles with coming up with things to do on her own.


Structured activities that are repetitive can provide down time for these kids. Helping put the books away, spooning rice from one container to another, taking care of a pet, or other structured chores can be helpful.


So this boredom thing isn’t going to work for all children, but gently stretching them to be content with less and content independently is still important.


(10 Things Parents of Special Needs Children Haven’t Told You)



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Original article and pictures take healthhomeandhappiness.com site

понедельник, 19 июня 2017 г.

Why a Gut Healing Diet may NOT be the Place to Start

Why a Gut Healing Diet may NOT be the Place to Start
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.

This post is from contributing writer Mary Voogt of Just Take A Bite.


When I first started my baby steps into the world of real food nobody talked about Paleo or GAPS or Keto.


It was simple. Eat real food.


Start with one baby step at a time and work your way up to a processed-free life. Totally doable. That’s what Kitchen Stewardship is all about, right?


These days the world of real food and natural health is almost too overwhelming and too confusing to navigate. You can find a podcast, blog post, eCourse or webinar on every health topic…and another one to contradict it.


Gut Health is King…or is it?


But one theme stands out among them – gut health. Poor gut health is at the root of many illnesses, including autoimmune diseases. So naturally it makes sense to fix them by healing the gut. Sounds logical. And there is a lot of evidence to support just how critical gut health is.


Unfortunately, the overwhelming emphasis on gut health has contributed to a lot of the other problems that are so prevalent today – adrenal fatigue, metabolic syndrome, infertility, weight gain and many others.


About seven years ago I too got caught up in the “gut health is king” mentality. I went from my happy WAPF lifestyle of sourdough bread and homemade ice cream to strict GAPS (you can read about how I got started here). No grains. No dairy. No nothing it seems. But I was struggling with some health issues and a serious gut healing protocol sounded like the perfect fit.


Instead of the immense healing I was hoping for, a year later I was so rundown I couldn’t keep up with life. Just carrying my son up the stairs felt like climbing a mountain. Every time I sat down to nurse him I fell asleep. I had more food sensitivities than ever before. My hormones were so low and out of balance. I had the estrogen levels of a 12-year old girl. My hair was thin. My acne was getting worse. The list could go on and on.


Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.

What happened?


My “gut healing” diet did what just about every diet does – it put too much stress on my body. Physically I was not eating balanced meals – could I get some meat with a side of bacon and eggs? (I was eating way too low carb for my body without even knowing what low carb was! I was just following the diet.) Mentally I was so worried about what I could and couldn’t eat that just the act of eating gave me anxiety. Emotionally I was a mess because I couldn’t eat like anybody else, and I felt like a failure. Surely, I must be doing something wrong if I wasn’t feeling better…even though I was following the diet perfectly.


Sadly, this is what far too many people do lately. We’re looking for the perfect diet to fix our problems.


We want that magic pill. That magic pill doesn’t exist!


The problem is it’s often not the diet in the first place. Sticking to a prescribed diet isn’t that hard.


What is the culprit?


It’s lifestyle.


We live in a world with so much stress. Everyone wants to have it all. We don’t get enough sleep because there is too much to do in a day. Our kids have to be involved in every possible activity (which means they don’t get enough rest either). We want to pursue our own passions and have a career. We barely even leave time to actually cook real food!


A gut healing diet in that kind of world is like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. It’s not going to help. It actually makes things worse.


What SHOULD you do?


Forget the strict diet. Start by working on the HPA-axis (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) and your metabolic health. These are the basic systems that control how your body works. Here are some simple ways to do just that.


  1. Don’t restrict your food.
    Just eat real food. Any and all real food. Flood your body with nourishment. No calorie or food group restriction. Be sure to enjoy it instead of feeling guilty about it (that guilt is another form of stress – stress related to food choices negates the food choice itself).
  2. Get enough sleep.
    This is not second on the list. It is just as important as nourishing, real food. I tried to ignore this one for the last fifteen years. I thought for sure I could fix everything with just food. Nope. It doesn’t work. Your body needs sleep to heal. 7 – 9 hours a night for most people. The more run down you are the more sleep you need. During the day your body has to work hard to keep up with life. When you sleep is when the restoration happens.
  3. Reduce stress.
    This is another tough one. There are so many good things you can do with your time. But just because it’s good doesn’t mean it’s good for you in this season. When you are in need of healing, that trumps just about everything else.

Most people want to go from feeling rotten right into a strict gut healing protocol. But if you are run down you simply can’t do it. Your adrenals will not be able to keep up without proper rest and sufficient calories. And you’ll just feel like you don’t have enough determination or will power (a recipe for disaster). But that’s not what is going on.


Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet. And how salt is one of the keys to helping heal.
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.

It’s not about will power. If your adrenals are run down the last thing you need is a low carb diet. Your adrenals need those carbs! You can get them from vegetables or grains or whatever works for your body. Lots of real salt is critical too. Yes, there is as reason you crave salty carbs!! Listen to your body.


Don’t force yourself to drink gallons of water either. That will contribute to adrenal fatigue as well.


Once you have given your body time to rest and recover you will be amazed at how much better you feel – even without a special diet! Your thyroid and adrenals control so many basic functions so when you allow them to heal your symptoms will begin to resolve.


Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.

Ready for some simple steps to healing?


Don’t make it complicated. Good health for most people boils down to some basic principles.


  1. Balanced nutrition
    Eat every few hours to keep blood sugar stable, consuming protein, carbohydrates and fat together. Make nourishment your goal. Eliminate processed foods and high sugar foods. But don’t overthink it to the point it causes stress. When healing, getting adequate calories is very important. So eat good food, but don’t restrict calories.
  2. Quality sleep
    Get uninterrupted sleep every night, going to bed by 10 pm and sleeping until you feel rested (I know this is not always possible with young children – do your best to sleep at night and take naps or even just lay down for a few minutes during the day).
  3. Move your body gently
    Running marathons or doing CrossFit seven days a week have no place in a healing lifestyle. Focus on gentle movement – walking, yoga, T-Tapp, weight lifting. Simply incorporating movement in your day (gardening, doing laundry, cleaning, playing with your kids, etc.) is enough for many that need a lot of healing. If you are run down exercise is one more form of stress (and will make you gain weight!). Find something that feels good and leaves you feeling energized instead of tired.
  4. Monitor your body temperature
    If you are like me, you like to have evidence of the progress you are making. Check your basal body temperature (BBT) every morning. It will give you a general idea of how your metabolism, adrenals and thyroid are performing. BBT should be at least 97.4 degrees F upon waking. For women of reproductive age 97.4 – 98.2 is a good range during the follicular phase. 98.2 and above is good for the luteal phase. A low body temperature is indicative of thyroid problems. A body temperature that jumps up and down (instead of staying steady) is indicative of an adrenal problem. Low temperatures that jump up and down are indicative of both thyroid and adrenal problems. You will feel the difference in your health when you get your BBT up where it needs to be and stable.
  5. Take time for yourself
    Whether it’s five minutes to pray, a thirty minutes yoga video or allowing yourself to sit and read, making time to do something you love is so important.

Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet. Why your BBT may help you figure out how to heal.
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.

We’re all different.


The other problem with generic diets is that they don’t take into account how your body works and what it needs. Avocado might be on the “approved foods” list…but that doesn’t mean you tolerate it. Even if your best friend does.


So another step towards healing is to do hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA). This will give you a detailed report of what vitamins and minerals are out of balance and where you are lacking. Then you can add supplementation to your diet to make sure you get what you need. No more guessing. (I worked with Lydia for this.)


Are gut healing diets bad?


Absolutely not! They are very important. But save the gut healing until you have allowed your body to fully rest and recover from stress. Then you will naturally gravitate towards a more Paleo or Ketogenic diet – without even having to try!


Healing is portrayed as such a complicated process these days. If we all just slow down a little, nourish our bodies and get some rest we’ll feel a lot better without the need for extremes.


Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet. Why rest and recovering may be the answer.
Ready for a healthy lifestyle? Gut health may not be the first step. Tips from someone who has been there and healed through diet.

Your cortisol will balance. The weight in your belly will disappear. Your hormones will balance. Moods will stabilize. It’s really a beautiful thing.


Don’t forget that healing diets are meant to be temporary. Not a lifestyle. A lifestyle is something you can maintain for life without a lot of effort. If you are constantly bemoaning what you can and can’t eat you probably aren’t ready for the lifestyle you are attempting to create.


Don’t go to an extreme that makes you feel like you can’t partake in life. Healing is a temporary phase leading you to a manageable lifestyle.


My path


It’s been about six years now since I jumped off the gut healing diet bandwagon (read about my mental shift after GAPS here).


And at 37 years old I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life!


I went from years of fertility treatments to conceiving naturally (you can read my story of healing here). I got my body temperature from below 95 degrees F to totally normal. Now in the luteal phase my BBT is usually 99 degrees F or higher!


  • My weight went from under 100 lbs. to a healthy weight.
  • I have more energy than ever.
  • My moods are stable.
  • My hormone levels are getting back in balance.
  • I have been able to expand my diet considerably. Foods that once caused me pain I can now eat without any problems.

It didn’t require any extreme diet or gut healing protocol. Just getting back to the basics of eating well, resting and moving gently. And doing a few HTMAs to figure out where things were out of balance so I could supplement accurately.


Now that my thyroid and adrenals are working I don’t need to rely on piles of bread or rice to keep me going.


I naturally eat a lower carbohydrate diet because that’s what my body wants. I actually eat loads of vegetables accompanied by healthy fats and proteins. I don’t have to force anything and put extra stress on my body. I just listen to my body. That’s what I now crave. It gives me so much joy to nourish myself.


Note: There are more extreme illnesses like autism that may require a more serious healing protocol. Especially for kids. But most adults do not have extremes. They have symptoms of an undernourished and over-stressed body. Don’t confuse the two, because they require a very different treatment.


More on the Subject of Women’s Health and Getting Balanced


Original article and pictures take www.kitchenstewardship.com site

вторник, 13 июня 2017 г.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Carrot Bread & Natural Value Foods 25% off Plus 20% off at Amazon

Whole Wheat Zucchini Carrot Bread & Natural Value Foods 25% off Plus 20% off at Amazon

The more nutrients you can stuff into one recipe, the better, right? My friend Emily tried this idea of adding shredded carrots into zucchini bread, then let me know that I should try it. Great idea. Mmmmm, so good!


Zucchini Carrot Bread


16


3 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup honey

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup melted butter

2 eggs


In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, nutmeg and baking powder. Stir in honey, zucchini, carrots, eggs, and melted butter. Mix ingredients until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into two well buttered loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


zucchini carrot bread

Slices of this Zucchini Carrot Bread would be perfect in your Make-Ahead Lunch Box! Simply allow the bread to cool, slice, wrap individually, then freeze. Pull a wrapped slice of bread out of the freezer, then toss it into your lunch box for a dessert or snack!


What other veggie combinations have you thrown together in quick breads?


While I’ve got you, I wanted you to know about these ROCKIN’ coupons at Amazon. Natural Value brand is already lower in price than many organic foods. Right now, they are offering 25% off coupons at Amazon on many of their great items! Plus, if you have Amazon Prime/Mom and order at least 5 subscribe and save items, you’ll get an additional 20% off too! I grabbed six cases of Natural Value items we use frequently for great deals. Here’s what I got:



Natural Value Coupons at Amazon

This post contains affiliate links.


Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site

среда, 7 июня 2017 г.

Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Sandwich Bread. YES, it works!

Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Sandwich Bread. YES, it works!
stir and pour bread loaf 4

If you haven’t tried this Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Bread yet, I’m here to give you more reasons to make it.


First, you make it exactly like the title implies: You stir the ingredients together, then your pour them into a pan to bake. It is easier than making brownies from a box and it is HOMEMADE BREAD. It makes amazing bread without a mess, without kneading, and without blocking out a four-hour period of time. I am so amazed at this!


Second, it only costs about $1.00 – for 100% whole grain bread with totally pure ingredients. Third, it’s homemade bread, which is obviously delicious so you should need no other reasons to make this, but I’ll give you some anyway. Fourth, anyone can make it. Anyone. Even me, while I’m having a conversation with someone. I know!


Last weekend we had company. We all know I can’t talk and cook at the same time. I always have to either pick very easy meals to make for guests, or make most of the food ahead of time. Otherwise my talker and my thinker blow up all over the kitchen which results in burnt muffins, which doesn’t even matter because I have forgotten to put baking powder in them anyway.


But last weekend, I made this Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Bread while having a conversation with my guests that actually made sense. This is monumental.


I’m not sure which is more impressive about this bread recipe:


  • A three year old can make it.
  • Laura can make it while talking to guests in her kitchen.

Here, because you need to see this again (click here if this video doesn’t show up for you):



Not to take away from the three year old Cooking Guy, but you really must be impressed with this: Laura can make this bread at the very same time that she is telling a story to her out-of-town guests. You know this is a big deal.


Now, reason number 5 why you should make Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Bread and the actual reason I am writing this post:


This recipe makes a great Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.


After I posted the recipe a couple weeks ago, many of you asked if it could be made into a bigger loaf for sandwiches. I decided to be nice and try it out. After all, I knew that if it didn’t work, I’d only be out about ten minutes of work time and I could use the results to make bread crumbs.


stir and pour bread loaf 5

It works, it works, it works! This recipe makes an amazing loaf of sandwich bread! You are going to love this!


stir and pour sandwich 3

Pssst!


Your interest in this recipe leads me to believe you like to keep things simple. Oh my stars, you and me both. The simpler the better! Though I don’t like to compromise on nutrition. (Another great thing about this bread recipe!)


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To go with this bread, I invite you to join us in enjoying Simple Meals week after week. It saves us all time, money, and energy so we can enjoy nourishing, delicious meals without sacrificing time with family!


Now, back to the bread…


Some tips I’ve learned about varieties of Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Bread


  • You can pour it onto a cookie sheet to bake, which takes a very short time since it is all spread out. (Details here.)
  • You can pour it into two loaf pans to make small loaves. (Details here.)
  • Or, you can pour it all into one buttered loaf pan to make one large sandwich loaf. (Love this, love this, love this!! Details below.)

How to make the best Stir-and-Pour Sandwich Bread


  • Butter your loaf pan well before pouring in the bread mixture.
  • Bake it at 350° for 50-60 minutes.
  • Let it sit in the loaf pan for about 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven.
  • Remove it from the pan after 15 minutes.
  • Allow it to cool completely before slicing.

All of us love bread right out of the oven, right? I kept trying to slice this bread right away, which resulted in a very messy loaf. Delicious, but messy.


When I let it cool before slicing, this bread becomes magic. It slices like magic. It tastes even better (I’m not sure how). And then it works wonderfully for sandwiches.


stir and pour sandwich 12

As much as I love my old recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bread, I will probably never make it again. Why would I, when the Stir-and-Pour Bread is just as delicious and forty times easier and faster? And it works better for sandwiches! Please try making this bread. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: this bread will change your life.


Easy Stir and Pour Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

I originally posted this recipe here, and I encourage you to read through it for more specifics. But I will post the recipe again with the details of making it into one sandwich loaf. This is my way of saying: GO MAKE THIS BREAD! ALL OF YOU! ANYONE CAN DO THIS!


Tell me if you’ve made this recipe already! Love it?? Go get out your mixing bowls. Your life is about to change.


Don’t forget to check out Simple Meals. You are going to love this!


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Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site

понедельник, 5 июня 2017 г.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

This Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe has become a favorite at our house, especially as we’ve kicked off a new school year!


oatmeal chocolate chip muffins

Our kids are forever on the run this year as two of the three boys still at home are taking a variety of music lessons, college classes, and even a couple classes at our local high school.


Oh hey, I haven’t told you yet! Nebraska has changed their home school laws which had been very limiting as to the extracurricular activities our kids could participate in at the public school. As of this year, the only eligibility requirement for participation in public school activities is that home school students take two classes at the public school. Boom. We’re in. Our boys are incredibly excited to play high school soccer this spring!!


This means our high school senior and sophomore guys have quite a crazy schedule to juggle. They are back and forth and forth and back…and it’s a good thing they are responsible and that God made coffee.


Gone are the days of starting our day leisurely at the breakfast table together. We’ve moved our family Bible reading up to a much earlier start time so that we can still make it a priority. And instead of rolling out of bed just in time to head down for breakfast and Bible time together, the older boys have to be actually ready to walk out the door wearing actual clothes and actual shoes.


It’s working, and it’s working beautifully. God knows what we need and He continually provides. While our two high schoolers are running to and fro and doing all their home or college studies in between their public school classes, our 7th grader and I have a little extra quiet time to read his History and Science lessons together.


So now you know a little about our new adventures this year. But what you really wanted to read about today is this Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. Am I right?


This recipe makes a big tray full of hearty muffins that are filling, but also delicious (because…chocolate chips and butter). They taste fabulous with a cup of coffee and of course, there’s some great fresh fruit available this time of year and we are taking full advantage! So without further ado…


Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe


  • 2½ cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground soft white wheat)
  • ⅓-1/2 cup sucanat, honey, or brown sugar
  • ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Make them Dairy Free: Use coconut oil instead of butter and coconut milk instead of regular.

Make them Gluten Free: Use your favorite gluten free flour instead of whole wheat and gluten free oats instead of regular.


Need some protein with your muffin and fruit? So do we! Eggs are always great. And check out this great method for cooking bacon and freezing it for fast breakfast protein!


Tell me about your school year. Are you off to a good start?


Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site

пятница, 2 июня 2017 г.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

You know you’ve got a fabulous recipe when your 14-year old son takes a bite of a fresh Chocolate Zucchini Muffin and says, “Hmm. Great texture.” Or maybe I’ve just got a fabulous 14-year old son. This is a given.


zucchini muffins

Here’s a pic of this amazing kid at church camp this summer. Yes, the girls have noticed him. Every single girl has noticed. Let’s go back to talking about the muffins.


Elias at camp 2016

These muffins are “moist like a cupcake.” Again – the description of my 14-year old.


The original recipe I had for these muffins called for one full cup of sugar and (brace yourself) an entire bag of chocolate chips. An entire bag. Not only am I not interested in adding that amount of sugar to the healthy and necessary meal I like to call “breakfast” – I’m also way too cheap. Would you like a little muffin with those chocolate chips?


With proportions like that, you might think that cutting the sugar so drastically as I did might turn out a boring and inedible muffin. But allow me to remind you of the teenager’s comment from above, that these muffins are “like a cupcake.” This from someone who would never have argued with me if I had chosen to dump an entire bag of chocolate chips into my muffin mix. He didn’t even know what he was missing.


He also didn’t know he was eating zucchini.


When writing this recipe for you, I shared a range of measurements for the sugary ingredients. Your family might prefer these muffins to be a bit sweeter, in which case you’ll want to go with the 1/2 cup portion of sugar and chocolate chips. Either way, the muffins will turn out amazing. You know – moist like a cupcake.


  • ¼ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ - ½ cup mini chocolate chips

  1. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Stir in shredded zucchini, eggs, and oil until well combined.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop into 12 prepared muffin tins.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I like to use Enjoy Life Soy Free Chocolate Chips when possible. :)


Enjoy these muffins for a Back-to-School breakfast or as an after school snack. Need more breakfast ideas? Find 60 Make Ahead Breakfast ideas in this post.


Here’s your final reminder to sign up to win a copy of our new Low Sugar Treats eBook!!


Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site