All posts filed under: Health

California and Coconuts 

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“The Dark, Blue Sea… Thou Glorious mirror, where the Almighty’s form glasses itself in tempests.” -Byron This week I sunk my feet into the California beach for the first time in my aware-life (since 2 years old). After hours of driving, we rushed to the beach for fish tacos and to see the orange sunset, hovering over the ocean rim, like an overly ripe Georgia peach, about to drop from the tree on a muggy summer day. I mean, the only thing that could have improved this heavenly moment would be a penguin clothed waiter with a linen towel over his arm, telling me how they came up with a low calorie Pina Colada and asking how many he could bring me. But, actually, the silence was enough. See, even though I learned that California is massively and understandably overcrowded, like a cod on a table at Pike Place, Seattle on a gray, downy morning after a good fish, the sounds of the ocean drown all those people out. So, I closed my eyes and just…..was. …

Dominant or Dominated & Elderberry Syrup

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“Humility comes before honor.” – Proverbs 18:12b “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” -Proverbs 24:26 Most mornings, or should I just call it what it is and say, “The middle of the night,” my loving husband joyfully cuddles up to me and whispers sweet, “good mornings,” in my ear, so much like a jubilant Mufasa from The Lion King, greeting the dawn with the stance of ancient kings and a proud roar. Not only am I NOT a morning person but I have intense opinions about waking up before 6. When verbally pressed before 7, I communicate only in sign language, like an overtaxed nurse on a full newborn ward when the babies are finally silent. People are all wired differently. We think, communicate and go after different things in life….. by design. I’ve been thinking a lot about the social balance of powers. Let me take to the stage and act out a couple classic personas for a moment. 👩🏼”Hi my name is El. It’s short for Elizabeth. I like ‘El;’ it’s like a …

Health Idioms, True or False

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“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion.” Psalm 27:5a Joseph, who is very much the youngest child, a comical, sometimes pampered (he is the “baby” to 6 other siblings after all),” sprouting boy, whose legs are too long for his head, like a stalk of asparagus, said this week, out of the blue, “I feel a bladder coming on.” Ummmmm, Don’t we all. Lol. And, if he means a bladder infection, where did that come from since he’s never had one?! But, I can more than relate to the feeling that something is coming on illness wise. I’m about as impatient a patient as a pig in a bacon factory in the south. I have been known this week to bemoan to myself, “Just get me out of this!” But, let me tell you what I’ve learned, while I could only sleep one of five nights due to excruciating back pain. I was overcome, right in the middle of it, with waves of gratitude, which rolled in stronger than ever, even while the sky …

Adele, Kindness & Gluten Free Info

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“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” -Victor Hugo “Hello… it’s me,” the husky, lonely tones ring out from Adele’s new hit single, like an echoing wind across the empty, welsh countryside, that reverberates off an abandoned granite cottage on a darkening January afternoon. Maybe my husband and I are products of 25 years ago, cut out of dough, like little 1980’s gingerbread foot soldiers, but we rolled with laughter this week, as we realized every time Adele sings, “Hello,” we both mentally answer, “Is it me you’re looking for?” A warm nod to Lionel Richie, the original friendly, pining greeter. With an overly full schedule this week, I desperately wanted time away to have a short, mental break. I finally had a few quiet minutes alone, which is about as rare as a steak on our grill, no matter how it’s cooked. Lol. Listen, financially, I had to choose steak or children and, while there are days where I …

Life Calling, Daily Eating Checklist & A Green Coffee Smoothy

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The pictures above are some before and after shots.  “Oh, Jo. Jo, you have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to lead an ordinary life? You’re ready to go out and – and find a good use for your talent. Tho’ I don’t know what I shall do without my Jo. Go, and embrace your liberty. And see what wonderful things come of it.” -Marmee from Little Women, 1994  No joke, this week, I was driving along just minding my own business, humming away to You Don’t Think You’re Beautiful by One Direction. Yes, that’s a junior high girls’ dream boy band. Don’t judge. 😜 And, one of my lovely daughters, with gold strands of hair down her back, with a feminine way of pushing her hair gently behind her ear, and the one who always picks peach, turquoise, glitter and tulle, made the throaty noise of collection in the back of her mouth and spat out the car window, like she was a beast of a defensive end who just played a …

How to Bust Through A Diet and Exercise Resistant Weight Plateau & Heart Health

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Photo credit: Juliette Rolfe “Is not this the fast that I choose… Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him…Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily…Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’” -Isaiah 58 Important note: Thank you for being patient, as we worked out the kinks in this blog post. This is the second time I am posting it and it is greatly altered, hopefully for the better. 🙂 Before you do any cleanse or fast, whether you’re in perfect health or not, you absolutely need to consult a qualified and experienced doctor, as everyone is at different places with their health and what their bodies can handle. A doctor who has experience with nutrition and fasting would determine the suitability of this type of cleanse for you, measure your percent body fat as you progress, keep an eye on your health as …

The Freedom of Being Childlike and Thai Lettuce Wraps

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When my faith gets tired You spin me round and round And remind me of that song The one You wrote for me And we dance -Bethel Music Apparently, Zac Efron is the cutest guy around nowadays. Who knew?!? Lol. Oh, how The Tinies crack me up. Who are The Tinies, you ask? Yes, they deserve their own article, capitalization and title! They are my three little ones – Caetlin, Hannah and Joseph. People have frequently reminded me that they aren’t tiny anymore – stop that! 🙂 So, I was happily driving along this week when, out of the blue, The Tinies started in about Zac Efron. One daughter said and I quote, “Zac Efron is soooooo cute that I can’t stand it. I am jealous of the girl who was in High School Musical with him because she got to kiss him!” My face at that moment was just like that stunned, blank and open eyed emoji. I stammered, “But, you’re 9!” The prompt reply from another daughter, who is the great family informant …

How to Eat a Whole Dinosaur and the First 3 Weeks of my 3 Month Ab Challenge

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“Who will bring me to the strong city? Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly.” Psalms 60 Every week, I try to write just a little about what I’m working on heart-wise, as well as with my fitness. You see those awesome people above? They are the best thing I get to be a part of every day on this earth. This week, however, I am feeling utterly overwhelmed with the needs of each of those 7 kids and their different and unique stages of life and academics. Our schedule is about as peaceful as a snowman in July. Nod to Frozen. Give me a break, people, I rarely have time for grownup movies! Lol. A good chick flick with friends, chocolate and jammies sounds like a slice of heaven right now. Let me give you a tiny one minute example of my kids and their ages. As I picked up kids, ages 7-17, yesterday and was navigating busy roads with construction going on, my …

My Health Story and Mexican Bibb Lettuce Wraps 

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My journey towards a healthier physical lifestyle started 9 years ago. Before that, I made reasonably healthy choices but had a very American diet. One evening, my husband, Daniel, and I were on a date, completely unaware of what the evening would hold. We drove through Starbucks and, as we pulled away, my eyes crossed and I couldn’t straighten them for half a minute. That doesn’t sound like long but, believe me, when your body won’t function right, your life seems to move in “SLOW MO,” like a bad video editing job from the 80’s classic, The Bionic Man. Daniel rushed me to the ER where they conducted a CAT scan. They had no explanation. This continued and other symptoms ranging from the feeling I was blacking out to being so cold I couldn’t tolerate it. That season of life was about as fun as wrestling with a stingy toilet paper dispenser in a public restroom. I mean, who mounts those puppies so low you can’t pull any down and out without it breaking off …