Holiday Truffles

This is one of our favorite holiday goodie recipes... Holiday Truffles! 

No added sugar
No high fructose corn syrup
No butter
No artificial anything
Just the pure sweet goodness of pitted dates combined with cocoa and vanilla!  

Don't knock 'em until you try them... they're a HUGE hit with anyone who has ever tasted them! 

They are equally as yummy if you omit the coconut, or substitute walnuts for the pecans. 

Tools You’ll Need:

•        Food processor
•        Measuring cups
•        Measuring spoons

Ingredients:

•        1 cup of pecans
•        1 ½ cup of medjol dates (pitted)
•        ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
•        4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•        1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•        1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1. Plug in your food processor and place all ingredients in it.
2. Grab a small handful of dough and roll it into a ball (each truffle of mine was about 1″ x 1”)
3. Repeat step 2 until your entire dough is gone.
4. Eat up or, if you want to save them for later, place truffles on a plate and refrigerate.

* Makes 20 truffles

* Nutritional Information (per truffle): 106 calories; 6g fat; 15g carbohydrates; 2g protein.

RECIPE & PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZING! PALEO

Starting today, I vow to be healthy.

I have avoided writing this blog post for several weeks now. It would've been too painful to write before this, as it requires me to open up myself into a very vulnerable position, but it needs to be said... God asked me to share. 

Starting today, I vow to be healthy. 

This may come as a shock to many of you. But you are healthy. Aren't you? 

Well, yes. I know how to be healthy. I know what I should and shouldn't eat. I am educated in nutrition. I have spent countless hours researching, learning, writing essays, reviewing health publications and pouring every ounce of myself into nutrition and health textbooks. I have lived, breathed, prayed and petitioned for the health of His people for over two years. When you are called into a ministry area, it becomes your identity... your life is dedicated to serving in the specific area in which the Lord has asked you to minister. 

And serve to the fullest extent is just what I was doing, until five months ago. On July 1st 2013 we lost another baby too soon; our seventh miscarriage when I was just over 11-weeks along. 

The pain is still raw; the wound still tender to the touch. 

Our other losses have all healed; formed their scars. 

But this one... this one is still in the process of scabbing over, and it hurts. It stings when I pick at it. So for the past five months I have left it alone, hoping it would heal quickly on its own - by scabbing over, then scarring, just like all the others. 

This one is different. It hasn't healed as quickly as the others. It only began the process of healing just two short weeks ago... on the day I finally set aside myself and came before Him - admitting my pain, my sorrow & my exhaustion. Admitting I cannot do it without Him. 

For months I had been fooling myself, causing myself to believe that I had already set me aside... But, I was lying. It's the only way I knew how to keep free of the pain - the pain of loss, the pain of jealousy, the pain that comes with healing sometimes because in order to heal, we need to open ourselves up and allow Him to work is us. And, that can be painful. 

So for the past five months, I had never truly opened up, and that wound was never really exposed. I had never let it get the air it so desperately needed. Instead, I just kept wrapping it in a light bandage and then wondering why it was taking so long to scab over. 

I don't even remember what our pastor preached on that Sunday morning two weeks ago. All I know is that God was speaking to me - He was asking me to take the bandage completely off, to approach Him at His altar, and allow Him to start treating my wound so He could heal it. And for through that entire Sunday morning service, I kept telling Him, "yeah, okay..." because maybe He would stop asking to treat my wound.

But, standing at the altar for prayer that morning were the exact two women in my life that needed to pray with, and for, me. Two strong, faith-filled women who I admire, who I have been vulnerable with, who love and support me, and who have walked alongside me during previous losses. The two women that God knew needed to be standing there in order for me to even consider asking for prayer. And so, I approached them... I told them I had been so exhausted since the loss in July; they already knew my story. And the Holy Spirit knew exactly what needed to be prayed over me that morning. 

The release of stress, the peace that overcame me, the start of healing that occurred that morning; it was incredible. It was overwhelmingly powerful and freeing and felt like a warm soothing, healing balm all over my body. 

Now I write this post, five months to the day after we lost Amara Grace. And my wound is just now starting to lightly scab over. 

I know because I can write this post while only a few tears stream down my face. 

I know, because even through those tears I can still find peace in writing this, knowing it will bring comfort to someone else and in doing so, it will glorify Him. 

Today, our pastor spoke about glorifying God... 

how everything is created to glorify God, 

but how we only glorify Him when we fulfill His purposes. 

Well, my purpose is to be healthy - physically, emotionally & spiritually - so that I can help, encourage and teach others as they achieve health. My purpose - our family's call into ministry - all keeps coming back to our fifth miscarriage: Asher Nicholas. Read his story here. 

And because I can only glorify God by fulfilling His purposes, 

I vow to lay aside myself, 

to find strength and peace only in Him, 

to allow Him to treat & heal my wounds, 

and to continuing serving Him how He has asked me to... 

by being whole and healthy, in Christ.

How has He asked you to serve Him? 

Will you vow to fulfill His purposes to bring Him glory? 

Nix the burger, baby!

If you're shaping up your diet before starting a family, ask your hubby to join you.

New research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that consuming saturated fats may reduce sperm count.

Men with the highest intake (think hamburgers, fried foods, pizza - all things that your guy may love) had a 41% lower sperm count than those that consumed the least amount of saturated fats.

Lead author Tina Jensen, professor of environmental medicine at the University of Southern Denmark, speculates that those eating more of these fats might have other unhealthy habits that could affect fertility.

More research is needed to determine if changing a hopeful father's diet will solve the problem, but it can't hurt to bring back Meatless Mondays... and Wednesdays... and Fridays...


Article courtesy of Shape Magazine, April 2013

Upcoming Classes at Menne Nursery

Free upcoming classes at Menne Nursery, 3100 Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst:

Sustainable Gardening Practices
Saturday, June 8th at 10:00 a.m.
Presented By: Sharon Webber NYSCNLP
A sustainable garden is an earth friendly garden, one that works in harmony with nature by using techniques that improve the health of your garden while minimizing its negative impact on the environment. Organic gardening, composting, using native plants and integrated pest management (IPM) all play a role in a sustainable garden and they are fun to learn & easy to practice. Sharon Webber, a locally renowned freelance garden consultant, has worked as an educator for Cornell University's Cooperative Extension Service and is currently an adjunct instructor in the horticulture program at NCCC. She will introduce you to the basic elements of earth friendly gardening practices and open your eyes to improving your garden and environment. Reservations required. 


Edible Flowers
Saturday, June 22nd at 10:00 a.m.
Presented By: Lee Schreiner


Strawberry Preserves
Saturday, June 22nd at 2:00 p.m.
Presented By: Joyce Gallagher


Register for these classes by calling Menne Nursery at 693-4444

How much sugar are you drinking per day?

How much sugar are you drinking per day (whether in soda, sweetened iced tea, lemonade, energy drinks, in coffee, etc)? 

Pay attention today!! It's probably a lot more than you realize. 

Check out the sugar in Coca-Cola! 1 sugar cube is equal to 1 teaspoon...

Watch out for the sugar in sweetened yogurt too! 

That's a lot of sugar!

The stats in blue are alarming!! 

Keep in mind that all those beverages containing sugar really add up! 

Understanding PLU Labels

We have seen these types of pictures circulating around facebook several times the past week...

• Know labeling requirements: PLU labeling is optional so not all produce will have labels (however, *most* sold in grocery stores will have a PLU code).

• Understand GMO labeling: the 5-digit codes beginning with 9 are organic. The 5-digit code starting with 8 is for GMO food -BUT- manufacturers are not required to label genetically modified foods so they don't use that code & are using the 4-digit conventional code instead.

• Know common GMO crops: corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, sugar beets (ie: white table sugar), papaya, zucchini, and squash are the major GMO crops. Corn, soy & sugar beets (labeled sugar) are used in most all canned, boxed, bagged (ie: processed) foods. Also - meat, dairy & eggs from livedstock, which are fed a GMO grain diet. Buy 100% organic and/or opt for grass-fed / pastured meat, dairy & eggs. 

• Read labels thoroughly: if an item on an ingredient label is listed as 100% organic, it cannot be GMO as USDA regulation prohibits GMOs from being labeled organic. Also, look for these third-party organic certification agencies whose organic standards are stricter than the USDA... look for: QAI, Oregon Tilth, and CCOF. Also, look for the Non-GMO Project verified seal on labels.

• Shop local & grow your own: the best place to buy organically grown non-GMO produce, meat, dairy & eggs is from local farmers. Ask them questions, stop by their farm for a visit, join a produce or meat share & shop farmer's markets. Plant a small garden and grow your own food. If space is an object, you can do a considerable amount of growing on patios and/or rooftops using containers & vertical gardening practices. Get creative! Plant food in your landscaping: instead of only planting annual flowers on your beds, mix in some herbs & veggies too.

• Research, research, research. The food industry can be confusing & overwhelming. It changes constantly & so do the regulations and requirements, or lack thereof. If something seems to good to be true in the "big agra" food industry, research it, because chances are, it probably is... like the idea that manufacturers are placing the number 8 in their PLU codes to openly admit their produce is genetically modified... when they're not required to label GMOs, let alone use a PLU code.

Roasted Beets with Orange & Thyme

Ingredients
1 bunch of beets, scrubbed & peeled. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt & ground pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons orange zest

Directions 
Preheat oven to 425. Place pieces of beets on large piece of foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt & pepper. Fold foil around beets and crimp ends to form a packet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 45-minutes.

Transfer beets to a large bowl and drizzle with honey and orange juice. Top with finely grated orange zest and thyme leaves.

Serves 4.

Your weapon against cardiovasular disease!

"A healthy diet is one of the most powerful weapons against cardiovasular disease", says Rachel K. Johnson, Ph.D., R.D., a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. 

Aim for a wide variety of produce, since various fruits and vegetables provide different antioxidants. 

Whole grains like barley are also key, because they help contain soluable fiber that helps lower LDL cholesterol. 

As for protein, most protein should come from plant sources, and lean sources such as eggs, poultry and omega-3-rich fish.

Invest In Your Health, 1st!!

We frequently hear "eating healthy is expensive" or "I cant afford your lifestyle" - it's very simple and it's inexpensive.

Finances seem to be the #1 reason people would rather stay in their bad habits than change... and the solution (eating healthy) probably costs no more than your current spending on unhealthy foods. Our advice, INVEST IN YOUR HEALTH, first!

* Eat Less.

* Eat More Vegetables, fruits, whole grains & plant proteins - those are the things that keep you full! Eat less meat & dairy.

* Eat in season. Buy local. Shop farmer's markets. You'll pay more for foods that are not in season. Join a CSA; freeze or can the extra produce.

* Watch Your Portion Size. Eat the serving size, not more.

* Eat At Home. Learn to cook, if you don't know how. All you need is the ability to read and some healthy recipes.

* Make sacrifices in other areas of your budget, if need be... do we really need 300 television stations?! Go outside for entertainment (and for your health!).

* Don't Waste Food. According to a study conducted this past August, the average American family throws away half of their food (approximately $2,200 in food per family is thrown away annually). Would you throw $2,200 in cash in the garbage? If not, then don't throw your food away either!! Have leftover night. Freeze leftovers. Be creative in how you can use leftovers!


More Tips Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/food-waste-americans-throw-away-food-study_n_1819340.html

And Here:
http://www.eatingwell.com/diet_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/how_to_lose_weight_on_a_budget?page=2&sssdmh=dm17.648377&esrc=nwewd012413

Bulgar Salad

Ingredients
1 cup bulgar wheat
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


Directions
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in the bulgar and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover and let stand until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the bulgar to a large bowl. Stir in the cucumber, grapes, lemon juice, olive oil and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or chill and serve later.

Vitamin Water: Beware!

Consumers beware! Don't be misled by marketing.

 

 

"Vitaminwater's sugar content more than offsets any advertised health benefits provided by the nutrients in the drink: 33 grams of sugar and 125 calories, for every 20-ounce bottle. Vitaminwater name misleads consumers since that key third ingredient, sugar, is conveniently absent from the title."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2007106,00.html#ixzz2IlnCnSJ4

 

February is American Heart Month

Starting in 1963, Congress has proclaimed February "American Heart Month" to help urge Americans to join the battle against the number one killer in the United States: cardiovascular disease. Heart disease, including stroke, is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. These diseases, the nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim more than 865,000 American lives a year.

"Heart disease doesn’t just start one day in your 40's or 50's. It can be the result of not taking care of yourself over your lifetime - not being physically active, smoking, high stress levels and not eating a nutritious diet,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “What you do in your teens, 20's and 30's can impact your health as you get older. It is important that all age groups embrace a healthy lifestyle and work to lower the chance of having a heart attack or stroke.”.

Nutritionally, heart health is maintained by:

• Saturated fat and trans fat raise bad (LDL) cholesterol, increasing risk of heart disease.
• Mono and Poly – unsaturated fats can lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, helping to lower risk of heart disease.
• Omega-3 fatty acids not only lower bad cholesterol, they can also raisin good (HDL) cholesterol. Incorporate fish and flaxseed into your diet.
• Increasing potassium helps to lower blood pressure, having a direct impact on the risk of heart disease.
• Choose foods that are lower in salt by reading nutrition fact lables on food and beverage packages.
• Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables; choose whole grain, high-fiber foods; limit saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugar; avoid trans fatty acids.

Heart disease and stroke are actually preventable! Eat for a healthy heart. For more information visit the American Heart Association's website at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Nutrition-Center_UCM_001188_SubHomePage.jsp

Overnight Crockpot "Baked" Oatmeal

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ingredients
2 apples - peeled, cored & cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped apples, total)
1 1/2 cups fat free or non-dairy milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
2 TB dark brown sugar, or honey
1 1/2 TB coconut oil
1/2 TSP cinnamon
1 TB ground flaxseed
1/4 TSP salt

Directions
Coat inside of 3 1/2 quart (or larger) crockpot with coconut oil. Add all ingredients to crockpot. Stir, cover and cook on low for 7-hours. Spoon into oatmeal bowls; add additional toppings such as nuts or raisins, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.


Banana & Coconut Milk Oatmeal

Ingredients
2 medium ripe bananas, sliced (approximately 2 cups total)
2 14-ounce cans light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 TB dark brown sugar, or honey
1 1/2 TB coconut oil
1/2 TSP cinnamon
1/4 TSP nutmeg
1/2 TSP vanilla
1 TB ground flaxseed
1/4 TSP salt

Directions
Coat inside of 3 1/2 quart (or larger) crockpot with coconut oil. Add all ingredients to crockpot. Stir, cover and cook on low for 7-hours. Spoon into oatmeal bowls; add additional toppings such as more sliced banana, chopped nuts, shredded coconut - if desired. Store leftovers in fridge. Freezes well.

Heart-Healthy Baking Essentials

These heart-healthy baking essentials will help you trim fat and sodium, plus boost fiber, antioxidants, and whole grains in favorite recipes!

Unsweetened Applesauce

Baking tip: Cut fat and boost vitamin C in baked goods by using unsweetened applesauce to replace half or more of the butter, shortening, or oil.

 

 



Cocoa, Unsweetened
Baking tip: Use 3 tablespoons of this antioxidant-rich cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to replace 1 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate.

Ener-G Baking Soda
Baking tip: This baking soda substitute saves you more than 1,200 mg of sodium per teaspoon, so it's a smart swap if you bake a lot.

Oat Bran
Baking tip: Add cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber to your recipes by replacing a few tablespoons of flour with oat bran. It keeps baked goods moist, too.

Hain Featherweight Baking Powder
Baking tip: Replace your baking powder with this sodium-free version (made with potassium chloride) to save 480 mg of sodium per teaspoon. Note: Hain Featherweight Baking Powder has 70 milligrams of potassium per 1/8 teaspoon serving. Ask your doctor before using this product, as potassium can pose problems for people with kidney disease.

Organic Cold-Pressed Olive Oil
Baking tip: This oil is obtained by cold-pressing rather than chemical method. It's high in good monounsaturated fat, antioxidants, polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote cardiovascular health.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Baking tips: Higher in fiber and antioxidants than refined (all-purpose) flour, whole wheat flour can replace refinded flour in recipes. White whole wheat flour bakes like traditional whole wheat flour but is light in color because it's from white wheat.

Swap Margarine [and butter] for Coconut Oil
The naturall occuring saturated fat in coconut oil is heart healthy. Nearly 50% of the fat in coconut oil is called lauric acid, which has unique health promoting properties. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties. Coconut oil is also nature's richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.  MCTs actually boost your metabolism and help your body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it.

Add Walnuts
Add chopped walnuts to your baking recipes to boost your intake of heart-healthy antioxidants and omega-3 fats

 



Tomatoes For Heart Health

 

If you want to cut your risk of heart disease - the number one killer in America - try stocking your pantry with tomatoes! A growing body of evidence indicates that if you eat more tomato products you can protect your heart in a number of ways, including fending off oxidative stress, reducing chronic inflammation, halting platelet aggregation, improving blood lipid profiles, and lowering blood pressure levels.

• Fighting Oxidative Stress. An important protective relationship from eating tomatoes is their effect on oxidative stress, which plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids found in tomato products have shown an effect of reducing both oxidative stress markers and the LDL-oxidization process. Researchers from Northern Ireland found that dietary intake of more than 40 mg/day of lycopene in a group of nonsmoking individuals significantly reduced the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in a short-term intervention study. And scientists from New Zealand found that tomato juice increased plasma lycopene levels and the resistance of LDL to oxidation almost as effectively as supplementation with a high dose of vitamin E in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
• Anti-inflammatory Power. Research points out that inflammation may be a significant root in the development of chronic diseases including CVD, cancer, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, neurological degenerative disorders, and inflammatory bowel disorders. Dietary factors such as eating more tomato products can play a role in reducing inflammation. Using data from adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999 - 2004), consumption of processed tomatoes was associated with significantly lower serum C-reactive protein, a recognized biomarker of inflammation. Scientists investigated the effects of processed tomato products on vasodilatation and C-reactive protein in 56 overweight and obese adults. After consuming a low-tomato diet for three weeks, followed by either a six week high-tomato diet or low-tomato diet, the subjects’ responses were assessed after eating a high-fat meal. The high-tomato group had lower C-reactive protein levels and increased mean vessel diameter.
  
• Inhibiting Platelet Aggregation. Tomato products contain anti-platelet compounds that appear to inhibit thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, which may aid in the primary prevention of CVD. Scottish researchers discovered that tomatoes have the highest anti-platelet activity, according to a study that tested fruits in vitro for their anti-platelet properties. The anti-platelet components in tomatoes, which are water soluble, heat stable, and concentrated in the yellow fluid around the seeds, inhibited aggregation by up to 70%. According to the results of a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study in 90 healthy human subjects, tomato extract produced significant reductions in platelet aggregation three hours after supplementation.
  
• Lipid Benefits. Another heart-health benefit of eating tomato products relates to their influence on lipid profile. A tomato-rich diet increased “good” HDL-cholesterol levels significantly by 15.2%, according to a study of the effects of a tomato-rich diet on lipid profile in 98 healthy volunteers for one month of follow-up. And in a diet intervention study, a three week low-tomato diet and a three week high-tomato diet was consumed by 21 healthy study subjects. Total cholesterol concentration was reduced by 5.9% and “bad” LDL cholesterol concentration by 12.9% with the high-tomato diet compared to the low-tomato diet.
  
• A Role in Hypertension. It shouldn’t be a surprise that potassium-rich tomatoes also have shown benefits in treating hypertension. A single-blind, placebo-controlled study including 31 subjects found that a short-term treatment with tomato extract can reduce blood pressure in patients with grade-1 hypertension, naive to drug therapy.

For more information, visit:  http://www.tomatowellness.com/tomato-health-nutrition

Kale & Kale Salad

Loaded with antioxidants, calcium and fiber, kale deserves to be as popular as its cousins spinach and chard. Here are some tips on how to get the most from this sometimes intimidating vegetable:

Select: There are seemingly endless varieties of kale, but some of the most common and tasty include curly, Tuscan, and Red Winter. Colors, which range from green to purple, should be as vibrant as possible. Choose a bunch that's crisp and free of tears.

Store: Freshness makes a big difference in quality with this vegetable. New leaves are earthy and pungent, but as they age, they become more bitter. Keep wrapped in a dampened paper towel in your fridge's crisper drawer for no more than three to four days.

Prepare: Give the bunch a quick rinse, then rip the stems and inner veins from the leaves by hand and discard. The stalks are edible but many people don't like the chewy texture (we personally juice the stalks!).

Serve: Kale leaves can be treated just like spinach: sauteed in a pan with a bit of olive oil, mixed in raw salad topped with a vinaigrette, or tossed into a breakfast omelet or soup. Or, make a healthy snack by simply tearing apary the leaves with your hands and spreading them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and work the seasoning in the leaves with your fingers. Bakes at 300F for 7 minutes, or until crisp.

Nutritional value: One 1-cup serving of kale has 33 calories, 1g fiber, 21mcg folate, 329mg potassium.

Kale Salad

This raw kale salad wins over even the most skeptical of hearty-green newbies. It gets better after a night in the fridge. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 bunches kale, ribs removed and leaves sliced into 1/4-inch shreds
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs, toasted

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper flakes. Add kale and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Add grated cheese and breadcrumbs and toss. Serve.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for two days.

Serves 8.

Healthy Eating Tip #1

To help encourage you, we'll be posting healthy eating tips on a regular basis.

Healthy Eating Tip #1

If you have butter in your fridge, I am challenging you to throw it out & stop using it!! Instead, invest in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and virgin coconut oi...l.

When cooking / sauteing something that normally calls for butter, replace it equally with cold-pressed olive oil. If you are baking something that calls for butter, replace it equally with the coconut oil (you can use coconut oil on toast in place of butter!).

These are very small changes but you will notice results! Why? Because Cold-pressed olive oil contains phenols & mono-unsaturated fat. Phenols suppress inflammation in the body. Mono-unsaturated fat encourages the release of fat from storage by increasing metabolism. Inflammation in the body is known to increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and many cancers. Dairy products, including butter, have been shown to increase the inflammation in our bodies. On the other hand, cold-pressed olive oil suppress & fights inflammation in our bodies :)

Coconut oil is an abundant source of medium-chain fatty acids... these triglycerides work wonders for a sluggish metabolism. Coconut oil has also been shown to balance blood sugars, as it supplies the body with energy similar to blood glucose, but without having a negative impact on our blood sugar levels (ie: coconut oil prevents blood sugar highs & lows). Coconut oil also contains lauric acid and this protects against one of the hidden causes of weight gain, which is candida (yeast). Candida causes symptoms like fatigue, poor concentration, sugar & carb cravings (as yeast feeds off of sugar).

Note: Olive oil & coconut oil that have been highly refined will not have this same benefit, so cold-pressed olive oil and unrefined coconut oil are the way to go!

New Year's Intentions

Now that the hustle & bustle of the holiday season is over, we at Eating Eden are in full-swing helping friends achieve their health  & wellness New Year's Intentions!

We don't like calling them New Year's resolutions... we like New Year's intentions better.

Why?

Because people set New Year's "goals" with the intention to do something, or the intention to change a behavior. When we view these goals as an "intention", they are something that we still need to do. If we view these goals as a "resolution", then they've already been done (or resolved).

More often than not, when we intentionally do something, we stick with it and follow through. Am I right?

Once we meet our goals, or achieve our intention, only then has the problem been resolved... and we end up with a resolution at the end of the process, not at the beginning of the process :)

 

Your goals seem too overwhelming for you? Completely unreachable?

1.) ALL things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26, Luke 18:27, Luke 1:37)!! Ask Him for a dose of strength & perseverence in this time and through this battle.

2.) Don't give up! God never gives up on us (Heb 13:5-6, Psalm 37:28). Don't give up on yourself. He believes in you! Eating Eden believes in you too! Believe in yourself. Believe in the promises that God has given each & every one of us... through Christ, we can conquer ALL things (Phil 4:13, Romans 8:37)! God's Word says ALL things... not some these or certain things. All things includes weight-loss, illness and changing eating patterns too!

3.) Change takes time. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day". Have patience. I know as humans we have problems with that. We want things now, and we want it our way. Ask the Lord for patience through the process.

 

Do not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galations 6:9

 

If we look forward to something we do not yet have,

we must wait patiently & confidently. Romans 8:25 

 

Hit a 'road bump' with your New Year's Intention?

 

Don't fret... the great thing is that you can start anew each & every day! Tomorrow is a new day so start again and get back on tract.

Can't get over the guilt from eating that piece of pie last night?
First, it's okay to forgive yourself.
Second, it's okay to treat yourself once in a while (I mean, really, who doesn't love pie?).
And third, hand that guilt over to the Lord. Know that you are going through this process to glorify Him, not yourself.

When we treat our bodies well and care about ourselves, we are caring for God's precious dwelling place. Remember, God dwells inside each & every one of us (1 Corinthians 3:16)!! When we take care of ourselves, we glorify Him! And, the Lord is here with you every single step of the way. He is walking right along side you, picking you up when you fall, holding your hand when you trip, wiping away your tears, and loving and forgiving you unconditionally.

When we are intentional about glorifying God through our actions, 
the resolution always comes to us as a Blessing.