The Benefits of Coconut Oil

Sherlene sent this great link on the amazing benefits of coconut oil. I tried to put the article up, but it didn't work right. So just click on this link and enjoy this really good article. I was really surprised with all the benefits and I just started using it. Verl and Anna are now using it exclusively, with olive oil. Let us know what you think.

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

15 Secrets to Better Health

Attitude & Focus

1) Concentrate on your health as opposed to losing weight. If you have kids, concentrate on your kids and how you losing weight will help improve the energy you bring to your relationship with them.

2) Hold yourself accountable and don't make excuses. We are all extremely busy, but you can fit movement into your schedule. You deserve to take some personal time each day to invest in yourself and your health.

3) When you exercise, be proud of yourself. Know how much it positively affects your energy and health.

4) Stay positive. Life is too short to beat yourself up over weight you have gained or workouts you have missed. Staying positive helps all areas of your life!

5) Have fun. If your workouts are not fun you are not going to keep doing them. So, if you dread going to a gym, don't go. Instead, go for a walk, play with your kids in the yard, etc. If you can turn the dreaded exercise word into a fun activity, then your chances of being successful go up dramatically.

6) Throw the rear view mirror out the window. Concentrate on today and tomorrow. You can't change the past and beating yourself up is only going to drag you in the wrong direction. Today is a New Day!

Exercise & Movement

7) Do Interval Workouts 2 or 3 days per week. Intervals help you Burn 30% More Calories per Workout and can help Leave Your Metabolism Elevated for up to 12 hours after each workout. You can access a free sample workout by going to: http://bit.ly/hkPwNv

8) Do the 6-minute No Excuses Workout 2 or 3 days per week. You can do this quick and highly effective strength training workout right in your living room; no equipment is required. You can access the Free sample workout by going to: http://bit.ly/ewSfQt or workout with Jonathan using this video: http://bit.ly/m8IYS6

9) Turn random acts into fitness. Take the stairs at work, park in the furthest spot at the store or work, play with your kids instead of sitting on the sideline, walk in place while brushing your teeth, etc. Be creative and you can turn activities you already do into opportunities to improve your health.

Nutrition

10) Always eat breakfast & never skip meals. Have breakfast within 1 hour of waking up to kick-start your metabolism. Skipping meals causes your metabolism to slow down and sends the signal to your body to store your next meal as fat in order to avoid starving.

11) Drink 64 ounces of water per day plus one additional ounce per minute of workout time. You should be going to the bathroom at least once every hour to hour and a half.

12) Eat something every 2 to 3 hours. Eat healthy snacks midmorning and mid-afternoon to help keep your metabolism buzzing and to help you avoid over-eating at lunch or dinner.

13) Control your Portions. Avoid seconds and eat until you are no longer hungry versus until you are full.

14) Only have dessert once per week. This could save you 300 calories per day on the six non-dessert days (1,800 calories per week). Since you have to have burned 3,500 more calories than you consume to lose 1 pound, this new habit could lead to losing an additional pound every two weeks or 26 pounds in one year!

15) Limit yourself to one soda per day (ideally zero per day). The excess sugar is not good for your health and can cause major ups and downs as far as your energy level.

Information provided by Jonathan Roche, Founder & CEO, Breakthrough Health & Wellness Solutions, Inc.

Please visit http://www.NoExcusesWorkouts.com/ to learn more.

Laura here ~ I signed up for these emails through a FlyLady recommendation. I really like his positive approach and really like these practical tips. I hope you enjoy them.

The Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Thanx Sherlene for sending this article!

Aug 04 2008

Author: Dr. Edward Group @ 12:30 pm

You’ve probably heard of Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. But, do you know what all the talk is really about?

This murky brown vinegar, the one with the sediment in the bottom of the bottle, is the vinegar that has been used for hundreds of years largely for medicinal purposes.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made from nutritious organically grown apples and retains many of the fruits’ beneficial components because raw apple cider vinegar is not pasteurized. And in its two fermentation processes, it produces enzymes and life giving nutrients that make apple cider vinegar the powerhouse it is.

What Is The Difference Between Clear Vinegar & Raw Apple Cider Vinegar?

Clear vinegar has none of the benefits of raw organic apple cider vinegar. Through its processing and distilling, it’s been stripped of everything beneficial and can be detrimental to your health due to the fact that it is dead instead of alive.

Only raw organic apple cider vinegar has the “mother of vinegar” that makes the vinegar so beneficial. The “mother” is made up living nutrients and bacteria. You can actually see it settled in the bottom of the bottle like sediment.

What Can Raw Apple Cider Vinegar Do for Me?

Beneficial ingredients in raw apple cider vinegar give it its power to make us feel better, look better and feel energized. Just look at some of the beneficial ingredients in raw apple cider vinegar:

• Potassium – helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses.
• Pectin – helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.
• Malic Acid – gives ACV the properties of being anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal.
• Calcium – helps create strong bones and teeth.
• Ash – gives ACV its alkaline property which aids your body in maintaining proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state.
• Acetic Acid – It appears that this acid slows the digestion of starch which can help to lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals.

A Few Benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar mixed in 4 ounces of purified water after a meal has been used as a natural remedy for heartburn and as a replacement for toxic heartburn medications.
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar may help improve bowel irregularity, thereby removing toxins from the body at a faster rate.
• Helps clear up skin conditions and blemishes giving a smoother texture and complexion.
• Raw Apple Cider vinegar may also help with joint pain and stiffness.
• Apple Cider Vinegar helps to break down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them. For this reason, many diets include ACV in their regimen.
• On a small scale, ACV was studied by researchers at Arizona State University. The preliminary study was published in the Diabetes Care journal. It reported that ACV helps reduce levels of glucose.

Raw organic apple cider vinegar is even good for pets. It has been used to help control fleas and even promotes a healthy shiny coat.

How Do I Take Raw Apple Cider Vinegar?

Mixed with another powerhouse of beneficial goodness, organic honey, apple cider vinegar can be a tasty treat with very healthy benefits. This is a great drink for fast energy. Remember, the mother of vinegar will settle at the bottom of the bottle between uses. Be sure to shake the bottle well before pouring to include these healthful ingredients. In a large pitcher, add together:

• 2 tablespoons of Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 gallon of purified water
• Raw locally harvested honey or agave nectar to suit your taste

Raw honey or organic agave nectar is a great addition because of their health giving properties. They can help improve your energy, strengthen your immune system, and much more. And they taste great.

You can also find apple cider vinegar in tablet or capsule form. However, I do not recommend these sources because they are a dried source and not living as the liquid is.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is very strong so I always recommend diluting it with water. A good ratio is 1 tablespoon per 32 ounces of water for general use.

My Personal Recommendation

I personally use Bragg’s Organic raw apple cider vinegar on a daily basis. I would recommend this brand of apple cider vinegar over any other brand currently on the market. In fact, I keep the bottle you see on the right, both at home and at work.

Inner Drive - It's all about YOU!

So, I just have to say that I love Jillian Michaels! I get tips and advice from her website, and it's pretty much awesome. This one is all about your inner drive...it really is all about you. Step it up a notch, and you'll get your goals in the bag! :)

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Monday, June 20, 2011

How To Get Motivated To Work Out

It may seem obvious, but I'll say it anyway: You can't achieve success if you're not willing to take the first step. Sure, I can give you all the tools you need for weight loss, but if you're not willing to get off your butt, you won't get anywhere. You need to find that inner drive to accomplish your goals. Need some inspiration? Check out what this teammate said on the Message Boards:

"Had somebody told me a year ago that I would complete a 5k in under an hour, I'd have told them they were insane. But last fall, I did just that. I jogged and walked fast through my very first 5k and came in at 47 minutes and 53 seconds.

You'll never believe what you can do until you try something and complete it. Making motivational vision boards for yourself and finding a support network can really help. Find somebody who won't let you talk your way out of something difficult. For the 5k, I had my kickboxing instructor. She kept me focused and, though she finished way ahead of me, was right there to cheer me to my finish line! The feeling of accomplishment you gain from succeeding at something you didn't think was possible will motivate you to try something else you aren't sure you can do.

Eventually, your life will change and be marked by these fabulous accomplishments. Each new triumph will lead you further down the road toward living a fearless life. Just get up and go!" – Starfaerie82

With the right attitude, you can meet (and even exceed!) your goals, but it's up to you to put in the effort. What motivation can you pull from within right now that will help get you moving?

Here is the link from her website if you want more on Success Stories, Motivation, Tips, etc...
http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/find-your-inner-drive?xid=nl_LosingItWithJillianMichaels_20110620

Dark Chocolate :) You know you love it! :)

I had to register for RealAge.com for one of my classes last semester, and I still get advice, tidbits, and other healthy tips from them to make your "real" inner age go down. :) Here is one on Dark Chocolate. Who knew it was good for your skin? :)

http://www.realage.com/tips/dark-chocolate-protect-skin-from-sun?eid=1098964008&memberid=50023693

I hope the link works! If it doesn't, I'll copy and paste the whole article. :) eNjoY! :)

Legumes!

In researching legumes, first I wanted to know what they were and how to say the word. It isn’t as hard to say as I thought and now I don’t think it will be so hard to eat everyday! J  I thought they were just beans. But, they aren’t.  Okay, they are mostly beans. But hey, check out this list:

Adzuki Beans

Black Beans

Black-eyed peas

Broad Beans (Fava Beans)

Butter Beans

Calico Beans

Cannellini Beans

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)

Edamame

Great Northern Beans

Italian Beans

Kidney Beans

Lentils

Lima Beans

Mung Beans

Navy Beans

Pinto Beans

Soy Beans, including black soy beans

Split Peas

White Beans

Avoid: Beans canned with sugars or lard.

Peanuts are a special case of legumes. 2 Tablespoons of "natural" peanut butter (no sugars or oils added) is considered a serving of legumes.  1 oz. of peanuts is also considered a serving. How about that! You could have peanut butter on 2 slices of whole wheat toast, maybe a little honey or sugar free jam & you have 2 servings of grains and legumes. (that kinda seems like cheating doesn’t it?) Now here is a little bit of info on these legumes.  Legumes are a good source of fiber, resistant starch, and other nutrients. Other than non-starchy vegetables, they are one of the least glycemic sources of carbohydrates, because the starch is either slowly absorbed or resistant. 1/3-1/2 cup servings are recommended. Note that in general canned beans tend to raise blood sugar more than beans which you soak and cook yourself.  Here are a couple of great links to give you ideas on how to use them and other info. Enjoy your legumes! ©

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/legumes/NU00260

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/legumes-list.html

Oat Bran Muffins

I have a recipe I'd like to share.  I know a hard part for a few people in our last contest was getting in the whole grains.  I love this recipe and two muffins are a whole grain and a fruit.  I can only do flour or sugar if it's #5 or lower on the list of ingredients so this recipe is a perfect sweet breakfast for me.  I usually eat it with some protein (eggs, yogurt, milk, whatever) and a teaspoon of butter on the muffins.  Delicious! ~ Genevieve
Oat Bran Muffins

2 cans of crushed or tidbit pineapple (in its own juice) fruit and juice
1 cup raisins
½ cup applesauce
2 mashed bananas, ripe
¼ cup apple juice concentrate
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
Combine all the above ingredients; set aside
3 cups + 6 T. oat bran (I’ve also used oatmeal and obviously it’s different, but I still like it)
1 cup Splenda (I've only used splenda and I like it, but I imagine you could experiment with other sweeteners)
⅓ cup whole wheat flour
5 t baking powder
2 t salt
1 t baking soda
3 t cinnamon
Combine all dry ingredients together; then combine with wet; stir until well mixed.  Spray with Pam or use muffin papers.  Fill 24 muffin cups full (very little rising will take place).  Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Makes 24 muffins.

Here's to Whole Grains!

I have been thinking a lot about our grains and legumes rule. I think a lot of you have too as you have asked for some ideas on what is out there for whole grains. Legumes, well that will be my next post. It can be tough getting these grains into our food everyday. So I came across this list of grains and the benefits of eating them and thought I’d share. Some of my favorites are popcorn, whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal and of course quinoa. I hope this list helps. I think it will help me. Also here is a link to a great site for ideas: wheatfoods.org 

List of Whole Grains ©

Sliced bread

Bagels

Tortillas

English muffins

Pita bread

Dinner rolls or other buns

Whole wheat or brown rice pasta

Brown or wild rice

Whole oats

Whole wheat or whole grain cereals

Whole wheat flour or rye flour

Popcorn

Whole wheat or whole grain crackers

Bulgur (cracked wheat)

Buckwheat

Millet

Barley

Wheatberries

Quinoa

The health benefits, besides being pretty yummy,  of eating whole grains rather than refined products are numerous. Unrefined, whole grains are great sources of nutrients, including:

Natural, soluble fiber

Vitamin E

Vitamin B-6

Zinc

Potassium

Folate

Protein

Iron

Thiamin

Riboflavin

Other benefits to eating whole grains include the full feeling you get when you swap whole grains for refined grains in your meals. This feeling of fullness lasts much longer than with refined products, which can help with weight loss.  WhooHoo - Yeah Grains! ©

Quinoa!

I did really good today. I went for my walk, hurried to shower, had my power smoothie, went to the Temple, went out to eat at Trappers and ate a yummy salad, said NO to pie, came home and organized some more on my pantry (have you seen my pantry? It is going to take some serious time!), and made a yummy Chicken Quinoa dinner.  So. This is my new favorite grain. It doesn't take too long to cook. It is so delicious plain, cooked with chicken bouillon, as a breakfast cereal, in a salad. Lots you can do with this. David's Emily has a great recipe on her blog and so does Our Best Bites blog, just posted today. They are 2 of the blogs I follow. You should check them out.  The best deal to buy quinoa is at Costco. If you have Whole Foods close by, you can buy it there. Otherwise, most health food stores have it. Give it a try! It is seriously yummy! Tomorrow, I'll post more info on grains and legumes. So can't wait, right?

Bountiful Baskets

Hi Everyone ~ I thought I would tell you about a Co-op for fruits and veggies. Its called Bountiful Baskets. The baskets are available in a lot of the states in the west and is so worth a look at. I LOVE ordering these. They deliver in Taylor every other week. Most places they deliver 1 day a week. Check it out! 
bountifulbaskets.org

Easier Ways to Eat our Fruits and Veggies

I thought I’d put some tips and tricks on eating fruits and veggies. Some of you wondered what a serving would be on some of this. I hope this will answer those questions.

©Add fruit to your cereal, oatmeal, waffles or pancakes at breakfast.

©Create your own yogurt flavors with plain yogurt and different combinations of fresh fruit.

©Snack on raw vegetables or fruits instead of chips or pretzels. Keep sugar snap peas, raisins or carrot sticks in your car, your office or your backpack.

©Use chunky salsa instead of thick, creamy snack dips.

©Drink 100% juice instead of addictive coffee, tea, or soda.

©Going out to lunch? Take a trip to the salad bar. Use lots of dark green leaves and other vegetables instead of piling on all of the extras like eggs, bacon and cheese.

©Add frozen veggies to any pasta dish. It's an easy way to get in another serving of the good stuff.

©Keep fruits and vegetables in line of sight. Grapes, oranges, bananas, and apples make a colorful bowl arrangement on the table. If you see them, you will eat them.

©Dried fruit is just as portable as potato chips -- and less messy. It tastes especially good when added to basic trail mix.

©When cooking vegetables, make 2-3 times more than you need and immdiately store the extra away for tomorrow. It'll save you time later on.

©Add your own beans and vegetables (tomatoes, spinach, peppers, cabbage) to canned and quick-serve soups.

If you must have pizza, load on extra veggies and pineapple instead of fatty meats and extra cheese.

©Try berries, melons or dates for a naturally sweet dessert rather than the usual candy bar, cookie, or ice cream sandwich.

©Frozen fruit and veggies are nearly as healthy as the fresh stuff, and only take minutes to prepare.

©Combine fruit with your main meal courses. Raisins, apples and tangerine slices add sweet, crunchy variety to a salad. Apples complement pork, pineapple is great with fish, and orange slices are perfect with chicken.

Besides being packed full of nutrients, fruits and vegetables can also be quite filling. They may even ward off any empty calorie snacking that might follow! Don’t be discouraged by the recommended 5 servings a day. The guide below shows that one serving is less than what you might think.

One serving equals:
1 medium piece of fruit
1/2 cup fruit (raw, canned, or frozen)
1/2 cup cooked vegetables (canned or frozen)
1 cup raw vegetables
1/4 cup dried fruit
4-6 oz. of 100% juice (serving size depends on the type of juice)
1/2 cup cooked peas or beans

2 cups leafy greens or salad

Today Is the Day!

I'm pretty excited I must admit for today. I already did my exercise, I'm drinkin' my power smoothie and I'm glad that you all are doing this with me. You probably will be getting a few notices today from this blog today, but I promise to try to not annoy you too much. : )  We are going to put something up everyday so be sure to check it out. Today I need you to do 2 things. 1st - let me know what you 10th rule is & 2nd - comment on this post and share with us why you want to be involved in this contest. My 10th rule is to organize my home for 30 minutes 6 days a week. If I do 6 days, I will get a free point for Sunday. The reason I'm in this contest (started this) is because I want to be healthier. I want to lose weight and I want to establish good healthy habits and I feel like this will be a fun way to do it.  How about you? I love you all!

What IS Wellness?

Wellness is reaching and living to your fullest abilities and talents. It is reaching your potential in all 5 specific areas of life- Spiritual, Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, and Social. The most critical element of wellness is BALANCE. It is very important for the individual to achieve and maintain balance in all 5 areas of wellness. If any of the areas of wellness are neglected, or overemphasized it will put the individual out of balance and their level of wellness will lower.

A major component of wellness is active participation in health and lifestyle choices. Our current society still adheres to the principle of fixing it as soon as it breaks. The concept or principle of wellness is that we as individuals take active responsibility for our own health and lifestyle choices. A person with a high level of wellness will make and live choices that will enhance and improve their lives. For example, they will actively choose to exercise regularly, they will make healthy nutrition choices, they will learn and incorporate stress management techniques. They will be open and honest with others and be open to loving and caring for other people. All of these are an essential part of wellness.

As you go through these next 8 weeks, strive daily to improve in each of the areas. At the end of each day be able to show and tell yourself that you are a better person because of the experiences of the day. Look for opportunities to serve and help. Don’t wait to be asked. This can truly be the greatest growing experience of your life. Make it that way.

Make it happen.

p.s. I derived this with a few edits on my part from my American Epidemic class at college. LOVED that class! :)

Here are the Rules

©Remember – you can do ANYTHING for 8 short weeks! You’ve got this!

©There is a possibility of earning 10 points per day, 70 points per week - one point earned per item each day.

©During each week you get THREE free points. For example, one day you can use a free point for having one normal size dessert, or use another free point for having carbonation one day, you could use the last free point for missing exercise one day. These points do not accumulate after a week. Use it or lose it.

©You have THREE free days during the 8 week period where you can get all 10 points without having to follow any of the rules. This may come in handy if you are sick or on vacation, so use it wisely!

Report your points via email every Monday – jlmccleve@cableone.net

1. Eat 5 servings of fruits/veggies. A serving can be a fruit or vegetable or a half cup of cooked vegetables. 2 cups of leafy green veggies counts as 1 serving.

2. Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. You can add Crystal Light if you want to make it easier, but make sure half is plain water.

3. Get 7 hours of sleep a night. If you come up short you can take a nap during the day. The 7 hours do not have to be consecutive.

4. Exercise 30 minutes a day (at least 5 days a week). This also does not have to be consecutive. Must be more than a leisure walk. Should be able to talk not sing. **IF YOU EXERCISE 5 DAYS IN A WEEK, YOU EARN 2 FREE POINTS** (i.e. if you worked out 5 days, you report 7 points. If you worked out for 4 days, you report 4 points only).

5. No Soft drinks or Alcohol. None. Perrier is fine.

6. No sweets. No cookies, candy, cake etc. No sugary muffins or cereal like Cap N' Crunch. Lightly sweetened cereals are okay. Honey, agave, splenda, stevia, or molasses are fine to use to sweeten recipes or cereals.

7. No unhealthy food choices; fries, chips, Cheezits. Baked chips and Wheat Thins/Triscuits, Melba Toast, and ak-mak crackers, etc. are okay. If you want a snack, walnuts and raisins are a good choice or eat one of your fruits and veggies.

8. No eating meals after 8:00 p.m, unless you work out for 2 hours or burn 1500 calories. However, a healthy snack is fine.

9. Eat 2 servings of whole grains or legumes per day.

10. One goal of your choosing. It has to be measurable and you have to share what it is. For example, mine is going to be organizing my home 15 minutes every day except Sunday. The goal doesn’t necessarily have to be about food--it could be scripture study, journal writing, organization, reading in general, learning a new hobby, etc.

Welcome!

Our journey to a healthier lifestyle begins right here. Sarah & I are really getting excited about this! As we post ideas & motivation tips, I hope you know that we are in this with you. We are not experts. We are doing a lot of research though and want to pass along some of what we learned to you. I (Laura) really need this, so that was my motivation to start this contest. We want all of you to share any ideas that you have too. This is going to be a really fun 8 weeks! Keep Smilin'!