Cold Weather Encouragement - For Those Who Hurt This Morning!

"Lord, I need this to go away..NOW please!"

(This picture could only be more perfect if it had a mound of cold snow on top of it!)

I don't know about you but this morning when I woke up this morning I felt like this cactus.  Then, when I looked outside and everything is white and cold I thought…"Lord, I need this to go away..NOW please!"  Not only am I naturally a warm weather outdoor girl but for those of us with autoimmune issues (and probably past physical injuries)  the change in barometric pressure and cold often bring a lot of pain and fatigue.  

There are actually scientific reasons.  When the barometric pressure changes it actually affects the pressure on our bodies and joints causing them to ache.  There are also autoimmune syndromes like "Raynard's Syndrome" which is essentially a big word for really bad circulation in the fingers, toes and the ability to feel warm.  

For me, I just can't regulate body temperature.  I'm always cold.  My feet, my fingers.  I pretty much feel chilled 24/7 and it just makes me want to sleep.  And when I sleep I hibernate..not much can wake me up. 

So what do you do when you wake up feeling physically exhausted before you even get out of bed?  (other than move to Australia of course because I'm told that is where there are the least changes in environment!)  

Well - I look for re-enforcement.  I lift my head toward God and say (after complaining of course :) )  "What do you have for me today in this cold, uncomfortable place"   


I pick up the Bible or in this mornings case a book that my great friend Amy gave me and read.  It reminds me of truth.  Truth that I can hold on to throughout the day.  I wanted to share some of it with you today that you may be encouraged!

An Excerpt from:  Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings [STREAMS IN THE DESERT]

2 Cor 7:5  " We are harassed at every turn"

Why is it that God leads us in this way, allowing such strong and constant pressure on us?  

One of His purposes is to show us His all-sufficient strength and grace more effectively than if we were free from difficulties and trials.  "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show us that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Cor 4:7)

Another purpose is to bring us a greater awareness of our dependence upon Him.  God is constantly trying to teach us how dependent we are on Him - that we are held completely by His hand and reliant on His care alone.  

This is exactly where Jesus Himself stood and where He desires us to stand.  We must stand not with self-made strength but always leaning upon Him.  And our stand must exhibit a trust that would never dare to take even one step alone.  This will teach us to trust Him more.  

There is no way to learn of faith except through trials.  They are God's school of faith, and it is much better for us to learn to trust Him than to live a life of enjoyment.  And once the lesson of faith has been learned, it is an everlasting possession and an eternal fortune gained.  Yet without trust in God even great riches will leave us in poverty. " 

So this today, if you are hurting physically or just plain hurting…let us remember the truth that there are eternal purposes at work…things gained that will last forever.  A God who loves you and has a plan and holds out hope that will carry you through until the sun is shining and warm and your hurt has faded away!

My Current Short Term Fitness Goal! (not the sticker chart...the video!)

So here's the deal... 
I have to have a fitness goal.  

Not only do I need a sticker chart to keep track of that goal, but I also need a reason to keep pressing on when my body hurts and I am tired.  

My ultimate fitness goal is to be strong and healthy, keeping my Lupus and Arthritis as contained as possible. 

But how do you measure that?  I used to measure my health by how I feel each day but that is so subjective.  The positive physical benefits like fitting into a certain dress or swimsuit have never been motivators for me.  Maybe a piece of awesome cheesecake!  (Not a good idea!) 

So last year I decided I would "measure" my fitness by setting a short term goal and it worked!  My goal last year was to be strong enough physically to enjoy a full day of water skiing with Brad's family.  The prior year...I couldn't enjoy it because it made me so tired.  So last year, not only did I get to actually enjoy skiing...the added benefit was that I had enough energy to keep up with my children.  I have more memories of last summer having fun than memories of just wishing I could take a nap!  I'm hoping for the same this year.

A personal note...please know I share this with you...not for my own benefit.  I fear always talking about me.  But, I have learned through these past years of not feeling well...that life is short and I'm hoping that you will be encouraged to live life, get moving, enjoy each moment God gives you and make some great memories...

Sooooo - My fitness goal this year is to feel strong enough by spring to physically to do this:

Yikes!  (don't tell my mommy!)

So today the question is...what is your fitness goal?  Long term?  Short term?  Maybe it's to be able to physically sit on the floor and play games with your children.  Maybe it's to play basketball and be able to walk off the court of your own free will. :)  I don't know what it is...but I believe if you don't set some goals...you can never reach them.  

You can do it...decide, commit to the process, make plans and jump!

Fitness - Goal Tracking...A Shout Out To My Sister!

My precious sister is taking her fitness and health by the horns and I'm soooo proud of her! 

Today she called me and said "Hey, I just stopped at Target and picked up some markers... I'm going to write my goals on my mirror and start checking them off!"  

Her excitement encouraged me to get to writing a few fitness posts here as well.  So right now I would like to talk about tracking your goals.  

For me, one of my goals is to complete round 2 of the fitness program P90X.  I know from finishing round one some months ago that I am going to have to focus and find a way to stick with the program.  

So to put a smile on your face and let you know it's OK to be a child again sometimes....here is how I track this goal!

CAN YOU SEE IT?

YEP - IT'S A GOOD OLE FASHIONED STICKER CHART!!!

NOTICE HOW I HAD TO PUT AB-X IN IT'S OWN CATEGORY! 

(It's more work...so it deserves it's own spot!)

Sooooo.... get out the markers.  Break out the stickers.  Write down those goals and start marking them off!  

Let me know what your goals are and when you reach them so I can do a celebration dance with you!

Beachbody - Reverse the trend of Obesity

These are my beautiful daughters sharing the growing obesity epidemic in America.
Not only is it good information...it's pretty cute too!

Inflammation - 7 Foods to Avoid...Where Do You Start?

By now you may be feeling overwhelmed, wondering where to go from here?

Knowing which foods are harmful to you and actually getting them out of your diet takes work but it is sooo worth it!

My approach is not scientific.  I am not a doctor.  I have however, read several books, spent hours talking with like minded people and walked through this process over the last 5 years.  So these are my thoughts and suggestions:

Decide where you are in the process...

1.  Do you feel pretty good and just know you need to live healthier for the long haul?  Do you make pretty good food choices regularly but just want to continue to grow in this area?  If this is you then I would start by writing a daily food log which will help you really see what you are eating regularly.  If your daily food log shows that you are doing OK with your choices then from there I would take a week (or a day) to focus on each of the 7 foods to avoid and see where you can make changes in your diet.  If not for the benefit of you...do it for the benefit of your children and family.

2. Do you feel like you are at the end of your rope and feel physically bad more days than not?  Have you been diagnosed with a disease that involves inflammation?  Have you been to the doctors office many times in the past year and really have no answers?  How about us ladies who often get told "it's in your head?" Or how about my friend who was finally told to "go see a psychiatrist".  (can you tell I"m a bit hot about this one!)  If I were you (and I am)  I would do an Elimination Diet.  I would decide to take the bull by the horns and get rid of all of the things listed in my first 7 posts.  Know that you may not have to lose these foods forever but for the next 3-6 months you are on a journey to feel better.  Once you get all the foods out of your body then you can start adding them back in one at a time.  THEN, you will KNOW how those foods are affecting your body.

 - I know people who have lost 10 pounds just by cutting out dairy..their body was fighting against it!

-I know people who feel like they have more energy than they have had in years by cutting out gluten...it was messing up their digestive system and taking all their energy.

-I know people who don't have near the sinus and allergy problems because come to find out...they were simply allergic to one of these foods.

In the scope of life - 3-6 months of focusing on your foods is so worth the outcome of knowing what triggers your pain.

Avoiding these 7 foods is not the answer to everything... it is however a piece of the puzzle.

What We Do Eat - Organic

In a perfect world I would be able to feed my family all "organic" fruits, vegetables and meats.  However, for many of us that is not a reality because of finances and the number of mouths we feed!  So what is the solution?  I buy organic when it really matters and I can afford it.  If I can't for whatever reason buy the food organic then I try to buy it local or substitute it for something else.  For example:  Strawberries... I would love to always eat organic strawberries but we just can't.  So I will buy them from the strawberry patch in season and freeze as many strawberries as I can.  

Foods that I always buy organic:

Apples

Apples are typically grown with the use of poisons to kill fungi and bugs.  Scrubbing them doesn't take the pesticides out of the skins.  Peeling the skins take away most of the nutrients.

Bell Peppers

Peppers are heavily sprayed with insecticides.  The USDA found 49 different pesticides on sweet peppers.  After going organic with our peppers, I can actually taste the difference between one I buy organic and a pepper I buy in the regular food isle. 

Carrots

26 different pesticides have been detected in carrots and they really aren't that much more expensive.

Celery

Celery has no skin so all the pesticides sit right on the celery itself.  The USDA ranked celery #1 on the Pesticide Data list containing 64 types of pesticides in celery.  

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are often contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food.  When tested, 51 different pesticides were found. Yikes!

Pears

As insects become more resilient to the pesticides used on pears, more and more chemicals are used.  This year the USDA found 28 of them.

Potatoes

America's favorite vegetable can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides.

Spinach

Spinach is great for you but it is also the most contaminated leafy vegetable.  There were 48 different pesticides found in spinach.  This is another veggie that is not that expensive in most stores.  Eat Spinach but choose organic!

Tomatoes

Although these do not rank as high on the USDA pesticide list, the thin skin of tomatoes allows pesticides to enter the actual fruit so it's best to eat organic when possible. 

Foods we should buy organic 

but can't on a regular basis:

Blueberries

Blueberries are the worst berry on the market for pesticides.  Oh, how I love my blueberries.  These are best bought organic and even frozen.  The amount of molds that are grown on berries from the time they are picked to the time you eat them is enormous.  It's unfortunate but true.

Cherries

Cherries are a hard one to figure out so they are best eaten organic.   Some studies report that cherries grown in the US were found to have 3 times more pesticide residue than imported cherries.

Grapes

Choose grapes grown in the US.  Imported grapes run a greater risk of contamination.  Grapes are sprayed with chemicals at different stages of growth so no amount of washing will eliminate the contamination.

Nectarines & Peaches

Multiple pesticides are often applied to this soft skin fruit making it highly suseptible to pesticides. The USDA found 62 different pesticides on nectarines. 

Strawberries

Strawberries ranked #3 on the USDA list containing 59 pesticides.  If you buy strawberries out of season, they are likely imported from countries that use less stringent regulations for pesticide use.

After reading this post my husband said "Carm..this is depressing"  Well, it can be...but do not let it be!  Choosing  fruits and vegetables of any kind is still TONS better than processed foods! 


My encouragement to you is to do the best you can with what you have.  If you can buy all organic that is awesome but if you can't then still eat fruits and vegetables as much as possible but focus on those that aren't as high in pesticides.  We don't want to be fearful.  We want to be informed and make the best choices possible.  God will fill in the gaps.  He is so good and faithful to do that for us.  So just give it your best and let Him take care of the rest!

What We Do Eat - Some "Not So Normal" Snacks

Snacks

Rather than write about chicken, chicken and more chicken... I thought I would write about some "not so normal" snacks we eat on a regular basis.    

Mangoes

Mangoes are my children's favorite!  

Rather expensive but always a great "special snack"

Avocados

I often let the girls get slimy and messy making "homemade" guacamole.  It's never the same twice :)

Carrots

Big, huge, whole carrots.  I will even buy the kind with "tops" on them.  The kids think it is cool to have a huge carrot for a snack.

Fruit Preserves

 I sweeten "natural" or organic (if I find it on sale) applesauce or yogurt with real or low-sugar fruit preserves.  There is no need to buy sugary applesauce or yogurt.  Also, an added bonus is that you can control the amount of preserves and if you have to start with a lot to keep the kids happy, you can slowly ween them down to a more healthy amount.

Frozen Fruit Bars

 Another favorite.  They cost more but do not have Corn Syrup or the calories.  It's easy to make your own as well if you have the patience.

Boiled Eggs 

I think I've talked a lot about eggs but keeping boiled eggs ready in the fridge makes for a great protein snack.  Hint: put baking soda in your water when boiling and your kids will be able to peel them by themselves. Woohoo!

Clementines 

Easily peeled by children and sweet..making them a very loved item!

Edamame

Edamame is a fancy name for soybeans.  While soy can be questionable in other forms, I feel pretty safe with soybean as a vegetable.  We only buy organic edamame in the shell.  You can find it in the freezer section.  My kids will take some from the freezer, put in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.  Then as they thaw slightly, they eat them like peanuts... really a fun snack.

Sugar Snap Peas

We love GOOD sugar snap peas.  If they aren't sweet and plump and crisp then don't buy them.

Apple Smores

My Apple Smores are not this pretty or this gooey.  But I learned from a great friend to cut apples horizontally to make apple circles.  Then we sandwich the traditional marshmallow and chocolate (or even peanut butter and jelly) to make a sandwich. I have been known to warm these up on the grill. :)

Here's to happy, healthy snacks!  Please share your ideas with us so we can continue to learn together.