Now Live! New Website & Blog ~ Enduring Health Journey

My passion... to share our story of difficulty, to share what we have learned, to encourage and inspire you to live a healthier, happier lifestyle, and above all... to hopefully grow and strengthen your faith. A year ago, I thought if we (my daughter and I) could get better, if we could overcome most if not all of our health issues, I would share our story with the world. I am so happy to say God has blessed us greatly in knowledge, in hope and encouragement, and in health. He has driven Enduring Health Journey to become a reality. He has showed us the power of purpose, prayer and perseverance and we want to share it with you. We are in the beginning stages of a new blog, website, twitter space and instagram. We hope you will join us; we pray you will be blessed!

Today is going to be a good day!

Hello! Sorry this space has been quiet for so long. I would love to add a few more hours into the day... I bet most of you would agree. I've been having some fun the last couple months with wood burning projects. I enjoyed coming up with the words, designing and burning the one above simply to inspire myself. It is to remind me that if I keep a positive view from the time I awake, it will be a good day, no matter what is thrown my way. There is a bright side to every situation. It is up to us to choose how we will respond. God's way is the best.

I have seen myself change so much this past year. It amazes me to see how God can work within one's self when you are open to Him and welcome to change. I have grown so much spiritually and because of this my physical and emotional well being improved greatly. I am grateful. If you have been in this space for awhile, you know I had a long ways to go with physical health. And thankfully I can say I am now doing so well! God has guided me and He has healed me physically, emotionally and spiritually. With that said, there is always room to grow and improve but I am no where near where I was two plus years ago and honestly it is all thanks to the Lord.

With that said, God has placed the passion in my heart to reach out to others, those who are struggling, whether it is with health, financial, marriage problems whatever, I want to offer encouragement and hope. I have been working on a new site for awhile now and am hoping to share it with you soon. I pray that it will inspire people all over, in all walks of life. It will be a place where I share my heart, words that God has placed on my mind, and the ways that helped me and my daughter heal. My desire is for the new site to be an uplifting space for anyone that stops by.

I've debated about getting rid of this space but have decided against it, because I do love to create. So this space will go back to its original purpose, a place to share designs and art/creations. The new site will be focused on health, wellness and encouragement. I hope you will join me in the new space when it is ready.

Last thing, my sweet and very talented husband made the awesome frame above. He's made a few of them now and I love them! I thought it made the piece. You can check out more of his work at wispwoods.com.

The Greatest Gift of All ~ Part 3

Be sure to read Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE before reading Part 3. Thank you!

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You would think after receiving the ultimate gift from their father, the childrens' lives would go smoothly and everything would be good. But this was not so. Although both children accepted the same perfect gift each used it differently in their lives. Neither entirely understood the benefits of such a great gift for it was beyond what they could imagine.

The daughter took her father's words to heart. She knew how much he loved her, she knew how much she loved and missed him, and she knew she wanted her father's ways to continue. By living a life like her father, she knew many others around her would be touched and blessed. Changing her way of living was not an easy task. She found that controlling her tongue as well as her negative thoughts to be two of the most difficult challenges. She would also have to get out of her comfort zone and reach out to others. But she pressed on. She wanted her life to be a tribute back to her dad, a thank you for loving her beyond measure. She would imagine her father looking down upon her with a smile on his face with every good step she made. She did what she did not because she felt she had to for her father, but because she wanted to and because of the love she felt for him. Her heart had changed... it had grown. She learned that doing good was not the easiest route to take but somehow it was definitely the most rewarding. Yes, she faced trials from time to time, sometimes she wondered if she was going to survive the struggling and suffering, but she would refocus her mind on the positive, on her father, what he would have done in her situation. Her father's letters gave her great hope and inspiration during the difficult times. After patience and endurance through the battles in her life she was always able to overcome them and feel more powerful than before. She grew thankful for the difficult times because looking back, she could see that through the journey she was learning new and important lessons. She was becoming a better and stronger person. She was feeling freer from struggles that would have previously made her feel miserable long term.

People around her were always watching. Some were quick to cast judgement on her. They didn't take the time to get to know her, but then there were others who were drawn to her, one's that didn't even know why their paths joined hers but in time they were touched by her. They learned new things about themselves through her kind words and actions. They were drawn to her for the good and it made them want to be better... for themselves and for others. She was also encouraged by them. There was an indescribable strength through the positive actions.

The brother was going through life completely different. He said he accepted his fathers final gift at the same time his sister did, but the acceptance did not make it into his heart. The acceptance of the gift only made it in his mind. He went on with his life saying many things his father did and did some good deeds but he remained focused on his own works. He was still driven by worldly things... money, his company, his own desires of things he wanted and wanted to do. He couldn't see the power that his father was giving him through his final gift. He didn't allow his heart to be open for change. His mind was always racing on what he thought he needed to do next. This was quite the opposite from his sister. She would allow her mind to rest on her father and his ways and words and allow them to guide her. But the son, he was guiding himself which made for very difficult times and he continued to grow weaker. It felt like he was always fighting against someone or something. He didn't realize that the biggest battle was going on inside himself. He did things because he thought he had to. He didn't see any use for controlling his tongue and controlling his own mind was not even a thought. To him life was just going to happen, he didn't see how he could have any impact on it for the good. Even though his father was on his thoughts from time to time, he remained in his own works and because of this he could not truly prosper in any area of his life.

The sister saw how her brother was struggling. She could see the war that was going on within himself. She tried to make him see that the ways of their father and the love for him had to be embedded in their hearts. She tried to get her brother to read their father's letters but he always responded that he didn't have time for that. This hurt her for she knew how life could change for the better for him if he just took the time and put his focus on their father, his ways and words, and allow his mind and heart to be renewed. But the sister knew that she could not push him, that if she did it would only drive him farther away. So she went about her day, focusing on the good, focusing on her father and what she could do for someone else. Because of showing great love, the daughter felt so full, so happy and blessed in return. She couldn't think of living life any differently. She wanted the same for everyone around her. She wanted everyone to feel loved. She realized that EVERYONE had been given this amazing gift. The ultimate gift was given a very long time ago and it is passed down to each generation. The daughter wants everyone to know the great power that dwells within each believer. She knows by watching her brother and others around her that there is a choice to accept this great gift... not just to accept it through mind and word but in the heart. By truly accepting the great power and love, it completely changes a person. It makes them live for the good, it makes them do good, it makes them love in a new way, it makes them see life so differently... there is no longer a darkness but light and hope in all situations. The sister does not know what any given day will bring, but she is certain that good will come from it. She prays that one day her brother will experience this light... because there is no greater gift!

The End.

Initially I didn't know there was going to be a part three. But I felt it laid on my heart that many people aren't realizing the amazing gift that dwells within them. This power is just waiting and wanting to be used. God gave US, you and me who believe in Him, the Holy Spirit to dwell within for a purpose. It isn't meant to sit in us and do nothing until the day we die. We are meant to be transformed, to do good and amazing things right now in this life. The Bible is filled with so many letters explaining how it is best to live our life. It tells us how to overcome evil that we will experience. It explains a good part of God's will for us. I have never been so excited to learn... it is like discovering the best kept secrets, but the crazy part is it shouldn't be a secret. We are meant to share the good exciting news, but somehow Satan has such a strong hold on this world, so many people aren't hearing/learning the so called secrets to living a better life! Jesus came to Earth to show us by His actions the ways we should go. We are suppose to learn from what he did and said. Sure we can believe in Him and believe that he died on the cross for our sins to save us and have eternal life, but I feel that there is so much more that is not being taught, even in many churches. Jesus died, so we could be given the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, so we can be the hands and feet of Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate price so we are able to overcome Satan's evil doings! We should be thanking God for His amazing gift by loving Him and doing the good that He showed us to do. He wants us to pray continually for guidance, and if we really are being true to His ways, He will answer our prayers, He will be glad to guide us, He will show us His great love. I am certain of this. So long I didn't make the time for Him. I didn't make the time for a relationship with Him. I didn't realize what I was missing and through that journey I learned that I was really hurting myself for not taking the time to get to know Him. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was allowing Satan into my life and even allowing him to work through me. And although my journey has been a rough one, I am so thankful for it, because God has drawn me closer to Him by experiencing those difficult times. I now know that God was after my attention the whole time. He loves me and He loves you. He is OUR Father who wants the best for us. We just need to give Him our time, our focus and allow Him to work through us. Our Father has a great plan for us. Are we willing to let Him move us?

The Greatest Gift of All ~ Part 2

Make sure to first read Part 1 HERE.

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Once back home, the children tried to go about their busy days as usual. They were hoping that their filled work schedules would take some of the pain away. Oh how their hearts were aching. They had never felt a pain like this before. They found themselves unable to focus on anything other than their father. Not keeping in better contact with their dad while he was alive was tormenting their minds. Why, they wondered, did they put all their focus and attention on their jobs, money, material things? What was their purpose? Someone that meant so much to them, someone who went above and beyond for them was now gone. They were feeling miserable for how they treated their father and now they couldn't see a good purpose in anything they were doing. Everything was feeling meaningless. People around them could tell a difference in their attitudes and it was impacting everyone around them. Relationships, their businesses, everything it seemed, was starting to suffer. Eventually the children decided to head back to their childhood home to see if there was any hope of finding closure to this heartbreaking situation they found themselves in.

When they arrived at their father's home they remembered the gift he mentioned before his death. They really didn't think they could accept another gift from him. They felt so unworthy of it. With thoughts of their father on their mind and knowing he really wanted them to have this last gift, they decided to go see what exactly it was. When they went upstairs they found on their father's bed a smallish box, neatly wrapped with a letter on top. They opened the letter and read...

To my dearest children, this is for YOU ~

I know my death came as a shock to you, but I expected it. Although you won't be able to understand right now my passing is for the best. You see, out of bad things come good so don't focus on the bad but look forward to the good that is coming because it will. There are a few things I want to share with you that I couldn't before. You see, before I never had your full attention.

I want you to know how much I love you... each of you, so very, very much. I thought about you well before you were born. My heart was bursting when I saw you come into the world for the first time. You were perfect! You are wonderfully made and capable of so much!

The purpose of your life was never simply to survive. You were meant to live life fully, to truly thrive. A life of good; able to enjoy all the gifts I have given you from the beginning. Now, you are given choices to make. You are given free will over your own lives. I never once told you growing up that you had to do things my way and no other. I strongly urged you in certain directions for your safety but the end choice was always yours. If you chose wrongly there would be consequences. Because I love you, I want to warn you, if you choose to follow the ways of the world, you are likely never to feel complete. There will be great hurt on many different levels. But I am happy to tell you there is another option for you. Would you like to live a life where you felt free, at peace and filled every day? Could you accept a gift like this?

Now if you feel bad about any actions you have done in regard to me or have done something else that you think is so unworthy of deserving such a gift, I tell you, for peace of mind, please ask for forgiveness and know then that you are truly forgiven. I love you with my whole heart. I could never stop loving you; you, who I loved before you were even born. I've watched you grow. I know you so well. You are a part of me. There is nothing you could do that could stop me from loving you. Trust me!

My earthly gifts did not move you. At least they did not move your heart. Your heart was left unchanged. Since my death, you realized a pain you had never known, your heart felt something. Your heart is changing, renewing and growing. You now are seeing me much more clearly then when I was with you in person. I have given you ALL I have and ALL this I give you will be more then you can ever imagine.

As you know, my heart was filled with love, joy, kindness and truth. This is your inheritance. My gift goes beyond any "natural" gift. There is no limit and it cannot be contained. It is freely available for you and it is meant to be passed down to your children and their children, for generations to come. With this great gift you will be able to overcome life's trials. You will be brought to difficult situations but with my gift, planted in you, you will be able to overcome these trials! Children, trust me! A good heart conquers all evil! All you need to do is place your faith in me.

By excepting my most precious gift, you will lack nothing. For my heart will join yours and work together with you to do what you have seen me do and even greater things than these. There are no boundaries to the good you are able to do. With me, in you, all things are possible. Have faith in ME! Keep your focus on ME! Speak words that come from me, these are words of life. If you happen to make a mistake and lose focus, it is okay. My love for you is too great. I will never give up on you, so do not give up on me due to your own mistakes. Ask for forgiveness and keep pressing forward.

In the box, I have left you many more letters to reveal to you more of my good and perfect ways. Read them, but know that the most important thing is that I am always with you. I am in you. I love YOU!

So children, I hope you now know deep within your soul how much you mean to me. I hope you know I want the best for you and your children to come. I pray you will accept my gift; that you will open your heart fully and allow me to guide your steps. You will then live an abundant life of blessing and you will impact many around you. This will make me proud!

I will be with YOU ALWAYS! With all my love ~ your Father

With tears streaming down their faces, the children were changed forever. They accepted the perfect gift from their father. They were filled with great hope for having a purpose filled life. They were ready to share the good; to share the love with others.

To be continued...

Part 3 HERE.

Love lettering done by my daughter, Kaelyn age7.

The only way I can describe this story is that the Holy Spirit wrote it through me. I pray it will bring you closer to Him. He has certainly made a huge difference in my life. For so long, I didn't have time for Him. When I thought I really knew Him I didn't. He wasn't IN my heart. I finally realized how much he loves me and ALL his children. He so wants to be a part of our life. He wants us to turn to Him first for every situation we find ourselves in. He wants us to speak His words. He wants us to love like Him. He wants the best for us. What he desires most is for us to KNOW Him and love Him! If we are hoping for prayers and desires to be fulfilled, are we wanting these gifts without having a relationship with the one who gives them? I have cried, because I am guilty of this. I am thankful for the trials I have gone through because I can now see Him much more clearly. I have a new love in my heart... it is for Jesus who showed me how to live, who took my place as a sinner on the cross, who freed me from Satan.

I pray that I will keep my focus on you Lord and that you will work through me the rest of my life, no matter how undeserving I am. Thank you God for leaving us so many letters (in the Bible) to encourage us and reveal your ways to us! God, thank you for loving me with your whole heart. I love you!

The Greatest Gift of All! ~ Part 1 Do you have it?

There once was a wise man. Although he was very rich, he had a good heart. Unlike most prosperous people around him he was always thinking of others' needs before his own. He loved giving gifts, especially unexpected gifts. He enjoyed giving the most to his children, a son and a daughter. Even though the man had so much, he did not believe in simply spoiling his children. He wanted his gifts to be special, exciting, well thought out and with a special purpose in mind. The children adored their father growing up. He was a giver, not only of gifts but of his time and love.

When the son and daughter grew older they moved many miles away to go to school. They started careers and became very focused on growing their own companies. They wanted everything their father had and more. They became so busy with their own lives that contact with their father was gradually being pushed to the side. His calls weren't being returned. His letters were left unanswered. Sometimes his letters weren't even being read. He didn't want to force his relationship with them. He loved them and wanted them to be happy with whatever choices they made. But his heart did ache for them terribly. He would do anything for his children! He started to wonder if he was on their heart any more.

The children continued on with their busy lifestyles... work, dinners, meetings, parties, keeping up their homes, and so forth. One day the father decided to surprise them with investing a huge sum of money into their new careers. His thought was that it would take away any financial strain from them and it would be a great seed that would continue to grow and the wealth could eventually be shared with others. The son and daughter were thrilled with the generous gift from their father, but they remained captivated in their busy lifestyles and didn't even get around to thanking their father. The thought would pop into their minds every so often that they needed to call him and thank him but the moment never seemed right, time was passing so quickly, this and that had to be done first. Just too much had to be done. The father's heart was hurting. His children who he loved so much wouldn't acknowledge him. He had done so much for them. He had what seemed to be everything, everything that could be theirs one day, but they were so focused on their own daily lives that they couldn't see the end picture. The father was hoping that the children would look back on their childhood and remember his actions, to learn from it and walk in his ways. For his life was good. Very good. He was rich in so many ways.

Not long after, the children received another letter in the mail from their father. It stated that he felt like he wouldn't be around much longer but he had a really wonderful gift he wanted to give them. It was something they couldn't get anywhere else. Something that would change their lives forever.
The children were stunned to get such a letter. What was wrong with their father? He had always been a strong and healthy man. They decided they needed to tie up loose ends at work and then the next day they would fly home to be with their dad.

Once they arrived home, they learned the devastating news; their father had passed away the night before in his sleep. What did he die from they asked? They were told, "His heart just stopped." They were also told that their father had left them a gift upstairs and he wanted to be sure they got it. The children were so stunned and heartbroken from the loss of their father that they didn't believe they could accept one more gift from their dad and returned home without seeing what was in store for them.

As time went by, thoughts of their father invaded their minds. They had so many good memories of him. He was always full of laughter, helping them and everyone else around them, he saw the good in every situation... he was a remarkable man. No one was like their dad. They started to realize for the first time in their lives that no one who received gifts from their dad deserved to. He never once wanted anything in return. His delight came in the giving. His heart was better than gold.

Will the children go back to their childhood home and see what the last gift was that their father left them?

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Part 2 can be found HERE.

TRUTH: The Cause of Sickness & Disease

For you and your loved one's health PLEASE read. 

If you don't want to read my ramblings fine, but I beg you to listen to the youtube links in this post. It has been placed on my heart that everyone needs to know this information. What you do with it is up to you but I urge you to seriously think twice about what you are feeding your body, your children, your loved ones...

God did an amazing job of designing our bodies, to fix/heal themselves, to run smoothly, to be healthy and strong. He provided us with good food to nourish ourselves. We have to do very little to this good food and it will provide us with amazing benefits, both physically and emotionally. What is sad is God's design and purpose is constantly being pushed to the side, which makes our lives so much more complicated than they need to be. When it comes to food we have the choice to eat something that comes directly from nature or we can eat something that is artificial, man made, genetically modified. Some or many pay no attention to what they are putting into their mouth or onto their body. I admit, I was that person for many years. As long as the so called food tasted good that is all that mattered to me. I never thought of the effects the food could have on my body. Besides some skin issues, and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, I was thin and felt fine, so why should I worry? Life is very busy, I get that; people don't want to take the time to read labels, to cook "healthy" meals, but what they aren't realizing is that by not doing so there will be detrimental effects to their health. Food is either medicine or poison!

Do you know that the more man gets involved with the food process, the unhealthier it becomes? It can be literal poison to your body, causing inflammation. After an extended period of use, the toxic chemicals overwhelm your gut health and the body no longer has the ability of healing itself unless you make significant changes on moving away from the offending products. If no action is taken on your part, sickness and disease will keep multiplying until you die. That sounds fun, doesn't it? Medication is just a bandage, it does nothing for the root cause.

I am no doctor, have had no professional health training, but I have EXPERIENCED many health issues and have also EXPERIENCED some wonderful healing. I have witnessed many people die, all different ages. I've watched my great grandma live into her 100's, my grandma just turned 92 and is doing fantastic. When I hit my early 30's I felt as if my 90 yr old grandma was running circles around me. Why I thought? Why do I feel stuck in an old person's body? Brain fog came after having my daughter. After dealing with secondary infertility and being diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and Graves Disease I had a strong feeling it was the food... my diet. But the specialist told me, food has nothing to do with it, so I pushed my feelings aside. From that day on my health issues only got worse UNTIL I significantly changed my diet! There are thousands of people who have seen the same results. Before I changed my diet my little girl had a horrible allergic reaction after eating nutella. Her tongue and throat were swelling shut, her heart rapidly beating. I was in shock. I took her to the clinic where she got shots to counteract the allergic reaction and to normalize her breathing. I had this crazy sense of calmness that my daughter's health was not in my hands but the Lords, even while the panicked doctor had another higher up doctor on the phone. What scares me after that incident is hearing about other children who die from a peanut/nut allergy. Allergies are becoming more and more common. WHY? Some people think doctors are just more aware of symptoms and diagnosis now. Is that really the truth? I beg to differ as I have witnessed our own health turn around almost completely after changing to a healthier diet. I've heard other people's stories of both healing and sickness and it all comes down to FOOD!

Why is this issue so important to me? I don't want others to suffer when they don't have to. I don't want children being sick when it can be prevented. God willing, I want to live a good, long life... feeling happy and energized and I want that for my family as well. I have had lots of health experiences, sadly a lot of my issues were passed onto my daughter at birth. I don't want this to happen to other mom's to be. I want their babies to be as healthy as possible right from the beginning. There are plenty of other environmental toxins people have to deal with. Many readers know a lot about my health journey ~ secondary infertility, hyperthyroid, Graves Disease, hypothyroid, body tremors, heart palpitations, fatigue, weakness (hard to even climb a few stairs), anxiety, hormone imbalance, ringing in ears, constant congestion, swollen lymph nodes, lumps, allergies, intolerances, acne, rashes, spitting of blood, spasms in intestines, Celiac Disease, Candida, leaky gut, hypochlorydria... Saw several doctors, many tests ~ Brain MRI, cancer tests, spit tests, x-rays, unltrasounds, SIBO test, countless blood labs, radioactive iodine, some antibiotics, medications. Since my thyroid was killed I do need constant medication (which is man-made and contains harmful fillers) and if the dose isn't right my health gets much worse, but other then that nothing but diet has helped. If I would have listened to my gut feelings I would still have my thyroid and am sure I would be back to feeling 100% by now. I made a mistake and took a doctors advice without knowing what I was getting into. Which honestly good has come from that too, because I found a new passion in health and food and probably best of all, my relationship with God has become so much stronger. I know who to rely on now and I thank Him for His grace daily. I am healing! I hope my story will give others hope. I hope it will make another person's life a little easier.

Let my struggle be used for good!

But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." ~John 11:4

If you still don't understand the food/health connection I will open up myself entirely and share something I haven't shared with anyone but my husband. A year ago when I was really struggling I also had a large breast lump, (yeah, something I didn't want to share but now its like who cares because if my story helps someone else then awesome!) anyway, it was big enough that the doctor's eyes got real big when it was felt and I was rushed to the hospital for immediate x-rays and set up for cancer screening shortly after. Luckily since the lump was movable it was believed to be non-cancerous but I was supposed to have check-ups and x-rays done every few months. The doctor/nurse said the lump would more then likely grow more during different stages of the month, never saying it will or can dissolve. At that time I knew how important food was and I knew with the work I was doing to rid my body from the excess Candida that my body would heal itself in time. I never returned to the cancer facility or to the hospital for more x-rays. I knew God was in control and guess what, with food and His amazing design, the lump is GONE! Completely gone! Praise the Lord! I have seen so much healing in my body from where I used to be. If my daughter and I are around sick people and catch a bug it does not last long (we eat all organic, clean food), where as my husband can get it and be sick for days (he eats clean food and man-made, plus has a flu shot). I might not get sick if I wouldn't kiss him. Ha! I'm not worried, I believe in my body's ability to heal and His nourishing food. My body fights off sickness quickly now. God is good!

If you don't want to believe me on how serious your health is connected to the food you eat, I beg YOU to listen to these two talks. And if you do believe me, thank you, but still listen to them!!! The one by Jeffrey is lengthy but very good so try listening when your getting supper ready, cleaning up or riding in the car...

TEDxMileHigh - Robyn O'Brien - Patriotism on a Plate

309 - GMO Food Allergies & Gluten Sensitivity - Jeffrey Smith

After listening to these talks, I know my health issues were caused by the genetically modified food. Not realizing it back then, I was addicted to the processed junk, macaroni and cheese - all time favorite, tv dinners with the brownie, chicken nuggets, pizza, pasta, bread, desserts, m&m's, ice-cream, specialty iced coffees... that is what my taste buds craved. Veggies were not on my list. Now I assure you they are and I LOVE them! My daughter does too and actually told me she was glad she had allergies so she could eat this good food. A couple days ago she also told me she feels yucky if she eats the "other" food. (Other meaning processed food, artificial candy from school.) I don't let her eat that junk any more. It turns my stomach seeing all the artificial candy kids get at school and at parties. When Kaelyn wanted a piece of candy she brought home from class I read her the ingredients list on the back and she went and threw it in the garbage!!! This mama's heart skipped a beat with pure happiness. No, it is not always so easy but I know how precious health is and I will do everything in my power to keep my child as healthy as possible.

The main GMO foods to stay away from: corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, & sugar beets. (90% of sugar beets in the US are genetically modified and a lot of it is made into table sugar.) Remember all these can come in different names on ingredient lists. Over time consumption of these foods will cause inflammation and autoimmune diseases unless it is only in small amounts, with the majority of your diet being clean veggies and meats. I am all for supporting organic grown foods and small farms that don't alter nature. As Jeffrey Smith stated, a GMO is like saying God Move Over. GMO's are like a silent war going on in our country. The outcome is devastating, not everyone knows about it. I urge you to be skeptical of man-made products that you use in/on your body. Someone may be just making a buck off you and harming your health. It is sad! Please watch what you feed children. They don't realize what is good vs. harmful. Teach them early on. It will be hard at the beginning but it will get much easier and they will thank you for it in the future. God created everything so perfect and good, His works should not be changed! I pray that people will change their focus of money to doing good for others.

"For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you." ~Proverbs 2:10-11

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." ~Proverbs 1:7

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." ~Isaiah 1:19

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please, please listen to the links!

What we ate Wednesday & a recipe! { for Health }

{Sesame Tahini Salad}

I have been having fun in the kitchen lately. First I made a few little changes to my gluten free buckwheat bread and like it even better. Crazy how a few little tweaks can make significant changes. I will be sharing the recipe later on. I'm off all forms of grain right now as I am on a strict Candida diet/detox once again. Maybe the end of February/beginning of March I'll be able to make the bread again and make sure it is good enough to share. :)

Other recent kitchen experiments include a meatloaf made from liver and grass fed beef. I never looked forward to Kaelyn whining about liver and onions for supper so I decided to try and hide it in a meatloaf experiment. Guess what? She loves it!!! In a crazy way the liver gives a tomato taste to the meat. I'm not sure I love it but it isn't bad and hey its a huge win when she doesn't complain about eating it. She even asks for it several times a day! (I didn't tell her there was liver in it and not sure when I will disclose that information. Ha!)

My favorite experiment has been clam chowder. Oh my goodness, this soup was something I really missed. My grandma used to make it every Christmas eve and it was my favorite soup! After my daughter and I were having so many food allergies/food intolerance issues I didn't think I would be able to enjoy it again. Not too long ago it hit me what I could use instead of potatoes and dairy and it turned out to be a big hit! Yay!!! My family loved it so I tested it on my grandma to see what she thought and she was amazed! Last Sunday we had an impromptu get together at our house and I fed them the clam chowder and it continued to get the thumbs up. So I will be sharing that recipe soon. I never measure ingredients so I should probably go back and get some idea of amounts.

This last week I've been loving this salad I created with sesame tahini. I may be slightly addicted. :)

If you would like specifics, here are the links to several of the ingredients I use and really like:
Kal nutritional yeast flakes ~ gives an awesome cheesy flavor for those who can't have dairy/cheese, and the flakes also contain many beneficial vitamins
turmeric ~ don't need to add but gives a nice burst of flavor and turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory ingredient
Himala sea salt ~ not like refined table salt, HimalaSalt  contains essential minerals
Bragg's olive oil ~ there are many to choose from but I am currently using this organic extra virgin olive oil
sesame tahini ~ could grind your own sesame seeds into a butter or use this spread if you are short on time. I love this spread but it is a bit spendy. It is organic, raw and stone ground with good nutritional value.
pumpkin seed butter ~ I've added this in with the tahini and it tasted good. Good source of iron too.

As far as the meats go for the healthiest version, I make sure the chicken or turkey is free of antibiotics and hormones and no other ingredients are added. Free range and organic are best but hard to find around here. Always get organic celery. The chemicals they spray on some veggies can be extremely hazardous to our health, so make sure the celery and leafy greens have the USDA organic label on them.

Experiment all you want with this recipe. Amounts all depend on personal taste. Seed butters are a wonderful dressing alternative and they are full of nutritional health benefits. Hope you like it as much as I do!

I WILL heal from my illnesses naturally in 2015!

In the couple new years prior I have always hoped that it would be the year that I regained my health and not have any setbacks. I never had the positive this is going to be it kind of year, until this year. I have done so much reading and listening to health talks in the last year (plus praying and reading the Bible) that I now really believe I have gained the knowledge I need to entirely overcome my health issues. I have already come a long ways from where I was five years ago but I don't just want better, I want completely restored health. I know I made a huge mistake having my thyroid killed in the past due to a Graves Disease diagnosis, because I learned the body can heal itself given God given knowledge through prayer and His clean healing foods. It is proven that your cells are constantly renewing and your body is working on healing itself when given nourishing foods and eliminating toxins/stresses! That bit of information was so exciting to me and I already knew that with God anything is possible.

I am completely driven and determined to overcome my illnesses and to share with others how I did it so others don't have to suffer the way I have. Right now I am still fighting the Candida beast in my gut, working on balancing hormones, healing Leaky Gut, overcoming anxiety, food intolerances and getting my liver working in tip top shape.
It isn't an easy list to overcome. I've tried the doctor's way and only gotten worse by most of their suggestions. I've experienced more healing by natural means.
With that said here are the main points I am focusing on to regaining my health this year:

1. {Trust in God for guidance and healing} This is a huge step. With so many things to try in this world, from doctor's advice to the huge amounts of vitamins, supplements and foods on the market, it can be overwhelming and hard to know what will work the best for you. When you ask God for help on knowing what is right for your body, He does give you feelings on direction. It is amazing and don't go against what He is placing on your heart!

2. {Nutrition} I like to think of the Bible verse, "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is constructive. Corinthians 10:23 There is a wide range of food to choose from. It is up to us to select the nourishing foods that will help our bodies. This is definitely not easy but God can give you great strength in removing offending foods that you enjoy eating. Trust me, I know this one as I have given up ALL my previous favorite foods. But the Lord has showed me so many other amazing foods I had been missing.

3. {Connect with nature} Being a Christian I believe God created us from dust and in some crazy way we can get a powerful balance from the earth. Being out in nature, taking in the sunshine and breathing deep breaths of fresh air can do so much good for the body. This step has been hard for me in the cold winter months, but I have noticed how important it really is to one's well being.

4. {Sleep} Wow, this one is powerful. This is the time the body heals. Time and darkness play critical roles in the quality of sleep. I've always been more of a night person and pushed back bedtime to get more things done. I need to make sleep more of a priority.

5. {Stress & Toxin Reduction} Negative energy is always being thrown at us. I'm pretty sure we can never entirely get away from it, but there are some important steps we can take to reduce stress and toxins. Thinking positively can greatly affect our mood. Helping others is helpful to you and the receiver. Focusing on deep breathing several times a day can really help stress levels/anxiety. Somewhere around the time of my Graves Disease diagnosis I forgot how to breathe correctly. My heart palpitations messed me up, and I think I got stuck with short quick chest breathing through my mouth, which was not good for me and reduced the amount of good oxygen from getting into my body. Toxins are all around us, but we can have pretty good control over the ones in our food, household items and the like. Exercise and sweating is one good way for eliminating toxins from the body.

So those are the main points I am currently focusing on. If you are dealing with illnesses, never give up hope.
I suggest focusing on the scripture Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope!" Praise the Lord for this promise!

If you have some good naturally healing suggestions, please share in the comments.

Quick Self Allergy Test

Sorry, this is a wordy post, but had to share my experience. In the last post I touched on the subject that I found I had even more allergies than I previously knew about. I started the day by feeling the size of the lump in my neck. I do this regularly. I've had it for about a year and a half. The doctors wanted to cut it out and biopsy it but I had the strong feeling that I could overcome it naturally. The doctor who wanted to cut it out was clueless about gut health and how the whole body works together, so it was an easy decision for me to not return. After getting real strict with my diet and only eating Candida friendly foods that I believed were safe I really felt like I could heal myself. Well on this particular morning I still felt the lump there, yes, it has gone down significantly in size, (it used to be like the size of a gumball and now was about pea size) but I was frustrated it was still there after working so hard. I openly said, "God, why is this lump still there? What am I doing wrong? Please show me!!!" Then I went on with my day. That afternoon I was making a loaf of bread that I thought was working really well for my daughter and I. It was egg, dairy (cow), gluten, wheat, nut, nightshade and yeast free. When I was scooping the batter into the pan I decided to try a dab to see how it tasted. Who doesn't like to try dough/batter when they are baking? :) Anyway, I guess I was being messy and the batter dripped down my lip and went onto the skin below my lip. Not thinking much of it and I just wiped my lip and continued getting the bread dough in the oven. Not long after I felt my lip/skin getting itchy. A few minutes go by, and it is still bothering. I go to the bathroom and see that my skin is red, inflamed and it is still itchy. It hits me that something in the batter does not like me. Oh no! What can it be? I thought everything was safe that I was using. I do not like bland food. When I make food, I tend to go spice happy and add other foods that will give bursts of flavor. So my bread is no plain bread. My first thought was it was the goat yogurt I put in this batch (a newish food brought back) so I decided to put a dab of it on my lip/skin area that hadn't been inflamed by the dough batter. Nothing happened, so I proceeded to try the rest of the ingredients I had used. I gave plenty of time between each item to see if something would happen. Sure enough, when I came to ginger, my lip stung like crazy and my skin turned red. It didn't stop until I washed it off. When my skin returned to normal I continued with testing to see if there was anything else. (the gluten free flours, onion, garlic, other seasonings...) Cinnamon and oregano also reacted. I use oregano in EVERYTHING! I love it for flavor. I was not happy at all. At first I was thinking, God, I've already taken out soooo many foods and now this?! I gave up sugar, my seasonings were my replacement to get by and now I have to take these out too??? I felt like breaking down. I started to think if I had one more reaction to food I would completely lose it. It is NO easy task giving up all your favorite foods (favorite foods back then anyway) and then when you find out you react to things that are supposedly healthy, it isn't easy to take. My daughter was freaked out when she came home and saw I had an allergic reaction to cinnamon. She loves cinnamon and uses it often and we were both worried she would react the same way since we have so many of the same health problems. But praise the Lord she didn't react!!! To be honest I had a small pity party for myself. Then I realized God had answered my prayer that I had spoke that morning. When I asked why my neck lump was still there. He showed me! He had guided me to figure it out! How amazing was that?! I was filled with hope pretty quickly. The next day when Kaelyn asked if I was still sad and upset about the seasonings I couldn't have, I said no. I really felt like everything was going to be fine. I had a sense of peace that came over me and I didn't have any more negative feelings about it. God is good!
I had been shown a pretty simple way to test for allergies. Not sure why I didn't think of it sooner as when Kaelyn was a baby she would also break out in rashes from foods she ate that got on her skin first. We should have known right away to remove milk and egg from her diet right away when we saw those signs, but silly us, I think we were in a bit of denial and waited for official tests from the doctors that ended up showing what we already knew.
A ways into my own health struggles I really wanted my doctor to do allergy tests on me. She wouldn't. She said they are unreliable, that doing your own elimination food tests are a better route to go. I wasn't too happy at the time, because I wanted something fast and simple to tell me what I couldn't/shouldn't have. I had already done my own 2 week elimination diet of main food categories and knew several foods I responded poorly to. My doctor wanted me to retest all foods again but leave them out for 3 weeks and gradually reintroduce one at a time again. Well I got the same results by doing just the 2 week elimination and then gradually adding one back at a time. I can go into more depth on that process in another post if someone is interested.
Back to the easiest test we found, not saying it will work for everyone or for all kinds of allergy testing but it is certainly an easy one to try for a first stage test. Just mix a dry ingredient with a tiny bit of water and put on your lip and down into the skin below, no need to add water if it is a liquid. If you get a stinging and itching sensation that won't go away with red inflammation, you aren't reacting well to it and should remove the food for a good amount of time. Your body can heal itself so the good news is if it is a good healthy food that you are reacting to, in time you should be able to bring it back into your diet. Your gut health just needs time to restrengthen and heal.
Here is a picture of me about an hour and a half after one of my reactions, I think this one was from the oregano...

The inflammation had looked quite a bit worse but I didn't think to take a photo until it was going away. This is me in the all natural by the way, no editing, no make up... I hadn't even done my hair that day. Who has time for that? :) Really I don't care what I look like in the photo I just wanted to share my experience in hopes it will help someone else figure out their offending foods.

My learning doesn't end there. After my allergy testing experience I was a little worried about other foods I may be eating that I may be allergic to and not know it. Well, thank the Lord for his nudging in my life because he led me to the most amazing revelation. After Jesus died for us, he gave us His Holy Spirit to live in each and every one of us, right? And I guess I was originally thinking that was how He guides us, which is true but the part I was missing is just how powerful He is and ALL the things He can help us do. God is the most powerful, the number one HEALER and He lives in ME and you!!! It really hit me, I don't need to take anymore evil going on in my body. The Lord lives in me and can overcome it! I just have to believe, trust, and remember what all Jesus did for me (and everyone else) on the cross. I can allow my body to let the Holy Spirit overcome any sickness, disease, or other negativity in my body.  I don't know about you but that sure got me excited! And guess what, my neck lump is almost gone!!! So, so thankful! I strongly encourage you to turn to the Lord when you think a struggle in your life is too strong. Give it up to Him to overcome. I will go into more depth on my revelation soon.

What we ate Wednesday { for Health }

{ beet greens and stems }

It wasn't very long ago my mom called and asked if I could eat beet greens. I had never tried them before and when I looked up information on them it looked like I should be able to. So I decided to make a veggie dish by sauteing them with zucchini, yellow summer squash, kale, fresh parsley, garlic and onion. It turned out so good! Even my six year old loved the dish! That is one good thing about all our health issues/allergies, it pushes us to try new foods, to eat veggies we normally wouldn't and for the most part we end up really enjoying them. Beet greens and stems will definitely stay on our menu list. :) Thank you mom for sharing your veggies!

So onto what we ate this last week; hope it inspires you in the kitchen:

Wednesday: Lunch-homemade ground chicken sausage and bone broth soup, Supper-goose and gravy on homemade bread
Thursday: fresh caught goose (from my dad) with sauteed greens veggie dish (liked described above)
Friday: cooked veggie mix with bone broth in creamed zucchini soup, homemade bread
Saturday: Breakfast-teff porridge (second attempt on making this, this one turned out good!), Lunch-opened face homemade bread with chunks of goose and veggie cream sauce, Supper-chicken breasts, sauteed broccoli with a drizzle of lemon juice
Sunday: Breakfast-K had leftover teff porridge, I had homemade chicken sausage with avocado and sauerkraut, Lunch- Salmon grilled on cedar (by hubby) with lemon drizzle and browned asparagus, Supper-opened face homemade bread with chunks of goose and veggie cream sauce leftovers
Monday: chicken, cooked cauliflower/spinach/fresh parsley mix
Tuesday: creamed spinach with ground turkey

Like last week, breakfast usually consisted of goat kefir or goat yogurt, homemade chicken sausage and veggies, or meat/veggie leftovers. I had salmon and veggies a few mornings which was delicious! Love Hubby's Sunday grilling! K likes to have certified gluten free oatmeal a few mornings out of the week. Lunch for Kaelyn and I consists of leftovers reheated on the stove. I heat Kaelyns before school and she takes it in a thermos.

My crazy health journey continues as I found out I have even more allergies. Seriously!?! You probably are thinking what else is left to take out after the long list of foods I already can't have. Well seasonings, ginger, cinnamon and oregano are all out for me. I'll admit I was NOT a happy camper when I found that out... the hard way. More to come about that in the next post. I keep on learning, not always willingly...

What we ate Wednesday {for Health}

Every so often I will try and share one of our weeks menus with you. Hopefully this post will help inspire food planning for someone trying to eat healthier, working on overcoming illnesses through food, or maybe it will just give an insight to what we eat to those who are curious. :)

Here is what we ate this last week...

{allergy free pumpkin spice pancakes}

{Kaelyn likes hers topped with ghee, cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of stevia. I choose pumpkin butter and cinnamon.}

Wednesday: duck, salad, sauteed broccoli
Thursday: cabbage casserole
Friday: ground beef in bone broth soup with homemade allergy free bread
Saturday: Breakfast-pancakes, Lunch-chicken breasts and sauteed veggie mix (zucchini, summer squash, beet greens, kale & onions), Supper-beef roast and candied green beans
Sunday: Breakfast-leftover pancakes heated in the toaster on low, Lunch-grilled hamburgers & hotdogs done by hubby (I don't eat the hotdogs) with sauerkraut & avocado and candied green beans, Supper-liver and onions with sauerkraut and avocado and sauteed veggie mix
Monday: goose, cooked beet greens and kale dish
Tuesday: roast, candied green beans, fotatoes (cooked cauliflower that tastes like potatoes)

Breakfast usually consists of goat kefir, homemade chicken sausage and veggies, or meat/veggie leftovers. K likes to have certified gluten free oatmeal a few mornings out of the week. Lunch for Kaelyn and I consists of leftovers reheated on the stove. I heat Kaelyns before school and she takes it in a thermos.

*When on my strict Candida diet I did not eat any form of grains or drink much goat kefir, but otherwise this is a similar list of meals I ate during those months. Just recently I added in the homemade bread and pancakes and so far they have been going good. (Praying they continue to!) I make up my own recipes using mainly buckwheat and teff.

If anyone has questions or would like more info about something please ask. I'd be glad to share! Happy Wednesday!
 

Praises & Mesothelioma

I have to start by saying how amazing it is how the Lord works. Just the other day I asked God out loud if I should even be blogging. I've contemplated giving it up a few times and so I asked Him to guide me, to let me know what direction I should go. Literally, just a few hours later I got my response! I received an email asking if I could help spread awareness about mesothelioma from a family who had experienced the nasty diagnosis first hand; they really wanted their story shared. And so I am more than honored to fill you in on what mesothelioma is but first lets meet the family...

Cameron, Heather and their beautiful daughter Lily Von St. James

At the age of 36, just weeks after giving birth, Heather was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. I'm sure you are wondering what mesothelioma is. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that attacks the lining of the body cavity called the mesothelium. The only known cause is exposure to asbestos. On average, individuals who are diagnosed with this type of cancer are given only 10 months to live. Scary! God was not ready to take Heather home though... He had a different plan for her and her family. She underwent a life saving surgery that included the removal of her left lung. Now she is thriving, able to help others who need support and spreading awareness alongside her family. Praise the Lord!

I hadn't heard the name mesothelioma before but I had heard about asbestos. My high school had been condemned a few years after I graduated due to asbestos. The high school had to be rebuilt. The scary and sad part is around 30 million pounds of asbestos are still being used in the United States today... in homes, schools and commercial/industrial buildings! On July 12, 1989, the EPA issued a final rule banning most asbestos containing products. In 1991, this regulation was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. As a result of the Court's decision, only a few asbestos-containing products remain banned. Infuriating if you ask me! I'm sure it comes down to government/people who are so money hungry they don't care about the well being of others... this happens way too often. People need to HELP others and create a safe environment!

This year 10,000 Americans will die of asbestos-related diseases such as lung cancer or mesothelioma and 200,000 will be living with asbestos. Asbestos isn't just an American problem though, it is also being used in building material in several developing countries including Brazil, India, China, Russia and Canada. Mesothelioma commonly sits inactive in the body for 20-50 years after initial exposure to asbestos so the most common ages being diagnosed are between 50 and 70. Second hand exposure from parents or spouses who worked closely with the asbestos is also an alarming problem so please help share this information!

This is a preventable cancer. Help get rid of asbestos, spread the word! More information about mesothelioma can be found HERE.

Thank you Cameron and Heather for sharing your story!

And so it looks like my blog will be staying around a bit longer. God's pushing on my heart... if I can inspire, support, share awareness for someone else, even just one on this little online space of mine, that is good. :)

Have a blessed weekend! 

Do something good for someone else and spread the word about mesothelioma. ♥

Bread and Health

Most people eat bread without thinking too much about it. Growing up, bread was one of my favorite additions to a meal. Mom's homemade buns right out of the oven with melted butter was one of the best treats. As I grew older we heard more about health benefits of wheat bread vs white but still I enjoyed either one. Bread didn't become a big deal until we learned of my daughter's wheat/gluten and egg allergy. Boy did that narrow down the kinds of breads one could enjoy. We tried a variety of kinds from the health food aisles and nothing was very good. Many were dry and pretty tasteless and if you happened to find one with taste, it wasn't good. When my health was failing (Celiac Disease, leaky gut, hypochlorhydria, Candida...) I worked hard on overcoming many of my illnesses and all bread was removed from my diet. Something that worked for me while detoxing/cleansing my body was removing all grains, including gluten free grains. I recently felt my body was ready to reintroduce some of the grains/flours again. It had to be a homemade bread though with no sugar, yeast, soy, nuts, eggs, or gluten added. I wanted the healthiest bread I could get yet have some good taste. Praise the Lord, my first experiment turned out pretty darn good. I have now made it a few times and Kaelyn loves it and asks for it at every meal and snack time. :) I'm still working on some tweaks and want to try a different size loaf pan before sharing the recipe.

I need to add what a difference flours can make. Teff flour was one of the gluten free flours I used for the above pictured bread that turned out good and worked well for our bodies/tummies. One day I ran out of teff and decided I'd try millet. Not only was the bread a lot more crumbly but Kaelyn and I both got horrible rashes shortly after eating it. Apparently millet is a high glycemic food which could be a reason we reacted poorly. Thank the Lord, there were no feelings of explosions in my stomach and no major setbacks! Not too long ago I would have been curled up on the couch with horrible stomach pain and seriously bloated. This time my symptoms consisted of an itchy rash on my face but it was gone by the next day. Now we know, millet is out of my cooking. :)

For quite some time I had been worried about the foods we ate, what vitamins we were missing, trying different products in hopes of becoming healthy quickly. Ha, ha there is no real quick health cure, at least not to a seriously damaged body like mine. Anyway, one day I was talking to the Lord (yes I pray a lot during the day) and said I have done all I can do, it is all up to You to heal me, I give up trying to do it on my own. I'm sure He shakes His head at me several times a day when I think I can do things on my own. Ha! Trying to learn that lesson. It is hard to be patient. I asked Him to just guide me on foods and work His healing touch through my body. The good news is I know He is answering my prayers! Healing is happening! I needed to step back, simplify and pray. Once in awhile I still do worry/get nervous about trying new foods. I would love to reintroduce honey but I do not want a big setback and I really don't want the Candida in my gut to get out of hand again. It will be awhile before I try it, but I know I have to do better about relying on Him... for everything. I am definitely a work in progress. :)

A verse that spoke to me today:

Do Not Worry

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, 

what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. 

And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a 

single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Luke 12:22-26

What We Eat for Enduring Health

Several bloggers blog about what they wear. Well unless you really want to know our latest and greatest thrift store/second hand finds, what we wear wouldn't be all that thrilling. :)

What I do get asked often is "What do you eat???" This question always pops up when someone finds out all the allergies and food intolerances my daughter and I have to deal with. The list of foods we can't have is pretty long: dairy, wheat ~ all gluten products, eggs, peanuts, nuts, nightshades which include potatoes, peppers, tomatoes to name just a few of the main ones, corn, soy, legumes, fructose, starches and sugar. Even gluten free grains were out while healing from Candida. Sadly my daughter is a mini replica of her mommy when it comes to her health. Pulling sugar, fructose and gluten free grains from a kid is not easy. We do the best we can but she still has a little here and there. We never use any processed sugars. K uses stevia here and there otherwise we use some fruit for her sweetener,but it is rare. She still has a ways to go on controlling her Candida, but I'm hopeful we will get there.

Prior to my illnesses I was a pasta, pizza, burrito, bread and chocolate loving girl. Veggies were not high on my priority list and honestly, I don't think I ate a salad until I was in college. Sad. I had no idea how horribly I was impacting my own health and my future daughters. But as they say, you learn from your mistakes. My health was failing big time shortly after the birth of Kaelyn. I saw many doctors and really nothing was helping, I was only getting worse even after being treated for Graves Disease. So I started researching and going with my gut feelings and decided food might just be my best medicine... and it is. (But I also do really need my thyroid medication since my thyroid was killed.)

So what does a girl do, that had never eaten all that well or spent much time in the kitchen?... you learn to cook and experiment with food. You give up time creating art (or something else you love to do) to make time creating healthy,nourishing, yummy dishes for you and your family to eat. And now I can say, I see what a blessing my health struggles have been. Not only did it make me rely on God to remain hopeful and to keep going, but I was able to find and try so many new foods that are healthy and I now love! I've come to the conclusion if you don't like a veggie, you aren't cooking it right.

If any of you are dealing with health/food issues I hope you will find a little kitchen inspiration...

{making zucchini chips}

My daughter is addicted to these. They take forever to bake but when they are out, I don't think the two pans last more than 5 min before they are gone. These are baked with coconut oil, turmeric, nutritional yeast flakes and Himalayan sea salt.

Zucchini is an amazing veggie in the multiple uses it can have ~ chips, pasta, creamed soup, breads. It just needs a creative hand and it can be a wonderful replacement to otherwise harmful foods.

{allergy free zucchini lasagna ~ one of my favorite dishes!}

{cucumber water ~ adds a fresh punch of flavor}

For the longest time I was missing my pasta. Zucchini to the rescue again... and my mom for giving me her nifty grater to use, we now have wonderful grain free spaghetti noodles!

Kid approved! :)

When a vegetable can serve different purposes, meals can become a lot more interesting. Like zucchini, cauliflower can make a great substitute. I love making cauliflower into an alfredo like sauce or even fake mashed potatoes. My six year old really thought I had given her real mashed potatoes when in fact it was cauliflower. The key is to mix it with some meat broth, a little onion and seasoning and blend it up very smooth. Delicious!

Here is a more complete list of foods that have made me feel so much better and keeps our daughter healthy, if she shys away from this list she usually catches a bug pretty fast:

Meat:
Chicken, Turkey, Salmon with no added ingredients, organic is preferred, fresh caught fish, wild game (venison, goose, duck...), bison and beef that is 100% grass fed. I would like to try pork but haven't found a clean one. Have to be aware that gluten is put into most "natural flavorings" and spices usually contain nightshades.

Veggies:
Asparagus, Lettuce, Bok Choy, Celery, Cucumber, Radishes, Kale, Avocado, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard, Garlic, Green Beans, Onion, Spinach, Summer Squash, Turnip Greens, Zucchini, Black Olives, Seaweed (Kaelyn loves Kelp! I may not have told her it was actually seaweed. She also really likes SeaSnax... which are strangely addictive.)

Healthy Fats and Oils:
Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Animal Fats, Cod Liver Oil, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Ghee. Ghee is clarified butter and is technically a dairy food but casein and lactose have been removed so most people can tolerate it even if they are dairy intolerant. It has worked wonderfully for us as our butter replacement.

Seasonings:
Cilantro, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Turmeric, Himalayan Sea Salt, Celtic Sea Salt and Nutritional Yeast Flakes. Nutritional Yeast must say "Flakes" which is a deactivated yeast so it won't harm a Candida sufferer; it is a great "cheesy" flavoring that is high in nutrients. All the seasonings I use are either fresh from the garden or USDA organic dry seasonings. I only purchase organic seasonings since many commercial spices are irradiated and can change or damage your body's cells, some can even contain other nasty contaminates.

Fruit:
Only a little fresh Lemon Juice for flavoring.

I also use Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar for cleaning veggies and when making bone broth soup.

I think that is everything I have been using in my kitchen. The links go to the actual products I use everyday. I can usually get a better price when ordering from Vitacost. I order quite a bit at once so shipping is always free and it's usually delivered in four days.

I have tried a lot of different healthy diet lists before coming to this one. Nothing else gave me relief. I found I have to have enough meat and healthy fat otherwise I am constantly hungry. I've only used the foods on this list for about six months. For about a year, year and a half, I have used the above list plus tried some gluten free grains and honey here and there but my stomach still wasn't happy and I was not digesting well. The one site that really helped in my progress is Healing Naturally by Bee. Be sure to check it out if you or a loved one are dealing with any serious health issues. It is not just for Candida sufferers! Remember to follow your gut instinct. You will know what works for you and your body... everyone is a little different. I believe everyone would do best from a clean, organic diet. Foods that are as close to nature as possible... the way God intended. These foods are what will help heal you. The more man gets involved with foods the worse they are for you... I have learned this from experience.

A couple weeks ago we brought back Goat kefir and it seems to be going over well. I would love to try raw dairy but it isn't available around us. I've heard a lot of dairy intolerant people can handle dairy in the raw form. Interesting. A couple days ago I also tried making bread again so we will wait and see how my body likes the reintroduction of some gluten free grains. I am praying there won't be anymore setbacks!

If you are dealing with similar health issues and/or have any questions, need support, whatever, please email me or leave a comment! I would be glad to chat with you.