Multi-tasking---friend or foe?

 

There are times when we must multi task, but to make it a way of life is absurd (spoken from a woman who used to live that absurd life).  Women are notorious for multi-tasking and for many, it is an addiction and a way of life. There was a time I thought that multitasking was a way that I was supposed to live. It was the surefire way to get to ahead and obtain the American dream.  I had come to believe that to be successful in life you had to have a great ability to multi-task. I was pretty good at it, but not near as good as my sisters and others that I used to compare myself to.  I was driving myself crazy trying to keep up.

 

I'll let you in on a little secret. The most successful people in life Do not multi-task. In fact they are the exact opposite, they are notorious for being obsessed with and focused on only one thing. Those who are truly successful know one of the secrets to success in life is that you get what you think about most of the time.  If you are thinking about twenty things at once, which are you thinking about most? None of them. You have to have a main target that you are shooting. Shooting at 15 different targets at the same time (even if you hit one or two) does not make you a great archer, but yet this is what we are doing when we multi-task.       

 

 

I was so much into believing in multitasking as a way of life yet my husband didn't get it.  I used to get so upset at him and what I called his one-track mind.  He was totally opposite. He would get focused on one thing and I could not get his attention to shift with me. He would focus on that one thing until he got it, or finished it (which would sometimes take days or weeks). I got tired of hearing him talk about this one thing. It would make me crazy.  He would be working on a project and ask me to come help and I would say, " Just a minute let me finish A, B, and C first."  I would hurry and finish reading the page in my book, switch the laundry over and feed the cat on the way out the door to help him on his project. I would help for a while, but my mind would be wondering when we I could leave because I would remember six other things that I wanted to get done before dinner, what was I going to make for dinner? I would excuse myself from helping him and be back to doing all the things that I thought needed to happen.

This pattern was a trouble for us because  his love language happens to be quality time. I found myself not spending quality time with him because I was too busy multitasking to get accomplish all the things I wanted to do to show him that I loved him.  When I was spending time with him I was absent because my mind was always going over what the next six projects were going to be. It was not working for us. I was becoming great at multitasking but I was failing at being the good mother and wife I wanted to be.  On the outside I looked like I could do it all, but on the inside I was feeling crushed, overwhelmed, and exhausted by it all. I  felt like was screwing up everything in a big way.  This was not the way I wanted my life to be.

I would get so tired trying to do it all.  I was spending my time spinning my wheels trying to do everything but not doing any of it well, in fact I spent most of my time trying to figure out how to get out of the messes I created by not paying attention to the important things. I am making big efforts to have a focus and quit juggling everything.  I am happier now that I have learned to juggle only the important things.  I have found that taking time for the little moments really makes a difference.  It is better to live in the moment rather than waste the time thinking about what the next moment brings. I have quit driving my life about at a hundred miles an hour. I have learned to slow down and enjoy life and enjoy the people I am living with.

 

 

It has not always been easy. In the beginning I would spend time trying to be in the moment with my children and wondering if there was something that would be more productive.  I could not find the joy in just being with someone and not having three other projects all going  on or lined up to do next. I have learned that time spent really engaged in knowing someone is not time wasted. It has been a journey for us all.  My family is much happier when I live in the moment with them, when I show up, look up and pay attention to what is going on around me.  They are beginning to know that they are important to me, it shows through my actions when I engage with them. It is even harder now in our busy world, but it is important to slow down and take part in your own life. You have the ability to make your world whatever it is you want, you just have to decide what is important and let the rest go.

 

The rewards are great for those who concentrate on living life 

 

 

 

 

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN.

 Leave a comment below on how you are engaging with the world around you

 

 

 

Here are links to the 5 love languages books by Gary Chapman They are wonderful books. I highly recommend them as a great reference for any family. They also make a great wedding gift.  

 

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts




The 5 Love Languages of Children
The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers New Edition: The Secret to Loving Teens Effectively


Note the above links are affiliate links. This just means that by clicking you are allowing us to refer you to Amazon to buy the product. Doing so helps us to continue the work here at life less hurried. You can read the full disclosure by clicking the privacy policy tab at the top of the page. Thank you.  

Junk out, good food in part 4 Keeping a food journal

In case you missed it
part 1
Part 2 cravings
Part 3 emotional/social eaters


In part 3 we reviewed the emotional and social eater.  It is hard to eat healthy when our brains have created such an emotional bond with junk food and we begin to believe that we can't live without it. Those bonds can be very strong. Breaking those bonds begins with being aware.  Food journaling can be so very insightful as to what is going on with your life and food. It makes us very aware of what we are eating and the reasons behind it.  It is a good place to start.


If you have never done a food journal it is a great time to start one.  It is quite simple. It does not have to be complex.  It can be as simple as carrying a small notebook in your purse or briefcase and keeping some notes. There are web pages where you can download and print forms that can help you track food intake. There are also many apps that can help you track your food intake on your smart phone. Whether you choose the old standard notebook, a printable from a web page, or track it with an app on your smart phone, you need to start. It is important to know where you are in order to form a  good game plan to get yourself on track for great health. 

There are a few items that are key to your success with a food journal

                                                                                     Photos in this post come from Bing images

Key 1:   Be honest.  You have to record every thing that you put into your body. Those candies that you ate as you passed the receptionist desk. The three bites you stole from your spouse's or child's plate at dinner. That glug of milk you drank right from the carton. Yes, you have to write it all down, and you have to be honest. If you ate a whole package of cookies do not write down one cookie. Three bowls of cereal in the morning is different than one. You get the idea. If you are going to change it you have to be truthful with yourself.  It can be overwhelming and even painful to look at your food intake in this way, but it is well worth it in the end.

Key 2:  Write it down as you go. It is rather difficult to recall everything you ate during the day in one fell swoop.  It is too easy to forget those little things like those mentioned above. I know a person who actually set a timer to go off every three hours. When the timer went off she would recall the past 3 hours and write it down. It worked for them. For me, I would take an inventory after each meal, and before bedtime. I would write what I ate for that meal and I would recall back to the previous meal being aware of what had happened in between meals. It was enlightening for me as I was a snacker. I would snack and not really be aware of how many snacks I was snitching until I started tracking.  

Key 3: Record your feelings as well as what you ate.  This is especially helpful for the emotional eater. You can learn even more if you record what you are feeling before, and after you eat. This was key for me to fight the emotional cravings. I was able to make correlations between food and my emotional state. While journaling  I was able to identify the habits and break many of them.

Key 4: Be Consistent. If you only record what you eat on the days you are "being good" and ignore the days you are on a binge, it does you no good. Likewise, if you record the weekdays and forget to record the weekends you are missing out on key information. Consistently monitor your food intake for two solid weeks. This will give you a good baseline for where you are.


Once you have a food journal in hand you can begin to go over the data. Start looking for patterns. For example you may notice that you eat more fatty food when feeling stressed. You may notice that when around your family you make good choices, but co-workers are influencing you to the negative, or  maybe it is the other way around. You may notice that you frequent the refrigerator right after getting home from work, or that you snack while waiting for dinner to be on the table. You may find when you eat a large breakfast you tend to skip lunch and then hit the vending machine later in the day. Or it could be that when you eat a sugary breakfast you get a mid morning slump when your blood sugar drops. Two weeks of data should reveal some of these things.

Once you analyze the data, form a good game plan. You  begin to see where your traps are. You can avoid those traps once you are aware. You can form new, better habits. You can get a buddy on board with you. Become aware and make changes for the better.

For me two weeks of tracking gave me plenty to work with. I made some changes and began a journey of better health. During that year that I lost nearly a hundred pounds I did several rounds of journaling. Every couple of months I would journal for another two weeks. It was interesting to see the changes. I was able to see what was working and what was not. I was able to tweak the game plan and was amazed to watch as new patterns emerged.  As Doctor Phil often says, "You can't change what you don't acknowledge".   Find out where you are and what needs to change.

Try it, keep a food journal for two weeks. It may be the best thing you ever did for yourself.


 Here are a few resources that may be of help to get you started.

50 plus food tracking apps

Printable food journal pages

food journaling tips

 

This post shared as part of real food Wednesday

Amazon has many different food journals for sale including one for kids. I have included links below for your convenience.




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this post contains affiliate links you can see the full disclosure by clicking the privacy policy tab at the top of the page.

Don't worry we got a pill for that.

As seen on a T shirt advertisement for a clever chiropractor

I take aspirin for the headache caused by the Zyrtec I take for the hay fever I got from Relenza for the uneasy stomach from the Ritalin I take for the Short attention span caused by the scopederm T's I take for the motion sickness I got from the Lomotil I take for the diareah caused by the Zenikal for the uncontrolled weight gain from the Paxil I take for the anxiety from the Zocor I take for my high cholesterol because diet and exercise and regular chiropractic care are just too much trouble.

It is incredible we get so many commercials on television for these drugs where they spend the entire time listing the possible side effects that these drugs may cause. Magazines are full of three page ads explaining the side effects of their prescriptions. Sometimes I think I would rather live with the symptom than live with the side effects of these drugs. Oh, and then there are the new drugs that you didn't know you needed until you hear it on the TV.  The commercials go something like this, "Is your bellybutton misshapen, we can fix it. Is your big toe a little too large Dr John's shrinking cream will have that big toe back to the right size within two weeks time." You go to the doctor and it is like this, "You only take three prescription drugs? I will help you keep up with the Jones' who take seven prescription drugs a piece." Oh you have a family history...... you better take this pill "just in case".  And now there is, "You have Pre-whatever they think you might get"

Family history and genetics are only a very tiny part of the risk factors for so many of the preventable diseases that we worry so much about. (Did you catch that..... preventable diseases). Yes, Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, autoimmune diseases, and many forms of cancer are preventable diseases.  These things can be prevented and even reversed by treating the body well. Your food  and lifestyle choices can help or harm you. I choose to eat food that is nourishing and helps my body to run well. I am starting to be actively engaged in my health. There are many things I can do to prevent getting these dreaded diseases that those who sell the test equipment and prescriptions have convinced us all that we are going to get. They have convinced us that it is all a matter of time until we all get these diseases and there is nothing you can do. I call bullcrap on them. It is hard because society is so overwhelmed with this stuff that makes it easy to live the bad lifestyle and seeming impossible to escape.  But it can be done. 

I agree with Hippocrates. Let medicine be thy food. Eat well and live well.  

Come back often here at life less hurried for tips and tricks on how to live a healthy lifestyle in an unhealthy world. 

The skinny on trans fat part 2

In case you missed it here is the link to skinny on trans fat part 1


The early 1900's brought about many changes in our food system. The quest for cheap food has brought about changes in the last 120 years that are icredible. Margarine was just the start, it was followed by Crisco, corn syrup, artifical sweetners and a myriad of other things.

 Crisco was developed by Proctor and Gamble who were brother in laws making soaps and candles. The cost of making of these items had been driven  up by a lack of tallow and lard. During this time cotton was big buisness. Procter and Gamble bought out eight cotton mills, the wheels began to turn, and with the help of a German scientist E.C. Keiser they were able to harden the cottonseed oil turning it into something that would work for making soaps and candles. This was great until they realized that the candle making business was on the decline due to this thing called electricity.

What next for the two brother in laws? There was a shortge of lard and butter.  People were starting to use this stuff called margarine instead of butter, why not sell this refined cottonseed oil that resembles lard as an alternative  at a fraction of the cost?  In a pure stroke of genius, they developed a cookbook to be given away with the cans of stuff called Crisco. Of course every recipe in the book contained Crisco. Homecooks loved the stuff. It was convienent and easy. They did not have to render out the lard and strain it to make it ready for cooking. This stuff was great. It was shelf stable and didn't go rancid like lard did.

 First margarine, and now Crisco or hydrogonated oil. The popularity of these products  was really growing.  Hydrogonated vegetable oil was quickly making its way as a staple in the American diet.  In the meantime, heart disease started to take hold of the country. The government started looking about for what may be the cause. One thing they looked at was the introduction of hydrogonated oils into the food system. Could it be the trouble? It sparked a debate over healthy fat and unhealthy fats that still rages on today.

Dr Fred Matteson (who happened to be working with Proctor and Gamble) along with others, presented the US Government with research (The lipid hypothosis)  that seemed to point a finger at animal fat as the troubles causing the increase in heart disease. It was adopted by the goverment and the heart association. The heart association began to recommend that people consume less animal fats. All over the United States people started eating less animal fats. Low fat dairy had taken over and less butter was being used. Butter was being replaced by margarines made with vegetable oils as opposed to the original margarine.

Heart disease continues to rise along with obesity, and diabetes. Maybe this lipid hypothisis is not really it. Maybe it is these hydrogonated fats that are clogging our arteries and causing us troubles. By this point it has gone crazy. The governement is researching which fats are good, which ones are bad, and the public decided that all fat is bad, thus the lowfat craze that swept the country a number of years ago. This was not the answer, people go even fatter on these low fat diets and heart disease is still not slowing down. So we are back to square one.

The people are begining to wonder what is going on. They are so confused by the information out there. Margarine is good one day and bad the next, the same with butter. The war between butter and margarine is getting old. It has been going on for so many years off and on. The only thing that has changed is that the American people are getting fatter and heart disease is still rampant. If is is these hydrdogonated fats causing troubles, we need to be concerned about more than just margarine and butter. Hydrogonated  vegetable oils have became big business. Mass food producers are making all types products using hydrogonated vegetable oils. It is cheap and has a long shelf life.

Hydrogonated oils are in nearly every food item on supermarket shelves in America. If these products are the problem how do we solve it? There are really no alternatives to hydrogonated fats, except for going back to animal fats. The food producers cannot afford to really change and start using animal fats again. It is too expensive, and a large portion of the public is convinced that animal fat is bad for you. The Heart association and others have been sold on the lipid hypotthosis, they have endorsed hundreds of products containing these fats. They are the main endorsers of many of these products. They have to save face. They cannot come out now and say, "Oh we may have been wrong."  Hydrogonated oils are really here to stay unless there is another major breakthough. We are started down a path and there is no turning back.

 What to do; you can't ban all hydrogonated fats. It is not fesible. The government  needed a solution. This is the the solution and the theory being pushed on the public, There is already information out there about about good fats and bad fats.  The public seems to understand. They have been told of good oils and bad oils; saturated, vs unsaturated, and pollyunsaturated oils.  There are some  oils that are labeled and widely accepted as healthy. Let us used this to our advantage. Let us  hydrogonate some of those oils that have been designated as the "good oils".  We can tell them that hydrogonated oils are not that bad if made with the right kinds of fat.

The term trans fat is born and popularized. Trans fats are now the bad ones. They are the kind of fat you want out of your diet. Trans fats are made by hydrogonating the wrong kind of oils. Hydrogonated fat are acceptable as long as they are made from the right kind of "healthy oils". It is working well. The public eats it up. Trans-fat takes off as the bad villian in the fat world. The public starts crying, "We want better health, we want better labeling on products, we want to know what kind of fats we are eating. Out with trans fat." 

After quite and extensive debate about what kinds of fats are acceptable and the levels that will fit into the requirements, they make it mandatory to label trans fats. Those who read the banners on fronts of packages and see "no trans fat" are happy. The public is apeased for now. But where does it go next. The people are not going to be apeased for long they are going to figure out that the a label that reads "no trans fat" is not non fat It still has hydrogonated fat and it is not really any better for you.  It is like the labeling of corn syrup. The label can say "no high fructose corn syrup" and there is still corn syrup in it, just not the high fructose kind.  The regulation and labeling of products is not in favor of the consumer. It is all about big business.

Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are still going to ravage this country until we get back to the basics. Until we get back to a society that regularly eats real food that comes from the farmers field and not from a factory.    

For a full lengh tutorial on trans fats and how they have changed the world, check out these two  links....wikipedia on trans fat  and Weston a price foundations Oiling of America.   There is  more information than most people will ever need on the subject in these two articles.

an unexpected source of sugar being dumped into our kids

We are eating so much sugar in our society. It is absurd. It has been estimated that in the United States we are eating half a pound of sugar per person per day!!!!!!

Although it sounds so over the top,  is not totally surprising. Sugar in it's many forms is found in the majority of our foods. Processed foods are fueling our need and dependency on sugar. Processed foods have become so over sweetened. It is scary. Many blame the problems on soft drinks,Thus they tried to ban large sodas in New York. We all know that candy and sugared cearals are loaded with sugar, but there are plenty of other foods that supply our children with staggering amounts of sugar that we may not be thinking about.

Just a few examples,  pasta sauce, many pasta sauces are loaded with sugar, ketchup and peanut butter are two others that our children are eating that can be stuffed full of sugar. There is one food in particular that I want to address today. This food in some cases has more added sugar than soda, and our kids (and maybe we as adults) are slurping it down in huge amounts. This food is being marketed  to us and our children as something truly healthy. have you guessed it yet? Are you ready for this? It is ...... Yogurt.  Look and see for yourself, check out the labels next time you are at the grocery store.

I hate commercial yogurt from the store. We hardly buy it anymore. These yogurts are so full of sugar, dyes, emulsifiers, flavorings etc. There is not really any goodness left when you look at the the fact that some of them do not have any live or active cultures in them. Live active cultures is what makes yogurt so good for you.

Yogurt itself is a great food when made properly. Take good quality milk, inoculate it with good friendly bacteria (active cultures) let it grow in a warm place for a while and you have something wonderful. Top it with some fresh fruit YUM! There is something wonderful about a good fresh yogurt. It has been eaten for centuries. It has contributed to good gut health. It is something that can be truly healthy.

 How different is this "good" yogurt from the commercial yogurt you buy in the store?  Many store bought yogurts starts with milk that has been homogenized, pasteurized and processed until there is no goodness left in the milk, they pump it full of sugar, corn syrup dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers,  flavorings, starches, and artificial sugars. They may, or may not put any live yogurt cultures in it.They may put a bit of real fruit in it, but mostly it is fruit flavorings and such. It is a far different food with a far different effect on the body than real live cultured yogurt. This is not to say that there are no good brands of yogurt out there, and that every brand is bad.  There are some brands that we buy. We are just more careful about which ones we choose nowadays.


Choose a good wholesome yogurt product. Read labels. Do not buy it if you do not understand the ingredients in it.  Avoid the kinds that are targeted to children,(the ones with cartoon characters on the outside) they are some of the worst. There are some decent brands of yogurt out there. I do buy some of those better brands on occasion. But just for fun, or if you are unsure about the quality of the yogurt you are buying make your own. An added bonus of making your own is the money you can save. It is really cost effective to make your own yogurt as good quality yogurt can be a bit pricey.

 Early on I wrote a post about making yogurt at home.  It is really not all that hard, it does take a little planning.  Eating real food does take a bit more planning than just open up a package. It requires label reading and a bit of change but is so worth the efforts. For those of you stuck on the Greek yogurt bandwagon, make yogurt and then strain the excess liquid and whey out of the yogurt through a couple layers of cheesecloth set in a strainer over a bowl. This method will thicken it up nicely and give you the same results as a greek style yogurt. Strain it a bit longer and you have something that resembles and can be interchanged with cream cheese.


Try making yogurt and see what happens.

Here is the link to my post about making yogurt.

making yogurt





As an added note. 

Yogurt is one of the dairy foods that is on the agengda to have artificial sweeteners added without labeling. They are working on a proposal to change the labeling of dairy products. The producers are becoming smart to the fact that we as consumers are looking at labels. Consumers are craving the sweet stuff, but trying to cut back. It is amazing to me that they are pumping our food full of sweet stuff and hiding it under all kinds of names. For  dairy producers to be able to add sweetners and not have to label it; expecially when it is an artifical sweetner, that is not right. This is yet another reason to make your own yogurt and take control of what you and your family eats.

Here is a link to a petition against this

tell the FDA to reject the proposal of unlabeled apartamine in dairy

Working my spirit while working my body

I have recently taken up step aerobics as part of my New years resolutions. You can read about this at the links below
new years resolutions part 1
new years resolutions part 2

During the process, I got tired of the same workouts. Once I knew the steps, I decided that I could write my own routines and do my own thing. I began to search out songs that would motivate me. I was finding songs with lyrics that I was embarrassed to have my children listening to, but there were others that were seemingly alright.  It was later on when I found myself busily humming and singing  some of these songs  and realized the lyrics (although not bad) were not encouraging or uplifting to me. I made a choice to search out some better music. I decided to find myself some good Christian songs that I could feel great about working out to.

I started with some of the songs I already knew from listening to K-love radio. I expanded and found more artists and songs. The songs I have chosen for my workout list are happy and upbeat with a good message. I picked the ones with a strong eight beat pattern which works well for the step aerobics. I also picked songs that have verses and then a chorus that I can sing to. Many have lyrics that stick in your head. I love that I have good lyrics running about my head.  Here is a list of songs that I use when I am working out.

Christian good moving music That I use for  my step aerobics

Good to be alive Jason Gray

Move Mercy me
This life Mercy me
In the blink of an eye Mercy me

Jesus culture Chris Quilala

Give you glory Jeremy Kemp

What if his people prayed Casting crowns

Father spirit Jesus Casting crowns

Shine Newsboys

I am free Newsboys

Your love never fails Newsboys

Not ashamed Newsboys

Busted heart king (shine on again) King and country

Life song Casting crowns

Father spirit Jesus Casting crowns

The alter and the door Casting crowns

   Promises Sanctus real

Me without you Toby mac

Get back up Toby mac

Open the eyes of my heart Sonic flood

   Write your name upon my heart Sonic flood

No chains on me Chris Tomlin

Your grace is enough Chris Tomlin

Forever radio remix  Chris Tomlin

Survivor Mathew West

Next thing you know Matthew West

Good morning Mandisa

Live like that Sidewalk prophets

Today is the day Lincoln Brewster

Love the lord Lincoln Brewster

   Beautiful one By the tree

Amazing life  Britt Nicole
Hang on  Brit Nicole

Our love is loud David Crowder band

Red letter day  Newsong
Finding who we are  Kutless

Trading my sorrows  Derrell Evans
Reach  Peter Furhler
Happy day Fee

If we are the body Casting crowns

Update:  as I am getting stronger  and can move better, I am needing quicker moving music.  This makes me very happy. I will have to update later on as I find some quicker moving music to keep up with my fitness training.


Slower cool down songs / Plus some of the songs I just love the lyrics and message that it leaves with me.

Remind me who I am Jason Gray

Strong enough Matthew West

Stronger Mandissa

Already there Casting crowns

Blessed be your name Tree 63

Who am I  Casting crowns

Holy one Casting crowns

Voice of truth Casting crowns

Untitled hymn  Chris rice

Come as you are Pocket full of rocks

My Savoir my God Aaron Shust

If these songs are not your style you can check out some other artists

Bethany B at life unexpected had some ideas

http://ramblingsofamomster.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-go-to-clean-workout-songs.html

Some artists she has picked  for her workouts are....

Lecrea

Trip Lee

Jimmy Needham

Kerri Roberts

Becka Shae

 Je’kob

Group 1 crew

Some other Christian artists that you may try are.....

Zoe Girl

Jaci Velasquez

Point of Grace
Audio Adrenaline

DC talk

Delirious
Skillet
Tait
KJ-52
Mary-Mary
Matt Kerney
Jamie Grace
Stacie Orrico

Now that I have good music, working out can be good for my body, brain, and my spirit.

I hope this helps some of you who also  may be struggling with the same things.

Leave a comment below letting others know who you are listening to.

Do you enjoy eating?

When was the last time that you sat down and enjoyed a meal?


For some of us the answer is easy and as close as last night, but for way too many of us the answer is alot further away. Some are thinking back .....Christmas or maybe.... Thanksgiving? some are saying to themselves; "Have I ever really enjoyed a meal?"

                                                               
What makes a meal enjoyable? Sometimes it is the company; but many times it is the fact that we slowed down enough to enjoy it. We tend to live in a grab and run society. We wolf down our food and rarely take time to taste it. When you think back to those times you really enjoyed a meal; how did  it make you feel? How did it relate to your senses?  It seems like when we slow down and enjoy our food all our senses are used and engaged.
                                                                                                                           © Anetta | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images


ENJOY FOOD WITH ALL OF YOUR SENSES

As I attended chef school we often talked about you eat with your eyes first. It was a common saying in our class. This is true, as a chef we like to get the customers attention. But have you ever been disappointed by something that looked really good, but failed to deliver on flavor? My Grandma was a good cook, it did not always look "good enough to eat", yet it was tasty. What about smell? When the bakery wafts out the smell of fresh baked bread or cookies, how does your body feel, how do you react? What about the crunch of chips, or the smooth cold taste of ice cream?  Life is meant to be enjoyed. Food is meant to be enjoyed and used in the body, but too often we slurp it down with no real thought and no real enjoyment. Eating with all your senses (and doing it often) can lead to a good place in life.

EAT INTENTIONALLY

When we slow down and enjoy the food we eat there is something real that happens. First, we find the nutrition in the food. When we slow down and eat intentionally we tend to chew our food better. Food gets digested much better when it is chewed. We also tend to eat less. Have you ever sat down and ate the entire thing without even thinking, and you still felt hungry? When you sit down to eat a meal there is something that is triggered in the brain.When I started sitting down to meals, it was memorable; my brain would reset itself.  I used to snack about the day and yet my brain would tell me that I was hungry. It would send me signals that I hadn't eaten all day; and usually I had scarfed something else down before I realized that I had already been snacking all day.  I do not always take time to sit for meals, but I find that I do so much better when I do. It is becoming worth the effort for me and my family to sit down and enjoy meals together.


TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!  ENJOY EATING AGAIN!

Put it to the test, Take time to enjoy your food. One person said she could enjoy desserts, she would just eat a small portion with her antique silver dessert spoon. It was small and dainty and it helped her to remember to take smaller bites. She would then savor each bite and enjoy dessert as an accompaniment to the meal and not the main dish. It worked for her. Focus on the food at mealtimes. Sit down to meals (even if it is only one meal a day). See if your body responds differently. It has worked for us. See what may happen in your own life. 

building a sense of community

It is spring! We are out and about in the neighborhood. It has been nice. This winter has seemed so long. I have missed socializing in the neighborhood. It seems like we have all been hibernating all winter. (I know I have). It seem that I have been very un-social lately. I get in my car, run my errands, get back in the car, back home. Sometimes we are the same with work. We go to work and back home; that is all.  We do not get to know anyone outside of the office and home.

There is something about getting to know the people in our neighborhood. There is something about a friendly smile, a nod, a wave. It seems that we are in such a hurry and so buried in our own little lives, that we do not take the time to get to know those in our community. We don't know our neighbors. We don't acknowledge those who serve us in our community. When was the last time you actually said hello to the cashier at the grocery store. Do you say hello; or do you just grunt at them like so many others?  Did you thank them for their service?  Would your mail carrier fall over with surprise if you gave them a friendly wave?

 It was not so long ago that these gestures were common. People smiled and talked with one another. They waved to one another. They knew each other. We knew knew those that served us, we knew the people in our neighborhood. Think back to childhood and that song on Sesame Street; "Oh the                is a person in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood,......... It's the people that you meet when you're walking down the street, It's the people that you meet each day" (Go ahead sing along I know you know it.)


Having a sense of community is good for us all. It helps build us socially and emotionally. I think all to often we feel so alone. We do not feel a part of anything more than the electronics that we surround ourselves with. We drown ourselves in the media, and it makes us feel worse than ever. We go to a doctor; get a prescription for a drug trying to make ourselves feel better; when what we really need is to get out and say hello to our neighbors. We are social creatures who have forgotten how to be social. We fool ourselves into thinking that we have connected on facebook and twitter. Although I have kept up with people on facebook, it is not the same as face to face contact.

So what do we do?  Get out and make some real connections. When you are engaged with a grocery clerk, or the cashier at the gas station, make eye contact, be sure to say hello, and thank you.  Say hello to people that you meet. Turn off the electronic devices and be aware of the people that are around you. I have a new goal and resolution, If I do not know the name of a person that I have seen about the neighborhood, I am going to introduce myself. I am going to make a point to get to know at least two people a month.



A number of years ago I read an interesting short story written by E. M. Forster. It is an interesting tale written in 1909, about a society that has come to a point where a machine has taken over their lives. It is written from the eyes of a young man, who wants to dream, who wants to have a life outside the  machine. He is looking for community and is not finding it. It is very interesting reading. Although it is science fiction, many parts of it have become reality.  I would encourage taking the time to read this little story. See what happens.

the machine stops by E.M. Forster

helping a picky eater

Having a picky eater can be a real challenge. There are some children (and adults) that are putting their health at a real risk by eating only one or two things. How do you help a picky eater and encourage them to enjoy a healthy variety of foods? I have some suggestions below.  

© Sorinus | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images



1. Don't be picky yourself. As a parent, you are the example for your children. If you are picky, they assume that they should follow suit and think that this is normal behavior. I have met families where the parents are picky eaters, they expect that the children to try new foods, yet they are unwilling to try new foods themselves. It does not seem to work.

2. Try it Tuesdays, new food Fridays etc. Pick a day to try a new food as a family. You never know; you may find a new family favorite. It does not have to be every week, but make it a part of the routine (every other Tuesday for example). A word of advice in this situation, make and enjoy a new food, but incorporate it in with foods that the family already understands and knows. For example. If you are going to try a new meat, serve side dishes that they love.

3.  Let the picky eater choose a recipe or new food to try. Letting them be in control can ease the tension and make trying new foods a more pleasant experience. Browse recipes together and let them help pick out the new food or recipe. My Nephew picked out radishes to try; who knew they are one of his favorite foods?  He did not know until he tried them.


4. Ask questions. One night at dinner, my daughter tells me she does not like the salad I made. Upon further investigation she was able to tell me that she does not like the strong flavor of raw onion in it. We made the salad again, we made it with a milder red onion and she decided that she liked it.  My son has a hard time with raw tomato and cooked green beans. It is a texture issue. I was able to talk with him and figure it out. Just a few days ago he asked if we could grow a bunch of green beans so that he could enjoy them raw. "when you cook them don't cook mine," he says. Which leads to my next point

5. It is the food, or the preparation technique? I love peas, but mushy, canned peas, I am not going to eat them.  Sometimes it is the food, and sometimes the way it is prepared. Beets for example, some people like them pickled and some like them plain. If you do not like the strong vinegar flavor, pickled beets may not be the way to go. I have a friend who likes cooked broccoli, yet she will tell you "raw broccoli tastes like grass." 

6. Everyone must try the new food. This is the rule.  You do not have to eat a whole plateful of the stuff, but give it a try. At our house, it is a bite for each year old that you are. (they are small 7,5 &4). Find something that works for you family.

7. You are allowed to not like things, but only after you have tried it at least twice.  Giving the child the option to try it and decide for themselves if they like it or not gives them real power over the situation. They need to know that you are not forcing them to enjoy it, you are just giving them an opportunity to explore new options. There is a study out there that says that you have to be exposed to a food twelve times before you can really decide if you like it or not. I think this is bogus. After twelve times some people will give up and eat the darn food; they will tolerate it, not like it.

8. Be patient all these things. It takes time. Some foods you may grow into. Mushrooms is an example for me. I did not think I liked them when I was younger, but now I enjoy them on a regular basis.

I hope this encourages you and your family to get out and try some new foods.

Are you really living life?

                                                                   © Talisalex | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

 “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someones garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley


Wonderful words from a wonderful lady. She spent many a years serving by the side of her wonderful Husband Gorden B Hinkley. They were an inspiration to so many.

These are great words to live by. Getting out and serving others is beneficial to those who are serving and those who receive the service. Service is essential to the health of our bodies. There are physical changes that go on in our bodies and brains when we serve other people. It is also good for building our communities. We cannot thrive on our own. We have to help each other. This is the law of life.
SERVING OTHERS IS VITAL. IT WILL MAKE OR BREAK US AS A SOCIETY.

What are you doing to serve in your community or family?  Are you living and changing the world around you?  If you are not, what can you do to serve those around you?  One of my favorite hymns is "Have I done any good in the world today?"  It goes a little something  like this

Have I done any good in the world today?  have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad, or made someone feel glad? if not I have failed indeed.  (It goes on, But I love the chorus.) Then wake up and do something more than dream of your mansion above, doing good is a pleasure a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love.  GET OUT AND SERVE SOMEONE TODAY!

Raising a family of mud pie makers

Snow is melting, it is revealing all that was lost underneath. Lost mittens, forgotten toys and such are showing up in puddles everywhere. My children love to explore the world around them. They are finding real joy in discovering those lost treasures hidden under the snow and in the puddles/mud.                    © Nanadou | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

 I think I am  going crazy from mud puddles that come into my home. It is a challenge to keep it clean, but it is worth it! Yes, I said mud puddle messes are worth it. If the children are mud puddle jumping and mud pie making, they are gaining all kinds of health benefits.

© Rtrembly | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images
Some of you are ready to tune me out and think that I am off my rocker. What kind of health benefits come from making messes and playing in the mud?  Have you ever really watched a kid playing in a puddle. They jump in with both feet with reckless abandon. My son loves to see how high/ far he can make the water go. He works hard on calculating how to jump just right to get the best effect. While jumping in puddles kids senses are heightened. Their brains are really working hard when jumping in puddles. (and we just thought it was all about fun)

Kids jumping in puddles are joyful. There is something joyful about puddle jumping. As children we did not worry about the mess, it was all about the fun and joy that comes from splashing about in the puddle. Then someone told us that mud and puddles were bad and we couldn't do that anymore, and that we had to grow up. To those people I say Go and splash in a springtime puddle. Find the joy that comes from that.

My children love puddles and love to play in the dirt. We end up with alot of dirt in the house. Dirt in the house is worth it! It means the children have been outside breathing the air.  It means they have been exploring the world around them. It means they have been discoving God's creations. It means they are becoming one with the world around them. It is not just toddlers that need the mud and dirt, it is older kids too, they need to experience the touch and feel of dirt beneath their toes and fingers.

Playing in the dirt is good for all of our children emotionally and phsyically. They are exploring and using their immagination. This means  that they are moving and growing. But it is more than that. They are connecting to the world  around them, and that is important. Another important thing that happens when you get your hands dirty, your body gets an immune boost. There are microbes in dirt that you cannot get anywhere else. Playing in the dirt  could be considered "nature's flu shot". It has been proven that kids that play in the dirt and are exposed to those microbes found in dirt are healthier in the long run.

                                                                 © Tonyoquias | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

People of all ages need to be in the dirt. They need to be off the couch doing something productive with their bodies and brains. Playing in the dirt or working in a garden can do this for them.A family garden can really be a boost for a family. The older children/ teenagers can really reap some benefits from this. It keeps them busy and helps them to see where our food comes from. There is something about growing your own food. It enlivens all the senses. It is a wonderful experience to see food grow from a tiny seed or seedling to something wonderful and edible. Even if it is only a few vegetables or herbs in a pot, grow some food with your children, experience the health benifits together.   So what are you waiting for; get to it, plant a garden, build a sandbox, go find some dirt.

below are some interesting articles to read about kids and dirt.
kids health play in the dirt

web MD should kids play in dirt?