Artificial Sweeteners

I have had so many friends over the years who have shared that they are addicted to diet soda drinks and artificial sweeteners.  Personally, before I realized the dangers of consuming them, I tried to like them, but the taste was always very repulsive to me.  So while I can't fully understand how strong this addiction is, I totally believe the struggle is real friends.  Maybe you've always thought they are better for you because real sugar is evil?  But for many people, they have heard the reports that avoiding artificial sweeteners is beneficial to our body and still struggle to stop consuming them.

The most popular artificial sweeteners are:

• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet). It's mostly used to sweeten diet soft drinks.
• Saccharin (Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin). It's used in many diet foods and drinks.
• Sucralose (Splenda). It's in many diet foods and drinks.
• Acesulfame K (Sunett). It's often combined with saccharin in diet soft drinks.

There are so many articles citing research concerning how artificial sweeteners affect the body, but I would like to share this video by Dr. Josh Axe.  He explains how the body processes these chemicals and how they are neurotoxic to our body.

Here are some tips for diet soda replacements:

Try Stevia! 

• Stevia can be bought in any store these days. One of my favorite store bought brands is Skinny Girl Liquid Stevia. 
• My very favorite brand of stevia is from Trim Healthy Mama.  You do have to order this one online, but it's worth the wait!  These girls have gone above and beyond to provide a pure, non-bitter stevia, and it's the best I've found!
• If you prefer a stevia blend the THM Sweet Blend is a great substitute for sugar in recipes and good ol' southern sweet tea.

Make the switch to sparkling water. 

• Yes, this is not always easy at first, I will not give you false hope that it is!  However, I used to have a big love for Dr. Pepper, and honestly I still do like it and have it on occasion, like when we go out for a movie.  But I know drinking Dr. Pepper has ZERO health benefits, so to get my fizzy fix, I started drinking naturally flavored sparkling water.
• My very favorite brand of sparkling water is La Croix.  You can find this at most any grocery store.  It's usually near the bottled water section on the very bottom shelf.  My favorite flavor is lime, but I haven't had one I haven't liked yet!
• After my sparkling water habit became fierce, I bought a Soda Stream for my house and make my own.  I sometimes add my own lemon essential oil and/or pure orange extracts.
• You can even make your own sugar-free Orange Cream Soda by mixing sparkling water with a splash of pure vanilla and orange extracts and a little bit of stevia!

Use honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar in moderation to replace artificial sweeteners.  These natural products still raise blood sugar levels in the body, so MODERATION IS KEY!

I encourage you right now to make a goal to take one step this week to transition to an artificial sweetener free lifestyle!

And just remember, if you are truly addicted, don't give up!  One day at a time, one choice at a time.  

Mindful Eating

As a busy mom, I often find myself eating in a hurry.  Sometimes, I grab a snack and run out the door so we make it on time to our next to-do.  While some days this is necessary in order to nourish my body, I have discovered the habit of eating mindfully has changed a lot of my healthy eating habits.

What is eating mindfully?  It is slowing down and being present while I am partaking of a food source.  It is enjoying the preparation and cooking of my meals.  It is having an attitude of gratitude that I am able to properly nourish my body.  It is enjoying the company around my table with whom I share a meal.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help stay mindful while enjoying your food:

1.  Where does this food come from?  One of my goals is to buy food locally as much as possible.  During the winter months, this is more of a challenge where I live.  But, I have found supporting local farmers during the growing season brings a new appreciation for food.  Check out www.localharvest.org to find sources of local foods in your area.

2. What is actually in my food?  Being mindful of food ingredients is a good idea nutritionally speaking, but it also brings awareness to how you are treating yourself.  Food labels that have several unknown ingredients are probably not doing your body well.  Choose whole foods first and foremost, but when you do have a prepackaged snack or food, just be mindful of what is actually in the product.  Many times there are healthier versions of your favorites that have better ingredients.

3. Am I paying attention to flavors?  As you sit down to a meal, pay attention to the unique flavors in your food.  Think about the ingredients and try to figure out what that distinct taste may be?  In the fast pace we live in, it's easy to not have one thought about these flavors, but slow down, and be present with your meal.

4. Am I chewing my food properly?  Many people do not chew up their food properly.  They are used to eating so fast, they have become accustomed to almost swallowing food in it's whole state.  I know that in the early years of motherhood, I would do this because of the demand on my time.  I got into a bad habit of not chewing my food up well and realized I was doing this even when I had plenty of time to enjoy a meal.  The body receives more nutrients and digests food that has been properly chewed.  Try to slow down and be mindful of chewing your food enough.  You will also become full faster, which will help avoid overeating.

5. Do I actually like what I'm eating?  I know many times in the past, I have eaten something I didn't enjoy simply because it was what was available and I didn't want to waste.  I realize in life, there are times this will happen, but it should be the exception, not the norm.  If you have a clean plate mentality, meaning you have been trained to clean your plate, this one may take some time.  Try to prepare meals that you and your family will enjoy sitting down to eat.  I know for the sake of health, I have prepared some meals I do not love, and it is just not a fun experience to have this kind of meal.  I would rather stick to the healthy meals I know we all love to eat than eat a food we just don't enjoy.  No matter how I eat yellow squash, it just isn't my favorite, so I just don't eat it anymore. I do not mind making foods for others that I don't enjoy, I just will pass when it comes to my plate.

6. Am I thankful for this food?  This one is a big one and a simple one.  Giving thanks for the food we are eating brings mindfulness full circle.  My family and I say thanks to God before we eat a meal, and as we are praying I focus my heart on a true attitude of gratitude.  It's easy for praying before a meal to become routine and task-oriented, and I have been guilty of that.  Once I made a choice to be more mindful, that included making this part of my meal very important.  I feel true thankfulness that I have food to nourish my family.

7. Am I engaging with the people with whom I share this meal?  In the busy world we live in, sitting down as a family to enjoy a meal is precious time.  As I stay mindful of the food I am eating, I also want to be intentional to use this time to connect with others at the table.  Sometimes it may be a meal shared with extended family or friends that I haven't seen in a while.  Breaking bread together is a special moment that I can be mindful of.  As I am nourishing my body with food, I also feed my soul when I am mindful of the time spent with those I love.

I hope these questions will inspire you to choose to see food and mealtimes as something more than just eating.  Being mindful and thankful can really make a big difference in our overall health.

Studying the Bible with Children

We are about to finish up our third year homeschooling our children! I can't believe how fast it's gone.  I still feel like I am trying to figure out much about this enormous responsibility.  I feel that home educating has taught me as much, if not more, than I've taught my sweet children!  One aspect of our time together that has been very precious to me is pursuing our faith in our savior and Lord Jesus.  Of all the experiences that have taught me about God, I can say that teaching my children about Him has settled my heart into a place of peace like none other.  I feel that I truly have grown as a person through our studies together and that many great conversations have been birthed from making Bible study and faith discussions a big part of our day.

You do not have to homeschool to add this beautiful experience into your lives.  Church can provide a great help to parents, but I encourage you to find a time to devote to pursuing your faith together at home.  You honestly don't have to understand or know much of anything about the Word of God.  This is an adventure you all can take together.  You are good enough, right where you are, to teach and conversate with your children about the Christian faith.

Because we are at home, we spend about 20-30 minutes after breakfast on our bible curriculum and reading from children's bibles.  I basically read aloud to them and then we may talk about what I read.  I do not script it out, if questions or comments arise, we discuss them after I have finished reading.  If they don't have questions, that's okay too.  I also allow them to color or draw as I read if they want to, because little minds often retain more information when they are allowed to do other quiet activities while being read to.  I just ask them to be quiet while I am reading and to ask questions or make comments when I'm done.  They do not have to repeat what I told them, this can create pressure and make the experience less enjoyable.  I encourage a relaxed approach, not traditional school style where they have to sit still and be drilled, this will just frustrate everyone.  I may know a thing or two about doing this a little wrong.  But now, I feel we have developed a peaceful place and routine that has become our favorite part of our learning routine.

If your children go to a public or private school, this may be a great routine to start after dinner.  We used to do this after dinner, but for us, our afternoon schedules didn't provide a consistent time and it was put last instead of first, often not happening at all.  I think it's wonderful when Dads can do a dinner devotion.  We enjoyed it when it worked, but Jason's afternoon work schedule is never routine, so I had to adjust our day so the kids were seeing us put Him first instead of fitting it in when it was convenient.  Every family will look different, maybe a longer weekend session would work best for yours.  In a world where it's really easy to fill every last minute with something, I really encourage you to search your schedule and carve out some time to implement this into your family's journey.  Everyone will benefit!

Not sure where to start?  There are numerous choices, it's actually overwhelming when you start trying to find the right one.  I encourage you not to let that stop you from picking something!  It's good enough to just start with something, maybe it's just reading the Word, maybe you have something already collecting dust on your bookshelf, that will work.  You will find out quickly if you need to change the pace.  I found that something geared towards my children's ages has worked best.  Right now, my kids are 10, 7, and 5.  Here is what we use:

1.  Apologia's "Who is God?"  This is the first book in the "What We Believe" series.  We have really enjoyed it and it has made teaching the basics of a Christian worldview to my children very simple.  I usually read one segment at a time, not the whole lesson, because my littles attention span is still fairly short!  I bought the main book and the coloring book.  They offer a student journal, junior student journal, and audio CD as well.  I have considered the student journal, but I think we may do those as they get older.

2.  The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Oh how I love this! It is perfect for any age, but if you have really young children, this is just the best.  I often read this on my own!  The illustrations are simply beautiful.  I usually read one chapter right after we finish "Who is God."  We started at the beginning and are still working our way through the Old Testament stories.

3.  The Child's Story Bible by Catherine F. Vos

Last but definitely not least! This has been a very recent addition to our Bible time.  It was recommended by a trusted homeschool mentor, and I am so glad I now know about this gem!  I'm also reading this on my own time and it is hard to put down!  If you struggle with reading the Word, like I do, consider this one strongly.  We are starting with the New Testament in this one because I still have little ears listening and some of the Old Testament stories may be harder for them to understand.

Whatever you choose, I hope it blesses and strengthens your faith as much as it has mine.  In a world where it's really convenient to put the Word last, may we see that putting Him first will bring peace, hope, and unity within our precious families.