Day 2 of... "40 Day Health Experience" & Harvesting Greens

The one thing that our garden has done VERY well with this year so far is... salad greens and cooking Asian greens. I used to not be so thankful as I am now for them. By reading the Maker's Diet it has given me a new understanding and outlook on what I eat and what it does for me. It recommends that we eat three to five servings of greens a day in season.

Some benefits are...

• Green plant foods balance your pH. Many modern foods are acidic in nature and can lead to health issues, so balancing your body with neutralizing foods like greens keeps your body's pH at a healthier level.

• Some dark greens include omega 3 essential fatty acids , which are important to many of the body's functions, especially for brain function.

• Chlorophyl in green plants acts as a blood detoxifier.

• They are high in nutrients and enzymes necessary for your body to function, such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins.

• In greens, you'll find a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect your cells from damage and your eyes from age-related problems.

• Greens are powerful antioxidants, and they support the immune system.

Update on 40 Day Health Experience...

If you are curious about Day 1.

I am thrilled to say I am happy that I took the leap of faith and started the 40 Day Heath Experience. I was afraid of feeling HUNGRY with no potatoes or grains. And I am VERY happy to say I am not. It does take planning and thinking it out but it is good. I think because I have done a lot of changes in my diet over the years that the change wasn't as shocking to my system and I am not feeling yucky from detoxifying. Well, so far I haven't felt flu like symptoms that they warn you could feel. If you do it is because your body is getting rid of toxins. I will keep sharing what I have been learning and changing as the 40 days continue. Thank you sooo much for all your encouragement.

Day 1 of 40 Day Health Experience

Yesterday was my birthday and knowing I was about to start my 40 day Health Experience... I splurged quite a bit. ((blush)) But now I am starting a new day with new beginnings. [o=

This morning I made a red pepper, onion with oregano and Chia seeds omelet for breakfast. (forgot to take a picture sorry) And I will be making a tuna veggie salad with sweet peper and carrot sticks on the side for lunch. Dinner will probably be steak with a veggie salad.

I am hunting for meals that hubby and I can have that have no potatoes or grains so if you have suggestions, recipes, or sites with lots of recipes I am very open. There are a few requirements though and here they are...

...basically natural, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Meat, poultry, and fish choices are allowed if they are organic and free-range and follow guidelines set forward in the Old Testament (i.e., poultry must be non-scavenging birds and seafood must have fins and scales).

Thank you!

Celebrating!

I am celebrating 42 years of life today! I have come to a point of starting to feel some renewal physically and spiritually . I have some hope of better health and growing closer to the Lord in this coming year. Starting tomorrow my hubby and I will start the 40 Day health experience by using The Maker's Diet. I am a bit nervous but not too much. Why? Well for 4 weeks we will not be eating grains and starches. For me this will be a BIG adjustment but thankfully at Day 29 we can have some organic whole grains and potatoes again. If you think of it please keep us in prayer during this time. I really want to do this fully and not give up. I really need a jump start in my metabolism and detoxify. I am nervous but excited at the same time. I will update each week how it is going plus some of the changes we are making in our new way of eating and such.

Happy Canada Day!

We are going to have a quiet day today and then go out to see the fireworks tonight in town with all the other hundreds of people.

Go here if you want a bit of history.

::right now::

right now I am...

::gazing at my new yarn that I was given for a early birthday gift.

::day dreaming what I will make with it.

::taking a deep breath and starting to...

::plot out what I hope to accomplish this summer.

::listening to the beautiful bird songs outside my open windows all through the house.

::stitching on my 23 Psalms cross stitch.

:: marveling that Noah turned 13 yesterday and I am turning 42 on the 4th of July.

:: celebrating all the summer family birthdays.

:: amazed that I have spent half my life in Canada now.

:: wondering what we will get out of our garden in this cold growing season so far.

:: hoping it will get warm enough for the zucchini, basil, and sweet peppers to grow.

::praying many blessings and I hope you can sit and count a few blessings the Lord has given you this day.

Organizing My Knitting and Sewing Patterns

I am a pile'r who wants to be a filer and I am always on the look out to make my life easier when it comes to storing what I do want to keep. I had for many years kept patterns in boxes and didn't look at them very often because it meant I would have to dig to get to them. But I came up with a idea that I really like now and wanted to share it with you all. I love bookshelves and it is easy to access things off of them so I put my patterns in plastic slip covers and organize them in three ring binders by what they are. If it be socks, sweaters, scarves/ cowls, mittens, hats, baby knits, and for fun. ( for example baby toys) Maybe one day really soon I will get tabs to divide them. [o; I am getting there slowly but surely.

I am joining my friend Jasmine in....

Some Days Are Just Like This

The Story Of A Reluctant Gardener

I have a confession to make ...I am a reluctant gardener and the Lord is changing me. When I was a girl I grew up with a mom who had a amazing garden. I remember sneaking fresh peas and we were allowed to have as much raspberries as our hearts desired. She also had a African Violet business with over 4000 African Violets in the basement. I also had a dad that did so much with trees. He grafted them , started them from seed and sold them to a plant nursery, and even shaped his own bonsai trees for a hobby. Me? I did anything in my power not to have anything to do with plants but what did I do? I married a gardener. ( the Lord had a plan)

When I got married I killed about every house plant I was given until eleven years ago. I won a house plant and I was determined to help it survive. It did very well and it gave me hope that I don't really have a brown thumb after all. This was during the time I was pregnant with my 4th son Nicolas. Also at the same time my hubby had a huge, beautiful garden. He needed help harvesting and watering so he bravely asked me to help. That was when the Lord started to working on me in this department. As I would move the hose to from plant to plant and picked the food I started to notice how scripture talked about gardening and relating it to our Lord's kingdom. I have changed over the years being married to a gardener and I have learned what plants looked like at different stages. I have became less intimidated and I am now able to enjoy the process. I fell in love with watching the plants go through the different stages and watching the food grow and then pick it for our meals and preserve it for the winter months. So the Lord used my hubby to lure me into not being such a reluctant gardener.

And I am now wanting my hubby and his brother to build me some more raised beds so I can learn how to have a winter garden. I look forward to sharing what I will be learning as I go. One thing I know about myself is... when I have a purpose I get more excited and more interested in something. I prayed a little while back for the Lord to show me how we could make our dollar stretch further and he showed me a article of a family who grew 90% of their veggies and fruit. Then, I read a article about cold frames in their garden for fresh veggies in the winter. I feel the Lord is planting a seed in me and I am now not so reluctant to call myself... a gardener. I know some can't understand why a person would not enjoy digging in the dirt. But for some reason some of us need a reason to get out there and discover it is enjoyable. [o=

I joined my very sweet friends Lori and Jasmine in ...