Great! I have another epic gluten free tortilla failure! No worries, this gluten free buckwheat/rice recipe makes some decent crackers.

All of the ingredients for this little soup side are costly, so learning to repurpose such failures is necessary. After all, who wants to throw away food?

Benefits of Buckwheat/Rice Crackers

Homemade crackers are nice to have around because you and I control the oil, the salt, the flavor, the nutrients. No soybean or seed oils here! Adding chia and flax seed give this multigrain, gluten free cracker more fiber and protein, too.

Buckwheat is known for the flavonoids rutin and quercetin. Rutin is an antioxidant derivative of quercetin thought to be effective in reducing oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorders. It helps reduce inflammatory cytokines and improves nerve cell protection in vitro for Parkinson’s disease, too. You’ll be happy to know, rutin is also found in cherries, grapes, apricots, oranges, grapefruit, and plums. (1)

Quercetin, in buckwheat and many other vegetables has been studied for its ability to improve physical and mental status. It’s antiviral and beneficial in removing heavy metal poisoning and pesticide damage in cells. But not only that it is also touted for helping to fight off cancer cells and diabetes. (2)

To top it off, the added chia and flaxseed in this buckwheat/rice cracker provide a valuable omega 3 precursor (ALA), which is beneficial for lowering inflammation. As you know, less inflammation throughout the body means less problems with stiffness, high blood pressure, and cardiac problems. Plus, the high fiber content of these nutritious seeds and whole grain brown rice make this failed mess a healthy, antioxidant rich, snack.

Devotion

“At least there is hope for a tree:
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots will not fail.

Job 14 NIV – “Mortals, born of woman, are of few – Bible Gateway

What God puts in the garden is good! The beauty of whole food and antioxidant power in study after study I read reveals his divine nature!

And friend, if the trees in the woods can’t fail to sprout new growth, neither can we.

The best news is, it applies to every area of our lives where we fail.

Do you fail in areas of self-control? He has the answer. He fills us to overflowing when we place our full trust in him.

Do you fail in relationships? He is the giver of peace and teaches us how love surpasses all hurt and disappointment.

Do you lack confidence? Rest in the assurance that every failure is a learning experience that sprouts hope for tomorrow.

When we face difficulties, we can rest assured God is pruning us to produce more fruit in our lives. We realize we cannot do these health changes on our own, we need strength from him and other believers.

Gluten Free Buckwheat/Rice Crackers

I hope you enjoy them as much as my MetS Busters group did this week! MetS Busters is a 12-week metabolic rehabilitation program designed to help participants lower blood pressure, triglycerides, waist circumference, blood sugar, and inflammation! I’m getting great feedback and testimonies of progress as participants learn new ideas, gain the support of their peers, and implement tried and true coaching tools!

Check out more cracker recipes here:

Oat and Quinoa Crackers

I am here for you if you need spiritual and physical health coaching! Take care!

References:

Enogieru AB, Haylett W, Hiss DC, Bardien S, Ekpo OE. Rutin as a Potent Antioxidant: Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2018 Jun 27;2018:6241017. doi: 10.1155/2018/6241017. PMID: 30050657; PMCID: PMC6040293.

Deepika, Maurya PK. Health Benefits of Quercetin in Age-Related Diseases. Molecules. 2022 Apr 13;27(8):2498. doi: 10.3390/molecules27082498. PMID: 35458696; PMCID: PMC9032170.

A metabolic and immune system reset is possible with the goodness from God’s garden. Is it a cure all? Well, there is some solid research it has been a cure for some people. In many areas of disease, it has been a life saver.

I like anything that works as a jump start to reset the way we fight disease and get our metabolism functioning better. More to the point, it was God’s plan to provide it for us when He created our first ancestors. Everything is in the garden to keep blood pressure stable, reduce painful arthritis, and eliminate multiple gut issues.

So, if you’ve heard of the Fasting Mimicking Eating plan, developed by Dr. Valter Longo stay tuned. He perfected i a detox meal plan and many have felt the results. If that is you, continue with that 5-day meal cycling plan as instructed by your health care provider.

However, if you have already done the plan for 3 months or 6 months as suggested to restart metabolism and improve the autoimmune system and want similar recipes to mimic as a maintenance plan a couple of days per week, this post if for you!

Now, remember, this way of eating is only temporary, and it is not medical advice, you have to follow your health care provider or dietician for that, right?

Also, in his book Dr. Longo advises people with kidney problems, people taking blood sugar lowering medications, and those over 70 or under 18 to obtain medical supervision, or not do a fasting mimicking plan at all.

This 2-day Recipe Guide is intended for those people who have already been approved to follow the plan by their doctor or healthcare provider and have not experienced nutritional deficiencies or medical problems.

Oh, and you’ll lose a few pounds or maintain weight loss when you use the recipes in your two-day per week maintenance routine.

Prep Day for System Reset

The following recipes can be prepared in 2 hours with clean up! You’ll need plenty of storage containers for these handy snacks and entrees.

Crackers for the System Reset

The Value of Intermittent Fasting for System Reset

Intermittent fasting is defined as not eating between meals or after dinner. Yes, it’s that simple. It always boggled my mind to follow Diabetes guidelines for instructing people with diabetes to eat three meals a day and two snacks.

SAY WHAT? Eating all day is what gets people with Type 2 DM in trouble in the first place. Notice, I said Type 2. If someone has Type 1 DM or Type 2, and is just starting insulin, the instruction process may be a little different until they adjust to their medication.

Regardless, continual eating (especially without moderate activity) will continually spike insulin and fat storage, whereas intermittent fasting lowers blood glucose and prevents excess insulin spikes.

It is a sad example of a broken paradigm that is counterproductive to a system reset a fasting mimicking plan offers.

System Resets Require Water!

While we are talking about the importance of fasting and eating clean, let’s not forget water. It is and always will be our appetite suppressant, fuel starter, and best nourishment! We are wise to start the day with at least 8- 16 ounces of water a day, before anything else!

In the hospital, when people are dizzy, and their blood pressure drops —-we give them fluid!

Let’s face it—we have to have it. Our cells crave it, and we feel like absolute crap when we don’t get enough of it for our joints and ligaments! And when we wake up from an 8 hour fast, we are dehydrated and need it to get our bodies ready for the day.

If you don’t like water, add a little cranberry juice or half of a lemon to flavor it more. Rest in the fact that your liver, kidneys, and bladder will be happy—even if your taste buds are not.

The amazing thing about repetitive action is, eventually, those taste buds come around too.

More System Reset Recipes

After all, taste is important when it comes to enjoying life, right? I want to arm you and your family with delicious soups, stews, and side dishes that leave you feeling full and satisfied, not deprived.

That is the whole purpose of this post and a system reset recipe maintenance guide. The Derailing to Detox in 7 Days post has many more ideas and recipes available too, so please check it out for more heart healthy, fasting mimicking ideas!

Remember what God puts in the garden is good! I am here for you and want the best for you and your family. If you need a RN health coach to help you out book a discovery, call here: Mysty Pfeffer Wellness Coaching – Georgetown, OH (clientsecure.me)

I will leave you today with some heartfelt prayers for restoration spiritually and physically! God’s word reminds us to resist the devil and he will flee. He is the god of this age and of “worldly” things that distract us from health and purpose.

We can be deceived in our hearts in regard to following Jesus and in our bodies by falling for marketing schemes and addictions that steal our health physically.

The disciples following Jesus suffered both, physical and spiritual pain, yet they remained steadfast in their trust and hope for a life with Him eternally. We can too!

 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:9-11 ESV – Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing – Bible Gateway

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the health tips and recipes! Share it with a friend if it is helpful!

God bless you!

A wheat and gluten free raspberry millet breakfast bar is an easy addition to my weekly meal planning. And my friend, you know, optimal health is all about the planning!

Intentional eating, thinking, praying, and moving are the keynotes of optimal health. One way you and I can start this lifestyle by embracing some whole grain flours that are nutrient dense, filling, tasty, and gluten free.

Even if you don’t have a wheat sensitivity, these breakfast bars are a good idea because there is no refined white flour or sugar. They are made with whole grain and maple syrup (how much you use is up to you).

Benefits of Raspberry Millet Breakfast Bars

Millet is cheap, easy to mill with a Nutribullet blender (or other high powered straight blade blender), and it’s full of good B vitamins! The mineral composition per 100 grams is not bad either!

The antioxidants in raspberries are helpful in reducing reactive oxygen species destroying blood vessels and myelin sheaths of nerve cells. Damaged nerves lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons. (1)

They are also thought to keep lipid levels and blood sugar under control. Like most fruit, raspberries are rich in fiber, vitamin C and has a trace amount of minerals.

It’s a pretty exciting day when you and I can enjoy the taste of fruit while also keeping diseases at bay. God’s perfect design is unparallelled!

Combine this lovely fruit with protein and fiber rich grains like oats and millet and you have a well-rounded breakfast bar. What God puts in the garden is good!

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
    who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Psalm 128:1-3 ESV – Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the LORD – Bible Gateway

I hope you enjoy these raspberry millet breakfast bars! There are plenty of more breakfast ideas on the blog too, if you are interested!

Enjoy!

References:

Hu B, Shi Y, Lu C, Chen H, Zeng Y, Deng J, Zhang L, Lin Q, Li W, Chen Y, Zhong F, Xia X. Raspberry polyphenols alleviate neurodegenerative diseases: through gut microbiota and ROS signals. Food Funct. 2023 Aug 29;14(17):7760-7779. doi: 10.1039/d3fo01835k. PMID: 37555470.

Breakfast ideas with a good amount of protein and fiber, and not too much sugar is hard to find. Thankfully, these gluten free date nut bars will help fill the void!

When you and I use alternate whole grains to make our breakfast bars we are stretching our baking muscles and ready to serve! Now, if your loved one is also nut free, I’m sure you’ll skip the walnuts I add to this recipe. However, using sunflower seeds in their place will provide some good vitamin E and selenium!

So, there are always options!

The good thing about these date nut bars is there are 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber in each bar. Fresh-milled millet also contains a decent amount of magnesium (106mg/100grams). There is 2.5mg of iron, 55mg biotin, 20.8 niacin, and 23 grams of selenium in 100grams. So, these bars are rich in nutrients that are not on a standard nutrition label.

You and I can feel good about that!

However, there is also just over 2 teaspoons of sugar. Although we can always adjust the maple syrup to our tastes. I use 1 tablespoon when I make them for myself, but my hubby likes things a little sweeter and since I made these for him to take to work, he gets what he likes.

As long as he is getting the fiber, protein, and nutrients alongside the sweetness, I don’t feel too bad. I’m just hoping homemade treats keep him out of the snack machines and all the ultra-processed junk he likes!

God’s garden is so much better taste wise and nutrition wise. He makes everything for our good and His glory!

The hubby is in agreement on this fact.

Devotion

He compels us with the Holy Spirit to seek Him and His provision, rather than the things of the world. In Luke 14 Jesus tells the story of the great banquet while reclining at the Pharisee’s table. He basically says don’t just invite friends and neighbors who can return the favor but go out and invite the poor and lame who may never have the resources to do the same for you.

At the great banquet in heaven Jesus invites everyone. However, we also see in this chapter many people have excuses not to come. He goes on to say, “Compel people to come in so my house may be filled.” (vs.23)

Compel is to necessitate, drive to, constrained as through a channel. The late Charles Spurgeon says, “Little by little as we are transformed into the image of Christ, we increasingly desire to follow him.”

And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 

Luke 14 ESV – Healing of a Man on the Sabbath – One – Bible Gateway

Oh, how our choices today to follow and be whole in Christ Jesus spiritually parallel our choices from the garden to sustain and nourish our bodies. There is plenty of goodness and room for more. So, the next time I think about my daily banquet, I’m going to start asking myself some questions.

Where has Jesus compelled me to minister?

Am I listening to His call or am I providing excuses as to why I prefer to feast on the world’s offerings?

We’ll see. A little self-examination each day, alongside God’s Word, may be just what I need for true contentment.

I hope you like the date nut bars, there are more gluten free items on the blog, so check them out, too!

Gluten Free Date Nut Bars

You have a great day and enjoy your weekend!

I am here for you and cheering you on!

I did not come up with this idea, but I love it! I am naming this energy bar a copycat kind bar because it reminds me of a kind bar, taste and texture wise. I also changed the nuts and seeds in the original recipe to the ones I prefer!

You be sure to do the same and make it your own! You and I can all thank the lovely German lady on YouTube, Lena, (from Sweet and Healthy) who made these little rounds and called them cookies.

Trust me, they are not cookies!

But they are simple to prepare, low in natural sugar (honey), and full of protein and yumminess! She has many ideas, and they are all low in natural sugar.

The only reason I am posting this as a recipe here is so I can calculate my nuts and seeds of choice in the recipe plugin and see the macronutrients available in these energy bars.

Each energy bar round has 10 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 2 grams of natural sugar.

Benefits of Energy Bars

Nuts and seeds are rich in heart healthy fats! They are good sources of protein and fiber, too!

Not only that, but nuts and seeds in these bars provide good source of vitamin E, some B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc.

They help us feel satisfied after a nice salad, keep us feeling full longer, and have just enough sweetness to feel like an indulgence!

Can you imagine drizzling some honey and salt over the top? Or maybe, adding dark chocolate chips?

There are so many ways to make them your own! Have fun experimenting with them!

My son, eat honey, for it is good,
    and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

Proverbs 24:12-14 ESV – If you say, “Behold, we did not know – Bible Gateway

What God puts in the garden is good!

Check out more recipes here on the blog! Let me know how you like them by giving them a rating!

Take care!

Do you ever find yourself wanting more time to relax?

Maybe you just want a few hours to meal prep or play.

My hope for this Better Bonding Challenge is to put some strategies in place to help you and I do just that.

How Does A 414 Better Bonding Challenge Work?

So, welcome to this challenge of 4 weeks/1 night/4-hour better bonding challenge.

Maybe you’ve decided what night to begin your screen free time, and what hours work for you and your family.

Chances are you’re thinking about activities or your grocery list. Perhaps you even have your bible ready.

Or maybe you need more time think about it and are here looking to see what the challenge is all about.

Regardless of where you are in the decision process, I am so glad you are here!

Please take your time, read the post and the graphics and let me know if you have any questions.

Who knows?

Maybe God is calling you and I to gather with our family because He has something extremely good for us in the next four weeks!

 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

Romans 8:27-28

Romans 8:27-29 ESV – And he who searches hearts knows what – Bible Gateway

Most importantly, I know He will honor the time you and I take to draw closer to Him and to one another.

I believe this 414-bonding challenge will be easy to implement, and helpful in giving you and I family time to build our faith in God.

At the same time it builds structure in our homes, places God at the center of our lives, and helps us carry out the Great Commission within our family.

We are equipping our children to read God’s Word, and giving them solid principles, life lessons, and time to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives.

Part of the challenge includes a time for meal prepping.

Just think for a minute about four whole hours one night a week with no phones, TVs, laptops, or video games!

What would you like to do, distraction free?

Will it be peaceful, or will there be chaos?

Maybe it is a time to think about the health and well-being of the entire family. Preparing meals for the week as a family can help us all plan and eat more nutritious food.

Better food means a better mood and better sleep.

I’m ready for all of that, how about you?

You decide what works best for your family in this wonderful space and time together.

If you need ideas I have worksheet to start you off with an example itinerary. You’ll find it here:

I have some pretty good meal prepping strategies on this website if you’d like to check them out during your meal planning phase!

10 Ways to Use Tortilla Wraps

Meal Prepping with Chicken

Leftover Turkey Ideas

Breakfast Ideas

Easy No Knead Bread

Once we get the meal prepping strategy ready we can relax.

Have you ever just laid in the floor and let your child or your partner play with your hair.

Oh, my! Keep me awake for the next activity!

Maybe we can adjust the sequence of these activities just a bit and save that one for last! It really depends on your day.

Did you have a long exhausting day moving around a lot or did you sit most of the day?

The energy we expend and the food we consume really affects our energy levels. You do you on this one!

If we’ve had a stressful day we may not feel like play time in this bonding challenge.

However, when we find the energy to get up and move, 9 times out of 10, we feel better for doing it!

What is fun for you and your family? Does kicking or passing a ball sound fun?

Maybe, singing a song and dancing to a tune. . . oops no phone, what will you use? An old-fashioned radio or record player without a screen?

Summary

I hope and pray this 414 Bonding challenge is something worthwhile to get you started on family time and a healthier eating routine.

I am here for you if you need encouragement, click here to join. Maybe get some extra support by getting your tribe of friends and family to do this with you!

I look forward to serving you!

Check out the Focused Family Health Podcast and follow for weekly ideas and strategies for biblically improving family health.

Moving through the book of Ezekiel you and I will see the glory of heaven and the Spirit of God in motion. Ezekiel is called to prophecy to the house of Israel but is also warned by God about their hard hearts. They will not listen to what he has to say about the coming judgement and their idolatry.

We see this resistance in ourselves and the ones we love, don’t we?

Does anyone want to hear about their lifestyle and habits that don’t honor God or themselves? It’s just not what we want to hear! The people of Israel are no different.

Ezekiel has a mountain of resistance before him and some really bad news to share. So, what does God do? God gives him a picture of the throne of glory and how the hosts of heaven worship and honor God.

The stark comparison of heaven’s glory and proper worship to Israel’s confused mix of a little of God here, and a little pagan there is striking.

The half-hearted loyalty and stiff-necked people are stubborn and resistant to the only true Deity who can give them peace and contentment.

So, I think of Ezekiel as the heart of stone prophet. Not that his heart was hard but that his message was a plea for people to tear down the wall around their hearts that shuts God out. You know that wall all of us carefully build to protect ourselves from emotional turmoil and further disappointment.

Much like Israel, our culture places too much trust in the world around them. They get sucked into the mainstream of life and its ways and before they know it, the principles of God’s law are forgotten. As a society, they depend on jobs, finances, or the government for security and even guidance.

Ezekiel is saying to Israel, and I believe to us, wake up.

He becomes the watchman to warn the people of their wickedness—even though God’s already told him they won’t listen. God puts it this way:

“If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.”

 Ezekeil 3:18-19

Judgement came to the house of Israel, and the people were scattered. Yet God’s plan to redeem and restore them is a beautiful shadow of how He will send His son Jesus, a few hundred years later, to save us.

God tells Ezekeil the exiled people of Israel will be given a new heart!

They will realize their sin and repent of their idolatry.

“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people and I will be their God.”  Ezekiel 11:19-20

Questions to Ponder:

• Why do you think the Holy Spirit put theses verses in the bible?
• How does it move you to think, speak, or live for God in a different way?
• Are you a watchman for the lost people within your influence?

The hope of the gospel is to surrender our entire way of thinking to the Lord Jesus Christ and confront the broken awful blackness of our soul. As we lay it before him and ask Him to redeem and restore us, a new regenerated soul is born. We have a one heart with Christ, a new heart and a new spirit.

Gone is the heart of stone with its cracked wall of feeble protection that allows loneliness, jealousy, envy, and greed to seep in and corrupt our souls. In its place is a pliable, open softness towards ourselves, our past, and those around us!

It’s a heart willing to forgive generously, love unconditionally, and move excitedly to honor and please God.

Glory to you, God for the message of freedom to face our sin, confess our sin, and lay it before you for our healing.  A new life here and for eternity!

God bless you, today. I am praying for you as you read this and listen to the message God has for you! You’ll find more encouragement, recipe devotions, and health tips on the blog, so look around and let me know what you think!

I’m expanding my physical and spiritual health ministry into a podcast too; it’s called Family Focused Health and it’s on Spotify! I would be so grateful if you can join me there each week for health topics, scripture, and ways to implement healthier lifestyle habits into our lives.

When I meet a client with allergies, I want to help them find healthy substitutes for what they “think” they’ll be missing. So, naturally a whole grain sourdough comes to mind for someone with a wheat sensitivity.

The problem with premixes of gluten free flours is they are very expensive, and they are not very nutritious. I mean just reading the label shows they are refined white rice flours and starches. This is no better than refined white flour and sugar to spike blood sugar and insulin levels in the blood.

Both of which are responsible for making chronic disease and inflammation in the body worse, not better. As caring parents we can do better.

It’s an effort of love to learn how to do it, and even though I’ve played around with gluten free grains for the past twenty years, I have to admit, bread making is a learning curve.

The complexity of the flours, the binding ingredients needed, rising, and the water absorption capacity are all new factors to consider. Therefore, it makes sense to just follow a recipe, right?

LOL, I wish it were that easy for me. But it’s not. I have several varieties of grains in my pantry, and I have to make do with what I have. So, the resources I found helpful were on YouTube. Mary’s Nest has a great video that breaks down the various gluten free flours and there are several blogs that work through the water absorption.

One of the comments on Mary’s video said, “Use two parts flour to one part starch”. Now, that is something I can work with! Simple directions combined with a good resource for binding agents, and some past experience with dough consistency.

Another resource I used on YouTube was Elly’s Everyday Wholegrain, she is using millet to make her sourdough and that is the primary flour I am using today. I also have amaranth grain I want to use and some oats. The problem is I don’t have the psyllium husks and can’t find it anywhere in town.

I’m substituting ground chia seeds and flax seeds to see how it goes.

I also wanted to do a nutritional comparison of a gluten free flour blend and this wholegrain recipe to show you how we can make a healthier gluten free bread.

Compare The Homemade Ingredients and Nutrition of the Loaf Above with a Popular Store Brand of Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread Below

Benefits and Drawbacks

The thing I love about this bread is there is 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per slice! Not only that, but there is also a good bit of potassium and iron. Although magnesium and B vitamins are not listed on the nutrition label, they’re in there, too!

The millet and amaranth (if you choose to stick that in and remove 1/3 cup of the millet) alone provide 30mg of magnesium per slice of bread. There is also biotin, niacin, and selenium present to provide optimal health.

A drawback for making this bread and what I learned is it definitely needs a long baking time. I got it out 10 minutes early and although edible, it was doughy. I’m toasting it daily on the frozen setting of my toaster to counteract that mistake. Otherwise, it would have made a great sandwich bread.

Something else I noticed; there was ZERO gas and bloating with the addition of flax seeds! That has never happened before. I may have a wheat sensitivity after all.

Taste wise, the amaranth is quite strong, so if a peppery taste is not one your palate joys, it may take some getting used to alongside the ground chia—you be the judge on that. However, I’d sample a little to see if I like the flavor before diving in to purchase the grain and make an entire loaf.

I prefer the taste of hard white and red wheat grains, but this is okay.

Cost wise, you and I come out ahead on this loaf of bread. The cost of a comparable gluten free whole grain bread on the shelf is $5.49 and I made this loaf, with twice the nutrition, for about $4.34. I’ll take that bargain any day.

When we explore new ways of baking whole grain sourdough, we find out all kinds of good things!

And may we never forget the source of all good things—the mighty God who provides these lovely nutritional grains for us! What he puts in the garden is good!

Another year, another promise, another hope for a different outcome loom before us in a couple of days. New Year’s plans come in strong, and we find ourselves resolved to do something. The resolve may look different for you and me, but at the heart of it is the desire, and determination, to change.

This new desire may be so strong we write it down and place it somewhere close to refer to time and again. It’s like the wellness vision tool I encourage my clients to think through and develop. Writing down strong statements affirming their strengths, abilities, skills, and support systems helps them visualize the healthy person they want to be.

The client then develops an overarching statement emphasizing those attributes. If you are interested in formulating yours, I have a free download for you when you subscribe to my site. I’ll be happy to share it with you!

Resolved–Formulating a Plan

Now, back to the hope of a new day and a new year.

How do you see yourself taking steps towards your new resolve? Maybe you need a priority list of things you’d like to accomplish. Perhaps it would help to write down all your thoughts then prioritize them in number of urgency or importance.

The hope may be to spend more time with family, stress less, care more about people, eat less sugar, be more active, read more books, pray more, be involved with the community or study more.

Whatever your dreams are for the coming year, God is here for you. He wants you to live the abundant life His son died for you to live. Guilt free, shame free, and hoping for an honorable walk with Him.

If you’re like me and need a little reassurance, please take a moment to read Daniel’s thoughts about resolve in Daniel chapter 1.

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 

Daniel 1:10-11

Daniel resolved to not eat the luxurious food and wine from the king’s table. He also found favor with the chief eunuch who granted his request of vegetables and water. Daniel’s resolve comes from his dedication to the One true God.

Although not clear in the text, it is inferred that the food was used in pagan worship and did not contain was the Mosaic law described as “clean”. Regardless of the state of the food, Daniel’s resolve came from his desire to continually honor God.

Despite his captivity, being stripped of his identity, and placed in a palace to learn a new religion, language, and way of life, he remained true to God.

His prayer life, kindness, respectful attitude, and ability to maintain his faith in a culture of depravity gives me hope to carry through my challenges too! I hope it does for you as well!

After all, staying the course on our new hopes and dreams is so much more than a New Year’s resolution! Because truthfully, we don’t always approach them with the planning and seriousness they deserve.

Sometimes we just jump in and tackle the monstrous goal with all of our newfound drive, then fizzle out in a frazzled, defeated mess. All the previously failed attempts come rushing forth and we berate ourselves once again.

But what if we take a different view and implement the baby steps necessary for success?

Resolutions are weak and wear out if we don’t determine our true need and plan accordingly.

The allure soon fades when we don’t see the results we want. Or we get caught up with the same daily grind and fall back into our familiar habits of comfort food, mindless eating, sitting for long periods of time, and fault finding.

Given his circumstances, what do you think Daniel would say to that mindset?

He resolved (determined in his mind) to do something different than the world around him for the purpose of honoring God with his mind and body.

What does being resolved look like for you today and how can I pray for you?

I am only a discovery call away if you need extra help, too. You can book your appointment here and find recipes and encouragement too. I look forward to serving you!

Mysty

I

Hello friend! I’m calling this month, determined December because you and I’ve worked hard all year to feel better and function with clarity and purpose, so we don’t want to blow this healthy streak we’ve got going, right?

The joyful season of Christ’s birth is fun to celebrate, but if we have a sugar addiction it can derail us completely!

Since we don’t want brain fog, high insulin, low energy, chronic pain, and stiffness creeping back in either, we need encouragement to stay the course. So, how do we stay determined?

For me, it’s easier to focus on the good, enjoy the people and places, and remember why I started this journey in the first place.

However, I’d love to know how you stay in the groove of healthy eating, sleeping, and activity during the holidays. Maybe you keep your wellness vision statement handy, so you don’t forget why you started. Or maybe you just feel so much better without all the sugar and heavy carbohydrates, you can see past the pretty packaging.

Whatever the reason, I am here with you, and making the best of every situation. One of those situations is the habit of snacking. I mean that is exactly what it is for me, a habit.

At times, it is just part of our culture and something we do, but most of the time we are not even hungry. Where does that term come from anyway, is it a marketing term pounced on by the food companies to sell more products and make more money?

Determined Not to Snack

Well, after a little research, I found out that snack comes from an old Dutch work, “snak” which means to bite or snap. The original term is similar to the sound of a dog’s teeth snapping when they are trying to steal a morsel of food. It then became associated with small bites or meals. So, here we are today with the term firmly ingrained into our daily lives.

I can think of several reasons snacking is not the same today as it once was. I’ll share a few with you today and let you decide on how you want to proceed with those intermittent small meals. If we’re not homesteaders, preppers, or farmers, generally speaking:

1. We are not dependent on the land for our meals and food is not scarce
2. We don’t have to walk far or climb a tree or do much work to gather our food
3. Most meals are obtained from our grocery store or local fast food restaurant
4. The meals we partake of are large in comparison to what people ate a hundred years ago
5. The ingredients in the snacks are not whole food.

When we understand we are moving less as a whole population, and eating more, then we get an idea of how snacking is no longer necessary. In fact, it simply keeps insulin high in the blood and puts us in that fat storage mode instead of fat burning mode.

Plus, it’s not real food! Like say an apple, or nuts. It’s ultra-processed, cheap material combined to make a product without significant nutritional value.

Check out my Facebook class in the client support group to see how to evaluate 100 calorie snacks!

Reading labels is really nice for helping us stay determined this December! The Bible reminds us to do everything with wisdom and discernment, and I believe eating real food is key to functioning well and completing our purpose.

For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.  And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

Philippians 1 ESV – Greeting – Paul and Timothy, servants – Bible Gateway

Summary of Determined December

Thinking about all the good reasons we started our health journey and focusing on the true meaning of the season may help you and I stay determined this December. Maybe the wisest thing we can do is still enjoy our sweets but remember the portion sizes. Keeping the tasty morsels for dessert after our main course and not over-stimulating insulin with snacking between meals, keeps us on our healthier way of living.

I am here for you if you need me! Book and appointment here and look for healthier Christmas treats here!