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December 19, 2024

Easy Holiday Baking and Cooking Substitutes

Holiday meals are about bringing people together, but when some guests have food sensitivities or allergies, it can feel like a challenge to make ever

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 12, 2024

Doorstep Dining Done Right

‘Tis the season of parties, buffets, Christmas cookies and oodles of joyful gatherings that include delicious, even healthy, food. At the same time,

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 5, 2024

Post-Thanksgiving Mini Reset

Thanksgiving may have left you feeling a little too much like the stuffed turkey centerpiece. If you’re ready to shake off the sluggishness before m

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Christmas, Food, Fun, Health
November 28, 2024

Savor, Stroll, and Stay Thankful

Thanksgiving. A time to enjoy the company of loved ones, share stories, and of course, indulge in delicious food. Here’s a tip to help you savor

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
November 19, 2024

Gobble Up These Thanksgiving Preparation Tips

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, gathering, and indulging in an amazing feast. However, hosting can sometimes feel more like a marathon than a ce

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Food
November 14, 2024

Mediterranean Feel-Good Soups for Fall

As we transition from fall into the holidays, staying mindful of our health goals can help us enjoy the season without feeling run down or overwhelmed

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Food, Health
November 7, 2024

Healthy Eating FAQs and Answers

Before I get into this week’s topic, I must first retract a statement that I made last week about Mr. Non-Compliant. I stand corrected, as he did NO

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Food, Health
October 31, 2024

Mr. Non-Compliant’s Birthday Fest

This week Mr. Non-Compliant (aka my dear hubby) celebrated a birthday. He flaunted his morning non-compliance by leaving the EMPTY cinnamon roll box o

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
October 24, 2024

Not a Vegetable Fan? Read This

It’s not just kids that wrinkle their nose at a plate of green stuff. Lots of fully-grown adults feel the same—inclined to hide their Brussels spr

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Food, Health
October 17, 2024

How Safe is Your Cinnamon?

I’m a huge cinnamon fan. I shake it in my coffee, smoothies, muffins, stewed apples, and of course, pumpkin pie. Years ago I mixed it with a little

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Food, Health

Can You Hear Me Now?

March 4, 2020
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Family, Fun, Health

Recently, my church sponsored a health fair. Representatives from AccuQuest Hearing Centers were among the many vendors.

Since I sometimes think that Mr. Non-Compliant (my dear husband, for new readers to my blog) doesn’t hear me, I suggested we both get our ears checked.

To say that this brilliant idea backfired on me is a major understatement.  

I volunteered to go first for the ear inspection. Of course, I never thought that I had any type of problem. I was merely doing this to get him to play along.

There was a computer screen in front of me, and I could see the inside of my ear as the little camera was taking a peak. Much to my dismay, one eardrum was completely hidden from view due to a huge blob of earwax.

Really? I’m looking out for my loved one, with ulterior motives of course, and THIS is what happens?

Really. I believe that God has quite a sense of humor.

Big. Time. Backfire.

This prompted me to make an appointment at AccuQuest for a FREE HEARING EVALUATION.

During my appointment, Dr. Joshua Elzinga reviewed my ear history and explained how we hear, and what happens when our ability to hear is diminished.

Since the sounds we hear are ultimately interpreted in our brains, hearing loss can lead to dementia, as well as social isolation and frustrated loved ones.

As with any health condition, the earlier hearing loss is detected, the better the outcome.

So this is what happened: Dr. Josh cleared out the wax, explained how the hearing test was done, and did the test. The actual test itself took about 10 minutes. The total time I spent in the office was an hour. If you don’t have earwax to be excavated, your visit will probably be shorter.

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO GET YOUR HEARING CHECKED! This is important for your overall health.

This evaluation was 100% FREE. Since I chose to have the screening done, the wax removal was free as well.

I have next year’s appointment on the calendar, since yearly check-ups are a very good idea.  

There are multiple locations across the country. I visited the Highland location in the Porte De Leau Shopping Center on 45th Avenue.

As for Mr. Non-Compliant, well, he still needs to call Christina to make his appointment. The good news for me is that my hearing is fine, especially since I no longer have a blob of wax preventing those sound waves from reaching my eardrum.

To Your Health,
Carol

“Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.”― Roy T. Bennett

Create More Time

February 27, 2020
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Health, Personal Development, Spiritual

When we think about time, it’s the one resource we will never get back.

We can earn more money, buy more things, and make new friends. Time? It is finite for us all.

And have you ever told yourself that you don’t have time to exercise, make healthy meals, clean house, etc?

I would bet money that we are all guilty of “not having enough time” to do something.  

In the book, “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds,” author David Goggins offers a list of challenges, one at the end of each chapter.

David Goggins is an unbelievable human being, and his book is an inspiration for living up to your greatest potential. NOTE: He is honest and raw. No sugar coating anything.

Since Lent (a period of 40 days that Christians observe from Ash Wednesday to Easter) began yesterday, I’ve decided that this is the perfect time to implement the challenge on scheduling.  

This is a 3-week challenge, so I figure I should be able to master this during the 6 weeks of Lent.

Here it is:

Week 1: Take notes on your daily routines and habits. How often are you on your phone or watching TV? How long do you take to eat and commute to work?

Week 2: Build a schedule to optimize your time. Use 15–30 minute block intervals. When you work, only focus on one thing at a time.

 Week 3: Your schedule should be optimized!

 End Goal: Stop wasting time. Maximize your effort in what you do every day without sacrificing sleep.

Sounds pretty simple. I already know that this will be a very revealing challenge, and I’m in.  

Would you like to join me? If you’re in this with me, I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email and let me know your plan.

What will you do with your newly created time? I’m excited to see what’s possible.

Whatever ways you choose to use the time between now and Easter, may it be time well lived. 

You’ll never see this Lent again.

Blessings and love,
Carol

 “Only you can master your mind, which is what it takes to live a bold life filled with accomplishments most people consider beyond their capability.”
― David Goggins, “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds”

Busting the Willpower Myth

February 20, 2020
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Family, Food, Health

If I only had a nickel for the number of times I’ve heard, “I don’t have any willpower.”

Let that crazy belief go and let’s move on.

 Eating in a manner that is nutritionally sound a.k.a. eating less junk food, has very little to do with willpower and motivation.

 This game is really about your environment. When healthy foods are convenient and highly visible, you will eat them. When the foods that cause you to binge are not around, it’s tough to binge.  

Here’s an experiment for you to try. Think of it as getting a head start on your spring cleaning, preparing for Lent, taking a stand for better health—whatever works for you.

The Experiment: DO A KITCHEN MAKEOVER

 

Step 1: Make a list of RED, YELLOW, and GREEN light foods.

RED light foods are those that you’d best not have anywhere around. Criteria for these foods: you always overeat them, you don’t feel good after you eat them (in body AND mind), you are allergic/sensitive to them, they don’t help you achieve your health goals. These are typically processed foods.

 YELLOW light foods are the ones that you are moderate with when you’re eating out with others, yet when left alone, unattended…it’s not pretty.

GREEN light foods are great, nutritious, tasty, anytime foods that keep you on track. Eating these foods will definitely make you successful in achieving your goals. These are typically whole foods.

 

Step 2: Clean out anywhere you store food.

 Unload the RED light foods. Toss them or give to a food pantry (if in date and non-perishable).

YELLOW foods may be totally removed, kept in smaller quantities, or somewhat hidden in a very inconvenient place. For example, if you love your homemade trail mix, yet have a tough time stopping at a handful or two when no one is looking, portion it out in small containers and make the rule that you only get ONE container.

Shop for your GREEN light foods. Buy enough for only a few days so they stay fresh, since most of these are in the produce section. Store them in easy to see and reach areas, and have them ready to eat when the hunger monster strikes.

 

Step 3: Take notes.

When you crave a RED or YELLOW food, what happens? Do you go for a GREEN food instead, or do you make a trip to the grocery? Or do you have a glass of water and realize you don’t need to eat anything at all because it’s too much work and you’re not even really hungry?  

Simply notice.

The bottom line is that your environment makes it harder—or easier—to make healthy choices. Always remember this: If a food is in your house, you or someone you love, is eventually going to eat it.

When you remove the foods that notoriously bring you down, this game becomes much easier to win.

Oh, and if you live with other people, like your family, let them know what you’re doing and why. If there are RED light foods they MUST have, make them hide them. You could also eliminate only a few at a time.

Feeling overwhelmed with anything that has to do with food, life, and you? Email me and we’ll find that first step to help you reach your goals!

Much love,
Carol

“Simple is sustainable.”

In Celebration of the Birth Month

February 13, 2020
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Fun, Love, Personal Development

I love this time of year, because I get to celebrate my birth month.

While some shy away from birthdays, let alone birth months, I embrace it. The age is merely a number, and matters not.

The good stuff: family came to visit as a surprise, a beautiful bouquet of flowers showed up at my door, a gluten-free cake was baked to my specifications, and we enjoyed dinner at a favorite restaurant.

AND, when my friends realize they missed the day, they’re not late with their wishes, since I celebrate for a solid month.

That being said, Sunday was merely the kick-off to my birth month event. 

Birth months give me plenty of time for reflection. I can look in the rearview mirror and realize all the opportunities that showed up and feel immense gratitude.

Of course, there are always those learning experiences that I refer to as “falling upward.” These are the events we would never voluntarily sign up for, yet they transform us into better human beings.

By the way, I highly recommend the book by the same name, “Falling Upward,” by Richard Rohr. Perhaps it’s time for me to read it again.

A month gives me plenty of time to accept celebratory breakfast/lunch invitations and thoroughly enjoy each one. Why rush? I can only eat so much in a day.

It’s also a great opportunity to determine what life changes I need to make. What stays, what disappears, and what new challenges shall I take on? This is important.

While many people reflect with each new calendar year, I find that this time feels more personal.

This is my year of possibility. As I map out what the next 12 months could look like, what I’ve experienced is that the year typically turns out more amazing than I ever dreamed.

And, there’s the “falling upward” stuff.

Thank you for reading my weekly blog posts. You tell me they make a difference in your life. My plan is to continue writing these, as they made the “stay” list.

I appreciate all your birthday greetings, whether on Facebook, in person, or otherwise. You are making my month even more special!

My birth month request: please pass my weekly blogs on to others who could use a bit of loving inspiration. It’s important that I reach as many people as possible with the birth months I have yet to celebrate. 

With love and gratitude,
Carol

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”—Maya Angelou

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