It’s natural to think of your family when it involves healthy snacks but how often do you think of yourself? In order to keep up with the busyness of your life, you must and I repeat you must focus on choosing healthy meals and healthy snacks to sustain your energy. Today we’ll focus on some of the best healthy snacks to keep handy while runny errands, running after your children or while working in front of your computer.

Instead of reaching for the chips, choose some of the following instead:

• Bite size fruit and veggies – For a mom on the go, it’s best to have foods that you can easily hold in one hand.  Slice up carrots, celery, cucumbers, bananas, strawberries, apples and pineapples. These are just a few suggestions. Any fruit or veggie that you like but is easy to handle would make a good choice. Cut these fruits and veggies ahead of time so you are not tempted to reach for the sugary or salty snacks. Place them in small containers or small storage bags for those on the go moments.

• Granola bars or bites are perfect for on the go – However, don’t pay for those cute little snack sized portions in the store, instead experiment and make your own. By making your own, you know exactly what ingredients are used and you can add some of your favorites. Need a quick recipe to spark your creativity? Check out this simple recipe -> Yummy Granola Bars

• Yogurt on the go – who says the small yogurt containers or yogurt in a tube are for kids only? These healthy snacks are great for the children but work just as well for the busy mom. If you’re not a yogurt fan, try the mini cottage cheese containers, cheese sticks, sandwich crackers, and/or assorted nuts. Again, you can create your own as well and not only save money but also save on the calories that are usually found in many of those pre-made snack packs.

• Smoothies – a great way to get all your nutrients in a glass. The best part about this yummy treat is that the entire family will enjoy it and a great way to add fruits or veggies you normally wouldn’t eat. Have you tried a green smoothie? Add some baby spinach, or kale along with an apple, pear, frozen bananas, and ice-cubes to a blender and you have a delicious green smoothie! You can read more on smoothies and get a recipe of one of my favorites here –> Yummy Smoothie.

You’ll notice that the snacks mentioned are quick and easy and perfect for the busy mom. You may also notice that many included sugar or salt. Those types of snacks may be easy to find as well as tasty, but their nutrition value is lacking. Remember that snacks can make or break a healthy eating routine. Implementing some of the tips shared here will keep you on the right track.

Coconut oil has been used for many, many years to help different ailments as well as a delicious treat. However, with so much talk about coconut oil, I wanted to share some benefits with you. Coconut oil has made an appearance in our household because of all the benefits I’ve discovered but I still remember my mom telling me she would rub it on my head when I was 2 years old because I had very little hair growth. Did it stimulate hair growth? That remains a mystery but if you had asked my mother if it did she would adamantly say ‘yes’. So, as you can tell I grew up with this beautiful smelling oil in my household but it wasn’t until recently that I introduced it to my family. Why you might ask? Quite frankly, I’m not sure, but I’m determined to share the benefits in hopes that you too will give coconut oil a try in your home.

Let’s start with some of the benefits.

Coconut oil has been known to help with hair care, {yes, I was bald at the age of 2!}, skin care, stress relief, digestion, weight loss, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, dental care and bone strength. One of the main reasons coconut oil has such benefits is because of the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid. The properties these acids contain are those of antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial and soothing. So as you can tell, coconut oil has some truly amazing properties and benefits.

How does lauric acid work?

Our body is a wonderful machine and it converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help with bacteria and viruses that cause herpes, influenza and even HIV. The exact mechanisms of actions is unknown but has been used extensively in the traditional Indian medicinal system.

So let’s look at how coconut oil works:

Hair care – it is one of the best natural nutritions for hair. It aids in growth of hair, conditions and helps re-growth of damaged hair and it provides the essential proteins needed for damaged hair. It helps with dandruff, lice and lice eggs. Coconut oil is normally applied topically and regular massages of the scalp with this oil will help with all the above mentioned.

Weight loss – since coconut oil contains short and medium chained fatty acids it aids in weight loss. It aids with the thyroid because it is easily digestible and increases the body’s metabolism by removing the stress on the pancreas. 

Digestion – as mentioned previously coconut oil helps in improving the digestive system which in turn helps to prevent digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats present in coconut oil have anti microbial properties and help in dealing with various bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc., that cause indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in the absorption of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Heart disease – many don’t believe that coconut oil is beneficial to heart disease because it contains large quantities of saturated fats. However, coconut oil contains about 50% lauric acid, which has been shown to help in the prevention of various heart problems such as increased cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. The saturated fats found in coconut oil are not the same as those found in vegetable oil and does not lead to increased levels of LDL. This oil reduces the incidence of injury in arteries which in turn helps to prevent atherosclerosis.

As you can tell, coconut oil has many benefits and some may still like the taste but that should not keep you away from this nutritious and helpful oil. Instead consider cooking with it or adding it to smoothies. Many are turning to this wonderful and oil because of the benefits it provides. Instead of using canola or vegetable oil, consider reaching for coconut oil instead. Don’t suffer from stress or dry irritated skin, reach for this wonderful oil instead. Try it, you will be truly amazed. 

My lesson from this research? My mother knew best after all…was there ever a doubt?

“I felt guilty, but I ate the chocolate ice cream…and I enjoyed it!”  That’s what a health coaching client told me recently.  She was feeling trapped in a sea of restrictive thinking, saying to herself, “I should do this, that, and the other, and if I don’t, I’m ruining my health!”  She knows a whole lot about food…what she should eat, what she shouldn’t eat, how it assimilates in her body, and much more.   And, she had been hearing so much “nutritional noise” out there (we all know how many conflicting dietary theories there are!) that she was overthinking and overstressing.  I totally understood her pain. 

Maybe you have experienced those guilt feelings around food.   Guilt leads to stress.  And, let me tell you, this is as bad for your health as two pounds of refined sugar!  It puts your body in a constricted state and stress hormones are released.  When stress hormones are released, your immune system is weakened.  When your body is in a constant state of stress, it never has the chance to recover, refuel, and fight off intruders.  Then, sickness is just around the corner.  All of this from stressing out about food.  This is not how it is supposed to be.

My advice to you is to NOT worry so much about what you’re eating.  Yes, be mindful of your food.  Yes, make sure you’re getting plenty of fruits and veggies, especially those delicious leafy greens.  Stay hydrated.  But, please do not get caught up in the over-complicated web of dietary theories.  If you do, you’re likely to get so overwhelmed and stressed out that you dive into the nearest bag of Oreo’s and forget it all!  Listening to your gut, and being very in touch with your nutritional needs, will keep you on a beautiful path of nourishment most of the time.   But, never think you have to be perfect all the time.  No one is perfect.  Not even a health coach! 

Secondly, intuitively, you know what you need to eat.  Most of the time, your body will tell you that it wants healthy and nourishing food.  As you eat more fruits and veggies, you will crave more fruits and veggies.  There will be times, though, that you desire that decadent dessert, and that’s ok, occasionally.  But, remember, when you allow yourself a “cheat,” don’t let guilt overtake you.  (That takes any and all pleasure out of it!)  

Third, get enough sleep.  Many times, cravings for the not-so-good stuff hit when you’re tired.  Then you eat something you wouldn’t have eaten, and the guilt cycle starts!  So, be sure to get enough sleep.  And, try to go to bed before 11 pm (10 pm is even better, but I’m being realistic for all of you mompreneurs).  Going to bed by 11 pm will allow your body to get into a deep sleep in time for your organs to cleanse and renew.  If you are not in a deep sleep, you won’t give your overworked organs a chance to cleanse.  And, of course, going to bed at a healthy hour will ensure that you are well-rested the next day, and cravings will be reduced.

Finally, loosen up and enjoy life!  Food is about nourishment and love.  Stressing about food is detrimental to your overall health and happiness, and it will create big problems for you in the long run.  So, eat well most of the time.  But, when you don’t, let it go and remember that tomorrow is a new day! 

By: Carl Mason- Liebenberg

Vegan is a word we are hearing with increased frequency. As the demand for nutritional purity rises in the face of growing obesity and the incidence of nutritionally related illness and disease, people are looking to get back to the basics, discover nutritional purity and authentic healing. Vegan provides the solution.

I’m living proof!

At the age of 26, I was diagnosed with stage 4b Lymphoma. Immediately I was tossed into a world of chemotherapy drugs, radiation and pain management that continued for much of the next 5 years. In all, I endured 3 diagnosis’ leading to Large Cell Lymphoma, subsequent treatment and yet still remained on my death bed. Until, that is, I was blessed to discover vegan as a means to my cure. Simply, vegan was my answer to desperate pleas and prayers for healing. I have now been cancer free for 16 years! Though no longer a pure vegan, its influence remains very strong in my nutritional strategy and wellness while my conviction remains as strong as ever that vegan is a must include element in any nutritional strategy. Whether in part or in whole, vegan is a powerful element of wellness.

So let’s take a look at 3 simple steps to understanding and implementing vegan into your nutritional strategy. 

1. Understand the Basics

Vegan is plant based nutrition. There are NO animal products included in this nutritional strategy. That not only includes meat and poultry but eggs, fish and yes, honey! Why? The simple fact is that animal products are somewhat taxing to the digestive system. And the digestive system is the foundation of all god health. Taxed, weakened, compromised digestion ultimately leads to the same degree of health. 

Plant based vegan foods however, are easy on the system. They empower digestive healing and then ultimately allow for optimal nutrient absorption and assimilation. A win win for the body.

But what does a vegan eat? The answer is probably not what you think. I find most imagine big bowls of salads all day every day. Thankfully, that is not the case. Vegan nutrition includes a wide variety of whole grains, loads of veggies and fruits, legumes of every kind imaginable along with seeds and nuts just to name the basics. All of these combine to create an endless array of simply good, delicious and nutritious meals. 

2. Know Your Why

Now that you have a very basic understanding of vegan nutrition, you need to carefully consider your WHY.

Why are you considering vegan? There are several reasons to consider.

A common consideration is animal welfare. Many want to surrender their animal product consumption simply in response to a love for animals. And that is a noble reason indeed; one that frankly I do consider important. Yet, though I do struggle, dare I say that I largely disagree, with animal management, modern ranching practices and eventually the slaughtering process, that was not my reason and it may not be so for you. 

I chose it for healing. As I mentioned, I was desperate for an answer that would save my life. I knew in my heart that there was something environmentally relevant to my disease. Not one doctor agreed at the time but it did not dissuade me and my conviction that there was an element involved that could be changed and controlled that would naturally cure my disease. Vegan was the answer!

So, you have 3 clear choices for your WHY. You could choose vegan as a means of caretaking for other animals, you could choose it for healing and purity or you could chose it for both.  I would say, however, that knowing your why is crucial to your success. It is your conviction and the foundation of your commitment and dedication to the transition and ultimately the lifestyle of vegan nutrition. 

3. Taking the First Steps

Now that your why has been determined, it is time to take the next step. Are you ready?

You could go the all or nothing route like I did but unless you are in the condition I was, basically facing weeks to a painful end, I would suggest you take a few simple introductory steps.

Consider going lacto-ovo-pescaterian to start. Huh? I know, big words, right? It’s simple. You keep eggs, dairy and seafood in your nutritional strategy but cut out all other meat and poultry. It’s a great starting position that will allow you to ease into the vegan lifestyle of plant based nutrition.

Another step you can take is to replace your staple items with vegan as you consume them. Emptying out the cupboards, fridge and freezer in one swap can send you and your bank account into cardiac arrest. Vegan is a very affordable means of nutrition as plant based foods themselves are quite affordable in comparison to animal products but the once off costs can be a bit much t bear.  So, instead, replace products as you run out. 

Finally, integrate vegan recipes into your diet one by one. This is why I created It’s Vegan Friday, a free weekly offer of recipes. This encourages you to dedicate first one day to vegan nutrition and then leaves you with recipes to implement into your new lifestyle. Just begin simply! You’ll be more likely to enjoy the journey and embrace this powerful element of wellness and healing as a lifestyle. And once you’ve begun, Simply Good Vegan is a 41 page e-cookbook filled with creative, incredibly delicious recipes for your enjoyment and health.

Vegan is a remarkably simple, pure, clean, nutritious and delicious element of wellness. As I mentioned early on, I believe, whether in part or whole, vegan will change your life for the good. 

So whether you, like I was 16 years ago, are looking for natural healing or are concerned about animal welfare and modern ranching practices; whether ready to make it your full time nutritional lifestyle or simply commit to vegan dinners during the week, I am certain that vegan nutrition will transform your life.  

Vegan is in fact, a powerful element of wellness that you do not want to overlook.

Do you think you are ready to embrace vegan nutrition? Are you ready to follow these simple steps to introducing vegan and possibly transition to a vegan lifestyle?

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness. His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength. Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness. He has recently launched a series of e-products called Simply Good that you’ll want to be sure to obtain in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

A few days ago I read an article from Dr. George Malkmus, founder of Hallelujah Acres, discussing why at his ministry they don’t believe following a 100% raw food diet is right for everyone.  He went on to state that when he first began to bring the living foods message to people of faith, he encountered incredible resistance. 

Dr. Malkmus said he also encountered a lot of criticism from leaders in the raw food community when he started advocating that a 100% raw food diet is not right for everyone, and as a ministry Hallelujah Acres started teaching an 85% raw, 15% cooked food message.  He had done much research around the leaders in the raw food community and discovered that many of them were actually “closet” cooked food eaters.  They sometimes projected the image that they ate a 100% raw food diet but in reality they didn’t always eat a 100% raw food diet.

This really saddened me, not because these precious people were closet cooked food eaters, but because while most of us want to create the best health possible, we often find ourselves moving from bondage to bondage around food.  If you’ve been a dieter your whole life, you’re in chains to the diet of the moment because you’re only “allowed” the foods listed on the diet.  Then when you go off the diet most of the time you find yourself eating everything in sight.  And if you’re overweight, you also get to hear well-meaning people tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat.  Bondage.

Then comes the day you discover raw food!  The power and transformation that can happen when you embrace more living and raw foods becomes very obvious.  Yet you find yourself striving to be a 100% raw foodist, or you find yourself reading contradictory information:  eat raw cacao, don’t eat raw cacao.  Juice your fruits and veggies, don’t juice your fruits and veggies.  Before you know it you’re exhausted from the whole process and feel terrible because you just can’t seem to “get it right”.  Bondage.

We were never meant to be in such a prison around our food choices.  We weren’t meant to have to deal with such complicated decisions around food or to believe that what we eat defines our worth.  The truth is, we can be free!  God has given us a promise of freedom in all areas of our lives –  spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  We’re free to forgive and therefore have cleansed emotions.  We’re free to accept His gift of grace and therefore find freedom and peace in our spirits.  We’re free to become the best we can be physically because we’re created in God’s image and have His power working in us.  Incredible, powerful, freedom.

The key to this freedom is in learning how to embrace it.   It’s about learning how precious your body really is, developing a healthy self-love around that realization, and allowing that truth to drive you to joyfully want to put the most nutritious foods into your body because you understand that what you eat can support you in a very powerful way towards your vision and purpose.  Freedom flows from a heart that understands its worth and so out of that place of love and freedom, you make your food choices based on what you understand to be best for you and for your health, and that can be somewhat different for different people.

If you try to eat a certain way before you have this realization and vision for who you really are, all you end up doing is creating another prison cell for yourself and more than likely you’ll end up feeling more guilt, more shame, and experiencing more negative self-talk in your mind because at some point the “old food monster” takes over again.   

Now let’s take a look at a few principles to embrace if you to truly desire freedom in your food choices and you also want to create radiant health.  Allow these principles to guide you as you create the best possible health lifestyle for yourself.

Principle #1.  Eating in freedom means you don’t allow the “food police” to enter your life in a way that brings guilt or condemnation.  The “food police” are people who think they need to be in judgment around your food choices.  They tell you what to eat, when to eat, and how to eat.  And while they may mean well, you need to have clear boundaries in place so you’re not allowing others opinions to define you.

Principle #2. You understand that as the Bible says, “all things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable”.  The place of true freedom comes when you know that there are no laws around food, but that not all foods are helpful or profitable for where you want to go in your life.  They may support the vision you have for your life, they may not be support your weight loss goals, they may not be helpful if you’re an athlete and you have fitness goals you want to reach.  Learning you have choices and you have the power to make those choices is definitely the road to freedom.

Principle #3.  Eating in freedom means that you’ve developed a healthy self-love that encourages eating the best possible foods for your body because you want to be the best you can be for God, for yourself, and for those you’re called to serve, not because you should or shouldn’t be eating something.  You make your food choices from a place of love, not from a “law”.

Principle #4.  Eating in freedom means food has the proper place in your mind and your heart and you’re not using it as comforter, lover, or friend.  It’s not your security blanket; you’re free to express your emotions in a healthy way, dealing with them without using food to medicate.  You enjoy God’s abundance, and you enjoy the tastes and textures of food, but it doesn’t  have a role in your life that belongs to someone or something else.

Return to a place of simplicity in your food habits.  Learn to let go of rules and striving in your own strength, and instead ask God to show you how to care for the beautiful person that you are in the healthiest way possible.  It’s an incredible journey when you begin to bring God and His promises into your health – it brings abundance, peace, and freedom!

No more counting calories, ok?  No more obsessively weighing yourself on your scale, either.  No more focus on restriction and numbers.  Restriction is not the answer to a beautiful, energized, and happy life.  There is a better way.  Want to hear it?  Well, hold your horses.  First, a personal story.

Over the years, I’ve done it all.  Counting calories.  Weighing myself every day.  Eating boxed food from a national weight loss chain.  Only eating non-fat or low-fat stuff for fear of gaining a pound.   There was a time, not long ago, when my daily food intake consisted of bagels and pretzels (low fat, ya know!), with the occasional apple or salad thrown in for good measure.  Most of my food came from a box.  To me, cooking was throwing chicken nuggets in the oven and macaroni on the stove.  (Oy!  I have come a long way!)  I was constantly focused on my weight.   Constantly focused on numbers.  I was definitely not focused on what I really needed to be focused on.   And, guess where it got me?  Strep throat, the flu, pink eye, and shingles…all within two months of each other!  Crazy.  My body was begging me to focus on something else.  To focus on the RIGHT THING.  

Most Americans are overfed and undernourished.  I was definitely undernourished.  I was not getting nearly enough of the good stuff…green, leafy veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, good fats, and water.  My goal was to finish a day having eaten NO FAT.  I was not focused on giving my body what it needed.  As far as how it was affecting me, I was irritable, lacked energy, my skin was breaking out, my brain was foggy, I was very indecisive, I was unhappy, and I was really feeling less and less able to do the things I love in life with unbridled enthusiasm (being a mom/wife, coaching, and speaking)!  It was time to find the kinder, gentler version of myself.  The one who was more patient, more energized, and more loving.  I needed to find the one who SHINED with passion and purpose. 

I began to understand that using food in the proper way was the key that would unlock my SHINE.  I realized that I was seriously lacking in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.  I was overdosing on simple carbs, refined sugars, and processed foods.  I learned that the closer I could get to simple, plant-based nourishment plan, the better.  This means loading up on fruits and veggies, adding in some whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, and increasing my nearly non-existent water intake!  My body needed to be nourished, not restricted.  It was begging me to be loved through food.  This is not about diet.  This is about nourishment.  Hippocrates said it best, “Food is thy best medicine.”   

I have seen time and time again how the right food has healed chronic disease.  The right food has reversed diabetes, and even cancer.   Food as medicine.  Think it sounds radical?  Nope.  It really is simple. In our society today, we tend to overcomplicate things.  God has given us exactly what we need to be healthy and happy so we can fulfill His purpose for us in this world.  The quicker we get back to basics, the better. 

So, what am I saying?  I’m saying that instead of counting calories, focus on nourishment.  The best place to get the nourishment your body needs (and this is proven) is from veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and water.  When you are choosing your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, fill your plate with the rainbow (a fruit and veggie rainbow)!  Make it beautiful.  The more of these beautiful, colorful delicacies you can put on your plate, the better!  And, the closer to raw you can get, the more your body will benefit.  Raw fruits and veggies contain living enzymes that are little miracle workers for your body.  Living foods bring life to you!  Don’t you just want to go grab a carrot right now?!  I love to juice my veggies and make smoothies.  Yummy!   My body loves it, too!

Shift your focus from the clinical side of nutrition (calorie counting, numbers, weight) to the loving side of nutrition (nourishment, love, adding in the good stuff).  Focus on what uels your body, gives you energy, clears your mind, enhances your mood, and brings out your inner radiance.  Believe me, when you start eating close to nature, you will begin to glow.  You will feel more emotionally stable and happy. 

It’s all about optimizing your health so you can fulfill your life purpose.  Nourish your body and mind so your spirit will SHINE!

Ever noticed how it can feel really overwhelming to make changes in your health?  One diet after another comes on the market.  One expert after another appears on late-night TV touting the benefits of THEIR miracle solution.  It’s enough to make you want to dive into a bag of Lay’s and just forget it all.  It’s too much.  Too hard.  Too extreme.  Too restrictive.    

I hear you.  It’s time for a paradigm shift.  Let’s clear the noise and clutter and get back to basics.  There are a few SIMPLE things you can ADD IN to your daily nourishment to feed that beautiful body God gave you!  When we think “diet,” we think, “I can’t eat that.”  We immediately feel stress and negative emotions around food when we go on a “diet.”  Yuk.  Who wants to diet?  This is why I can’t stand the word, “diet,” and I never put my clients on a diet.  I teach holistic health and wellness; it’s about transforming the way you relate to food and how you nourish your body.   It’s about looking at the simple things you can do to improve your health, one step at a time, and beginning to add those things into your daily life.  Feel the paradigm shift?  From ‘no’ to ‘yes’.  From restrictive to free.  From removing to adding in. 

So, what can you add in?  For starters, let’s add in a few extra glasses of water.  Most humans do not get enough crisp, delicious water.  Don’t like water?  You will like it more and more as you start drinking it more and more!  Add some lemon or lime.  Maybe you’d prefer it with ice.  Or, maybe room temperature is more to your taste.  Do whatever you need to do to ADD IN some water! 

Next, add in some veggies and fruit.  Especially veggies!  Especially green, leafy veggies!  Do you have a hard time eating veggies?  Try them again.  You might find that your tastes have changed.  There are so many different ways to prepare veggies, too.   For the nutrients, raw is best.  Spice ‘em up with some sea salt or cayenne pepper!  Or, one of my favorite things to do is green smoothies!  That’s right.  Drink your veggies in a smoothie.  Almost every day, I have a berry-kale smoothie and it is delicious.  And, kids even love it!  Tip:  You don’t have to show your kids that you’re putting veggies into their smoothie!  They’ll never know!   As you are beginning to add in fruits and veggies, go slowly.  It’s ok if you just add one more serving of veggies per day.  That’s progress!

Now, add in some active play time!  Notice I didn’t say, “You must exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week!”  That is restrictive and harsh.  I don’t even like the word, “exercise.”  “Play” s much more fun and free!  Most of us sit behind our computers all day long.  Ugh.  I want you to find some kind of activity that moves your body, engages your mind, and satisfies your spirit.  This is something you will look forward to each day.  Walking is a fabulous thing to do!  No gym required.  Get outside, in the sunshine and fresh air, and let the rhythmic motion of walking nourish your body, mind, and spirit.  You can do this with kids, hubby, friends, or alone with God!  Walking is SO good for you.

When you shift your thinking around your health from a restrictive perspective (I can’t have that) to a much more loving, curious, and free perspective (What can I add in today?  What new veggie can I try?  Wonder how a smoothie with kale tastes?), the way you look at your health changes.  It becomes really fun to love yourself by nourishing your body.  So, here’s my question for you.  What will you add in today??  Go for it! 

Love your health.  Shine your light.  Change the world!

I quit law school.  Yep.  I tortured myself with the LSAT.  Suffered through an endless law school application.  Secured a $65,000 loan.  Arranged child care for both of my young children (thank God for grandma).   Bought a fuel-efficient car to take me to and from law school, an hour each way.   Then… I quit.  Law school was not my purpose.  And, what in the world was I thinking even trying to do something as difficult as law school, with no underlying passion, while trying to raise a young family?  I get stressed out just thinking about it.  Whew.

Grab a cup of green tea.  Sit down in a cozy spot and cuddle up with a warm blanket.   And, I’d like to talk to you about something called primary food.  Ever heard of that?  Primary food is the stuff you’re feeding yourself every day that is not actual food…it’s everything else.  And, it is hugely important to consider your primary food when looking at your overall health and wellness.  Primary food includes career, relationships, physical activity, spirituality, and environment.  

I mention my law school episode because, for me, it was not nourishing primary food.  For some people, it would be the most perfect and delicious primary food.  But, I am not wired for law.  Truthfully, I had gotten lost in motherhood and marriage and didn’t know what my God-given strengths and talents were anymore.  But, I knew that law school was not right for me.  And, even though it was really hard to quit (there were raised eyebrows and people second-guessing my decision), it was something I had to do in order to find the proper primary food for me in the area of career.  

After quitting law school, I re-connected with myself, with God, and with my true strengths.  Yes, it has been a process, along a winding road, but it has been enlightening and fulfilling!  I became a certified life-purpose coach, a published author, and a women’s speaker.  Each time I’m speaking to a group of women and connecting on a deep level, I am totally in the zone and beyond blessed.  I was just speaking at a college and having a fantastic time.  I kept thinking that if I hadn’t quit law school, I would be sitting there at that very moment, listening to a professor drone on and on about Supreme Court law, instead of doing what I was absolutely loving…encouraging and inspiring women!  Quitting law school is the best thing I ever did.

Now I invite you to reflect on your life.  Pick an area:  career, relationships, physical activity (or, “play” as I like to call it), spirituality, or environment.  In that area, are you ‘feeding’ yourself well?  If so, what is it that energizes you and lights your fire?  If not, what needs to change?  And, remember, small steps create lasting change.  For instance, if you pick the area of environment, don’t get overwhelmed.  Maybe you are looking around and seeing lots of things that need to change.  Just pick one thing you can do with your environment that will make you feel happy, optimistic, free, light, and healthy!  Maybe a green plant in each room?  Maybe clearing out the junk drawer…or drawers…in the kitchen (c’mon, I know you have ‘em!)?  How about a new lamp that inspires you.  Yes, a lamp CAN inspire you.  When you look around, is there something that just doesn’t feel right in your room?  Remove it.  We spend so much time in our homes, let’s make sure the primary food we receive from our environment is nourishing and delicious!  

And, here’s a thought that may seem weird to you.  Is there something in one of those areas that you need to QUIT in order to be healthier and happier?  Maybe there is something that is draining your energy?   Something you KNOW isn’t right for you, and it’s time to try a different path.   Quitting, tweaking, and re-inventing is all part of the process.  It’s all part of finding your most ‘nutritious’ primary food.

Just remember that you are ‘feeding’ yourself constantly, every day.  There’s the food you put in your body, and then there’s everything else.  Make sure your primary food is nourishing your body and soul!

Oh, one last thing.  That car I bought to take me to and from law school?  Well, that became known as my law school souvenir!  

The alarm goes off at 6am! You begin to drag yourself out of your comfy bed into a shower to wake up. You get dressed, grab a cup of coffee and you’re on your way. Once in the car you are surrounded by other cars filled with individuals looking as you do. No smiles, half asleep, with cup in hand hoping it will provide the energy needed to conquer the day. Does this scenario sound familiar? You are not alone! Many individuals are caught in the same daily routine and find themselves not only stressed but also in poor health. 

My question to you is this: How can you profit from the state that you are in? How will you succeed in your business with poor health? What does health have to do with profits? I’m so glad you asked!

While you are getting up each morning and simply reaching for the cup of coffee…your body is crying out for more. Unless you manage to eat while you are sleeping, your body is not getting nutrients during this time. When you awaken, your body requires fuel in the form of food to function at its optimum level. Imagine how different your morning routine would be if you not only reached for the cup of coffee but also grabbed a fresh piece of fruit along with muffin, bagel or yogurt. Not only will your body thank you for the nutrients (fuel) you will instantly feel more energized and the outside noise will not seem as loud anymore.

This simple change in your routine will lead to a clearer mind where you will make decisions that will affect your profit margins. A healthier mind will not make hasty decisions. A healthier mind and body will also enjoy the fruits of your labor. You will notice that your health is closely related to your success. When you make the decision to take care of your health, not only will your body flourish but so will your business and relationships.

• Good health equals good business
• Good health equals healthy relationships
• Good health equals healthy body
• Good health also equals a healthy mind

Ultimately you have the choice. The choice to choose the gooey, sugary sweet desert or potato chips over fresh fruit. Or choosing to lay on the couch instead of enjoying the fresh air. You are ultimately responsible for your health and your body.

I recently viewed a video interview that Tony Robbins had with a concentration camp survivor who was 108 years old! Yes, you read that correctly 108 years old. She suffered throughout her life and saw much suffering as well. However, she chose to love life. She chose to find the goodness that surrounded her. She said that in order to understand good, that evil must exist and she experienced both. She chose to concentrate on the good. Wow! Who says a positive mindset doesn’t affect your health? This woman’s positive mindset, and her love of music, she is still playing the piano 3 times a day is what has kept her alive and healthy. Here is the link to the video if you want to be completely inspired –> Video

My challenge for you today is to make one change in your daily routine. Start with one change and add to it each day. Not only will you make a difference in your health but you will see a difference in your business and relationships as well. Yes, you can certainly profit from good health!

Are you willing to take the challenge? Need help?

Check out my latest program: No Superheroes Allowed –  created with YOU in mind!

In this day in age we, as women tend to be extremely busy.  Some of us have careers as well as families and basically just having a family is a career in itself.  So, our health and wellness seems to be put on the back burner of our busy lives.  We carry around planners; PDA’s or any other form of scheduler with our family schedules but never seem to fit ourselves into that crazy schedule.

Well, I am here to tell you that it is time to organize your wellness.  It is not as difficult as you may think.  We do not have to go to a health spa or have a nutritionist living in our home to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  With a little bit of organization and determination it can be done and your mind, body and spirit will be very thankful.  First you must determine your goal; it may be to lose weight, gain weight or just be healthy overall.  Once this is determined the first hurdle has been accomplished.  

Keeping healthy on a busy schedule may be challenging at first but once you are in a routine it will be easy to continue.  It is much easier to accomplish if you have healthy snacks and foods available, this will deter the munchies in the middle of the night or during those times when you feel like eating and not cooking.  Healthy snacks can be as simple as cheese sticks, carrot sticks, pretzels, baked potato chips, and fruit.  One way that I avoid the munchies is by having fresh fruit available as well as cut up veggies in the refrigerator.  I also have yogurt, peanut butter, crackers and cheese available.  All these foods are healthy and will give you energy to tackle your busy lifestyle.

Another important element that is usually forgotten is water.  Our bodies are predominately made up of water, so it needs water to keep hydrated and work properly.  If you don’t like water, try adding lemon to it or drink other beverages such as fruit drinks.  I do not suggest soft drinks or coffee, which are loaded with sugar and caffeine.  These drinks will taste great initially but will actually deplete your body of energy and will dehydrate your body.  I am not saying that coffee should be eliminated but like anything else, everything in moderation.

Another way to stay healthy is to cook your meals.  Yes, cook your meals instead of going through the many drive-thru’s available.  Writing out a menu along with a shopping list will keep you on your track to a healthier lifestyle.  When I mention cooking, it does not have to be elaborate meals, but cooking at home will keep you from eating the greasy fast food that is always so tempting.  Experiment with meals and you will be surprised, it may actually be fun to eat at home.

Basically what I am saying is that although you may be busy, there is always time to think of you and your health.  It is not something that should be neglected.  Eating healthy and exercising is something that can easily be incorporated into your busy and crazy life.  Believe me, it is possible, but you must be determined to do it.  No one can do  it but you!  The small sacrifices made in the beginning will turn into routine and you will see your life changing for the better right before your eyes.  You will love the new you, and so will everyone in your life.

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