The Answers Were Found In Chapter Four

The beginning of October I began going to a "Reversing Diabetes" meetings put on my a university nearby. The first week our home work was to read the Full Plate Diet book, where I learned we needed to shoot for at least 40 grams of fiber per day. When I looked through the book and saw how many grams of fiber was in the different foods - I realized that in order for a person to get that much fiber a day it would be wise for a person to eat a plant based diet. you don't get fiber from meat and dairy and not much from processed foods either.

Then the next week we were given the book The End of Diabetes  by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It was a much longer book and would require a longer period to read it. As I read this book I was encouraged by how important it is to be a nutritarian. Many people say they are a vegetarian or a vegan but still eat a lot of processed foods and don't get much nutrients. The focus of this book is to eat a highly micronutrient diet!

When you eat the high micronutrient foods your body gets what it needs and you feel satisfied. When you eat a lot of processed foods your body will start to experience withdrawal symptoms when the food is out of the digestive track which is called "toxic hunger." When you eat the highly processed foods you will have more cravings for things that are not good for you.

When you eat the high micronutrient foods you can eat more and feel satisfied without an over load of calories. You will not only feel satisfied but you will feel more calm about food in general. You will go longer without feeling hungry because you are not feeling toxic hunger. Eating a plant based diet will give your body what it needs. You will not have to bother with counting calories because you will be eating veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains and you will feel satisfied and will not experience toxic hunger.

I enjoy life so much better when I am eating a plant based diet. And when I experience true hunger. I am calmer about food and I really enjoy what I am eating.

I am going to share some of the great quotes that I found very helpful in the book - The End of Diabetes and I am hoping between what I have shared and the quotes - you two will find the answer to getting on the wagon and staying on.


"A high-micronutrient diet does not just improve health for your body, but it also decreases food cravings and sensations leading to overeating behavior." pg. 56

"True hunger serves as an important guide to promote enjoyment of food..... When we eat when we are hungry, food tastes much better and we are physiologically primed for proper digestion, hunger, in the true sense of the word, indicates that it is time to eat again." pg. 58

"The critical message is that the wrong food choices lead to withdrawal symptoms that are mistaken for hunger." pg. 59

"Toxic hunger is heightened by the consumption of caffeinated beverages, soft drinks, and processed foods."

Toxic hunger appears after a meal is digested and the digestive track is empty, and it can feel extremely uncomfortable, which can make us think we need to eat or drink a caloric load for relief." pg. 59

"The secret to beating this vicious cycle is to focus on micronutrient quality. Only then will the desire for excess calories cease." pg. 63

"The secret is to desire few calories. The high consumption of low- calorie, high-nutrient foods such as raw veggies, cooked greens, beans, and seeds prepared in delicious combinations make you feel physically full from all the fiber and satisfaction from all the chewing. You lose the addictive cravings, and then you simply and naturally desire less food. It makes it quite simple to lose lots of weight." pg. 65

"Beans, green vegetables, seeds, and some fruit are high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber supplies a gelatinous-like material in the bowel. It is not absorbed and does not give us calories. Soluble fibers is very important, as it slows the absorption of glucose and helps lower cholesterol. Beans are especially high in soluble fiber."

Insoluble fiber - roughage - is important too. It provides bulk to our stool and keeps us regular. And guess what: seeds, nuts, vegetables, and yes, beans have plenty of insoluble fiber too." pg. 91

"Legumes such as beans, lentils, peas, and chick peas fall far below grains on the list of foods Americans eat. However, legumes are richer in nutrients, protein and fiber, and they contain much higher levels of resistant starch." pg. 91

So in review - there are two types of hunger - Toxic hunger and True hunger. What we eat will determine which kind of hunger we will experience. When we eat a lot of processed foods we will experience more toxic hunger. When we eat a high micronutrient diet we will have much less food cravings and we will experience true hunger with helps us enjoy our food better.

What I have shared with you today is just highlights from chapter 4 - the chapter that I found the secret  to how to stay on the wagon and how to get on the wagon if I fall off! I was so excited because I really hadn't known if I would ever learn the reasons behind this thing that just kept happening to me. I am So very thankful that God led me to this series of meeting and that He gave them the wisdom to know that this book would give such awesome answers!!! I hope that this information will bless you as you try to live a healthier live.

Looking For Answers

Several times as an adult I have lost a decent amount of weight. I would be doing really well for a time - usually a year and then something seemed to happen and off the wagon I would go. I had so wondered why? What Could I do to get back on the wagon?

Each time I lost weight I would go through a period of time that I would be doing just fine with losing weight. I would feel calm about food and I could make better choices of what to eat and what to pass on. I enjoyed these times. It really was a better way to live.

During these times I would feel better. Just healthier altogether. I would even sleep better. I really liked these time periods. I would feel better about myself in general.

There are other benefits of losing weight and feeling better and that is fitting into my clothes better. Or maybe being able to wear a smaller size. It was wonderful.

These things were awesome but something would happen and I just couldn't understand. I would begin to feel myself falling off the wagon, but I didn't know how to stop myself. And once off it took a long time to get back on.

In July of 2016 I decided I needed to lose weight and I needed to get serious. And I was able to lose weight that first year. I lost about 30 something pounds. It was slow weight loss but it was weight lose and I enjoyed all of the positives that went along with the weight loss. But I came face to face with several brutal realities and it began to be a challenge. I was doing what I could to lose weight but wasn't. I continued to exercise and walk and do the best I could. I was determined not to give up. During this year or so of time I ended up gaining about 10 -12 pounds. I was very disappointed in myself - but still mostly proud of myself because every other time that I had lost weight in the past I had lost the weight, fall off the wagon and then end up gaining the weight back- usually every bit of it. That was so disappointing. So at least this time I had kept most of the weight off that I had lost and I was determined to stick with going for my goal. During this time period I felt like God pointed out that "He had given me the victory!" Not was going to - he had given me the victory. God doesn't lie - His promises are true so I held onto His promise.

I struggled through disappointment for not reaching my goal as soon as I wanted to and I continued to look for the answers to my questions of What would cause me to fall off the wagon and how could I get back on? God was faithful and the answers were on their way - I just had to follow His leading. And thankfully I did because my question was answered - be sure to come back tomorrow as I share the answer that I received! :O)

Ways to Save .....Make it yourself: French Bread, Hamburger Buns, and Bread

On a Friday afternoon - after I had bought groceries for the week - I remembered that we were having spaghetti for our Sabbath Dinner. We enjoy having garlic bread with our Spaghetti. Well usually I buy a loaf of French bread that is already sliced from Walmart for $1.00. That is a good deal especially since we usually only use about 1/2 of a loaf per meal. I remembered that my step-mom had given me her special recipe for French bread years before and I thought - I have time I can make up my own.

So with just a little bit of shortening, a bit of salt, a bit of sugar, a bit of yeast, water and flour and a couple hours of time - I made up not one, not two, but three loafs of French bread!! Come to find out my family likes my French bread more than store bought!! So for these little bit of ingredients -I will have bread for our meal plus at least 2 loafs to put in the freezer for another time! I think that is a great way to not only save but to be prepared for the future as well.

Next time I make these I will be putting just two on a cookies sheet so I can let them rise a bit more. 

The next day my husband decided that he wanted to have bbq chicken sandwiches and so I made buns for our meal. 

And as you know I make my own bread. My husband does not like home made bread - he was raised on white bread so it is an accomplishment that I have him eating store bought wheat bread. 

One way I have found to save money - is that I cut of several pieces of bread and I put them in a bag in the fridge and then I put the rest in the freezer. I had been keeping out a whole loaf at a time but I am not eating through my bread that fast now so several pieces at a time works much better. 

If you are able make sure you have the basic ingredient on had all the time so you will be able to avoid an extra trip to the store and save money while you are at it! :O) 

** By the time this post is being posted - I will be on my way to the courthouse for jury duty. Please pray that my day goes smoothly. I really appreciate it :O)

Lots of info in less than 3 minutes!

As I have shared I have been reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman's "the End of Diabetes"
I found this short little video to share with you. I like that it shows his books and also shows what he eats. Maybe it will give you some ideas of things to eat. I have learned a tremendous amount from this book! As I thrift shop - I am on the look out for more of his books! If I find any I will certainly share in a My Best Deal posts! Sorry I don't have a "My Best Deal" post for today - I plan to go to my little hole in the way thrift store this morning and if I find anything awesome I will write up a post and tell you about it. Hope you all are having a great week end! :O)

Sabbath Praise

Today I wanted to share a new favorite song of mine. I love to find songs like this that speak to me and beautiful! Hope you have a blessed Sabbath day! :O)

And Update and Christlike Love

Just having a chance to get on the computer and was looking through some of my drafts to see what I needed to work on for next week and came across these two quotes and wanted to share them. I am figuring that I wanted to do something else with this post as well but its been a while and I totally forgot.

This week was very busy for me with two appointments with my MIL and then an appointment for myself, a cousin was in town for a short time and I was able to visit with her for a bit. A trip to a town about 30-45 minutes away to pick up an order of chicken - then proceeding to process the 80 pounds of chicken - well my son got 25 pounds of it - so it was not all for us. I do not eat much meat at all any more but the rest of my family does. I was also able to stop by Goodwill on my way to get groceries today and I found a really cute top for $2.29!

by the way - the mirror was dirty - my jeans didn't have those white splotches on them, the ones above the knees were on the mirror. 

I thought I would show a close up of the embroidery on the bodice of the top. There is also a little ruffle that goes across the front and on the sleeves.  

I am thinking I will try this top with a darker pair of jeans - since it has the navy blue embroidery on the bodice. I think it will look nicer. But at least I know how it will look with this pair of jeans. These jeans I bought quite some time ago - before 2016 when I started keeping track of my purchases. These jeans were a pair of favorites from the time I lost weight about 7 years or so. I am thrilled to be able to wear them now. Not my favorites any more because I really prefer darker denim now but it is nice to have options and change things up sometimes. :O) 

Ok - here are the quotes I wanted to share: 

“ The church of Christ, enfeebled, defective as she may appear, is the one object on earth upon which He bestows, in a special sense, His love and His regard. The church is the theater of His grace, in which He delights in making experiment of mercy on human hearts. The Holy Spirit is His representative and it works to effect transformations so wonderful that angels look upon them with astonishment and joy. Heaven is full of rejoicing when the members of the human family are seen to be full of compassion for one another, loving one another as Christ has loved them” (Special Testimonies to Battle Creek Church, pp. 18,19) I am reading Ty Gibson’s book-“Abandon Ship~ One Man’s Struggle to discover God’s Special Purpose for His Church”

“The grace of Christ must mold our entire being, and its triumph will not be complete until the heavenly universe shall witness habitual tenderness of feeling, Christlike love, and holy deeds in the deportment of the children of God”(Amazing Grace, p. 235).

Don't Give up

Today I just wanted to share a few little reminders - if you have not been following through on making good choices to take care of you - it is alright - Today is a new day and today you can make those changes. God wants the best for us and we can get that best when we make choices that benefit our health.

Be watching for some more great posts about healthy living. I can't wait to get a couple of posts written up. You know how I have shared how in the past I felt like I was securely riding on the wagon of weight loss and healthier living and then after a time - usually a year I would fall off and just didn't understand why? Well in the book "The End of Diabetes" in chapter 4 I believe I have a great explanation as to why this has been the case. Having this knowledge is a secret tool to get myself back on the wagon and to stay on the wagon. I can't wait to share!!

I was hoping to get the post typed up for today but I had a lot of extra stuff come up. I really am trying to get some computer time to get it typed up! :0)

Healthy Tidbits

"People who eat beans merely twice a week were found to have about a 50% reduction of colon cancer. Imagine the protection we would achieve if we ate beans almost every day in conjunction with other well-investigated cancer-fighting foods."
~ quote from The End of Diabetes" book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

This book has been amazing. I am working on a post of the secret to getting back on the wagon when you fall off. So be sure and keep checking back. It is amazing information. I wish I had have learned this long ago. It would have prevented my weight to yo-yo.

Ways to Save...series.. This instead of that

Today's "Ways to Save" is going to be using the this instead of that mentality. I used to be a heavy soda drinker. I loved my diet coke till I gave up diet drinks because aspartame is not good for you. So I switched to coke. I loved my coke. Until I realized I had to give up caffeine - it is not good for us either plus if I did not have a coke I would get a bad head ache, a head ache that wouldn't go away. I knew then that I had to give it up. And thankfully I did because I found out later that caffeine makes hot flashes worse - I don't need that!

So now when I am going to have a soda I usually I drink rootbeer, sprite, or Canada Dry Ginger Ale(my favorite). If I open a 12 ounce can - I am tempted to drink more of it than I would like - so I have been getting Walmart brand little 8 ounce cans of rootbeer or cream soda. I don't do this all the time but ever so often for a treat. They used to price the six pack at $1.50. The last time I went - the price had gone up to $1.62. I thought that was too much so I passed. When I got to the produce department I picked up a bag of key limes because our granddaughter was coming that week end and she loves Key Limeade - I do too! That is when I got the thought. I like her to drink the limeade instead of soda's because of her getting the vit. c and white sugar is probably better for her than corn syrup. So when she comes to visit I do my best to have it here. I buy a bag or Key Limes and then I process them- I usually use 7-8 per 2 qt. pitcher. So I wash the limes, cut them in half and I squeeze them into my glass measuring cup. Then I pour it into my pitcher and I add about 1 cup of sugar and fill it up with water. I mix it up really good. Then I do the same process with the rest of the sets of 7-8 but instead up pouring the juice into the pitcher - I pour the juice into a small Tupperware container that has a lid. I put these in the freezer till I am ready to use them. This time my bag of key limes made up 4 batches. I paid $2.48 for the key limes. When I figured up per 8 ounce servings of each here is what I found :

Great Value soda -8 ounces - 27 cents a serving
Key Limeade - 8 ounces - almost 18 cents a serving. That is including the sugar added.

That is almost 10 cents cheaper per serving - plus healthier for us and has vit. c! I think it is a win for the Key Limeade!! :O) I will make sure I have stuff to make key limeade here so when I get a hankering for something sweet to drink - I will make up some key limeade! :O)

Sometimes I get an even better deal on the key limes - which makes each serving even cheaper!
This is a treat - not something I usually drink. I am trying to be healthier which means water is my usual drink of choice.

What Praise Can Do!

Sorry - I forgot to mention - this was from my Streams in the Desert devotional book. :O)

************************************************************************
Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, sing to it! (Num 21:17)
This was a strange song and a strange well. They had been traveling over the desert’s barren sands, no water was in sight and they were famishing with thirst. Then God spake to Moses and said:

“Gather the people together, and I will give them water,” and this is how it came.

They gathered in circles on the sands. They took their staves and dug deep down into the burning earth and as they dug, they sang,

“Spring up, O well, sing ye unto it,” and lo, there came a gurgling sound, a rush of water and a flowing stream which filled the well and ran along the ground.

When they dug this well in the desert, they touched the stream that was running beneath, and reached the flowing tides that had long been out of sight.

How beautiful the picture given, telling us of the river of blessing that flows all through our lives, and we have only to reach by faith and praise to find our wants supplied in the most barren desert.

How did they reach the waters of this well? It was by praise. They sang upon the sand their song of faith, while with their staff of promise they dug the well.

Our praise will still open fountains in the desert, when murmuring will only bring us judgment, and even prayer may fail to reach the fountains of blessing.

There is nothing that pleases the Lord so much as praise. There is no test of faith so true as the grace of thanksgiving. Are you praising God enough? Are you thanking Him for your actual blessings that are more than can be numbered, and are you daring to praise Him even for those trials which are but blessings in disguise? Have you learned to praise Him in advance for the things that have not yet come?
—Selected

“Thou waitest for deliverance!
O soul, thou waitest long!
Believe that now deliverance
Doth wait for thee in song!

“Sigh not until deliverance
Thy fettered feet doth free:
With songs of glad deliverance
God now doth compass thee.”

---

A Revolutionary Man

Did you realize that Jesus was a revolutionary man? It is a new concept to me as well. But it is true. First let's look at what "revolutionary" means:

adjective: revolutionary

1. 1.

   involving or causing a complete or dramatic change.

Our Sabbath School is studying a new book called "Who Is This Man?" by John Ortberg.

We have only gone through several chapters so far but so far it has been an excellent book. And it has helped me see that Jesus came to this world to turn upside down the results of thousands of years of sin that had led to the devaluing of certain people in their society. 

In the Roman cultures especially - woman and children were not worth much at all and we see Jesus making a point to tell of their value. In the story of Jesus going to bring Jarius' daughter back to life, He brought a widows son back to life. He called out the woman who had bleed for 12 years and had touched the hem of His garment and called her "Daughter" - in that time period bleeding would have made her unclean - which meant you could not touch her or become unclean. He could have just kept the healing between the two of them but He wanted to restore her to her community and by calling her "Daughter" and pointing out her faith He showed that she was of value to Him.

I really like books that help me to see and understand Jesus in a new way. Now when I read stories in the Bible of Jesus asking for children to come to Him or speaking to women and healing them,  I realize that He was pointing out their value and helping people see that everyone had value. We are all of value. God has bestowed value on each and everyone of us and NO one can take that value away.

Listening...a lost art

Many times in our busy lives, we find ourselves praying a quick prayer here and there and then moving on to the next thing on our "to do" list giving no time to listening to see if maybe God has something to say to us. We do a lot of talking, He does a lot of listening.

I think listening could fall under the heading of "a lost art." We are too busy with our own life's to listen to God or others. Many times we are spending more time coming up with a response than listening to what is actually being said to us. Many times I am guilty of this.

I am in a season in my life where I am being called to listen.

I have already come to the realization that when I have my quiet time and even throughout my day, if I close off the loudness of the world, I have more of a chance to hear what God has to say to me.

Now God is leading me to realize the importance of allowing others to talk and share what is important to them. People need to be heard. In this busy world- with all the hustle and bustle there doesn't seem to be as much interaction with others. We can give people the gift of not only our time but also an listening ear.

I had lunch with a friend earlier this week and she shared something with me that I wanted to share with you. My friend shared how she had been at a self defense class for women and girls. Her daughters were in the class. A lady was there who was working on an article for a church magazine. She began talking to my friend and asking her opinion of things. When the conversation was over my friend felt overwhelmed with happiness and while driving home she was trying to figure out why she felt so happy. And it dawned on her that it was the fact that someone had asked her opinion!

Too often we are quick to share our thoughts and opinions about things but aren't interested in other peoples thoughts or opinions.  My friend expressed the same feeling I have had. It really does feel good to have people interested in our thoughts and opinions.

We do a lot of talking, maybe we should do a lot of listening as well. Just like Jesus does!

Ways to Save and My Best Deal

In my Ways to Save series I have shared about Homemade Laundry Detergent, Dishwashing Tabs. and Fabric Softener,  today I will be sharing a way I have found to save with washing dishes. Plus I will be sharing my best deal. 

When washing dishes some things just need a lot more soap and suds than what is in the sink- that is where this comes in: 

Pampered Chef Soap Pump 

A couple of weeks ago, while at a local Goodwill store, I found a brand new one still in the package for $1.99!! I tried to find it on Pampered Chefs site - but it looks like it has been discontinued. Anyway I looked on ebay and found it anywhere from $9.00- $20.00 dollars area. 

That's a deal! And it helps save me money because instead of putting a drop or two of dish soap on my scrubby- I can use a pump or two of soap- helping my soap last longer! 

Healthy Tidbits

It's Wednesday so it is time for Healthy Tidbits. The book I am reading for my Reversing Diabetes class "The End of Diabetes" has been packed with invaluable information. There is SO much vital information in this book that it is well worth the read.

Today I wanted to share a bit of information about fiber. In a previous Healthy Tidbits I shared how the recommended amount of fiber to shoot for is 40 grams a day. That information was found in the "Full Plate Diet" book. The sad thing is that with all the health reports and such on the news very little is said about trying to get that much fiber in ones diet. I am guessing the reason is because the media doesn't feel the need to promote the usage of a plant based diet - which is where you will find fiber!

"Beans, green vegetables, seeds, and some fruits are high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber supplies a gelatinous-like material in the bowel. It is not absorbed and does not give us calories. Soluble fiber is very important. as it slows the absorption of glucose and helps lower cholesterol. Beans are especially high in soluble fiber.

Insoluble fiber - roughage-is important too. It provides bulk to our stool and keeps us regular. And guess what: seeds, nuts, vegetables, and, yes, beans have plenty of insoluble fiber too.

For years, nutritionist and scientist thought there were only two kinds of fiber- soluble and insoluble. Now we know that there is a carbohydrate that acts like a fiber too. It is called resistant starch. It supplies few calories, and most of the calories do not raise glucose levels. It is called resistant starch because it is resistant to stomach acid and digestive enzymes. It is not digested in the small intestines but passes to the large intestine, where it undergoes fermentation. Fermentation means that the bacteria decompose and degrade this starch into simpler compounds. When the bacteria in the bowel degrade the resistant starch, it forms new compounds that have health benefits. resistant starch is important for good health and has beneficial effects for diabetics.

Legumes such as beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas fall furbelow grains on the list of foods Americans eat. However, legumes are richer in nutrients, proteins, and fiber, and they contain much higher levels of resistant starch. Considering their favorable effects on blood sugar and weight lose, they are preferred carbohydrate source for people who have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes.

Most starchy foods have a small amount of resistant starch in them."

I hope you found this as interesting as I did. And by the way - this is just a tiny bit of the information that I found in chapter 6 "The Phenomenal Fiber in Beans."
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Monday night my "Reversing Diabetes" class was cancelled do to all the rains and chances of flooding. I was disappointed but at least it is giving me a chance to get more of the book read before my next class. They will add a class in November so we still get all the information :O)

Oh and it is STILL raining.....ugh.... taking care of chickens when there has been almost none stop rain for several days is a dirty, slick job.

Chilly, Rainy, and Busy

Sorry for being missing in action the last few days. I just haven't had a chance to blog. And then yesterday when I finally thought I had a nice open time frame to blog the Internet was down. I'm guessing some of you reading experienced the same thing. There was a fire that damaged internet provider plus their back up. Luckily they were able to get it back up and running in less than 12 hours. Anyway today I am quite busy with lunch with a best friend and helping with a local churches food bank. Please keep this in your prayers- it has been raining and in the 40's for the past 2 days. Please pray that we can get a break in the rain from about 4:30-6:30 so people can come out and get food without getting rained on.
Tomorrow I will do my best to get on here and get a post or two written. This week my Best Deal and Ways to Save will be in the same post. Can't wait to get it typed up. Y'all take care and stay warm and dry. :)

A Bit More Information on Homemade Laundry Detergent

As I was doing my laundry today- I noticed the date that I had written on a sticker of the date that I started using home made laundry detergent. It has been more than a month and I still have 2/3- 3/4 of the canister full of soap.

I have been thinking about how much better I feel about things now that I have been making my own soaps and such. And as I was thinking I realized that by buying the premade soaps- many times we are paying for convenience. The sad thing is that for so long I just thought that is what we had to do. I fell for the lie hook, line and sinker. I know that in our society there are many people who don't have time or energy to make up their own soaps and I am so thankful that there are so many brands of premade things to choose from. And I am glad that they are there so if I don't have a chance to make stuff up then I can go pick some up. I wish I had have made the change a long time ago. I feel like I had a good mind set about trying to save money and all before cancer and chemo but it seems like going through all of that mess and recovering from it all drained a lot of that focus out of me. I hadn't really noticed. I guess I was too busy trying to take care of what had to be done. And just let some things slide. Ever so often it amazes me what I am able to do compared with just a few years ago. I am so very thankful that I have pressed forward with trying to take care of my and be healthier.

I also wanted to share another little tidbit with any of you that are considering making your own laundry detergent. Fels Naptha has a pretty potent odor to it. So if you are sensitive you may want to go with the Ivory soap. I have found that a 10 bar pack of Ivory soap runs $3.97 at least at my Walmart. I have not priced it else where yet. You may need to use 2 bars per batch since the Fels is like 9 ounces or so and the Ivory soap is about 5 ounces but you would still be saving about 17 cents or so per batch using Ivory. I have heard there is a brand Zote - that is also good to use. I do not know what it smells like. I did not see this soap at my local Walmart. I will check other stores for it. I also heard from a fellow Blogger Renee - that you can find Zote pre-shredded. I have seen this on Amazon. I am guessing it make increase the cost of your soap by buying pre-shredded. But I was told it works great. So that is something that you may want to try out. There are options out there- try them and find what works for you. Buying pre made soaps and all might work best for you and that it just fine to. You find what works for you. Just know I am sharing so that you, too, will know you have options.

My Best Deal ...series "Candles"

So any of you remember Home Interiors? It was a company that ran kind of like Tupperware and Pampered Chef. Anyway years ago - probably about 20 years ago - I went to a few of the Home Interior Parties and I had a few of the Home Interior Parties as well. One of the things that I discovered from Home Interior is that they made some of the best candles around- at least better than any candles I had seen and I bought some. Twelve votive candles came in a box.

These are the candles I have left. I use them sparingly. I guess because I knew once they were gone - that would be it. You can find some on Ebay and probably other places but by the time you pay for them - you are paying quite a bit.

As I was perusing a local Goodwill - I noticed this box: 

Something drew me to the box. I opened it up and smelled the candles and found a delightful scent that signaled the chance that there were good quality candles. I was kind of thinking that maybe Home Interiors had changed names and that maybe this was that company.

I have since done some research and discovered that Home Interiors did change names and is now called Celebrating Home.

Anyway back to my best deal post - so I looked up these candles and discovered that brand new these candles run $9.00 a box. Plus I am sure you would have to pay shipping as well. Anyway with just taking the 9.00 a box in to account - it make each candle run $1.50.

I paid $2.49 for the box bringing the cost of each candle down to about $.42 a piece! That is a much better deal. Plus they will smell good! I am so thankful when I am able to find something like this - something that is important to have around - in case of emergency and will smell good as well - without having to pay the high prices for them! :O)  

Healthy Tidbits and My Homework Assignment

Last week I shared that I had started going to a series of meetings called "Reversing Diabetes." Last weeks home work was to read the "Full Plate Diet" book that they gave us at the meetings. This week we got another book and homework assignment. The "Full Plate Diet" book was easy to read through during the week. This new book will take a bit more time- of course they don't expect the whole thing read during the week. Thankfully.

One thing I love about this book is that the last section has recipes!!! I look forward to trying some out!

I also won a little prize! I love free things! Just one more incentive to go and learn more things.

This series of meetings has not been without its pushing me outside of my comfort zone. I was not told that I needed to go through their screening panel last time - someone said they were offering the A1C test for 10.00 so I thought all of that other stuff was just for those wanting to have that test done. So on the second meeting I went through the screening panel - had to have my weight and height taken and blood pressure. That took some preparing myself for- I don't like to weigh especially since the card with info stays with them and there are a lot of people who can see the info. Anyway that is one part that was out of comfort zone - the other is the 20 minute session with a fitness instructor. Each week we do and learn something new - while we are exercising.

One interesting thing that I learned this week was that exercising helps the brain to grow and the synapsis to work better. I am sorry - since I was working out I was not able to take good notes so I may not have said that correctly but you get the idea. Exercising is good for brain health. It helps you think better and to have better memory. Who doesn't want a better memory?!

I look forward to what all I can learn from this book. The book I read last week was revolutionizing for me. It has helped me realize that I need to incorporate more fruits, veggies, and whole grains into my diet in order to get enough fiber. I think I mentioned it last week but 40 grams of fiber is what is a great target to shoot for. Fiber helps the food you eat to move more slowly through the body - helping to keep your blood sugars steady.

I wanted to share just a bit of a testimony with you all about how God is in control of even the little details. So mid -November is my last appointment with my oncologist. It will be the 5 year mark since my surgery!! I had really wanted to get my well woman appointment along with mammogram done before that appointment but when I called my Dr several weeks ago to schedule an appointment - the soonest I could get in was mid December. I was disappointed. After learning a lot of the things I have been learning - I have figured out that it was NO accident that it will be a little over 3 months till my appointment. God knew that I was going to have my A1C tested and with the choices I was making mostly good but too many bad choices- my number would be too high. He graciously allowed me time to get it better under control before it will be tested. I am so thankful for that.

I have been reminded of the importance of exercising especially after meals to help the blood sugar not spike as high. You can lower your blood sugar level by 1-3 points per minute of exercise - when you are exercising after a meal. How's that for another healthy tidbit?! It doesn't have to be intense. Just get up and march in place. Maybe some stepping from side to side. Maybe a walk around the block or two. Just try to add some movement to your schedule after you eat.

Fabric Softener continued

So yesterday I shared about finding myself in a pinch of not having fabric softener so I made some. I made a half batch. Well I wanted to share a bit more information with you just in case someone plans to make their own fabric softener.

So my gallon sized bottle of vinegar was getting low enough that I though I would make a full batch of fabric softener. So I did everything the same way I had done before- except this time I made a full batch. Well when I shook up the bottle of all the ingredients- it didn't seem to all mix together good. I found I still had lumps of conditioner. So what I did was poured some of the mixture into my blender- about half way full. I mixed it for just a bit and wow! I had a wonderful consistency. I continued to do this until I had mixed it all up.

I used a different hair conditioner this time. I don't know if that was the reason or something else, but this time the consistency was thicker. So I am storing my fabric softener in the gallon bottle, but pouring in a portion of the softener into my old Snuggles bottle. I then add about 1/2 cup of hot water and shake it up. I check the consistency and if need be add more water. I should not have to make up fabric softener for at least a month or so. And what is awesome- is that I have used ingredients that I had on hand. No money spent equals saving money! And I love that!

Ways to Save....series ...homemade Fabric Softener

Sometimes we find way to save around our house quite by accident. That is what happened in the discovery of what I am going to share today.

On Mondays I like to do some laundry. I had gotten my lights load washed and still needed to wash my dark load but I had ran out of liquid fabric softener. I really like to use the liquid fabric softener because I like to hang up all my tops and also my towels and such. So I thought I was going to have to wait till I either made a Walmart trip - 20 minutes away or ran to Dollar General - 5 minutes away. As my husband was on his way home from work I was telling him about my dilemma and he suggested that I make my own fabric softener. Oh yeah!!! I can check that out. So I went to google and typed in Homemade fabric softener. And I went to the very first youtube video that they listed.
And this is what I watched:




I don't know about your household but we tend to go through shampoo quicker and end up with conditioner left over. So I knew I had some under the bathroom sink. I went and looked and sure enough I had some coconut scented conditioner - I only had enough to make 1/2 of a recipe but still that will last for quite some time at 1/4 of a cup each wash.

I used my old Fabric Softener jug to mix my fresh batch in.

Here are the ingredients:
8 cups Hot water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner

So pour your hot water into your jug. Then add the vinegar. Next add the hair conditioner. Put cap on and shake well. Remember to shake well before you use it each time. And use 1/4 of a cup for each load. I measured 1/4 of a cup and marked my lid at where the 1/4 cup would come to for easy reference.. I am VERY happy with how easy this was to wash.

So in 10 minutes I had a fresh batch of fabric softener made up and a load washing in my washing machine. It feels great to be able to make what you need instead of running to the store. And when you already have all of the ingredient on hand it is a win/win!! Money saving for sure because NO money was spent to make this load. I still have enough vinegar and I am sure I will find more hair conditioner if I look in my cabinet. I really think I will continue to make my own.

This making my own cleaners and not only been money saving but it has been fun. I feel accomplished- I was able to make what we needed and continue on in getting my jobs done!!

 I don't make all my cleaners - in fact in a "Ways to Save" post soon I will share a way I save money on something that I feel is a splurge. You can even save money on splurges. Imagine that! 

An Unexpected Resource

I have learned that if I will just spend time being quiet, it allows God to speak to me. Maybe not in an audible voice but with thoughts and ideas that I would not have had any other way. I think it was a combination of that and just a new mindset I have now -because I have been watching shows like "Life Below Zero" and "The Boonies" where the people use what they have, that brought what I think it an awesome idea to my mind. But first lets go back to spring when I saw these beautiful trees at the park that I like to walk at. I loved the purples flowers and so I took a photo of it and posted it on Facebook - asking what the name of it was? 

Vitex (Chaste tree, Vitex Agnus Castus) also known as a Butterfly Bush is what I was told.

I really wanted to get some of these for my yard.

Fast-forward to just a week or so ago- as I was walking, I noticed that the beautiful purple flowers were gone and as I walked by I reached out and I touched where the flower had been and to my surprise some seeds ended up in my hand! What a surprise! As I walked I got the great idea to get myself some seeds and plant some and start growing some Butterfly Bushes for my yard! 

So the next week-end to our surprise we had a 4 day week end with our sweet granddaughter and so this is what we did one of the days. She planted some seeds. We would have planted more but this was all of the containers I had to fit this tray. She planted one in the sand pail as well. 

So this was an unexpected resource in order to get a butterfly bush for my yard. It was exciting to think of a way to be resourceful and to not just run out and buy stuff. It is a way to live- to see how you can make do with what you have or at least come up with it without always going to the store. Be watching for a few more posts about this idea. It is a good way to save money. 

Ok - so here is the part where you too can get some seeds. If you would be interested in some seeds - just leave a comment to let me know or you may send me an email at - talia72288@gmail.com to give me your address so I can mail some seeds to you. I will gladly send you some seeds as well! :O) 

Power Up Your Food

Do you know how to power up your food? Well I am in the process of learning this important information during the month of October. I am lucky enough to live near an area that is offering a 5 week long Reversing Diabetes program and at the very first meeting they gave us the book "Full Plate Diet." It is our home work to read this book this week. Next Week there will be another book given.

I have to admit this is not my first copy of this book. I got a copy years ago and I skimmed through it. But as my cookbook collection got bigger and bigger - I had to go through and pull some of the cookbooks that were not used as much and donate them.. My copy of this book went into that pile.
I guess getting this book again was God's way to say, "Hey! You need to read this!!" I am listening and will certainly be doing my home work.

Not only did they feed us a great meal of Fresh Vege Wraps and some veggies. But they also had a 20 minute work out session. Exercising with a group of people is not something that I have done before, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We all just did out best. It was very helpful that I walk and exercise on my own already. I was actually very thankful that I already had an exercise program going!  By the way - exercising for 10 - 15 minutes after a meal can help regulate your blood sugar.

We had a Dr come in and give a talk. And it sounds like we will have different speakers each week.

I have already met a few people - we sit at tables and we will sit with the same group each week.

I had gone to a Diabetes program a year or so ago and I had been worried that this was going to be the exact same program but thankfully it is not. I think I am going to like this one a lot. I have already been inspired to make better choices. It is really up to us to change those bad habits that we have. Slowly make better choices.

Just in case you are interesting in the "Full Plate Diet" I have added a video for you to check out.

Healthy Tidbits

Did you know that exercising will help you sleep better? Well it is true. As I was working out with Jennifer from Rise Up Ministries this is just one of the healthy tidbits that she shared.

I also wanted to share that if you will go to her Facebook page - she is giving away her Fitness Journal "I’m giving away FREE copies of my fitness journal..it has nutrition and exercise tips as well as encouraging scriptures.."  It says to send her a message in her inbox - on messenger - and she will get it out to you. I am not sure how long this will go on but I am guessing if you message her she will respond. I think this will be a valuable tool to help in your journey to better health.  

When an Angel Stands Guard

My story begins at about 7:30 Sabbath morning when I went to let my chickens out into their yard. I threw food out for them like I always do and then went back inside. I proceeded to get ready for Church. About 3 - 4 hours later as I walked into my bedroom to change clothes - I glanced out my bedroom window. What I saw scared me. The gate into the chicken yard was wide open!!! I ran to the dining room to grab my shoes at the same time, letting my husband know what was going on. If the gate had been open for 3 -4 hours chances were that our chickens would be out in the rest of our yard and we have an pretty big back yard, I would certainly be needing my husband help and I wanted him to be prepared to help me.

Before heading out the back door - I grabbed a scoop of bird seed to spread for our my chickens to lure them back to their yard. I ran out to the chicken yard and I shut the gate behind me. I tossed out the bird seed and proceeded to count my chickens. To my surprise not one chicken had gotten out. I know an angel had to of stood guard at that gate because this gate is big enough for a riding lawn mower to get through- plenty of room for the chickens to get curious and leave their yard.

Had the chickens gotten out what a job it would have been to get them gathered up and back into their yard.  I was so thankful that God cares about even the small details of our lives. Even without me asking, He kept watch on my chickens and for 3- 4 hours an angel stood guard at the gate, at lease that is what I think happened.   

Ways to Save ....series Homemade Dishwashing Tabs

Todays "Ways to Save" will be an example of how to save money because if you use items you have on hand you are saving money. I am not sure if this actually would save money if you went and bought all the items - but I do know that when you are not having to buy something - putting money out - you are saving money. Because we do not use the dishwasher very often this will save us money over the long haul.

Last week I shared how we made up our own laundry detergent. And as you know one thing many times leads to another and in this case it did. I was running low on dishwashing powder and I had wanted to make up some. Well I could not find the recipe that I had from the same blogger who I got the laundry detergent recipe for. I began looking on the internet and found a couple of recipes.

I tried this recipe first. It made 33 dish detergent tabs(These were not totally full tabs. But I was not 100% happy with this recipe so I continued to look for recipes and found one that I am much more happy with.   

 

I like the texture and look of these tabs much more.

This recipe make 45 totally full tabs!

Here is a link to where I got this recipe!

I have washed a load using the first method that I made (the yellow ones) and a load using the white ones and I was very happy with the results of both loads! In fact, it seemed like they might have been cleaner than usual.

This may not be something you would want to do and that is fine but I enjoyed the process and am very happy with the results. I will continue making my own. :O)